1875 Erkân-ı Harbiye Dairesi / Militärgeographisches Institut Map of Montenegro

Most Detailed Ottoman Map of Montenegro Ever Produced.

This is a rare 1875 Ottoman Turkish large-format folding map of Montenegro produced by the Erkân-ı Harbiye Dairesi, the General Staff Department of the Ottoman military, based on an earlier 1869 Austrian map prepared by the Militärgeographisches Institut. Combining Austrian and Ottoman cartographic knowledge, largely gained during the Ottoman-Montenegrin War (1861 - 1862), it is the most detailed Ottoman map of Montenegro produced before the kingdom's independence.

A Closer Look

This map covers the Principality of Montenegro, Karadağ (قره طاغ; 'Black Mountain') to the Ottomans, and its immediate surroundings, including portions of today's Albania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia. It is remarkably detailed, noting waterways, settlements, and elevation (with hachure lines) throughout, reflecting the area's highly mountainous terrain. Roads and administrative boundaries are also indicated. Three scales are included below the title cartouche, measuring Austrian klafters, meters, and the traditional Ottoman 'hour scale.'

An inset at top-left focuses on the vicinity of Podgorica (پودغوريچه), today the capital of Montenegro, specifically mentioning that the information was gained through military reconnaissance just before and during the Ottoman-Montenegrin War. As the legend explains, the sites of battles and positions of Ottoman and Montenegrin troops are marked, especially in the hills north, east, and west of Podgorica. The positions of the Montenegrins during the Siege of Medun (مدون), an ancient and strategic hilltop fortress east of Podgorica, guarding passes to the city and the surrounding valley, are singled out for attention. As there were several sieges of Medun during conflicts between the Ottomans and Montenegrins in this era, it is unclear which siege this refers to.

Historical Context

During the late Ottoman era, Montenegro was a semi-autonomous region dominated by Orthodox Christians who fiercely defended their internal autonomy. Long governed as a theocracy, a major political shift occurred in 1852 when Danilo I (r. 1852 - 1860) proclaimed himself Prince, converting the polity into a secular principality. This assertion, combined with covert Montenegrin assistance to anti-Ottoman rebels in neighboring Herzegovina, provoked a swift response from the Sublime Porte and ignited the First Montenegrin-Ottoman War (1852 - 1853). Although this war ended without substantial territorial changes, subsequent border clashes culminated in the landmark Battle of Grahovac (1858), where Montenegrin forces decisively defeated the Ottomans. This victory forced the Great Powers to intervene and establish a formal boundary commission to scientifically delineate Montenegro's frontiers for the first time.

Tensions flared again with the outbreak of the Second Montenegrin-Ottoman War (1861 - 1862) under Prince Nikola I (r. 1860 - 1918), after Montenegro actively backed another revolt in Herzegovina. The Ottomans responded forcefully, deploying an army to invade and eventually overwhelm the Montenegrin defenses. Faced with total defeat, Montenegro signed the Convention of Scutari in August 1862, formally acknowledging Ottoman suzerainty. Seeking to foster regional goodwill, the Ottomans offered generous peace terms that restored the pre-war borders and permitted commercial transit. However, this peace was short-lived, as underlying demographic tensions and irredentist aspirations remained unextinguished.

The final reckoning arrived with the Third Montenegrin-Ottoman War (1876 - 1878), historically remembered in the region as the 'Great War.' Triggered by the massive 1875 Herzegovina Uprising against Ottoman taxation, Montenegro and the Principality of Serbia entered a mutual defense pact and jointly declared war on the Ottoman Empire in June 1876. The highly motivated Montenegrin troops scored stunning tactical successes, most notably at the Battle of Vučji Do in July 1876, inflicting thousands of casualties on the imperial forces. As the conflict merged into the broader Russo-Turkish War (1877 - 1878), Russian military intervention broke the back of the Ottoman defense. The war concluded with the historic Treaty of Berlin (1878), which officially recognized the de jure international independence of Montenegro. Under Articles 26 and 28 of the treaty, Montenegro's territory more than doubled, expanding to absorb strategic strongholds like Nikšić, Kolašin, Spuž, Podgorica, and the Adriatic port of Bar, transforming the tiny highland principality into a fully recognized sovereign state.

Publication History and Census

This map was produced in c. 1875 by the Erkân-ı Harbiye Dairesi (اركان حربيه دائره‌سى), the General Staff Department of the Ottoman military, as indicated in the cartouche at top-right. The Erkân-ı Harbiye Dairesi at this time was a section of the Ministry of War, being replaced by an independent body overseeing strategic command and operational management in 1880 (the Erkân-ı Harbiye-i Umûmiye Riyaseti). As explained in the text at bottom-left, the map was originally prepared by the Austrian Militärgeographisches Institut (اوستريا دولتی جغرافيا جمعيت عسكريه سی) in 1869, which was then translated and updated by the cartographers of the Erkân-ı Harbiye, adding in information from ongoing Ottoman surveys in Montenegro, particularly those undertaken during the Ottoman - Montenegrin War of 1861 - 1862. The result, the present map, was published in 1874 or 1875 (1291 AH) and represented the most complete Ottoman map of Montenegro ever produced. This map is very rare, with the only known cataloged examples being held by the David Rumsey Historical Map Collection and Duke University.

Cartographer

Kaiserlich-Königliches Militär-Geographisches Institut (Imperial Royal Military Geographical institute. (active 1839 - 1921) was a military institution of the Austrian Empire, responsible for producing maps for the military; the Institut was in charge of the whole process, from initial survey to reproduction and publication. It had its roots in the military topographical corps of the Cisalpine Republic, established in Milan in 1800. The corps was absorbed by the formation of the Austrian Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia in 1814, and continued operations: gradually, the organization was transferred to Vienna, a process completed in 1839. Its directors would govern a large (and sadly anonymous) corps of geographers and engineers, producing maps of grand size and granular detail. The Institut won international renown, receiving the Grand Medal at the London Great Industrial Exhibition in 1851 for outstanding achievements in the field of military maps. This excellence was not only in surveying, but also in map printing; the Institut applied and refined technological developments in lithography, copperplate engraving, and electroplating in the reproduction of maps. While the Institut was primarily focused on the production of maps for the military, maps approved for distribution were sold via the Vienna art dealer Artaria.   Further Details...

Condition

Very good. Laid down on original linen. Stable. A few old dampstains.

References

Rumsey 10417.000. Duke University Ottoman Empire Maps Collection, Vol. 1, Item RL.11740-M-003.