The Historical and Sociological Determination of Extramarital Sexual Relations, Persons Involved in Them, and Illegitimate Children in Montenegrin Society of the 19th and Early 20th Centuries Based on Legal Sources

Abstract

This article presents a historical-sociological study of fornication in Montenegrin tribal society, focusing on the social understanding of illicit sexual relations and their consequences. It examines the definition of fornication, the status of individuals accused of such behavior, and related phenomena, including abortion, infanticide, and the birth of children out of wedlock. The study also analyses the measures adopted by Montenegrin tribal communities during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to prevent fornication and mitigate its social consequences. Between 1878 and the outbreak of the First World War, Montenegrin tribal society gradually began to disintegrate under the influence of emerging capitalist and bourgeois social relations. Nevertheless, despite processes of state-building, Europeanisation, and increasing contact with other countries, society remained organized along tribal lines and retained a strongly patriarchal character. As a result, individuals found guilty of fornication were often subjected to severe social stigmatization. Marriage occupied a central position within the moral and social order of a society deeply shaped by patriarchal and Christian values. Consequently, both tribal authorities and state institutions sought to prevent adultery and other forms of illicit sexual behavior through measures that combined social condemnation with legal and administrative sanctions aimed at maintaining the so-called "marital hygiene". Although Montenegrin society was characterized by strong male dominance, particularly due to its military traditions, increasing attention was given after 1878 to the protection of unmarried pregnant women. In such cases, greater emphasis was placed on establishing male responsibility and ensuring support for children born outside marriage.

Received 14 December 2025

Revised 30 May 2026

Accepted 10 June 2026

For citation: Stamatović, A. D., Jovović, V. L., 2026. The Historical and Sociological Determination of Extramarital Sexual Relations, Persons Involved in Them, and Illegitimate Children in Montenegrin Society of the 19th and Early 20th Centuries Based on Legal Sources. Slavic World in the Third Millennium, 21 (1–2), pp. 69–87. https://doi.org/10.31168/2412-6446.2026.21.1-2.04