During his long rule, Petar strengthened the state by uniting the often quarreling tribes, consolidating his control over Montenegrin lands, introducing the first laws in Montenegro in 1798.

[1] His rule prepared Montenegro for the subsequent introduction of modern institutions of the state: taxes, schools and larger commercial enterprises.

[5][3] The guvernadur family of Radonjić, which had Venetian support and then Austrian, increased their power and sought to push aside the Petrović metropolitans.

He then returned to Vienna where he met Russian chancellor Potemkin, and also Austrian general Zorić and Ragusan emigre Frano Dolci.

[7] The Metropolitan Petar I and guvernadur Jovan Radonjić were the two head chiefs of Montenegro, one by title, the other according to actual position.

[17] Mahmud Pasha's army, allegedly made up of 30,000, including seven French officers, fought a Montenegrin force of 6,000, and had heavy casualties.

The pacification of the feud between two of the strongest tribes of the region is considered as an important step in Petar Petrović's strategy of uniting Old Montenegro.

Knowing that his army would not be able to fight the stronger Ottomans, he sought to unite with the "rebels of Šumadija", and together, with the help of the Russian, turn on the Turks.

The Montenegrin army led by Petar I, aided by several Russian battalions and the fleet of Admiral Dmitry Senyavin pushed them back to Dubrovnik.

In the meantime, France encouraged Turkey to attack Russia, which withdrew its fleet from the Adriatic to defend the Ionian islands.

[25] However, Karađorđe was unable to hold lasting ties with the Serbs of Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as after 1809 the uprising waned.

In 1820, in the north of Montenegro, the highlanders from Morača led by serdar Mrkoje Mijušković won a major battle against the Ottoman Bosnian forces.

[33] Petar I's plan was to unite Podgorica, Spuž, Žabljak, the Bay of Kotor, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Dubrovnik and Dalmatia with Montenegro.

[30] The Metropolitanate of Cetinje began exerting influence towards Brda and Old Herzegovina, which considered Montenegro as the leader for liberation.

[30] While his reputation and influence reached the surrounding lands, he increasingly directed himself to Revolutionary Serbia as the backbone for liberation and unification.