Montenegro and the Herzegovina Uprising

AUTOR(I) / AUTHOR(S): Žarko Leković  

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.46793/Herzegovina.106L

SAŽETAK /ABSTRACT:

Until 1878, Montenegro’s political influence was predominantly directed towards Herzegovina. After 1878, this influence was primarily focused on Polimlje, the Novi Pazar Sanjak, and Northern Albania—that is, the territories that remained under Ottoman control following the Congress of Berlin. The centre of Herzegovinian resistance against the Turks was initially located in the immediate vicinity of Montenegro, in Grahovo, then in Kruševice, and later in Banjani, Piva, and Drobnjak. By the 1870s, the focus of resistance had shifted far northwest to Nevesinje, due to its central location, its predominantly Orthodox population (Muslims, mixed with Orthodox inhabitants, were present only in the northwestern part), and the strong sense of national consciousness among the local population. The outbreak of the uprising depended on the stance of the Cetinje court, as evidenced from the fact that the entire spring of 1875 passed without disturbances. Prince Nikola succeeded in restraining the insurgents and even persuaded many refugees to return home. He aimed to retain the full control of the Herzegovina uprising, either pacifying or intensifying it as circumstances required, so that the Porte would take into account the wishes and interests of Cetinje. He was able to restrain the insurgents for a certain period and influence some leaders to scale down their activities or withdraw completely. The Herzegovinians were aware that any major struggle without Montenegro’s support was doomed to failure. Nevertheless, Prince Nikola’s diplomatic manoeuvring was not entirely comprehensible to the insurgent leaders, who, although sincerely loyal to him, maintained a degree of distrust towards his court—particularly in regions where Luka Vukalović enjoyed considerable authority. The Nevesinje uprising quickly spread to other Herzegovinian kadiluks (Ottoman administrative districts under the jurisdiction of a kadı (judge)). Prince Nikola realised that the insurgents should be supported and politically instrumentalised. He sent Peko Pavlović to coordinate the uprising among the Herzegovinian insurgents, as Pavlović was well acquainted with the Herzegovinian terrain and its people, having served for many years as a harambaša (the leader of a hajduk band or other irregular fighters in the Balkans). Prince Nikola did not fully trust the leading insurgents, which is why he retained complete control over the uprising through Peko as commander-in-chief and through Vojvoda (a local military commander or chieftain) Petar Vukotić, who operated alternately in Grahovo and Banjani. Alongside Peko, the prince sent a large number of Montenegrins, known as the “jajoši” (irregular fighters or soldiers of local militia units), to support the Nevesinje uprising.

KLJUČNE REČI / KEYWORDS: 

Montenegro, Herzegovina, Nevesinje, prince, vojvoda, uprising, rifle

PROJEKAT / ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

LITERATURA/ REFERENCES:

Monographs

• Andrija V. Lainović, Victory at Grahovac 1858 in Contemporary Accounts, Cetinje, 1958.
• Bogdan Memedović, Ustasha Battles 1875-1877, Cetinje, 1934.
• Bohumil Bouček, Among Wounded Montenegrins 1875-1876, Podgorica, 2020. Branko Pavićević, History of Montenegro, Book Four, Volume Two, Podgorica, 2004.
• Vladimir Ćorović, Luka Vukalović and the Herzegovinian Uprisings 1852-1862, Belgrade, 1923.
• Vule Knežević, The Šaranac Tribe, Belgrade, 1961.
• Danilo Tunguz Perović, Montenegro and Herzegovina, Kotor, 1935.
• Danilo Tunguz Perović, Portraits of Montenegrin-Herzegovinian Highlanders, Kotor, 1934.
• Ivan Božić, Sima Ćirković, Milorad Ekmečić, Vladimir Dedijer, History of Yugoslavia, Belgrade, 1972.
• Irina Grigoryevna Senkevich, Albania in the Period of the Eastern Crisis, Moscow, 1965.
• Jovo Nakićenović, Origin of the Zimonjić Family and Priest Bogdan Zimonjić, Vojvoda of Gacko, Nikšić, 2018.
• Milo Vukčević, Montenegro and Herzegovina on the Eve of the War 1874-1876, Cetinje, 1950.
• Milorad Ekmečić, The Creation of Yugoslavia 1790-1918, Volume 2, Belgrade, 1989.
• Miomir Dašić, Vasojevići in the Uprisings 1860-1878, Podgorica, 1992. Nićifor Dučić, Montenegro, Belgrade, 1874.
• Obren Blagojević, Piva, Belgrade, 1971.
• Fifty Years on the Throne of Montenegro 1860-1910, Podgorica, 1998. Radoman Jovanović, Political Relations between Montenegro and Serbia 1860-1878, Cetinje, 1977.
• Spiridon Gopčević, Montenegrin-Turkish War 1876-1878, Belgrade, 1963.

Articles and Studies

• Đorđe Borozan, Montenegro and the Albanians in the Eastern Crisis, in Proceedings: International Recognition of Montenegro, Podgorica, 1999.
• Novak Ražnatović, The Liberation Struggle of Montenegro and the Berlin Congress, Historical Records, Podgorica, 1998.
• Risto Dragićević, The Status of the Christian Subjects in Turkey and Old Plans for Liberation, in Centenary of the Montenegrin-Turkish War 1876-1878, Titograd, 1978 (Proceedings from a Scientific Conference).

Schematics / Almanacks

• Almanack – Schematism of the Zeta Banovina, Cetinje, 1931.