# Cattaro Mutiny (1–3 February 1918)

URL: https://allhistories.com/montenegro/timeline/1918-cattaro-mutiny
Location: Kotor, Montenegro
Themes: Wars & Revolts

By early 1918 the Austro-Hungarian navy, largely confined to its bases, suffered from poor food, harsh discipline and war-weariness, while news of the Russian revolutions spread among the crews. The fleet's main base in the south was the Bay of Kotor (Cattaro). Many of the sailors were Croats, Czechs, Slovenes and Italians from the multinational Habsburg empire, and political as well as social grievances fuelled discontent among the crews. On 1 February 1918 sailors on the armoured cruiser Sankt Georg and other ships raised red flags and took control of many vessels. Thousands of sailors of various nationalities joined the mutiny, demanding an immediate peace, better treatment and political reforms, inspired partly by the peace proposals of Woodrow Wilson and the Russian Bolsheviks. Loyal units and the arrival of reinforcements isolated the mutineers, and by 3 February the revolt had collapsed. Around 800 sailors were arrested and about 40 tried; four, including the leader Franz Rasch, were executed. The mutiny was one of the most significant signs of the disintegration of the Austro-Hungarian armed forces in the last year of the war.

## Why it matters
The Cattaro mutiny revealed the collapse of morale in the Austro-Hungarian forces occupying the Montenegrin coast.

Ruler at the Time: [Nicholas I](https://allhistories.com/montenegro/rulers/nicholas-i)

Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary (occupying power): Charles I
President of the Ministerial Council of Montenegro (government-in-exile): Evgenije Popović (Independent)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Cattaro mutiny](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cattaro_mutiny)
- [Wikipedia — Bay of Kotor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Kotor)
- [Wikipedia — First World War (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Montenegro)