Petrovic-Njegos 1813 - 1851 (38)
Die with glory, if you really have to die!
QUOTES
He was born on November 13, 1813 in Niegos, near Cetinje, and at the age of 11 he was sent to learn letters at the Cetinje Monastery. At the age of 17 he stopped his studies as his uncle, Bishop and Governor of Montenegro Peter I, died and he had to succeeded him in both positions. His first task was to eliminate those who reacted and challenged his authority and then he focused on the unification of the Montenegrin tribes and the establishment of a centralized state. He introduced regular taxation and enacted new laws. Taxation and authoritarian rule provoked reactions, there were some uprisings which he suppressed with his fist.
His rule was marked by political and military struggles against the Ottomans, by his efforts to unite the people and expand the borders of Montenegro. Unification did not take place during his reign, but Peter II laid some foundations for later Yugoslavia and introduced modern political views.
Throughout his life he was writting; a great literary achievement respected by both Montenegrins and Serbs, is his epic poem "The Mountain Wrath" (1847) where in 2800 verses he describes the struggle of Montenegro to keep culture alive. His writings are considered very important in Montenegro and the Serbian literature.
Peter II died of tuberculosis on October 31, 1851, at the age of 38.