News of a Montenegrin woman’s heroism reached far beyond the borders of her homeland, even reaching the distant shores of Australia. Published in Melbourne in November 1849, the article titled “A Slavonic Tragedy” in The Melbourne Daily News chronicled a tragic event involving four Montenegrin brothers and their sister during a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Basil. The story highlights the bravery displayed in the face of overwhelming odds.
At that time, Melbourne was a burgeoning city, with a population of under 20,000 people, a stark contrast to its current status as a major global metropolis with over five million residents. The city had only recently been granted city status by Queen Victoria in 1847, and it was on the brink of a significant population explosion due to the Gold Rush that would soon follow.
The harrowing tale begins with the Montenegrins being ambushed by seven Turks in a rocky gorge, where their only escape route was perilously narrow. The attack took a deadly turn when one brother was shot and another severely wounded. According to the account by Sir John Gardner Wilkinson, a renowned travel writer and the father of British Egyptology, the Montenegrins fought valiantly against their attackers.
Wilkinson’s detailed narrative provides a glimpse into the character and courage of these young Montenegrins. As the conflict escalated, two brothers returned fire, killing two assailants. The wounded brother, leaning against a rock, managed to shoot and mortally wound two more Turks before succumbing to his injuries. Their sister, taking up arms, joined the fray but tragically lost one of her brothers in the chaos.
The climax of the story reveals the sister’s desperate act of bravery. Out of ammunition, she feigned submission to the remaining Turkish assailant, only to reveal a hidden knife and ultimately hurl him off a cliff. This moment encapsulates her resilience, a testament to the Montenegrin spirit in the face of despair.
The article serves not just as a recounting of a tragic event but also as one of the earliest documented testimonies about Montenegrin women, emphasizing their strength and valor. The significance of this account lies in its authenticity, backed by Wilkinson’s esteemed reputation, which lends credibility to the events described.
Interestingly, this was not the first encounter with Montenegrin history in Australian media. Earlier in 1849, the same newspaper published a piece by Jacques Louis Viala de Somier, a French colonel, discussing the health and longevity of Montenegrins, stating that one individual lived to the remarkable age of 117.
On a broader scale, the Montenegrin story found its way into Australian newspapers as early as 1838, when reports detailed the visit of a Saxon king to Montenegro, highlighting the cultural exchanges taking place even during tumultuous times in Europe.
The tale of the Montenegrin woman, immortalized in the pages of an Australian newspaper, illustrates not only a moment of heroism but also the profound connections formed across continents. It highlights how stories of bravery and resilience resonate and travel far beyond their origins, capturing the imaginations of readers in a different time and place.
