There is little trade in Montenegro, yet hides, wool, venison, dried and smoked fish, mutton, and goat flesh, bacon, lard, etc., are exported in considerable quantities. These goods are carried to Cattaro by the women, aided occasionally by mules, for, owing to the absence of roads (a precaution against invasion), carts are unknown. Austrian and Turkish coins form the currency, as Montenegro has no mint of its own.
belonged in the middle ages to the great Servian kingdom, but after the dismemberment of the latter, and its conquest by the Turks at the battle of Kossovo (1389), the Montenegrins, under their prince, who was of the royal blood of Servia, maintained their independence, though compelled to relinquish the level tracts about Scutari, with their chief fortress of Zabliak, and confine themselves to the moun tains (1485). In 1516 their last secular prince resigned his office, and transferred the government to the vladika. The porte continued to assert its claim to Montenegro. and included it in the pashalic of Scutari; but the country was not conquered tilt 1714, and on the withdrawal of the Turks soon afterwards, it resumed its independ ence. In 1710 they had sought and obtained the protection cf Russia, the Gzar agreeing to grant an annual subsidy on condition of their harassing the Turks by inroads, and this compact has, down to the present time, been faithfully observed by both parties. Another part of the agreement was that the archbishop or vladika was to be consecrated by the czar. In 1796 the prince-bishop, Pietro I., defeated the pasha of Scutari, who had invaded Montenegro, with the loss of 30,000 men: and for the next quarter-century we hear no more of Turkish invasions. The Montenegrins rendered important aid to Russia in 1803 against the French in Dalmatia, and took a prominent part in the attack on Ragusa, the capture of Curzola, and other achievements. Pietro II., who ruled from 1830 to 1351, made great efforts to civilize his people, and improve their condition. He
established the senate, introduced schools, and endeavored, though unsuccessfully, to put an end to internal feuds, and predatory expeditions into the neighboring provinces. Some Turkish districts having joined Montenegro, the Turks attacked the latter in 1832, but were repulsed. A dispute with Austria regarding the boundary resulted in a war, which was terminated by treaty in 1840. In 1851 the last prince-bishop died, and his successor, Audio I., separated the religious from the secular supremacy, retaining the latter under the title of gospodar. This step caused the czar Nicholas to withdraw his subsidy (which was renewed, and the arrears paid, by the czar Alexander 11.), and the imposition of taxes thus rendered necessary caused great confusion. This was taken advantage of by the Turks, who, under Omar Pasha, invaded the country; but the inter vention of the great powers compelled a treaty, Feb. 15, 1853. Danilo went in vain to the Paris conference in 1857, seeking the recognition of Montenegro as independont. In 1860 the Montenegrins excited an insurrection against the Turkish rule in the Herzc govina, which was soon suppressed, and in return they were so hard pressed by the Turks that they were glad to agree to a treaty (1862), by which the sovereignty of the sublime porte over Montenegro was recognized. Fresh complications caused Montene gro to declare war against Turkey in Jan., 1875, but a compromise was effected. Mon tenegro, however, supported the insurrection against Turkey that broke out in the Herze govina a little later, and in July, 1876, was again at Nt. ar. The Montenegrins co-operated with the Russians against their hereditary enemy during the war of 1877-18; and the Berlin conference (1878) recognized the independence of Montenegro, and agreed to am important extension of Montenegrin territory.