See all articles relating to: Montenegro
Montenegro was initially inhabited by the ancient Illyrians. The region later fell under the control of the Roman Empire, followed by the Byzantine Empire, and finally, the Kingdom of Serbia in the Middle Ages. Throughout its history, Montenegro has produced several notable figures, such as Petar II Petrović-Njegoš (1813-1851), a bishop, poet, and philosopher who led the country during a period of political transformation and cultural renaissance. Another prominent figure is King Nikola I (1841-1921), who reigned during Montenegro's independence from the Ottoman Empire and strove to modernize the nation. Finally, Milovan Djilas (1911-1995), a politician and writer who became a prominent critic of the Yugoslav communist regime after World War II, helped to shape modern Montenegro's political landscape.
Montenegrin history
Although it is hardly the center of European political and economic life today, the region which corresponds with Montenegro was a central part of the Mediterranean civilizations of the first millennium BCE. Inhabited by the Illyrians and considered part of wider Illyria, which runs along the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, several Greek colonies were established along the coast from the seventh century BCE onwards, while a powerful Kingdom of Illyria emerged here during the Hellenistic period. It reached the peak of its powers in the middle of the third century BCE under King Agron. The Romans conquered the coastal region in the second century BCE and gradually moved inwards over the next two centuries, establishing the province of Illyricum along the way.[1]
Like a great many other parts of the Balkans, Montenegro’s medieval, early modern and even modern histories are a long tale of foreign domination, first in the shape the Byzantine Empire, then newcomers such as the Bulgars and Serbs, while the Republic of Venice established a presence along the coast from the tenth century CE onwards. In the sixteenth century the Montenegro region was broadly brought under the control of the Ottoman Turks, but it was one of their more fractious provinces and there were frequent revolts and insurrections against Ottoman rule, such as that led by the Serb and Montenegrin hajduk, Bajo Pivljanin between the 1660s and the 1680s. As a result of this unstable environment we might say that Montenegro was a region which the Ottomans only ever had a loose control over.[2]
Montenegro’s modern political history began in 1798 when it was acknowledged as an independent principality within the Ottoman Empire. It achieved full independence in 1878, but only remained a sovereign state for four decades. In 1918 Montenegro, where many people considered the Montenegrins to be very akin culturally and ethnically to the Serbs and so they joined the newly formed Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes that year, which became Yugoslavia in 1929. The region was occupied by the Axis powers during the Second World War, but returned to being part of the now communist Yugoslavia following the conflict.[3]
Uniquely amongst the constituent parts of Yugoslavia, Montenegro favored retaining the union with Serbia during the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s and so in the early twenty-first century it remained tied to Belgrade as the country of Serbia and Montenegro. This dispensation, though, only lasted a few years and in an independence vote in 2006 Montenegrins decided to split from Serbia, forming their own nation. In the decade that followed Montenegro became a member of NATO and began the accession process to the European Union, but membership seems unlikely in the near future owing to declining standards of democracy and justice in Montenegro.[4]
Montenegrin geography
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The name Montenegro means ‘Black Mountain’ and as one might expect from this the country is quite mountainous. The exception is the coastal area, which is notable for the Bay of Kotor, a fjord-like inlet. The land rises fairly sharply as one heads inland towards the Dinaric Alps and Albanian Alps. There are dozens of peaks in the country which stand over 2,000 meters. Overall the country is small, around the same size as the Bahamas and considerably smaller than both Kuwait and Fiji. Despite this, it is home to the largest lake in the Balkans, Lake Skadar.[5] With just 620,000 inhabitants, Montenegro has one of the smallest populations of any European nation, with most others smaller than it being city states or island nations like Monaco, Andorra and Iceland. About a quarter of all Montenegrins live in the capital Podgorica, which is still a small city of not much more than 150,000 people. Nikšić is the only other comparatively large town with upwards of 60,000 people, with the next largest towns only being about half this size.[6]
Researching family history in Montenegro
Because of the contested nature of Montenegro within the Ottoman Empire, it was difficult to produce accurate demographic records here in early modern times. An exception is an account of the population of the coastline ruled by Venice which was produced by Mariano Bolizza in 1614. A partial census was undertaken in 1863 and 1864. A comprehensive census was carried out in independent Montenegro in 1909 and this is of considerable utility for genealogists and family historians. So too are complete censuses of Yugoslavia which were carried out in 1921 and 1931. A shorter census was initiated in 1948, but a much fuller one is extant for 1953.[7] The State Archives of Montenegro were founded in 1953 to manage records within Yugoslavia which pertain to Montenegro in particular. Today they are the main center of archival records in independent Montenegro.[8]
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Montenegro ethnicity
Montenegro is home to a diverse array of ethnicities, with Montenegrins forming the largest group, followed by Serbs, Bosniaks, Albanians, and other minority groups, including Croats, making up the remainder. This ethnic diversity is a reflection of the country's complex history and geographic location at the crossroads of various cultures and empires.
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Montenegro surnames
Many Montenegrin surnames end in the suffix "-vić," denoting a patronymic relationship, while others might indicate an individual's place of origin or occupation. By studying the patterns and meanings behind Montenegrin surnames, researchers can unlock important clues to their family's past and enhance their genealogical investigations.
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References
- ↑ https://www.cairn.info/revue-dialogues-d-histoire-ancienne-2014-2-page-45.htm
- ↑ https://eurydice.eacea.ec.europa.eu/national-education-systems/montenegro/historical-development
- ↑ https://www.yuhistorija.com/yug_first_txt01.html
- ↑ https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17667132
- ↑ https://www.countryreports.org/country/Montenegro/geography.htm
- ↑ https://www.statista.com/statistics/528756/largest-cities-in-montenegro/
- ↑ https://www.stat.gov.rs/en-us/oblasti/popis/prethodni-popisi/
- ↑ https://dacg.me/