Serbian and Yugoslav royal family
The
House of Karađorđevi?
or
Karađorđevi? dynasty
(
Serbian Cyrillic
:
Династи?а Кара?ор?еви?
,
romanized
:
Dinastija Karađorđevi?
,
pl.
Кара?ор?еви?и
/
Karađorđevi?i
,
pronounced
[karad???ːrd??e?it??]
) is the name of the former ruling
Serbian
and deposed
Yugoslav royal family
.
The family was founded by
Karađorđe Petrovi?
(1768?1817), the
Veliki Vo?d
(
Serbian Cyrillic
:
Велики Вожд
,
lit.
'Grand Leader') of
Serbia
during the
First Serbian uprising
of 1804?1813. In the course of the 19th century the relatively short-lived dynasty was supported by the
Russian Empire
and was opposed to the
Austrian
-supported
House of Obrenovi?
. The two houses subsequently vied for the throne for several generations.
Following the
assassination
of the Obrenovi? King
Alexander I of Serbia
in 1903, the
Serbian Parliament
chose Karađorđe's grandson,
Peter I Karađorđevi?
, then living in exile, to occupy the throne of the
Kingdom of Serbia
. He was duly crowned as King Peter I, and shortly before the end of
World War I
in 1918, representatives of the three peoples proclaimed a
Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
with Peter I as sovereign. In 1929, the kingdom was renamed
Yugoslavia
, under
Alexander I
, the son of Peter I. In November 1945 the family lost their throne when the
League of Communists of Yugoslavia
seized power during the reign of
Peter II
.
Name
[
edit
]
In English, the family name can be
anglicized
as
Karageorgevitch
(e.g., as with
Prince Bojidar Karageorgevitch
and
Prince Philip Karageorgevitch
) or
romanised
as
Karadjordjevic
. Its origin is as a
patronym
of the
sobriquet
Karađorđe
, bestowed upon the family's founder,
đorđe Petrovi?
, at the end of the 18th century.
In 1796,
Osman Pazvanto?lu
, the renegade governor of the Ottoman
Sanjak of Vidin
, who had rejected the authority of the
Sublime Porte
, launched an invasion of the
Pashalik of Belgrade
, governed by
Hadji Mustafa Pasha
since 1793. Overwhelmed, Mustafa Pasha formed a Serbian national militia to help stop the incursion.
đorđe Petrovi? joined the militia and became a
boluk-bashi
(Serbian:
Buljukba?a
),
[a]
leading a
company
of 100 men.
After the Serb militias joined the war on Mustafa Pasha's side, Pazvanto?lu suffered a string of defeats. He retreated to
Vidin
, which was subsequently besieged.
The war against Pazvanto?lu marked the first time that Petrovi? had distinguished himself in the eyes of the Ottomans, who bestowed upon him the sobriquet "Black George" (Serbian:
Karađorđe
;
Turkish
:
Kara Yorgi
), partly because of his dark hair and partly because of his sinister reputation.
Ancestry
[
edit
]
Oplenac
is the
mausoleum
of the Karađorđevi? dynasty
According to some researchers, Karađorđe's paternal ancestors most likely migrated from the
Highlands
(in what is today Montenegro) to
?umadija
during the Second
Great Serb Migration
in 1737?39 under the leadership of
Patriarch
?akabenta
, as a result of the
Austro-Turkish War
(in which Serbs took part).
[7]
Serbian historiography accepted the theory that Karađorđe's ancestors came from
Vasojevi?i
.
[8]
Some conjecture has arisen about where the family ended up after arriving in ?umadija. According to Rado? Lju?i?, Karađorđe's ancestors most likely hailed from Vasojevi?i, but he has said there is no certain historical information on Karađorđe's ancestors or where they came from, folklore being the only real source. Most likely, Karađorđe's ancestors hailed from
Vasojevi?i
.
[9]
[10]
[11]
Grigorije Bo?ovi? (1880?1945) claimed that the family were
Srbljaci
(natives) in Vasojevi?i territory.
[8]
[
full citation needed
]
Contributing to
Srbljak
theory is the fact that the family celebrated
St Clement
as their
Slava
until 1890, while the
patron saint
of Vasojevi?i, i.e. Vaso's descendants, is
Archangel Michael
. King Peter I was allowed to change his Slava to
St Andrew the First-called
by
Belgrade Metropolitan
Mihailo in 1890, following the death of his wife,
Princess Zorka
, thus honoring the date on the
Julian calendar
when Serbian rebels
liberated Belgrade
during the First Serbian Uprising.
[12]
[13]
Furthermore, King Peter chose
Voivode
of Vasojevi?i Miljan Vukov Ve?ovi? to be his bridesman during his wedding to princess Zorka in 1883. Upon being asked by his future father-in-law
prince Nicholas
why he chose Miljan amongst various
Voivodes
of Montenegro, he replied that he chose him because of
heroism and relation
describing him as
Vojvode of my own blood and kin
.
