Kingdom of Montenegro explained

Native Name:Serbian: {{lang|sr-Cyrl|Краљевина Црна Горa
Conventional Long Name:Kingdom of Montenegro[1]
Government Type:Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Year Start:1910
Year End:1918
Event Start:Proclamation
Date Start:28 August
Date End:28 November
Event1:Balkan Wars
Date Event1:1912–1913
Event2:Treaty of London
Date Event2:30 May 1913
Date Event3:1914–1918
Event4:Corfu Declaration
Date Event4:20 July 1917
P1:Principality of Montenegro
Flag P1:Flag of Montenegro (1852–1905).svg
S1:Kingdom of Serbia
Flag S1:Flag of Serbia (1882–1918).svg
S2:Kingdom of YugoslaviaKingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
Flag S2:Flag of Yugoslavia (1918–1941).svg
Flag:List_of_flags_of_Montenegro#National_flags
Flag Type:Flag
Symbol:Coat of arms of Montenegro
Image Map2:Kingdom 1914.gif
Image Map Caption:The Kingdom of Montenegro in 1914
Map Caption2:Kingdom of Montenegro in 1914 zoomed in the map with some cities
Capital:Cetinje
Capital Exile:Bordeaux
Neuilly-sur-Seine
National Anthem:Serbian: Убавој нам Црној Гори|italics=no
Serbian: [[Ubavoj nam Crnoj Gori]]
("To Our Beautiful Montenegro")
Common Languages:Serbian
Currency:Montenegrin Perper
Title Leader:King
Leader1:Nicholas I
Year Leader1:1910–1918
Title Deputy:Prime Minister
Deputy1:Lazar Tomanović
Year Deputy1:1910–1912 (first)
Deputy2:Evgenije Popović
Year Deputy2:1917–1918 (last)
Legislature:Popular Assembly
Area Km2:14.000
Demonym:Montenegrin

The Kingdom of Montenegro (Serbian: Краљевина Црна Горa|Kraljevina Crna Gora) was a monarchy in southeastern Europe, present-day Montenegro, during the tumultuous period of time on the Balkan Peninsula leading up to and during World War I. Officially it was a constitutional monarchy, but absolutist in practice. On 28 November 1918, following the end of World War I, with the Montenegrin government still in exile, the Podgorica Assembly proclaimed unification with the Kingdom of Serbia, which itself was merged into the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes three days later, on 1 December 1918. This unification with Serbia lasted, through various successor states, for almost 88 years, ending in 2006.

History

See also: History of Montenegro. Prince Nicholas of Montenegro proclaimed the Kingdom of Montenegro in Cetinje on 28 August 1910, elevating the country from the rank of Principality. King Nicholas I had ruled the country as prince since 1860, and had initiated several modernising reforms at the beginning of the 20th century, such as introducing a constitution and a new currency, the Montenegrin perper.

Montenegro joined the First Balkan War in 1912, hoping to win a share in the last Ottoman-controlled areas of Rumelia. Montenegro did make further territorial gains by splitting Sandžak with Serbia on 30 May 1913. But the Montenegrins had to abandon the newly captured city of İşkodra (Skadar in Serbian, modern-day Shkodër) to the new state of Albania in May 1913, at the insistence of the Great Powers. Esad Pasha made a deal to surrender the town to the Montenegrins in exchange for Montenegro supporting his claims in Central Albania. However, as Shkodër and the surroundings had a large ethnic Albanian majority, the area went to the state of Albania instead.When the Second Balkan War broke out in June 1913, Serbia fought against Bulgaria, and King Nicholas sided with Serbia.

During World War I (1914–1918) Montenegro allied itself with the Triple Entente, in line with King Nicholas' pro-Serbian policy. Accordingly, Austria-Hungary occupied Montenegro from 15 January 1916 to October 1918.

On 20 July 1917, the signing of the Corfu Declaration foreshadowed the unification of Montenegro with Serbia. On 26 November 1918, the Podgorica Assembly, an elected body claiming to represent the Montenegrin people, unanimously adopted a resolution deposing king Nicholas I (who was still in exile) and unifying Montenegro with Serbia. Upon this event Nicholas I, who had previously supported unification with Serbia into a greater state with his dynasty playing the pivotal role, switched to promoting Montenegrin nationalism and opposing the union with Serbia, a position he maintained until his death in France in 1921.

On 1 December 1918, Serbia and Montenegro together formed a major part of the new Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Yugoslavia).

During World War II, the occupying forces in Yugoslavia considered turning the Italian governorate of Montenegro into a puppet kingdom, but nothing came of these plans.

Rulers

King of Montenegro (1910–1918)

See also: List of rulers of Montenegro.

Prime Ministers (1910–1916)

See also: Prime Minister of Montenegro.

Prime Ministers in-exile (1916–1922)

See also

Further reading

External links

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Notes and References

  1. 1916–1922: Government-in-exile