ule Cetinje was twice burnt and phoenix-like rose again
from its ashes. The Turkish armies, though partially victorious,
usually met with disaster and ruin before reaching their own territory
again; and we read of one notable occasion when Soliman Pasha, with an
army of 80,000 men, had sacked Cetinje. On his way home he was
surprised by the two tribes of Kuc and Klementi, and annihilated. But
as time went on it became necessary from political reasons to change
the system of government from election to heredity, and the choice
fell on the Lord of Njegusi Danilo Petrovic, whose reign (1696-1735)
is chiefly memorable for the Montenegrin vespers of the Turks and
Turkish renegades, who had rendered so much assistance to Kiuprili
Pasha in one of his terrible invasions. But a crushing defeat of the
Turks in 1706 gave the land peace for thirty years.

In 1767 an adventurer named Stefan Mali sprang himself upon the land.
He claimed to be the murdered Peter III. of Russia, and easily imposed
himself upon the gullible Montenegrin. But he had the interests of
Montenegro sincerely at heart, and proved an excellent ruler. His
imposture was exposed by Catherine II., but owing to the weakness of
the Petrovic heir, the people determined to keep him as their ruler.
He fell a victim to the assassin's knife at the instigation of the
Pasha of Scutari. His successor, Peter Petrovic, the famous St. Peter
of Montenegrin history, was a firm and courageous ruler, who made his
influence felt throughout the courts of Europe. Austria, Russia, and
England did not scruple to avail themselves of his help and then, as
seems to be the Montenegrin fate, left him in the lurch. He defied the
armies of the great Napoleon, who came to fear him and his warlike
clan insomuch that he was even offered terms of friendship. But the
proud mountaineer would have none of it. He now turned his hand, under
the influence of Russia, which was then very real, to the
consolidation of the land, and slept in peace with his fathers.

His successor, Peter II., carried on the struggle with the Turks, who
proposed an increase of territory and a Turkish title in return for
the acknowledgment of suzerainty. "As long as my people defend me,"
was the proud answer, "I need no Turkish title to my throne; if they
desert me, such a title would avail me little." War was the effect of
this retort, but the Turks gained nothing by it, and peace was soon
made.

The danger of the power of