Danilo II Petrović Njegoš

Danilo II Petrović Njegoš, (May 25, 1826 – August 13, 1860), Prince Daniel II of Montenegro, was sovereign ruler (Vladika) and later Prince (Knez) of Montenegro from 1851 to 1860. During his reign, Montenegro became a secular state, a lay principality instead of a bishopric-principality. He became involved in a war with Turkey in 1852, the Porte claiming jurisdiction in Montenegro, and the boundaries between the two countries were not defined until 1858.

Danilo sent a letter to Prince Alexander Karađorđević of Serbia on the idea of Serb unification: "In front of the tent I'll serve the King if Serbdom would be ever united and unity of Serbs reached."

And later another to Prince Mihailo Obrenović of Serbia regarding the same subject: "Let Prince Mihaiilo just start, I'll join him with my Montenegrins to liberate the Serb nation, with me even as an ordinary soldier."

Danilo II succeeded as bishop his kinsman Peter II of Montenegro and secularized the principality. He was assassinated at Kotor by a deserter. He had one daughter and left the throne to his young nephew Nicholas I of Montenegro.