CHAPTER VII.

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.