Montenegro
Historie
During the Bronze Age, the Illirii were living near Skadar lake on the border of Albania and Montenegro and neighboring
with the Greek tribes south. Along the seaboard of the Adriatic, the movement of peoples that was typical of the ancient Mediterranean
world ensured the settlement of a mixture of colonists, traders, and those in search of territorial conquest. Substantial Greek colonies
were established on the 6th and 7th centuries BC and Celts are known to have settled there in the 4th century BC.
During the 3rd century BC, an indigenous Illyrian Kingdom emerged with its capital at Scutari. The Romans mounted several
punitive expeditions against local pirates and finally conquered the Illyrian kingdom in the 2nd century BC, annexing it to the
Province of Illyricum.
As Roman power declined, this part of the Dalmatian coast suffered from intermittent ravages by various semi-nomadic invaders,
especially the Goths in the late 5th century and the Avars during the 6th century.
In the second half of the 6th century, Slavs migrated from the Bay of Kotor to the River of Bojana and the hinterland of it as well
as surround the Skadar lake. They formed the Principality of Doclea.
After facing subsequent Bulgarian domination, Prince Časlav Klonimirović of the Principality of Serbia extended
his influence over Doclea in the 10th century. After the fall of the Serbian Realm in 969, the Docleans faced a Byzantine
occupation through to the 11th century. Stefan Vojislav started an uprising against the Byzantine domination and gained a huge
victory in 1042, which put to an end the Byzantine influence over the Doclea. Over the next few decades, it expanded its territory to
neighbouring Rascia and Bosnia, and also became recognised as a kingdom. Duklja reached its zenith under Vojislav's son, Mihailo
(1046–1081), and his grandson Constantine Bodin (1081–1101).
As the nobility fought for the throne, the kingdom was weakened, and by 1186, the territory became part of the Serbian Grand
Principality ruled by Stefan Nemanja. The Nemanjić dynasty administered the region of Duklja (known as "Zeta") as a
crown land. After the Serbian Empire collapsed in the second half of the 14th century, the most powerful Zetan family, the Balšićs,
became sovereigns of Principality of Zeta and ruled form 1356 until 1421.
In 1421, Zeta was annexed to the Serbian Despotate, but after 1455, another noble family from Zeta, the Crnojevićs, became
sovereign rulers of the country, making it the last free monarchy of the Balkans before it fell to the Ottomans in 1496.
From 1392, numerous parts of the territory were controlled by Republic of Venice, including the city of Budva. The Venetian
territory was centred on the Bay of Kotor, and the Republic introduced governors who meddled in Montenegrin politics. Venice
controlled territories in present-day Montenegro until its fall in 1797.
In 1858, one of the major Montenegrin victories over the Ottomans occurred at the Battle of Grahovac. This forced the Great Powers
to officially demarcate the borders between Montenegro and Ottoman Empire, de facto recognizing Montenegro's independence. In the
Battle of Vučji Do (1876) Montenegrins inflicted a major defeat on the Ottoman Army under Grand Vizier Ahmed Muhtar Pasha.
In the aftermath of the Russian victory against the Ottoman Empire in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, the major powers
restructured the map of the Balkan region. The Ottoman Empire recognised the independence of Montenegro in the Treaty of Berlin
in 1878.
In 1910, Montenegro became a kingdom, and as a result of the Balkan Wars of 1912–1913, a common border with Serbia was
established. From 1916 to October 1918 Austria-Hungary occupied Montenegro. During the occupation, King Nicholas
fled the country and established a government-in-exile in Bordeaux.
In 1922, Montenegro formally became the Oblast of Cetinje in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, with the addition
of the coastal areas around Budva and Bay of Kotor. In a further restructuring in 1929, it became a part of a larger Zeta Banate
of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia that reached the Neretva River.
In April 1941, Nazi Germany, the Kingdom of Italy, and other Axis allies attacked and occupied the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Italian forces
occupied Montenegro and established a puppet Kingdom of Montenegro.
In May, the Montenegrin branch of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia started preparations for an uprising planned for mid-July. Unexpectedly,
the uprising took hold, and by 20 July Montenegro was mostly liberated. The uprising lasted until mid-August, when it was suppressed
by a counter-offensive Italian troops brought in from Albania. Faced with new and overwhelming Italian forces, many of the fighters
laid down their arms and returned home. Fighters who remained under arms fractured into two groups. Most of them went on to join the
Yugoslav Partisans, consisting of communists and those inclined towards active resistance. Those loyal to the Karađorđević dynasty
and opposing communism went on to become Chetniks, and turned to collaboration with Italians against the Partisans. Montenegro was
liberated by the Partisans in December 1944.
Josip Broz Tito acknowledged Montenegro's massive contribution to the war against the Axis powers by establishing it as one of
the six republics of Yugoslavia.
After the dissolution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992, Montenegro remained part of a smaller Federal Republic
of Yugoslavia along with Serbia. During the 1991–1995 Bosnian War and Croatian War, Montenegro participated with
its police and military forces in the attacks on Dubrovnik, Croatia and Bosnian towns along with Serbian troops, aggressive acts
aimed at acquiring more territories by force, characterized by a consistent pattern of gross and systematic violations of human rights.
In 1996, Milo Đukanović's government severed ties between Montenegro and its partner Serbia, which was led by Slobodan Milošević.
Montenegro formed its own economic policy and adopted the German Deutsche Mark as its currency and subsequently adopted the euro,
although not part of the Eurozone.
In 2002, Serbia and Montenegro came to a new agreement for continued cooperation and entered into negotiations regarding the future
status of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. This resulted in the Belgrade Agreement, which saw the country's transformation into a more
decentralised state union named Serbia and Montenegro in 2003. The Belgrade Agreement also contained a provision delaying any
future referendum on the independence of Montenegro for at least three years. The status of the union between Montenegro and Serbia was
decided by a referendum on Montenegrin independence on 21 May 2006. Representing 86.5% of the electorate; (55.5%) were for
independence and (44.5%) were against. Serbia, the member-states of the European Union, and the permanent members of the United Nations
Security Council all recognised Montenegro's independence.
Montenegro formally became a member of NATO in June 2017, despite attempts by Russia to sabotage it, an event that triggered a
promise of retaliatory actions from Russia's government.
Montenegro has been in negotiations with the EU since 2012. In 2018, the earlier goal of acceding by 2022 was revised to 2025.
Legislation is being passed bringing Montenegro law in line with EU membership requirements.
I have visited Montenegro several times
The pictures of these trips, are not yet available; i have to digatalize them first.
Please let me know when you're having questions.
i would be pleased to help you.
Things to do and other tips
