Known as “Pohara Kuča” in the serbian langauge, the massacres of Kuci occurred in 1855, 1856 and 1858 and was ordered by Montenegrin leader Prince Danilo I and Duke Mirko Petrovic. The event was documented by Montenegrin general Marko Millanjov, the voivode of Kuči. According to author Bojka Djukanovic, the massacres were ordered because the Kuci tribes pleaged allegiance to the Pasha of Shkodër and oppossed Prince Danilo.[8]
According to Marko Miljanov, the Montenegrin leaders hated the Kuči tribe for their Albanian character, and in 1855 and 1858 the leaders of Cettigne ordered the vojvoda Mirko Petrovic to attack the Kuči. The vojvoda sent Llazo Buranović whos men slaughtered 243 people, the majority being old people and children. In order to incite more hatred against the Kuči, the Montenegrin monastery raised the slogan “Kuči nisu risčani i da grešan biti pred bogom i pred sudom, ako kuča i ne posiječe” (the Kuči are not Christians and it is a sin before God and before the trial who does not slaughter the dogs).
At the end of June 1855, about 3,000 Montenegrins, commanded by Duke Mirko Petrović, occupied the region of Kuči. For refusing to pay taxes, the leaders of the Kuci were beheaded, and the Montenegrins killing 80 old men and children. Thanks to the diplomatic pressure of the great powers at the time, the Montenegrins retreated and the raid was stopped.
Another raid occured at the end of July 1856, which turned out to be more cruel. According to the report of Marko Miljanov Popović, then Prince Danilo’s penman, 243 Kuci members were slaughtered, while according to the Kucis own report to the Pasha of Shkodër, the number of slaughtered was “131 heads, among them three women, 10 children in cradles and five girls”.[1] The Duke Mirko informed prince Danilo about the atrocities by telegram.[2][3]. Among the victims, Marko Miljanov also mentions: the six-month-old child of Koruna Radonjina from Kosor, two children of Ruzica Nikolina, one two and a half year old, and the other three months old.[4]
In addition to killing, the Montenegrin army destroyed and looted the church and cemetery in Kosor. They destroyed and looted the Meduna church and took away the relics of St. Arsenius that were kept there.[4] Marko Miljanov writes that they burned 800 houses, looted weapons and valuables, and chased livestock.[5][6][7] One of the witnesses of the Kuči massacre was Miloš Krivokapić, who saved the life of a child.
References:
- Marko Miljanovs biography.
- Илија Петровић-Црногорска похара Куча
- Будо Симоновић-Зеко Мали pp. 167.
- Марко Миљанов-Сабрана Дјела
- Будо Симоновић-Зеко Мали Похаре Куча
- Кучи немају право на заборав-Српске новине ЦГ
- Српска РТВ Српско становиште-Будо Симоновић
- “Historical Dictionary of Montenegro”. Bojka Djukanović. Published 2023. Link
