Mirko was born on 19 August 1820, in Njeguši,[1] the son of Stanko Petrović-Njegoš and wife Krstinja Vrbica. He was the older brother of Prince Danilo I, while his uncle was Petar II Petrović-Njegoš. He is famous for winning the Battle of Grahovac on 1 May 1858, leading the Montenegrin army against the Ottomans.
In 1862, after the Convention of Scutari, he was deported because he had fought against the Ottomans.
His epic corpus Junački spomenik (Heroic Monument), published in the Montenegrin capital of Cetinje in 1864, glorifies Montenegro and Montenegrins, and tells of the great victories over the Ottoman Empire.
He was married in Njeguši on November 7 [O.S. October 26] 1840 to Anastasia Martinović (Bajice, June 27 [O.S. June 15] 1824 – Cetinje, December 23 [O.S. January 12] 1894), daughter of Vojevoda Drago Martinović and wife Stana Martinović.[2]
They had three children:
- Nikola (October 7 [O.S. September 25] 1841 – March 1, 1921)
- Princess Anastasia (d. March 29, 1879), married to Savo Plamenac
- Princess Maria, married to Capt. Y. Gopcević.
In February 1857, vojvoda Mirko Petrović-Njegoš replaced his cousin Đorđije Petrović-Njegoš as the President of the Governing Senate of Montenegro and the Highlands, he served during the reign of his brother prince Danilo I and later during the reign of his son prince Nicholas. He held the position of president until his death in August 1867.
