Islam in Montenegro

History

Ottoman-era

In the 15th century the Montenegrin ruler Ivan Crnojević (1465–1490) was at war with the infiltrating Venetians. Unable to maintain war on both fronts, the Ottoman Empire had conquered much of Montenegro's territory and introduced Islam. Ivan's third son Staniša Crnojević was the first prominent Montenegrin of the Muslim faith.

Staniša Crnojević took up the name Skenderbeg Crnojević and ruled from his capital in Shkodër from 1513 to 1530. He is well known as one of the most prominent Muslim administrators of Slavic origin in the northern reaches of the Ottoman Empire during the reign of Sultan Selim I. Staniša Crnojević is known to have commanded an army of approximately 3000 Akıncı. He also maintained a correspondence with neighboring contemporaries, such as Gazi Husrev-beg.

Principality and Kingdom of Montenegro

In 1878, following the Treaty of Berlin, the independence of the Principality of Montenegro was recognized, while at the same time its conquest of areas home to ethnic Albanian populations recognized, increasing the country's Muslim population. Later, in 1912, as the Kingdom of Montenegro, following the First Balkan War, the Sandžak region was split between Montenegro and Serbia. This area was home to a large Bosniak population, further increasing the country's Muslim population.

Following the abolishment of slavery in the Principality of Montenegro, many Black Montenegrins converted to Islam. This happened as part of a greater cultural assimilation into the Albanian culture of Ulcinj.

Twenty-first century

The Muslims of Montenegro are mostly Bosniaks and Albanians by ethnicity, but also some are declared as ethnic Muslims and Montenegrins. The adherents of Islam in Montenegro can be mostly found in the Sandžak region in northeastern Montenegro and the municipalities of Bar, Tuzi and Ulcinj. Bosniaks have a similar ethnic background to ethnic Muslims, but differ in ideology of what ethnicity they belong to. There are 13 established Councils of the Islamic Community in Montenegro, which include Bar, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Dinoša, Gusinje, Ostros, Petnjica, Plav, Pljevlja, Rožaje, Tuzi, Ulcinj and Podgorica. Montenegro has 145 active mosques in the country.