[14]
His son,
Alexander
, who was born in
Cetinje
was nicknamed
Montenegrin
.
[15]
[
better source needed
]
The
Vasojevi?i
tribe claim descent from
Stefan Konstantin
of the
Nemanji? dynasty
.
[10]
The Vasojevi?i were proud of Karađorđe, and saw him as their kinsman.
[16]
Montenegrin politician and Vasojevi?
Gavro Vukovi?
, supported this theory.
[
page needed
]
Accordingly,
Alexander Karađorđevi?
(1806?1885) was given the title "Voivode of Vasojevi?i" by
Petar II
in 1840.
[
page needed
]
[18]
Other theories include: Montenegrin historian Miomir Da?i? claimed that Karađorđe's family originated from the Gure?i?i from Podgorica in Montenegro.
[8]
Folklorist Dragutin Vukovi? believed that Tripko Kne?evi??Guri? was Karađorđe's great-grandfather;
[8]
Vuki?evi?, writing in 1907, said that in the surroundings of Podgorica, there is a local claim that Karađorđe's ancestors initially came from Vranj.
[19]
The family claimed descent from the
Vasojevi?i
tribe (in Montenegro) and had emigrated in the late 1730s or early 1740s.
The family lived in
Ma?itevo
(in
Suva Reka
), from where grandfather Jovan moved to Vi?evac, while Jovan's brother Radak moved to
Mramorac
.
[9]
[10]
List of monarchs
[
edit
]
Picture
|
Title
Name
|
Birth
|
Reign
|
Spouse
|
Death
|
Claim
|
Notes
|
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/14/Kara%C4%91or%C4%91e_Petrovi%C4%87%2C_by_Vladimir_Borovikovsky%2C_1816.jpg/100px-Kara%C4%91or%C4%91e_Petrovi%C4%87%2C_by_Vladimir_Borovikovsky%2C_1816.jpg) |
Grand Vo?d of Serbia
Karađorđe
|
16 November [
O.S.
3 November] 1768
Vi?evac
,
Sanjak of Smederevo
,
Rumelia Eyalet
,
Ottoman Empire
|
15 February 1804
?
21 September 1813
(9 years, 218 days)
|
Jelena Jovanovi?
|
26 July [
O.S.
14 July] 1817
Radovanje Grove
, Sanjak of Smederevo, Rumelia Eyalet, Ottoman Empire
(aged 48)
|
Leader of the
First Serbian uprising
|
Deposed
and exiled to
Austria
.
|
Out of power for 28 years, 358 days.
|
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/74/PrinceAlexander_I_w.jpg/100px-PrinceAlexander_I_w.jpg) |
Prince of Serbia
Alexander
|
11 October 1806
Topola
,
Revolutionary Serbia
|
14 September 1842
?
23 December 1858
(16 years, 100 days)
|
Persida Nenadovi?
|
3 May 1885
Timi?oara
,
Austria-Hungary
(aged 78)
|
Elected by the National Assembly.
Son of
Karađorđe Petrovi?
and Jelena Jovanovi?
|
Abdicated
.
|
Out of power for 44 years, 174 days.
|
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c6/PetarI-Karadjordjevic.jpg/100px-PetarI-Karadjordjevic.jpg) |
King of Serbia
;
King of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
Petar I
|
11 July [
O.S.
29 June] 1844
Belgrade
,
Serbia
|
15 June 1903
?
16 August 1921
(18 years, 62 days)
|
Zorka of Montenegro
|
16 August 1921
Belgrade
,
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
(aged 77)
|
Elected by the National Assembly.
Son of
Alexander
and
Persida Nenadovi?
|
In exile from November 1915 due to the
Serbian Campaign
.
Proclaimed King of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1918.
|
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2e/Kralj_aleksandar1.jpg/100px-Kralj_aleksandar1.jpg) |
King of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
;
King of Yugoslavia
Alexander I
|
16 December 1888
Cetinje
,
Montenegro
|
16 August 1921
?
9 October 1934
(13 years, 54 days)
|
Maria of Romania
|
9 October 1934
Marseille
,
France
(aged 45)
|
Son of
Peter I
and
Zorka of Montenegro
|
Changed title to "King of Yugoslavia" in 1929.
Assassinated in
Marseilles
.
|
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/26/Prince_Paul_of_Yugoslavia.jpg/100px-Prince_Paul_of_Yugoslavia.jpg) |
Prince regent of Yugoslavia
Paul
|
27 April 1893
Saint Petersburg
,
Russian Empire
|
9 October 1934
?
