Archeological findings from the Luštica peninsula and the Vranjaj cavern imply that the area was populated during the
Neolithic and early
Bronze Age. In the 3rd century BC, after their victory over the
Illyrians, the area was ruled by the
Roman Republic. After the split of the
Roman Empire, the area fell under the rule of the
Western Roman Empire and after its fall, the
Eastern Roman Empire also known as
Byzantine Empire. Slavic tribes began inhabiting these lands during the 7th century AD. During these times the small settlement was part of Byzantine-held
Dračevica district, which in turn later belonged to the Principality of
Travunija. During the 10th century, Dračevica came under the control of various Dioclean/Zetan dukes, who were in turn incorporated into
Kingdom of Serbia ruled by the
Nemanjić dynasty. After the death of Emperor
Stefan Dušan, the Serbian Empire began to fracture into smaller principalities and districts, with Dračevica being administered by duke
Vojislav Vojinović. After the rulership of Vojinović, the area, along with most of modern Montenegro, came under the rule of the
Balšić noble family.
Foundation under Bosnia Bosnia could not make economical use of
Bosansko Primorje, as its share of the
Adriatic coast from the river
Neretva to the
Bay of Kotor lacked any major settlements. In the second half of the 14th century area in Bay of Kotor also became part of the
Kingdom of Bosnia. The Bosnian king,
Tvrtko, embroiled in the
War of Chioggia, which erupted between the old-time rival
Republics of Venice and
Genoa in 1378 will, as a result, find himself pressured by the circumstances of failure to seize
Kotor, the damage to the Bosnian economy from the Ragusan embargo, and the need for easy access to maritime trade. This and the fact that Bosansko Primorje had no significant port led Tvrtko to found the youngest medieval town on the eastern Adriatic coast. In early 1382, Tvrtko constructed a new fortress in the Bay of Kotor on the place of a small fishing village and decided that it should form the basis of a new
salt trading center. Initially named after
Saint Stephen, the city immediately came to be known as Novi (meaning "new"). After the death of Tvrtko, Duke
Sandalj Hranić of the Hum lords,
Kosačas, acquired
Novi. During his reign, the town picked up trading salt. When Hranić died, his nephew, Duke
Stjepan Vukčić Kosača inherited it. During his reign, the town grew in importance and became Stjepan's winter seat, getting a new name in the process: Herceg Novi.
Under the Ottomans The
Ottomans conquered Herceg Novi before 14 December 1481, and ruled for 200 years. The Ottomans built Kanli Tower on the upper edge of the city. However, there was a short pause between 1538 and 1539 when it was held by the Spaniards before they were defeated in the
Siege of Castelnuovo. In their brief overlordship, the Spanish built a Hispaniola fort above the city that is well-preserved today.
Evliya Çelebi visits the Bay of Kotor and mentions Croats, Bosnians and Albanians (Arnauts) who live in the Herceg Novi. In 1608 an earthquake struck Herceg Novi and devastated it. |200x200px|left
Modern Age In 1687, the city was
captured by the
Republic of Venice under
Girolamo Corner, and included it into
Albania Veneta, an administrative unit on the territory of present-day coastal Montenegro. In Venice, the city was known as Castelnuovo. The Venetians refortified the old town walls and towers and reinforced the fortress with a Citadella Tower (destroyed in an earthquake in 1979). On 24 August 1798, Herceg Novi was annexed by Habsburg
Austria but was then ceded to Russia as per the
Treaty of Pressburg on 26 December 1805. The Russians officially occupied Herceg Novi between 28 February 1806 and 12 August 1807. On 7 July 1807, Herceg Novi was ceded to
Napoleon I Bonaparte's
French Empire as per the
Treaty of Tilsit. Official French rule over Herceg Novi began on 12 August 1807, when the Russians left the city. The city was part of Dalmatia until 14 October 1809, when it was annexed to the newly created
Illyrian Provinces. Herceg Novi, as well as the rest of the Bay of Kotor, was overtaken by Montenegrin forces in 1813. It was under control of a temporary government based in Dobrota between 11 September 1813 and 10 June 1814, which was supported by
Montenegro. The appearance of Austrian forces in 1814 caused the
Prince-Bishop of Montenegro to turn over the territory to Austrian administration on 11 June. After Herceg Novi was retaken, as well as the rest of the bay, it became part of the
Dalmatian crownland. The bay was under Austro-Hungarian control until 1918.
20th century In 1900, the two names ERZEG NOVI and CASTELNUOVO PRESSO CATTARO were used in bilingual cancellations. The
Kingdom of Montenegro attempted to retake the Bay of Kotor during
World War I, it was bombarded from
Lovćen, but by 1916 Austria-Hungary defeated Montenegro. On 7 November 1918, the Serbian Army entered the bay and were greeted by the people as Slavic liberators. The bay later became a part of the self-proclaimed
State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs. Within a month, this region united with Serbia as part of the
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, renamed to Yugoslavia in 1929. The bay was a municipality of
Dalmatia until it was, like all historic entities, abolished in 1922. It was incorporated into the Zeta Oblast (province), from 1929 style
Zeta Banate. Herceg Novi was annexed by Mussolini's fascist Italy during
World War II in 1941. It became a part of the province of Cattaro. Herceg Novi was later retaken by
Yugoslav Partisan forces on 10 September 1943. Within Tito's Communist reformed
Yugoslavia, Herceg Novi became part of the
People's Republic of Montenegro. On 8 April 1970, following the
USSR vs. Rest of the World 'Match of the Century' hosted in
Belgrade, Yugoslavia, a blitz
chess tournament was held in Herceg Novi, featuring four World Champions, the field was considered the strongest of any blitz tournament in modern chess history. == Ecclesiastical history ==