Battle of Novšiće

The Battle of Novšiće (Serbian: Boj na Novšiću/Бој на Новшићу; Bitka na Novšićima/Битка на Новшићима, Albanian: Beteja e Nokshiqit) was a battle for control over Plav and Gusinje fought on 4 December 1879 between forces of the Principality of Montenegro led by Marko Miljanov and local pro-Ottoman forces which included irregulars of the League of Prizren, both commanded by Ali Pasha, the Kaymekam of Gusinje. The League of Prizren consisted mainly of Albanians from Plav and Gusinje in Scutari Vilayet and irregulars from Kosovo Vilayet.

This battle followed the Montenegrin–Ottoman War of 1876–1878. The Ottoman Empire had avoided providing conditions for the peaceful cession of Plav and Gusinje to Montenegro, as agreed in the Treaty of Berlin (1878). To straighten their position at the Congress of Berlin and later to avoid fulfillment of their obligations by the terms of the treaty, the Ottomans unofficially supported the League of Prizren which mobilized at least 14,000–15,000 pro-Ottoman irregulars. Plav and Gusinje were predominantly populated by pro-Ottoman Muslims and Albanians who opposed the cession to the predominantly Christian-populated Montenegro. They paid all the income of their waqif to the chieftains of neighboring Albanian tribes who belonged to the League of Prizren to support them with their forces. The League of Prizren forces were put under the command of the Ottoman kaymakam of Gusinje, Ali Pasha.

The Montenegrin forces of four battalions with 4,000–6,000 men were positioned along the demarcation line near the villages of Velika and Murino. Until the end of November 1879 they were under the command of voivode Petrović, who strictly respected instructions of the Montenegrin government to employ static and defensive tactics. At the beginning of December 1879 Montenegrin Prince Nicholas appointed Marko Miljanov, instead of Petrović. On 4 December 1879 a skirmish in Velika evolved into a battle when the Montenegrin forces advanced into Ottoman territory. Two battalions commanded by Miljanov quickly advanced without securing their flanks. The League of Prizren forces ambushed and surrounded them near the village of Novšiće. After several hours of fighting, an additional two Montenegrin battalions commanded by Vuković arrived and relieved forces under Miljanov from the encirclement and secured their retreat. Both sides suffered significant casualties.

In 1880, the Ottomans ceded the seaport of Ulcinj to Montenegro, instead of the two towns of Plav and Gusinje. Since the Ottomans completely lost control over the League of Prizren, they disestablished it and crushed their forces in April 1881. Ali Pasha of Gusinje was promoted to the position of mutasarrıf of the Sanjak of İpek and awarded the title of beylerbey. After a fierce disagreement with Prince Nikola in 1882, Miljanov decided to retire from public life to his native Medun. In 1912 Montenegro formally annexed Plav and Gusinje.