History of Montenergo
Montenegro is a very interesting country with stunning scenery, kind and warm locals, and a fascinating history.
I will talk here about the history of one of its towns—Kotor. This is a good representative of the history of the entire Montenegro.
History of Kotor
Kotor has a long and complicated history. Learning the major events of its history is important to understand the Kotor's town fortifications, churches and buildings. It also helps with understanding what era and time period Kotor is. A hint: Kotor goes far back!
So, let's dive in!
The ancient times
Kotor was started by the Illyrians.
How old is Kotor old town? Historians think it might have been around 2000 years ago. The town was mentioned for the first time in 168 BC. Back then, it was called different names like Acruvium and similar names, and it was part of Byzantine Dalmatia, which was controlled by Ancient Rome.
In 535, Emperor Justinian built a fortress above Acruvium, fortifying the town. However, in 840 it was attacked by the Saracens and suffered damage.
The town was fortified even more extensively in the 10th century by Constantine VII.
The medieval times
Kotor was an important city in Dalmatia and the Dalmatian language was spoken there.
In early 11th century, Kotor was conquered by the Bulgarian Empire and was given to Deoclia. Despite this, the people of Kotor did not want to give up their autonomy and with the help of Dubrovnik, they were able to maintain it. However, Byzantium regained control in 1143 and Kotor lost its autonomy.
Stefan Nemanja, the leader of Serbia, took over the city in the late 12th century. Stepan Nemanja was the founder of the Nemanjić dynasty
In the 13th century, Kotor was an Episcopal religious center under the authority of the archbishopric of Bari. Two monasteries were established by the Dominicans and Franciscans to stop the expansion of Bogomilism around that time. Read more in my other post about Dominicans and Franciscans monasteries of Kotor old town.
During the Nemanjić reign, Kotor enjoyed partial autonomy as a city and maintained its republican institutions, with numerous privileges.
Kotor was very important for trade for the Serbian Empire. By the 14th century, Kotor's commerce rivaled that of the Republic of Ragusa, making the Republic of Venice envious. Even after the downfall of the subsequent Serbian Empire, Kotor continued to serve as the most important trading port.
Kotor changed hands frequently between Hungary and Venice from 1371-1384. After that, Bosnia's Tvrtko I Kotromanić held Kotor from 1384-1391 and minted coins there. Kotor became independent after Tvrtko's death, but later sought protection from Venice in 1420 due to Ottoman threats in the region.
The Venetian times
From 1420 to 1797, Kotor was a part of the Venetian Republic's Venetian Albania province.
In the 14th and 15th centuries, Kotor saw an influx of migrants from the surrounding territories of Trebinje and Hum, which led to a growth in its population. The city was called Cattaro by Italians back then.
The misfortune times
While under Venetian control, Kotor suffered under Ottoman Empire sieges in 1538 and 1657, the plague in 1572, and earthquakes in 1563 and 1667 that almost destroyed the city.
Habsburg monarchy, French, Russians and British.
In 1797, Kotor was given to the Habsburg monarchy. But in 1805, another Treaty assigned it to the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy, though it was held by the Russians. Sounds complicated, isn't it?:)
Eventually, the Russians have left and Kotor joined the Kingdom of Italy in 1806 and the Illyrian Provinces in 1810. Finally, Kotor could time some break, right? Wrong!:)
The British captured Kotor in 1814 after a serious of complicated attacks with the use of ships with many cannons.
The French had no choice but to surrender.
Kotor was then restored to the Habsburg monarchy by the Congress of Vienna.
So, Kotor was ruled by 4 different countries during the span of 21 years!!
World War I
During World War I, specifically in the early 1900s, Cattaro served as one of the main bases of the Austro-Hungarian Navy. It was home to the Austrian Fifth Fleet, which was composed battleships and light cruisers. Additionally, the area served as a base for Austrian and German submarines.
Sadly, this region also saw some of the most intense battles between local Montenegrins and Austria-Hungary.
In 1918, Cattaro became a part of Yugoslavia and was officially renamed Kotor.
World War II
From 1941 to 1943, the Kingdom of Italy took over Kotor and included it as one of the provinces in the Italian Governorate of Dalmatia. This province, known as the Province of Cattaro. It was home to a population of 40,000 individuals, mostly Orthodox with a few Roman Catholics.
When the war ended, the small remaining population of Dalmatian Italians in Kotor (300 inhabitants) left Yugoslavia and migrated to Italy as part of the Istrian-Dalmatian exodus.
Modern times
The modern history of Kotor after World War II began with the city being incorporated into the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The city and its surrounding area became a part of the Republic of Montenegro. During this period, the city underwent several infrastructural developments, including the expansion of the city's port and the construction of new residential areas.
However, in the late 20th century, the city encountered several challenges, including economic hardship and political instability. Kotor, like many other cities in Yugoslavia, was affected by the Balkan Wars of the 1990s. The city was under siege by Yugoslav forces during the Montenegro War in 1999, leading to significant damage to its infrastructure.
In the early 21st century, Kotor underwent a significant cultural and economic revival. The city's historic old town has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site, attracting a significant number of tourists to the area. Kotor has also become a popular site for cultural events, such as the KotorArt music festival.
Today, Kotor is a thriving cultural and economic hub, with a population of around 13,000 inhabitants. The city has preserved its rich cultural heritage while also pursuing modernization and growth.
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