MONTENEGRO.
The Country of the Black Mountain—Women Warriors—King,
Poet and Farmer—Historical Sketch of Montenegro—Petar I.,
Petrović—Petar II.—Pro-Russian Policy—A Royal Poet—Nikola I.
All I have said about Serbia applies equally to Montenegro. The nations
are one and the same: they are identical in every respect and only
geographically divided. Montenegro is the Serbian advance guard on
the Adriatic. It is the eagle’s nest of Europe, the loftiest symbol
of freedom and independence. Nature herself has given this people an
impregnable fortress, and placed in their hands the keys of Southern
Slav liberty. From the height of their barren Black Mountains the
valiant high-spirited Montenegrin has looked down for centuries on the
rise and fall of his kinsmen all around him. In all the tragedies that
have passed in the shadow of his eyrie he has played his part, both
as dauntless warrior, and the bard of freedom who from his mountain
heights sang the song of the future to his enslaved brothers. The
Montenegrin has always been the same. In war-time he is a warrior,
in times of peace a shepherd armed to the teeth. He is inseparable
from his weapons, but only uses them against his enemies. Though his
aspect is martial and his glance fierce, he bears a kindly, loveable
heart. Comparing his outward appearance with his soul, one might call
him a lion with the heart of a dove. A friend, whoever he may be, is
welcomed with open arms, and his rough, powerful hand can be gently
caressing as a child’s. But an enemy will be crushed by its weight;
for the Montenegrin _hates_ his foe, hates him passionately, fiercely
and implacably, and he is ever on the watch for him. Even at tender
age the children are decked with weapons and have to learn the use
of them under the eyes of their elders. And the enemy is always the
“Schwabo.” The women are just as efficiently trained to arms as the
men, and it has often happened that the Montenegrin Amazons played a
decisive part in warfare; and, when weapons were scarce, the women
rolled mighty rocks from the heights down upon their enemies. Fighting
is a grim pleasure to the Montenegrin in war-time, and his recreation
in times of peace. Whoever has travelled in the Montenegrin mountains
cannot fail often to have noticed two goatherds in the midst of their
herds, fencing with their “Handzars” (the sheathless scimitar of the
Montenegrins) and not far off two goat-girls similarly engaged.
The Montenegrin is not a great farmer. The soil is poor and barren;
yet every patch of fertile ground is utilized to the utmost of its
resources, and good soil is often carried from a great distance and
deposited in the stony corries for the cultivation of a little maize
and corn. But the Montenegrin cares less for a full stomach than for a
light heart. It is a people that is for ever singing, and the wealth of
Serbo-Croat folk-songs provides them with ample material.
The relations between the Montenegrins and their rulers is without
parallel in Europe. Certainly the King is the “Gospodar” (ruler), but
he is really only the chief warrior, the chief farmer, and the chief
poet of his country. The dynasty is descended from Montenegrin farmers
and is deep-rooted in the people themselves. The Montenegrin does not
consider his King so much the head of the State, as the leader of the
nation, and relations between them are familiar and fraternal. The
King is the father, and the people are his children in a perfectly
patriarchal sense. There is no trace of Western European formality
in their intercourse. The familiar “thou” is used on either side,
and the simplest peasant shakes hands with the King as a matter of
course. But in war time the King’s word is law, and the unquestioning
discipline of the people is founded on their mutual relations in times
of peace—founded on the love of the people for their ruler.
The Montenegrins are Serbs by nationality, and their Royal House, like
that of Serbia, has sprung from the people. Neither country has ever
been ruled by a foreign prince.
In olden times it was the custom that the elders of the nation, without
special regard to diplomatic qualifications, should guide the fate of
their country by the rules of ancient custom. Chief among them was
the Vladika,[15] who possessed no special privileges as ruler but
merely took precedence in virtue of his ecclesiastical dignity. His
education was limited to what was necessary for his clerical duties,
and he knew little or nothing of state-craft. The character of a given
reign depended mainly on the prevailing relations with the Turks,
and Montenegrin affairs prospered in proportion to the peaceable
or aggressive attitude of these neighbours. A well-ordered state,
enlightenment, and education were luxuries no one desired or required,
and the people lived and fought merely for the needs of the day. But,
although they are naturally gifted, the nation could not develop
without any means of education; and, apart from the art of war they
were simple and unlettered as children. Mere adventurers have several
times taken advantage of this simplicity. The most flagrant instance
was that of Stjepan Mali, a Russian swindler, who gave himself out to
be a scion of the Vojevode family Petrović and proclaimed himself lord
of Montenegro.
Affairs improved when Vladikas of Crnojević family were succeeded by
Vladikas of the true Petrović stock in the leadership of the country.
The first of these, Petar I., Petrović, was still content to follow
in the footsteps of his predecessors, and influenced the education of
his people only in so far as he himself was cultured. His immediate
successor Petar II., Petrović Njegoš, earned undying fame in the
history of Montenegro.
