During the time of Venetian rule, Dobrota was an autonomous town, together with Kotor, Prčanj and Perast. The prominent families of Dobrota who marked the social and economic history of their homeland were Dabčevići, Dabinovići, Ivanovići, Kamenarovići, Radimiri, Tripkovići and others. Dobrota relied on maritime trade and at the beginning of the 19th century it was one of the leading maritime centres in Boka and the east coast, counting 35 ships with a total weight of 5,172 tonnes and having 443 registered crew members. Dobrota families became very powerful and all aspects of social and cultural life moved from Kotor to Dobrota. However, Napoleon’s conquest caused crisis in maritime trade. The naval blockade occurred, the ships were wrecked by the French and the English army and the old trade links were interrupted. The Austrian authorities did not bring much improvement, and the first attempts of recovery occurred after 1850.