of Shkodër Ali-beg Mimibegović led an army of 12,000 from Podgorica and clashed with 400 Montenegrins in Lješanska nahija. Rufim reinforced them with 500 Katunjani during the day and sent dozens of small three-members groups, in total amount of 50 warriors to spy and to attack the opponent from rear. The battle lasted through whole night, when at the dawn Montenegrins launched a sudden charge surprising the enemy. Ali-beg was wounded and retreated with 3,500 casualties, while his second-in-command Šaban Ćehaja was killed.
Towards the end of September newly appointed Sanjak-bey of Shkodër Arslan-bey Balićević renewed attacks on Montenegrins, splitting his forces in two, and tasking first army with penetration to Cetinje and second army with suppressing rebellious forces around Spuž. Both armies failed, as the first one was stopped in Lješanska nahija again without reaching Cetinje, and the second one was defeated when Rufim personally led a side attack of 700 Katunjani in the aid of Piperi, Bjelopavlići and Rovčani forces which were already engaging enemy around the village of Kosov lug. The battle resulted in Sultan's official recognition of Montenegrin autonomy, by issuing a berat which states that : "... no Turkish official, if not authorised by sultan, can enter Montenegro without the permission from Montenegrins themselves"
Legacy
Although informations about his life are scarce, Rufim is one of better known Metropolitans of Montenegrin history from predynastic period. His long tenure is well remembered and he is often mentioned as a contemporary of Patriarch Pajsije. In his "History of Montenegro" Sima Sarajlija lists as one of his more memorable deeds that he: It is, thus, possible that it was him, rather than Metropolitan Rufim Boljević who famously converted Kuči Vojvode Lale Drekalov. Many authors, most notably Marko Miljanov, cite Boljević as being the one, however the dates don't add up, since being mentioned in 1614, Lale precedes Boljević's tenure as Metropolitan by a couple of decades.
Annotations
Name: His name is mostly spelled Rufim Njeguš, while his given name can be spelled as Ruvim, and his byname as Njegoš, as well. He is sometimes numbered Rufim II, to disambiguate from previous Rufim I, who was also from Njeguši and Rufim Boljević, the later metropolitan.
