Milena Vukotic Petrovic-Njegos

Queen of Montenegro. She was from the Vukotic family. This family had played a key leadership role in Montenegro before the Petrovic family came to power. The Vukotic and the Petrovic families were long-time friends and political allies. Nikola and Milena had 12 children: three sons and nine daughters. Six daughters married royal or aristocratic families of Europe. These marriages, providing direct, personal access to Europe's royal families, were important political assets in Nikola's foreign affairs. Her daughter Milica married the Grand Duke Peter Nikolajevic, a close cousin of Russia's tzar Alexander III. Alexander III called Nikola the "sole true and loyal friend of Russia". But her most famous daughter was Princess Elena, a well-known pacifist and humanitarian, who married King Victor Emmanuel of Italy.