other · Balkans and Hungary

Italian governorate of Montenegro

1941 CE – 1944 CE · capital Cetinje

Italian-occupied Montenegro in the Second World War, where a planned puppet kingdom was swept away by one of the first mass uprisings in occupied Europe.

Origins

After the conquest of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in April 1941, Italy occupied Montenegro and planned to restore it as a separate state under Italian protection. On 12 July 1941 an assembly in Cetinje proclaimed the restoration of Montenegro's independence. The next day, 13 July, Communist-led Partisans and other insurgents launched a general uprising that liberated most of the country.

Rule and society

Italian forces reconquered the towns, and in October 1941 Montenegro was placed under a military governor, General Alessandro Pirzio Biroli, with harsh reprisals. The occupiers cooperated with Chetnik and separatist groups against the Partisans, and much of the mountainous interior remained a battleground between them.

Decline and legacy

When Italy capitulated in September 1943, German forces took over the occupation. The Partisans liberated Montenegro by December 1944, and it became a republic of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The 13 July uprising is a Montenegrin national holiday.

Connections (2)

  • Italian governorate of Montenegro was a protectorate of Kingdom of Italy1941 CE – 1943 CE
  • Italian governorate of Montenegro was a protectorate of Nazi Germany1943 CE – 1944 CE

More states of Balkans and Hungary →

Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Italian governorate of Montenegro. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/italian-governorate-of-montenegro
MLA
“Italian governorate of Montenegro.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/italian-governorate-of-montenegro. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Italian governorate of Montenegro.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/italian-governorate-of-montenegro.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Italian governorate of Montenegro’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/italian-governorate-of-montenegro (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