Božo Petrović-Njegoš

Božo Petrović-Njegoš (Serbian Cyrillic: Божо Петровић-Његош; 1846−1929) was a Montenegrin vojvoda and politician. He served as head of government of Montenegro from 1879 to 1905.^[2]

vojvoda Božo Petrović-Njegoš
Божо Петровић-Његош
Božo Petrović-Njegoš in 1900
1st Prime Minister of Principality of Montenegro[1] President of the Council of State of Montenegro
In office 20 March 1879 – 19 December 1905
Monarch	Nicholas I
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Lazar Mijušković
4th Head of the Governing Senate of Montenegro and the Highlands
In office 20 July 1867 – 20 March 1879
Monarch	Nicholas I
Preceded by	Mirko Petrović-Njegoš
Succeeded by	Position abolished
2nd Minister of Internal Affairs of Principality of Montenegro
In office 1884 – 19 December 1905
Monarch	Nicholas I
Prime Minister	Himself
Preceded by	Mašo Vrbica
Succeeded by	Swan Gojnić
1st and 5th Minister of Justice of Principality of Montenegro
In office 20 March 1879 – 1893
Monarch	Nicholas I
Prime Minister	Himself
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Valtazar Bogišić
In office 1 October 1904 – 19 December 1905
Monarch	Nicholas I
Prime Minister	Himself
Preceded by	Miloš Đ. Shaulić
Succeeded by	Milo Dožić
Personal details
Born	1846
Died	1929 (aged 82–83)

After taking command of the Southern Army in the Montenegrin–Ottoman War of 1876–1878, he represented the Principality of Montenegro at the Congress of Berlin.^[3]

Biography

Božo studied in Paris, he returned to Montenegro afterwards. As cousin of Prince Nikola, Božo served as heir apparent from 1860 until 1871, when Nikola's first son Danilo was born.^[3]

Božo was commander of the Southern Army during the Montenegrin–Ottoman War of 1876–1878. He had great success in the Battles of Medun and Trijebač.^[4] However, in his memoirs, vojvoda Ilija Plamenac claims he was de facto leader of the Southern Army, as Božo was too young and inexperienced.^[5] After the war, Božo was the Montenegrin delegate the Congress of Berlin.^[3] He was a candidate for Prince of Bulgaria in 1879.^[6]

After the Congress, Božo served as Montenegrin head of government for over 25 years. He was first President of the Senate, and after that as President of the Council of State from 1879 to 1905. Božo was also the first President of the Montenegrin Great Court after its establishment in 1879, serving there until 1882. ^[7] He retired from politics with the proclamation of the liberal 1905 Constitution of Montenegro. In 1915, he was made governor of Shkodër and Malësia following their occupation in World War I.^[3]

Božo was jailed in December 1918 during the events that led to the creation of Yugoslavia. He was arrested near Nikšić with his two younger brothers, general Đuro Petrović and former district councilor Marko Petrović. All three were interned in Podgorica. Božo and Marko were released after almost one year, and were later interned in Sarajevo. General Đuro was kept in Podgorica where he suffered from cataracts.^[8][3]

He died in 1929 and is buried in the graveyard of the Church of Saint Sava in Erakovići, near Cetinje.^[9]