The House of Petrović-Njegoš (Serbian Cyrillic: , / ) is an old Serbian noble family that ruled Montenegro from 1697 to 1918.
History
Origin "Bogut" or "Boguta" is believed to be the oldest known ancestor of the Petrović-Njegoš family. Bogut was alive at the time of the Battle of Velbazhd (1330) and the building of Visoki Dečani,Reljić 1976, p. 30 and perhaps into the 1340s.Etnografski muzej Cetinje 1963, p. 75 According to tradition and recorded by some historians, the ancestors of the Petrović family settled in Muževice at the end of the 14th century, from the Bosnia region, from the area of Zenica or Travnik.Miljanić 1989, It is possible that Bogut at that time had moved to Drobnjaci with his son, Đurađ Bogutović.Srpsko istorijsko-kulturno društvo "Njegoš" u Americi 1983, p. 73 Đurađ or some of his sons were in the entourage of Marko Drago, an affluent Serbian nobleman who had served Serbian lord Vuk Branković (1345-1397), and as such they are believed to have also served the Branković family.Etnografski muzej Cetinje 1963, p. 70 Đurađ and his five sons "from Drobnjaci" are mentioned in a document dating March 1, 1399, in which they gave several items to the depository of Dapko Vasilijev, an affluent Kotoran nobleman.Miljanić 1989,
Rule of Montenegro Montenegro was ruled from its inception by vladikas (prince-bishops) since 1516, who had a dual temporal and spiritual role, subordinate to the Serbian Patriarchate of Peć until its dissolution in 1766. In 1697, the office was made hereditary in the Petrović-Njegoš family. However, since Orthodox bishops are required to be celibate, the crown passed from uncle to nephew. In 1852, Prince-Bishop Danilo II opted to marry and to secularize Montenegro, becoming Prince Danilo I. His successor, Nikola I, created the Kingdom of Montenegro in August 1910, with himself as King.
In 1916, King Nikola I was ousted by the invasion and occupation of his country by Austria-Hungary, during World War I. He was formally deposed by the Podgorica Assembly in 1918, and the country merged with the Kingdom of Serbia and shortly thereafter merged again with the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs to form the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later renamed as the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929).
After Yugoslavia A period of eighty years of control from Belgrade followed, during which time Nikola I died in exile in France in 1921, followed shortly afterwards by the surprise abdication of his son and heir, Danilo III, the same year. The latter's nephew, Michael Petrović-Njegoš, inherited the titles of his predecessors whilst in exile in France. After a titular 11-year "reign" under the regency of one of his grandfather's generals, Anto Gvozdenović, Michael gave up his claim to the throne and swore allegiance to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. He survived arrest and internment by order of Adolf Hitler for refusing to head up a puppet Montenegrin state aligned to the Axis powers. Later, he served the SFR Yugoslavia as Head of Protocol. He was succeeded by his son Nicholas Petrović-Njegoš in 1986. In 2006, Montenegro went on to achieve full sovereignty in the 2006 independence referendum.
In 2011, Montenegro recognized an official role for the Royal House of Petrović-Njegoš in Montenegro: to promote Montenegrin identity, culture and traditions through cultural, humanitarian and other non-political activities, which has been interpreted as a "creeping restoration" of the monarchy.Zakon o statusu potomaka dinastije Petrović Njegoš
The present head of the house is Nicholas, Crown Prince of Montenegro.
Modern role
In July 2011, the Parliament of Montenegro adopted the Law on the Status of the Descendants of the Petrović Njegoš Dynasty. The law allows descendants of the dynasty to use heraldic royal symbols and grants them land that belonged to the King. It grants them property and buildings in Njegusi and Cetinje, the former capital city, as well as an apartment in Podgorica. It established the Petrovic-Njegos Foundation, which would receive financing from Montenegro’s state budget amounting to some €4 million.
