Peter was followed by Danilo II., a weak ruler, but his reign is famous for two events—­the cession of the spiritual authority of the Prince-Bishop to an Archbishop and the “Great Charter” of Montenegro.  Danilo’s reforms, however, led the Turk again to attack his invincible foe, only again to end in great disaster.  But in the Crimean War Montenegro, greatly to the disgust of the people, did not participate, and in the Congress which followed Danilo was offered a Turkish title and the hated Turkish protectorate.  His willingness to accept this led to the formation of a strong opposition party who demanded war.  Fortune was on their side, and the Turks invaded Montenegro.  The command fell to Mirko, who from his former exploits had gained the name of the “Sword of Montenegro.”  A battle was fought at Grahovo, which will ever live in memory as the Montenegrin Marathon.  The Turks were completely crushed by a small force of Montenegrins, and peace followed.  His brief reign was brought to a close at Cattaro, in 1861, by an assassin’s bullet, and Nicolas, his nephew, reigned in his stead.

War broke out again on the Hercegovinian insurrection of the following year, the results of which were disastrous in a high degree to Montenegro.  Even the famous Mirko, the father of Prince Nicolas, after sixty battles, could do no more, and the Convention of Scutari (1862) brought the war to a close.  It was settled that Mirko, as the firebrand, must leave the country, and various other clauses appear in the Convention, few of which seem to have been strictly adhered to.  It needed another war to settle the Turco-Montenegrin border.

The land now enjoyed the blessings of peace for fourteen years, which included a severe famine and an outbreak of cholera.  Help was now, however, forthcoming from all sides in the shape of corn and money.  In 1869 it was with great difficulty that the Prince could restrain his warlike subjects from aiding the revolted Krivosejans.  The Emperor of Austria fully recognised the harm which Montenegro could have done him, and signalised his thanks by the gift of an Austrian Order.  But the Montenegrins could not be restrained at the outbreak of the Hercegovinian revolt, and flocked to the standards of their brothers.  The Porte’s remonstrances were met with a curt demand for the cession of Hercegovina, and Prince Nicolas published at the same time an offensive and defensive alliance with Servia.

Immediately after this (1876) he declared war.  Success followed his arms everywhere.  A short armistice was concluded, but nothing further came of it, and the war proceeded.  The Prince in person stormed the town of Niksic.  Podgorica and its fertile plain fell into the hands of the conquerors, and then in quick succession Antivari and Dulcigno were forced to yield.  He was about to commence the siege of Scutari when news came of the armistice between Russia and Turkey.  The war had shown that no deteriorating element had sprung up among the