Petar I conceived a plan in 1807 to revive a Serbian Empire ("Slaveno–Serb empire"), which he informed the Russian court.
[28][29][30][31] Earlier, in June 1804, Habsburg Serb metropolitan
Stefan Stratimirović informed the Russian court of the same plan.
[32] Petar I's plan was to unite
Podgorica,
Spuž,
Žabljak, the
Bay of Kotor,
Herzegovina,
Dubrovnik and
Dalmatia with Montenegro.
[28] The title of Serbian emperor would be held by the Russian emperor.
[28] The French–Russian peace treaty thwarted the plan.
[28] After the French conquered Dalmatia, they offered Petar I the title of "Patriarch of all of the Serb nation or all Illyricum" under the condition that he stop cooperation with Russia and accept a French protectorate, which he declined, fearing eventual Papal jurisdiction.
[29] The Metropolitanate of Cetinje began exerting influence towards
Brda and
Old Herzegovina, which considered Montenegro as the leader for liberation.
[29] While his reputation and influence reached the surrounding lands, he increasingly directed himself to
Revolutionary Serbia as the backbone for liberation and unification.
[29] The project is included in several historiographical works.