Knjaz Danilo Petrovic - Pozoristna predstava [2 dio od 8]

Prince Danilo I of Montenegro, was the prince-bishop (Vladika) and later Prince (Knjaz) of Montenegro from 1851 to 1860. During his reign, Montenegro became a secular state, a lay principality instead of a bishopric-principality. He became involved in a war with the Ottoman Empire in 1852, the Porte claiming jurisdiction in Montenegro, and the boundaries between the two countries were not defined until 1858. Danilo, with the help of his elder brother, Duke Mirko, defeated the Ottomans at Ostrog in 1853 and at Grahovac in 1858. On January 12, 1855 at Njegoš he married Princess Darinka Kvekić, who was born in a wealthy family in Trieste on December 31, 1837 and died on February 14, 1892), daughter of Prince Marko Kvekić and wife Countess Elisabeth Mirkovich. They had one daughter, Olga (Cetinje, March 19, 1859 - Venice, September 21, 1896), who never married and died young.

When Petar II Petrović-Njegoš died, the Senate, under the influence of Đorđije Petrović (the wealthiest Montenegrin at the time), proclaimed Petar II's elder brother Pero Tomov Petrović as Prince (not Vladika). Nevertheless, in a brief struggle for power, Pero, who commanded the support of the Senate, lost to the much younger Danilo who had much more support among people.

Prior to the determination of Petar II's successor, after making peace between Crmnica and Katunjani tribes, and being recognized by Brda and all Montenegrin tribes except for the Bjelopavlići, Danilo traveled to Vienna, Austrian Empire and then to the Russian Empire, supposedly to be ordained as Vladika, not Prince. After Danilo returned from Russia in 1852, he took Pero and his supporters by surprise, bringing with him the endorsement from Nicholas I of Russia to become the Prince of Montenegro. Thus somewhat unexpectedly, Danilo became Prince and Pero conceded defeat by returning to his position as President of the Senate

After centuries of theocratic rule, Danilo was the first Montenegrin secular Prince who did not hold the ecclesiastical position of the Vladika. He was planning out the foundations for Montenegro turning into a kingdom but did not live long enough to see his ambitions realized.

It was during Knjaz Danilo's reign that Montenegro won its most important battle with Turkey and its de-facto independence.

His charismatic elder brother, Grand Duke Mirko Petrović lead 7,500 strong army and won a crucial battle against the Turks (between 7,000 and 13,000) at Grahovo on 1 May 1858. The Turkish forces were routed. A considerable arsenal of war trophies was left in the Montenegrins hands, to come handy again in the final wars of independence in 1862 and 1875-8. This major victory had had even more diplomatic significance. The glory of Montenegrin weapons was soon immortalized in the songs and literature of all the South Slavs, in particular the Serbs in Vojvodina , then part of Austria-Hungary. This Montenegrin victory forced the Great Powers to officially demarcate the borders between Montenegro and Turkey, de facto recognizing Montenegro's centuries-long independence. In November 1858, a commission of foreign powers representatives demarcated the border between Montenegro and Turkey. Montenegro gained Grahovo, Rudine, Nikšić's Župa, more than a half of Drobnjaci, Tušina, Uskoci, Lipovo, Upper Vasojevići, and the part of Kuči and Dodoši.

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