The Radonjićes traditionally opposed Montenegro's close ties with Russia, advocating a closer relationship with Austria instead. This pro-Austrian orientation dated to the fall of the Venetian Republic in 1797, when Austria annexed all of Venice's possessions and established a land border with Montenegro. The Radonjićes then became the leading pro-Austrian clan and frequently made contact with Austrian agents in the Bay of Kotor, on the Montenegrin frontier. Vuko Radonjić's conflict with Njegoš took on both a personal and a political dimension, not only because their clans were traditional rivals but because the Petrovićes were ardently pro-Russian, largely due to ecclesiastical ties between the "vladika" and the Russian Most Holy Synod. As "guvernadur", Radonjić occupied a position that was meant exclusively for the Radonjićes, just as the post of "vladika" could only be held by a Petrović. The office of "guvernadur" dated back to 1715, when the Venetian Senate created the title of supreme "vojvoda" (duke) to share power with the "vladika" of Montenegro. The Venetians titled it "governattore", which became "guvernadur" in Montenegrin dialect. Although the jurisdiction of a "guvernadur" had never been clearly defined, the Radonjićes and their supporters regularly claimed that his powers were equal to that of the "vladika" while the Petrovićes and their supporters argued that the "vladika" always had the final say in Montenegrin affairs. Now, with Njegoš poised to take the throne, Radonjić began claiming the superiority of his office and attempted to attain full control over secular affairs.