List of monarchs
Picture TitleName Birth Reign Marriage(s)Issue Death Claim Notes Prince-BishopDanilo I 1670Njeguši, Montenegro 19 July 169711 January 1735() — 11 January 1735Podmaine Monastery, Venice(aged 64–65) Elected by the Montenegrin Tribal Assembly Prince-BishopSava II 18 January 1702Njeguši, Montenegro 11 January 17357 March 1781() — 9 March 1782Podmaine Monastery, Venice(aged 80) First cousin of Danilo I Coruled with Basil III from 1750–1766. Prince-BishopBasil III 1709Njeguši, Montenegro 11 August 175010 March 1766() — 10 March 1766St. Petersburg, Russian Empire(aged 56–57) Nephew of Danilo I Co-ruled with Sava IIOut of power for . Prince-BishopPetar I 1748Njeguši, Montenegro 13 October 178430 October 1830() — 30 October 1830Cetinje, Montenegro(aged 81–82) Elected by the Sinod. Grandnephew of Danilo I Prince-BishopPetar II 13 November 1813Njeguši, Montenegro 30 October 183031 October 1851() — 31 October 1851Cetinje, Montenegro(aged 37) The Will of Petar I, his uncle. Prince-Bishop;PrinceDanilo II;Danilo I 25 May 1826Njeguši, Montenegro 31 October 185113 August 1860() Darinka Kvekić12 January 18551 daughter 13 August 1860Kotor, Austrian Empire (aged 34) The Will of Petar II, his uncle. Assassinated in Kotor. Prince;KingNicholas I 7 October 1841Njeguši, Montenegro 13 August 186026 November 1918() Milena Vukotić8 November 186012 children 1 March 1921Cap d'Antibes, French Republic (aged 79) Nephew of Danilo I Exiled in January 1916. Deposed by the Podgorica Assembly.
Heads of the House since 1918
Picture Name Birth Headship Marriage(s)Issue Death Claim Nicholas I 7 October 1841Njeguši, Montenegro 26 November 19181 March 1921() Milena Vukotić8 November 186012 children 1 March 1921Cap d'Antibes, French Republic (aged 79) Deposed king of Montenegro Crown Prince Danilo 29 June 1871Cetinje, Montenegro 1 March 19217 March 1921() Jutta of Mecklenburg-Strelitz27 July 1899No children 24 September 1939 Vienna, Austria, Nazi Germany (aged 67) Eldest son of Nicholas I and Milena Vukotić. Prince Michael 14 September 1908Podgorica, Montenegro 7 March 192124 March 1986() Geneviève Prigent27 January 1941 – 11 April 19491 son 24 March 1986 Paris, France (aged 77) Nephew of Crown Prince Danilo Prince Nicholas 7 July 1944Saint-Nicolas-du-Pélem, France(age ) 24 March 1986present() Francine Navarro27 November 1976 – 6 August 20082 childrende Badts de Cugnac, Chantal. Coutant de Saisseval, Guy. Le Petit Gotha. Nouvelle Imprimerie Laballery, Paris 2002, pp. 862. French. .Almanach de Gotha (2018). Page 1389. Son of Prince Michael and Geneviève Prigent
Male descendants of Nicholas I
The list below includes male members of the Petrović-Njegoš dynasty. Bold denotes the current head of the House.
King Nicholas I (1841–1921) Crown Prince Danilo (1872–1939) Prince Mirko, Grand Duke of Grahovo and Zeta (1879–1918) Prince Stephan (1903–1908) Prince Stanislaw (1905–1908) Prince Michael (1908–1986) Prince Nicholas (born 1944) Prince Boris (born 1980) Prince Paul (1910–1933) Prince Emmanuel (1912–1928) Prince Peter, Grand Duke of Zahumlie (1889–1932)
See also List of heads of former ruling families The Petrović-Njegoš family tree
References
Nikola and Milena, King and Queen of the Black Mountain, The Rise and Fall of Montenegro's Royal Family by Marco Houston
External links
The Njegoskij Fund Public Project Private family archives-based digital documentary fund, focused on history and culture of Royal Montenegro Official website of the Royal House of Montenegro