Editing Montenegro (section)

=== Principality and Kingdom of Montenegro ===
{{Main|Principality of Montenegro|Kingdom of Montenegro}}

In 1858, one of the major Montenegrin victories over the Ottomans occurred at the [[Battle of Grahovac]]. [[Mirko Petrović Njegoš|Grand Duke Mirko Petrović]], elder brother of [[Knjaz Danilo]], led an army of 7,500 and defeated the numerically superior Ottomans with 15,000 troops at [[Grahovac, Montenegro|Grahovac]] on 1 May 1858. This forced the [[Great Powers]] to officially demarcate the borders between Montenegro and Ottoman Empire, ''de facto'' recognizing Montenegro's independence.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}
{{Multiple image
| caption_align     = center
| align             = left
| direction         = vertical
| image1            = Battle of Vučji Do, Orao, 1877.jpg
| caption1          = [[Battle of Vučji Do]], 1876, major battle of the [[Montenegrin–Ottoman War (1876–1878)|Montenegrin-Ottoman War]]
| image2            = Kralj i kraljica u krugu sire familije.jpg
| caption2          = [[Petrović-Njegoš dynasty|Royal family of Montenegro]]: King [[Nikola I Petrović-Njegoš|Nicholas I]] with his family. The [[Petrović-Njegoš dynasty]] ruled Montenegro continuously for almost 200 years.
}}
In the [[Battle of Vučji Do]] 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 [[great powers of Europe|major powers]] restructured the map of the Balkan region. The Ottoman Empire recognised the independence of Montenegro in the [[Treaty of Berlin (1878)|Treaty of Berlin]] in 1878.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hertslet |first=Edward |url=https://dn790008.ca.archive.org/0/items/mapofeuropebytre04hert/mapofeuropebytre04hert.pdf |title=THE MAP OF EUROPE BY TREATYSHOWING THE VARIOUS POLITICAL AND TERRITORIAL CHANGES WHICH HAVE TAKEN PLACE SINCE THE GENERAL PEACE OF 1814. With Numerous Maps and Notes. Vol. IV. |date=1891 |publisher=HARRISON AND SONS, ST. MARTINS LANE |volume=4 |location=London |pages=Preface-vii}}</ref>

The first Montenegrin constitution (also known as the Danilo Code) was proclaimed in 1855. Under [[Nicholas I of Montenegro|Nicholas I]] (ruled 1860–1918), the [[principality]] was enlarged several times in the Montenegro-Turkish Wars and was recognised as independent in 1878. Nicholas I established diplomatic relations with the Ottoman Empire.{{Citation needed|date=October 2021}} Minor border skirmishes excepted, diplomacy ushered in about 30 years of peace between the two states until the deposition of [[Abdul Hamid II]] in 1909.<ref name="ttk.gov.tr">Uğur Özcan, [http://www.ttk.gov.tr/index.php?Page=Yayinlar&KitapNo=989 II. Abdülhamid Dönemi Osmanlı-Karadağ Siyasi İlişkileri] (Political relations between the Ottoman Empire and Montenegro in the Abdul Hamid II era) Türk Tarih Kurumu, Ankara 2013. {{ISBN|9789751625274}}</ref>
[[File:Crna Gora - Oslobodjenje od strane okupacije 1711-1918.png|thumb|right|Expansion of Montenegro from 1711 to 1918 within present borders]]

The political skills of Abdul Hamid II and Nicholas I played a major role in the mutually amicable relations.<ref name="ttk.gov.tr" /> Modernization of the state followed, culminating with the draft of a Constitution in 1905. However, political rifts emerged between the reigning [[People's Party (Montenegro, 1906)|People's Party]], who supported the process of democratisation and union with Serbia, and those of the [[True People's Party]], who were monarchist.{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}

In 1910, Montenegro became [[Kingdom of Montenegro|a kingdom]], and as a result of the [[Balkan Wars]] of 1912–1913, a common border with Serbia was established, with [[Shkodër]] being awarded to [[Albania]], though the current capital city of Montenegro, Podgorica, was on the old border of Albania and Yugoslavia. Montenegro became one of the [[Allies of World War I|Allied Powers]] during World War I (1914–1918). In the [[Battle of Mojkovac]] fought in January 1916 between [[Austria-Hungary]] and the Kingdom of Montenegro, Montenegrins achieved a decisive victory even though they were outnumbered five to one. The Austro-Hungarians accepted military surrender on 25 January 1916.{{sfn|Pope|Wheal|Robbins|2003|p=431}} 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]].{{citation needed|date=October 2024}}