[January 11] Danilo I, prince-bishop of Montenegro

True Name: Danilo Šćepčević Petrović-Njegoš (Данило I Шћепчевић Петровић Његош in Serbian)
Formal Title:  metropolitan of Cetinje
Date of Birth: 1670
Royal House: Petrović-Njegoš
Predecessor: Savatije Kaluđerović, metropolitan of Cetinje
Reign: 1697 – 1735
Summary: Of all the monarchs of Montenegro, Danilo I is credited as the founder of the independent state we know today. He rose to power through the hereditary position of metropolitan of Cetinje, a partially religious and partially secular post in the Serbian Orthodox tradition of Christianity. As metropolitan, he was responsible for the administration of a small region of modern-day Montenegro. In the years prior to 1711, Danilo worked to unify and nationalize the Montenegrin people.


In 1711, Montenegro went into open war with its Ottoman Empire overlords. Danilo acted as the leader of the movement and went as far as Russia in 1715 to establish diplomatic ties and arrange an alliance. With the help of his new allies, Danilo reclaimed both the Montenegrin homeland of Zeta and his own bishopric of Cetinje from the Ottomans. Through this conquest, Montenegro became the first Balkan state to achieve nominal independence from the Ottoman Empire, though that independence would not be recognized by treaty until 1878. Upon his death in 1735, Danilo styled himself alternatively "Duke" and "Leader of the Serb Lands". 
Date of Death: 11 January 1735

Successor: Sava II, prince-bishop of Montenegro

Other Monarchs Who Died Today:

• Miltiades, pope of Rome (314)
• John VI, pope of Rome (705)
• Staurakios, emperor of Constantinople (812)
• Michael I Rhangabes, emperor of Constantinople (844)
• Constantine IV, emperor of Constantinople (1055)
• Otto, duke of Bavaria (1083)
• Erekle II, king of Kartli & Kakheti (1798)
• Consantine I, king of Greece (1923)