Petar II. became Vladika and Gospodar of Montenegro at the age of
seventeen. At the time of his accession he was scarcely more than
a Montenegrin peasant lad, accustomed to dealing with attacks from
the Turks, but otherwise without education. The young ruler knew
nothing whatever of system or the deeper meaning of learning and
education, when he took the helm. Times were troubled and difficult,
for, even in Montenegro opinions were divided. There were several
other pretenders—not so much because of internal dissensions as in
consequence of foreign intrigue. It was not a matter of indifference
for the neighbouring states whether the ruler of Montenegro was their
friend and tool, or whether he was a man of independent personality
and inclined to follow Montenegrin tradition in considering Russia.
The Sandjaks of Skutari and Hercegovina (at that time still the
Sandjak Novipazar) were Montenegro’s vulnerable point. For nearly a
century Montenegro had already sought ways and means of extending
her territory as far as the frontier of modern Serbia. Moreover, from
the days of Peter the Great an idea had existed that, with the help
of the Serbs of Old Serbia, and the Serbs and Croats of Bosnia and
Hercegovina, Montenegro should prepare the way for the emancipation
of her kindred from the Turkish yoke. Poverty, however, lack of
numbers on the part of Montenegro, and the vacillations of Russian
diplomacy frustrated these plans, and Vladika Petar I. did not feel
strong enough to embark on this enterprise. Petar II. realized that,
before Montenegro could hope to attempt this task, she would have to
strengthen her hands—and those of her brothers awaiting liberation—by
a thorough-going pro-Russian policy, which would secure them the
protection of the Russian Empire. She must also provide her children
with the means of education. He knew well that nothing can be done with
an unlettered people. The lines laid down by him were quite correct.
Russian society understood the Prince’s aims and gave him sufficient
financial assistance for the foundation of schools, etc., and Russian
diplomacy supported him strongly in his politics. Petar II. set about
his educational mission with devotion and perseverance, and even
found time to complete his own studies. When he attained to man’s
estate he was already famous as one of the finest of the Southern Slav
poets, and as one of the patrons of culture among the oppressed Slav
peoples.[16] But his path was by no means strewn with roses. The very
strength of his independent personality laid him open to insidious
intrigues. True, he followed Russia’s advice, but, while he was still a
youth, full of the healthy, impetuous ardour of his mountain home, he
often transgressed the rules of European diplomacy. Diplomacy failed
to understand his actions, and he, being a true Montenegrin, could
not wait with his hands folded to see what diplomacy might achieve,
while the Turks were harrying his borders. Even the Russian Consul in
Dubrovnik (Ragusa) often complained to his Government that the Prince
“was better fitted for a grenadier than for a Vladika” (Bishop). And,
of course, Vienna always stirred up enmity against him. But Petar
II. remained a staunch Montenegrin warrior, and the older he grew
the less he was able to adapt himself to the wiles of diplomacy. He
devoted himself to his people, who loved, honoured, and revered him.
But foreign intrigue began to tell upon him. Disappointments increased
with advancing years, and he found little but bitterness in the onerous
duties of a prince; this bitterness and disappointment find eloquent
expression in his poems. At last circumstances became so unendurable
to him that he thought of abdicating, and was probably only deterred
from his purpose by his ardent love for his people. For, despite all
vexations, he cannot have failed to see that his presence was not
useless and that his work and activities were bringing a blessing to
his people and laying the foundations of the future.
His nephew and successor, Danilo I., was the last “Vladika” on the
Montenegrin throne. He was far better versed in the arts of diplomacy,
but his reign will never rival that of his uncle in importance. He fell
a victim to assassination in 1860 at Kotor (Cattaro) and was succeeded
by his nephew Nikola I., the first secular prince of Montenegro.
In Nikola I. fate bestowed upon Montenegro a ruler with a remarkably
strong character and first-rate diplomatic talent. The country was
re-organized from within, without giving offence to any of the sacred
traditions of the Montenegrins. In Nikola’s foreign policy veritable
masterpieces were achieved from time to time. Without departing from
the traditional pro-Russian policy Nikola established excellent
relations with all non-Slav states, especially with Austria, and made
the utmost use of every opportunity whereby his country and people
might benefit. A man of great personal charm, highly cultured and
refined, Nikola I. has enthusiastic friends and admirers in every part
of the world. The unity of the Southern Slavs is one of his favourite
ideals, and he has laboured unceasingly to promote this cause. His
personal relationship to several of the Royal Houses of Europe made it
possible for him to work effectively and win friends for the Slav cause
where another might have failed to do so.
What Nikola I. has done for Montenegro during the fifty years of his
reign is more or less generally known. The education of the people,
which began under Petar II., has made splendid progress under Nikola
I., and to-day Montenegro can boast a large number of statesmen, poets,
scholars and men of letters for so small a country. When the Balkan
crisis arrived, Nikola, then already King of Montenegro, true to the
spirit of his fathers, unhesitatingly and enthusiastically placed
himself and his people at the disposal of Serbia and won glorious
victories, in consequence of which his territories were considerably
enlarged. After the Balkan War, King Nikola surely looked forward
to a time of peace and prosperity. But his hopes were doomed to
disappointment, for recent events have called him to another and more
important task.