New-York tribune., 1921-03-02
King Nicholas
OF Montenegro
Dies i'm France
Queen of Italy, One of the
Royal ExiIe's Six Daugfa-
fers, Is Expected d in
Antilles for the Funeral
Was Picturesque Figure
Called the ssLion of the
Black Mountain" and
the ''Old Fox of Ce,tinie"

ANTIBEs. France, March king
Nicholas 1 Of Montenegro died here
to-day.
The Queen Of Italy. daughter of
Nicholas, has been advised of the
death of her father. She and King
Victor Emanuel are expected to
come here for the funeral, the date Of
which, however. has not yet been fixed
King Nicholas l was the most
picturesque of the monarchs of Europe
He died in exile, king without a
country.
Since 1918, when the results Of the
national elections forced him to abdi-
cate, he has been in France waiting
ter the decision Of the peace negotia-
tions which viii determine the status
of Montenegro.
Lion Of Black Mountains
THE Lion OF the Black Mountain, "
he was called by some. Others called
him The Old Fox of Cettinje." He
has always held it was his right to
govern his country and refused offers
Of large sums OF money to abdicate
Nicholas was born in October, 1s41
He was proclaimed Prince OF Montene-
gro as successor TO his uncle, Danielo l.
IN 1860 and assumed the title OF king
under resolution passed unanimously
by the National Skupshtina in 1910.
which at the same time raised the
country from a principality to king
dom.
He was rough-and- tumble ruler, six
feet two in his army boots, wide Of
girth, with large, dropping nose and
mutton chop whisAers. His nrsr official
act was TO avenge the death OF his
uncle, who was murdered by an Al
banian in behalf Of his wife's honor
There We're eighty persons in the
family Of this Albanian, but Nicholas
has had them all slain.
Had Six Daughters
In 1905, in imitation Of the Russian
Gar, he granted a constitution and
himself sWore obedience to IT, When
the composition Of the Skupphtina. OF
Parliament, revealed large opposition
element, which demanded the Euro
peanizarion Of the institutions and the
army, the abolition of the patronage
system and even the establishment OF
q evil list the constitutional rule.
was much upset. The Skupphtina was
dissolved and a new Parliament ap-
pointed The chief leaders of the oppo-
sltIon were arrested and some OF taen,
are said to be languis shing IN prison &c
this day. Some OF their associates
were seized and shot and one Of them
Iomitch the president OF the higt
court, was "accidentlyn soaked il
petroleum and burned
King Nicholas was the father Of sis
extremely handsome daughters. One
IS a Russian Grand Duchess, the second
the Duchess Of Leuchtenberg. while
The third is Queen Of Italy and the
fourth the Princess Francis Joseph OF
8attenberg. He also had four sons
HIS VIE was Milena Nuhoti-ch, dAugl-
ter Of a senator.
Montenegro Is tne smallest OF the
independent kingdoms and with the ex-
ception of Albania, is the widest
country Oh the continent. Every sub
ject is d soldier and there IS httle
commerce or industry in the country
because of its lack Of resources. The
palace Of the King at Cettinje was not
an elaborate affair.
The King knew nearly everybody in
his kingdom by name and spoke to
everyone he met as he drove about in
mis- phaeton. Before the war he was
extremely popular with his subj jects.
Many Strange Stories
Strange are the stories surrounding
Nicholas. In the fan Of 1913, when the
Balkan war started. there was story
going round in the cafes, as we'll as
in the political salons OF Vienna and
Budapest, that the war was being
financed by q French motion picture
concern, TO which Nicholas had sold
the exclusive rights.
1t was charged that the fortunes of
war as they fell on the prolonged
siege of Scutari-when. it VIII be re-
membered. the tide of battle turned
daily-were arranged between Nicholas
and Essad Pasha, the Albanian chief
tain, so that the stock markets of Vi
emma, Frankfort, Paris and Odessa
would be favorable TO them.
During the war Montenegro partici-
pated on the side Of the Allies. When
the armistice was signed the Serbiaas
ordered elections for the National As
sembly, and when the Assembly met in
1915 it declared itself in favor Of the
deposition OF Nicholas and the reign
ing dynasty.
Shortly atterward the Assembly
voted for the union Of Montenegro
with the Jugo-Slav state CT the King
dom OF the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.
Nicholas and his Cabinet since that
time have been in France.