Secret agreement between Serbia and Montenegro (1866)

Below is the text of a secret agreement between Prince Mihailo Obrenović of Serbia and Prince Nikola Petrović-Njegoš of Montenegro, agreed upon on 23.09.1866. about the future unification of the two states.

In the name of the Holy and Consubstantial Trinity, His Highness the Prince of Serbia and His Highness the Prince of Montenegro, having in view on the one hand their sacred duties, and on the other hand the sorrowful state of the Serbian people in Turkey, and inspired by a mutual patriotic desire to work sincerely towards the liberation and unification of their people, have agreed in this secret treaty to arrange all matters related to this, and to define in advance the scope of their joint actions…

Article 1.

Their Highnesses, the Prince of Serbia and the Prince of Montenegro, hereby pledge and promise to each other that they will work in the greatest harmony and sincerity to prepare as soon as possible an uprising against Turkey, in order to free the entire Serbian people in Turkey from the Turkish yoke and unite them into a single Serbian state.

Article 2.

Should this enterprise, with the help of God, be crowned with complete success, that is to say, should the entire Serbian people in Turkey be liberated and united into a future greater Serbia, then under that condition, the Prince of Montenegro solemnly promises to join and unite Montenegro with that great state, recognising Prince Mihailo as the ruler of the entire Serbian state. 

Article 3.

Should, by the grace of God, the enterprise set forth in the first article be crowned with success, the Prince of Montenegro solemnly promises to also join Montenegro to Serbia and to recognise Prince Mihailo as the ruler of the entire Serbian state.

Article 4.

In such a case, highly valuing the noble and patriotic sacrifices of His Highness the Prince of Montenegro, His Highness the Prince of Serbia solemnly promises on his own behalf and on behalf of Serbia, that His Highness the Prince of Montenegro and his family will not only retain their princely dignity, but it will also be his particular concern to ensure that the reigning Prince of Montenegro is afforded a position of both moral and material splendour in the new Serbian state.

Article 5.

It is hereby specifically ensured that the current ruling Prince of Montenegro is granted the rank of a Prince of the ruling house and precedence over all others, following the ruler and his legitimate heir, should there be one. In addition, the Prince of Montenegro shall be provided with an annual civil list of 20,000 ducats. Likewise, consideration shall be given to the material and moral position of all close relatives of His Highness the Prince of Montenegro. 

Article 6.

Should Montenegro unite with Serbia, His Highness the Prince of Serbia promises that all those elders and officials, who at the time of the union are serving as elders and officials in Montenegro, will be regarded as equivalent to the Serbian elders and officials in terms of salary and material status, and will be treated equally in all respects.

Translated by Books of Jeremiah.