Božo was commander of the Southern Army during the
Montenegrin–Ottoman War of 1876–1878. He had great success in the Battles of
Medun and
Trijebač. However, in his memoirs,
vojvoda Ilija Plamenac later claimed he was
de facto leader of the Southern Army, as Božo was too young and inexperienced. After the war, Božo was the Montenegrin delegate the
Congress of Berlin. After the Congress, Božo served as Montenegrin head of government for over 25 years. He was first President of the Senate, and after that as President of the Council of State from 1879 to 1905. Božo was also the first President of the Montenegrin Great Court after its establishment in 1879, serving there until 1882. He retired from politics with the proclamation of the liberal 1905
Constitution of Montenegro. In 1915, he was made governor of
Shkodër and
Malësia following their
occupation in World War I. All three were interned in
Podgorica. Božo and Marko were released after almost one year, and were later interned in
Sarajevo. General Đuro was kept in Podgorica where he suffered from
cataracts. ==Death==