Most of you are aware of the mighty Ottoman Empire and its conquests. Since the end of the 15th century, all Southeastern Europe was in their hands. Except small Montenegro.

Parts of today’s Montenegro were under Ottoman control from 1498 to 1878, but mountains and rural area were de facto independent and controlled by several Montenegrin clans, which were warrior societies.

The condition of the country at this period was naturally unsettled. War was the chief occupation of its inhabitants from sheer necessity, and the arts of peace languished. The printing-press, first in this part of Europe, so active a century earlier, had ceased to exist. The control of the Prince-Bishop over the five districts (nahije), which then composed the principality, was weak. Still, even then, there was a system of local government. Montenegrin people were divided in clans (pleme). Every adult male from clan was a warrior and took part in wars. Clans were ruled by chieftains, who also were military leaders of a clan.

Truth to be told, this area was not very important for Ottomans but nonetheless, from time to time, they sent armies to try and conquer it. Sometimes, Ottoman soldiers were twice as numerous as the whole population of Old Montenegro. Still, they where repelled every time.

Much light is thrown upon the condition of Montenegro at this period and the causes of its invariable success in war even against fearful odds are explained by the accounts of contemporary writers, like Mariano Bolizza or Athol Mayhew.

The rapidity of their maneuvers was extraordinary and for guerilla warfare they were among Europe’s best.

No very elaborate machinery is required to set the Montenegrin army in motion, which is, perhaps, the reason why it is so seldom quiet, the transport, commissariat and medical branches of the service being in the hands of the women, who are freely “requisitioned.”

Neither is the state hampered with the expense of paying or clothing the troops. Each of 20,000 fighting men gives his service gratuitously, and supplies his own uniform, which is simply his national dress; the officers according to their various grades being merely distinguished from the men by different devices, displayed on a silver or golden badge sewn on the front of their kappas (hats).

Thus the Montenegrin army is, perhaps, unique in its organization. It is entirely self-supporting in time of peace, and nearly so when in the field, ammunition being the costliest government material necessary to its support; and to this, I imagine, can be traced the secret of its long-continued resistance to the Turks.

One more reason for this defiance may be the physical stature of Montenegrins, which was very important in battles of that time. Even today, Montenegrins are officially the second tallest nation in the world, behind Dutch. According to some sources, they are even the tallest nation, but since not everyone’s precise height is officially measured in Montenegro, it is still to be determined. For example, I’m 1,95 m (6′5′′) and I don’t feel that tall in my country.