Nikola I Petrović-Njegoš

Who is Nikola I Petrović-Njegoš?

Nikola I Petrović-Njegoš ruled Montenegro from 1860 to 1918, first as prince and, from 1910, as its only king, making him the last monarch of the independent Montenegrin state. During his long reign he led Montenegro through wars against the Ottoman Empire, secured full international recognition of Montenegrin independence at the Congress of Berlin in 1878, modernized its institutions, and expanded its territory and diplomatic standing, partly through the marriages of his daughters into other European royal houses, which earned him the nickname "father-in-law of Europe." Beyond politics, Nikola was also a prolific poet and playwright whose literary works form part of the Montenegrin and Serbian national canon. His best-known poem, the patriotic song "Onamo, 'namo!" ("Over There, Over There!", 1867), called for the liberation of Serb-inhabited lands under Ottoman rule and became immensely popular across the region, often referred to as the "Serbian Marseillaise." He also wrote historical dramas such as "Balkanska carica" ("Empress of the Balkans"). Defeated politically after the First World War and the 1918 unification of Montenegro with Serbia, Nikola went into exile in France, where he died in Antibes in 1921 still claiming the Montenegrin throne.

Sources: Wikipedia — Nicholas I of Montenegro biographical entry · Wikipedia — "Onamo, 'namo!" entry · Serbiantimes.info — "On This Day, King Nikola I Petrović Was Born"