ruled in Montenegro. She had ever--with the sole exception of the
usurper Stefan Mali--supported the Vladika against the Gubernator.
This office was, however, now abolished. There had been difficulty
more than once about transmitting the ruling power from uncle to
nephew. Russia decided that she could obtain a yet firmer hold of
the land if she established a directly hereditary dynasty. Danilo
was proclaimed Prince and ecclesiastical affairs alone were to be
administered by the Bishop.

The Sultan who had accepted the rule of the Bishop in Montenegro as
in other Christian districts, protested against the recognition of
an hereditary Prince and at once attacked Montenegro, which was
saved by the diplomatic intervention of both Russia and Austria,
neither of whom wished its destruction. Peace was made and Danilo formally
recognized. He was never popular. He had received his title from
Russia, but his sympathies leaned towards Austria. And he offended
both Russia and his Montenegrins by refusing to take part in the
Crimean war, to the wrath of the tribes who saw in it a fine
opportunity for harrying their foes of the border. Attempts to
enforce law and order provoked hostility among the recently annexed
tribes of the Brda who, though they had voluntarily joined
Montenegro as opposed to the Turks, refused flatly to pay taxes.
Danilo put down this rising with great severity and gained the
hatred of the revolted tribes.

But even with enforced taxation Danilo was short of funds. Russia,
angry at his failure to aid her, stood aside. Danilo begged of
Austria and Austria refused. Montenegro could not and cannot live
without foreign support. The French--now so active again in Balkan
intrigue--came in and tried to detach Danilo from their then enemy
Russia, by offering him a subsidy and certain concessions from the
Sultan if he would accept Turkish suzerainty.

There ensued a quarrel between the Russian agent in Cetinje, B. M.
Medakovitch, and Danilo over this. Medakovitch was Danilo's private
secretary. "I lived in friendship and harmony with Prince Danilo,"
he says, "until he said to me, 'I know you wish the Montenegrins
well and highly value their liberty. But it cannot be as you wish.
We must recognize the Turks in order to obtain more money.' We might
have remained friends but foreign intrigues crept in. ... Enemies
of our faith and name denounced me as the "friend" of Russia. My
faith and blood are dear to me. But I have