Montenegro Vilayet

The Vilayet of the Black Mountain (Montenegro) was an Ottoman administrative unit within the Sanjak of Scutari, consisting of parts of modern-day Montenegro. It was established in the 16th century and existed until 1697. The Ottomans had only nominal (de jure) rule of the lands for several times in its history, as the Montenegrin tribes with the support of the Eparchy of Cetinje, rose up several times, holding Montenegro in anarchy.

Etymology
In Ottoman Turkish, it was known as the "Vilayet of the Black Mountain" ("vilâyet-i Kara Dağ" or "Vilâyeti Karadağ"; vilajet Crna Gora ). For easier access, the article name is Montenegro Vilayet.

The bishops of Cetinje used the term "land (zemlja) of the Black Mountain (Crne Gore)".

Background
The greater part of the Zetan principality lost its status as an independent state, becaming a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire, until it was added to the Sanjak of Scutari in 1499. In 1514 this territory was separated from the Sanjak of Scutari and established as a separate Sanjak of Montenegro, under the rule of Skenderbeg Crnojević. When he died in 1528, the Sanjak of Montenegro was joined to the Sanjak of Scutari, as a unique administrative unit with certain degree of autonomy.

History
The 1582–83 census registered that the vilayet, an autonomous part of the frontier of the Sanjak of Scutari, had the nahiyah of Grbavci (13 villages), Župa (11 villages), Malonšići (7 villages), Pješivci (14 villages), Cetinje (16 villages), Rijeka (31 villages), Crmnica (11 villages), Paštrovići (36 villages) and Grbalj (9 villages); a total of 148 villages.

The Montenegrin tribes, with support of the Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Cetinje, fought guerilla wars against the Ottomans with some degree of success. Although the Ottomans continued to nominally rule the country, the mountains were said to have never been completely conquered. There existed tribal assemblies (zbor). The head bishop (and tribal leaders) often allied themselves with the Republic of Venice. The Montenegrins fought and won two important battles at Lješkopolje, in 1603 and 1613, under the leadership and command of Metropolitan Rufim Njeguš. This was the first battle, of many, that a bishop had led, and managed to defeat the Ottomans.

The Montenegrins expelled the Ottomans and asserted independence after the Great Turkish War (1683–1699).

Demographic history

 * The census of 1582–83 registered the "vilayet of the Black Mountain" (vilayet-i Kara Dağ) as a separate administrative unit within the Sanjak of Scutari. The vilayet consisted of the following nahiyah, with number of villages: Grbavci with 13 villages, Župa with 11, Malonšići with 7, Pješivci with 14, Cetinje with 16, Rijeka with 31, Crmnica with 11, Paštrovići with 36 and Grbalj with 9 villages, which brings the total number of villages to 148.


 * 1592–93 census.


 * The vilayet was extensively described in Mariano Bolizza's Relazione e descrizione del sangiacato di Scutari (1614), which contains the earliest description about the people and geography of modern era Montenegro. Montenegro paid an annual tribute.

Buildings
These include buildings known to have been built between 1528 and 1697.


 * Ottoman buildings
 * Clock Tower (Podgorica), built in 1667


 * Orthodox monasteries and churches
 * Dobrilovina Monastery, rebuilt in 1594
 * Ostrog monastery, built in 1665
 * Piva Monastery, built in 1573

Governors

 * Derviš-beg Sarvanović (fl. 1592–1597)