Kingdom of Montenegro

During this period, Montenegro remained largely rural and traditional. The constitution, adopted in 1905, provided a basic framework for governance and recognized some civil rights, such as freedom of religion and the press, but the political system remained heavily centered on the monarch. King Nikola maintained tight control over political life, and the state operated with only limited parliamentary influence. The society was patriarchal and conservative, with significant influence from the church and tribal customs, and few advancements in terms of modernization or civil institutions. Internationally, Montenegro aligned itself with Serbia and other Balkan states during the Balkan Wars (1912–1913), aiming to expand its territory at the expense of the weakening Ottoman Empire. These efforts brought some gains but also deeper entanglement with Serbian political ambitions. When World War I broke out in 1914, Montenegro joined the Allied Powers, but by 1916 it had been overrun by Austro-Hungarian forces. King Nikola and his government went into exile, and the monarchy never returned to power. The kingdom’s end came in November 1918, when the Podgorica Assembly, under heavy influence from pro-Serbian forces, declared the unification of Montenegro with Serbia, effectively dissolving Montenegrin independence without a popular referendum. King Nikola was deposed in absentia. Many Montenegrins saw this act as illegitimate, leading to the Christmas Uprising in 1919 by royalist forces, which was quickly suppressed. Despite this resistance, Montenegro was absorbed into the newly formed Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia), and it ceased to exist as a sovereign kingdom.

• Native Name — Краљевина Црна Гора Kraljevina Crna Gora • Conventional Long Name — Kingdom of Montenegro • Government Type — Constitutional monarchy • Year Start — 1910 • Year End — 1918 • Event Start — Elevation from principality • Date Start — 28 August • Event End — Unification with Serbia • Date End — 28 November • Event1 — Balkan Wars • Date Event1 — 1912–1913 • Event2 — Treaty of London • Date Event2 — 30 May 1913 • Event3 — Balkans theatre • Date Event3 — 1914–1918 • Event4 — Corfu Declaration • Date Event4 — 20 July 1917 • P1 — Principality of Montenegro • S1 — Kingdom of Serbia • Symbol Type — Coat of arms • Capital — Cetinje • Capital Exile — Bordeaux Neuilly-sur-Seine • National Anthem — Убавој нам Црној Гори Ubavoj nam Crnoj Gori ("To Our Beautiful Montenegro") • Common Languages — Serbian • Religion — Serbian Orthodox (official) • Currency — Montenegrin perper • Title Leader — King • Leader1 — Nicholas I • Year Leader1 — 1910–1918 • Title Deputy — Prime Minister • Deputy1 — Lazar Tomanović • Year Deputy1 — 1910–1912 (first) • Deputy2 — Evgenije Popović • Year Deputy2 — 1917–1918 (last) • Legislature — Popular Assembly • Area Km2 — 14.000 • Today — * Montenegro • Serbia • Kosovo • Demonym — Montenegrin

• Illustration — 1899 map of the Balkans; Montenegro is coloured magenta. Prince Nikola of Montenegro proclaimed the Kingdom of Montenegro in Cetinje on 28 August 1910, elevating the country from the rank of a principality. King Nikola I had ruled the country as prince since 1860, and had initiated several modernising reforms at the beginning of the 20th century, such as introducing a constitution and a new currency, the Montenegrin perper. Although independent, Montenegro was nationally and culturally close to Serbia. Montenegro joined the First Balkan War in 1912, hoping to win a share in the last Ottoman-controlled areas of Rumelia. Montenegro did make further territorial gains by splitting Sandžak with Serbia on 30 May 1913. But the Montenegrins had to abandon the newly captured city of İşkodra (Skadar in Serbian, modern-day Shkodër) to the new state of Albania in May 1913, at the insistence of the Great Powers. Esad Pasha made a deal to surrender the town to the Montenegrins in exchange for Montenegro supporting his claims in Central Albania. However, as Shkodër and the surroundings had a large ethnic Albanian majority, the area went to the state of Albania instead. When the Second Balkan War broke out in June 1913, Serbia fought against Bulgaria, and King Nikola sided with Serbia. During World War I (1914–1918) Montenegro allied itself with the Triple Entente, in line with King Nikola's pro-Serbian policy. Accordingly, Austria-Hungary occupied Montenegro from 15 January 1916 to October 1918. In 1918, coastal areas were occupied by French and Italian troops within the framework of the occupation of the eastern Adriatic. On 20 July 1917, the signing of the Corfu Declaration foreshadowed the unification of Montenegro with Serbia. On 26 November 1918, the Podgorica Assembly, an elected body claiming to represent the Montenegrin people, unanimously adopted a resolution deposing King Nikola I (who was still in exile) and unifying Montenegro with Serbia. Upon this event, Nikola I, who had previously supported unification with Serbia into a greater state with his dynasty playing the pivotal role, switched to promoting Montenegrin nationalism and opposing the union with Serbia, a position he maintained until his death in France in 1921. On 1 December 1918, Serbia and Montenegro together formed a major part of the new Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Yugoslavia). During World War II, the occupying forces in Yugoslavia considered turning the Italian governorate of Montenegro into a puppet kingdom, but nothing came of these plans.

• Nicholas I of Montenegro (1910–1918)

• Lazar Tomanović (1910–1912) • Mitar Martinović (1912–1913) • Janko Vukotić (1913–1915) • Milo Matanović (1915–1916) • Lazar Mijušković (1916)

• Lazar Mijušković (1916) • Andrija Radović (1916–1917) • Milo Matanović (1917) • Evgenije Popović (1917–1919) • Jovan Plamenac (1919–1921) • Anto Gvozdenović (1921–1922) • Milutin Vučinić (1922) • Anto Gvozdenović (1922)