Mirko Petrović-Njegoš ( sr-cyr, Мирко Петровић-Његош; 19 August 1820 – 1 August 1867) was a Montenegrin military commander, politician and poet, belonging to the
House of Petrović-Njegoš. He was given the title of ''veliki vojvoda'' (Grand Duke) of
Grahovo, and is thus also known as Vojvoda Mirko (Duke Mirko). He was the father of
Nikola
Nikola () is a given name which, like Nicholas, is a version of the Greek ''Nikolaos'' (Νικόλαος). It is common as a masculine given name in the South Slavic countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montene ...
, the future ruler of Montenegro.
Life
Mirko was born on 19 August 1820, in
Njeguši
Njeguši ( cnr, Његуши) is a village in the Cetinje Municipality of southern Montenegro, located on the slopes of Mount Lovćen, within the Lovćen national park. It is part of the territory of Njeguši tribe.
Demographics
According to th ...
,
the son of Stanko Petrović-Njegoš and wife Krstinja Vrbica. He was the older brother of
Prince Danilo I, while his uncle was
Petar II Petrović-Njegoš
Petar II Petrović-Njegoš ( sr-cyrl, Петар II Петровић-Његош, ; – ), commonly referred to simply as Njegoš (), was a Prince-Bishop (''vladika'') of Montenegro, poet and philosopher whose works are widely considered ...
. He is famous for winning the
Battle of Grahovac
The Battle of Grahovac took place in the eponymous village of Grahovac from 11 to 13 May 1858, when the Montenegrin Grand Duke Mirko Petrović-Njegoš led the army of Principality of Montenegro against the Ottomans, ending in a decisive Mont ...
on 1 May 1858, leading the Montenegrin army against the
Ottomans
The Ottoman Turks ( tr, Osmanlı Türkleri), were the Turkic founding and sociopolitically the most dominant ethnic group of the Ottoman Empire ( 1299/1302–1922).
Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks remains scarce, ...
.
In 1862, after the
Convention of Scutari, he was deported because he had fought against the Ottomans.
His epic corpus ''Junački spomenik'' (''Heroic Monument''), published in the Montenegrin capital of
Cetinje
Cetinje (, ) is a town in Montenegro. It is the former royal capital (''prijestonica'' / приjестоница) of Montenegro and is the location of several national institutions, including the official residence of the president of Montenegro ...
in 1864, glorifies Montenegro and Montenegrins, and tells of the great victories over the Ottoman Empire.
He was married in Njeguši on to Anastasia
Martinović Martinović (Serbian Cyrillic: ''Mартиновић'') is a patronymic surname meaning 'son of Martin', and is a common surname in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and Serbia. Its Hungarian form is Martinovics.
It is also the surname o ...
(
Bajice, –
Cetinje
Cetinje (, ) is a town in Montenegro. It is the former royal capital (''prijestonica'' / приjестоница) of Montenegro and is the location of several national institutions, including the official residence of the president of Montenegro ...
, ), daughter of
Vojevoda Drago Martinović and wife Stana Martinović.
[Burke's Royal Families of the World; Europe and Latin-America]
They had three children:
*
Nikola
Nikola () is a given name which, like Nicholas, is a version of the Greek ''Nikolaos'' (Νικόλαος). It is common as a masculine given name in the South Slavic countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, North Macedonia, Montene ...
( – March 1, 1921)
* Princess Anastasia (d. March 29, 1879), married to Savo Plamenac
* Princess Maria, married to Capt. Y. Gopcević.
In February 1857, vojvoda Mirko Petrović-Njegoš replaced his cousin
Đorđije Petrović-Njegoš as the President of the
Governing Senate of Montenegro and the Highlands, he served during the reign of his brother prince
Danilo I and later during the reign of his son prince
Nicholas
Nicholas is a male given name and a surname.
The Eastern Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Anglicanism, Anglican Churches celebrate Saint Nicholas every year on December 6, which is the name day for "Nicholas". In Greece, the n ...
. He held the position of president until his death in August 1867.
Work
His writings include this book of poetry owned by the Library of Congress in Washington, DC:
* ''Junački spomenik'' (1951; 185 pages) LCCN: 55037918 Call number: PG1418.P53 J8
See also
*
Battle of Grahovac
The Battle of Grahovac took place in the eponymous village of Grahovac from 11 to 13 May 1858, when the Montenegrin Grand Duke Mirko Petrović-Njegoš led the army of Principality of Montenegro against the Ottomans, ending in a decisive Mont ...
References
External links
Junački spomenik*
"Ko je bio vojvoda Mirko: Veliki ratni pobjednik i spasilac moštiju sv. Vasilija Ostroškog" (text in montenegrin language)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Petrovic-Njegos, Mirko
1820 births
1867 deaths
People of the Principality of Montenegro
Montenegrin soldiers
Montenegrin poets
Montenegrin male writers
Montenegrin composers
Military personnel from Cetinje
Petrović-Njegoš dynasty
19th-century poets
Prime Ministers of Montenegro
Speakers of the Parliament of Montenegro
Politicians from Cetinje
Writers from Cetinje