27 March 1941
(6 years, 169 days)
|
Olga of Greece and Denmark
|
14 September 1976
Paris, France
(aged 83)
|
The Will of
Alexander I
|
Prince Paul acted as
prince regent
for Peter II until
ousted in March 1941
.
|
![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9b/Peter_II_Karadordevic.jpg/100px-Peter_II_Karadordevic.jpg) |
King of Yugoslavia
Peter II
|
6 September 1923
Belgrade
,
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
|
9 October 1934
?
29 November 1945
(11 years, 51 days)
|
Alexandra of Greece and Denmark
|
3 November 1970
Denver
, Colorado, U.S.
(aged 47)
|
Son of
Alexander I
and
Maria of Romania
|
Exiled in April 1941, and deposed in 1945.
|
Heads of the House since 1945
[
edit
]
The Karađorđevi?i are active in Serbian society in various ways. There is a view
[
who?
]
that constitutional parliamentary monarchy would be the ultimate solution for stability, unity, and continuity in Serbia. In addition, the family supports
Serbia
as a democratic country with a future in the
European Union
.
The last crown prince of Yugoslavia, Alexander
, has lived in Belgrade at the
Dedinje Royal Palace
since 2001. As the only son of the last king, Peter II, who never abdicated, and the last official heir of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia he claims to be the rightful heir to the Serbian throne in the event of restoration.
[21]
[22]
At the palace, Alexander regularly receives religious leaders and strives, as opportunity permits, to demonstrate his commitment to human rights and to democracy. The family are also much engaged in humanitarian work.
Crown Princess Katherine
has a humanitarian foundation while Crown Prince Alexander heads the Foundation for Culture and Education, whose activities include student scholarships, and summer camps for children.
[
citation needed
]
On 27 April 2022,
Prince Peter Karageorgevitch
renounced his title of
Hereditary prince
? for himself and his descendants ? and his younger brother
Prince Philip
became their father's heir apparent. The ceremony took place at
Casa de Pilatos
in
Seville
, Spain. Present were Peter's and Philip's mother Princess Maria Da Gloria of Orleans-Braganza, Duchess of Segorbe and their stepfather
Ignacio, 19th Duke of Segorbe
; Philip's wife
Princess Danica
; their half-sister
Sol, Countess of Ampurias
; Ljubodrag Gruji?, a member of the Crown Council and Chancellor of the Orders and Herald of the House of Karađorđevi?; and Nikola Stankovi?, Chief of Staff of the Crown Prince.
[23]
[24]
- List of heirs
Serbia and Yugoslavia
[
edit
]
The Karađorđevi? family initially was a Serbian Royal House, then the Royal House of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and then the Royal House of Yugoslavia. When they last reigned they were called the Royal House of Yugoslavia.
Crown Prince Alexander was born in London but on property temporarily recognized by the United Kingdom's government as subject to the sovereignty of the Yugoslav crown, on which occasion it was publicly declared that the Crown Prince had been born on the native soil of the land he was expected to eventually rule.
[25]
Heraldry
[
edit
]
Male descendants of Karađorđe
[
edit
]
The list below includes male members of the Karađorđevi? dynasty.
[26]
Bold
denotes the current head of the House. Number in parentheses indicates the
order of line of Succession
to the throne, as of April 2022.
[27]
The order of line of Succession is not official.
Notes
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"Pastir u najmu"
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
Nedeljkovi?, Mile.
"Karađorđevi preci knezovi VOJINOVI?I"
.
Srpsko Nasledje
.
- ^
a
b
Bogdan Popovi?, Jovan Skerli? (1932).
Srpski knji?evni glasnik, Volumes 35?36
. p. 282.
- ^
a
b
c
R-J. V. Vesovi?, 1935, "Pleme Vasojevi?i", Dr?avna ?tampa u Sarajevu, Sarajevo
- ^
Felix Phillip Kanitz 1987, p. 334: "Као што ?е доказао ?уки?10, велики српски борац за слободу угледао ?е сво? први дан живота 1752. у Вишевцу, окруженом густом храстовом шумом, где се ?егов отац доселио из Васо?еви?а у Црно? Гори."
- ^
"MISTERIJA SLAVE KARAđORđEVI?A: Evo kojim svecima su se molili preci Karađorđa!"
.
telegraf.rs
. 13 December 2014.
- ^
Marjanovi?, Z. (13 December 2014).
"?uvaju slavu velikog vo?da"
.
Vesti-online
.
- ^
btgport.net.
"Karađorđevi?i porijeklom iz Vasojevi?a"
.
mojenovosti.com
.
- ^
"Надимци старих Београ?ана ? Politikin Zabavnik"
.
politikin-zabavnik.co.rs
.
- ^
Pregled, Volume 9
(in Serbian). Nova tiskara Vr?ek i dr. 1933.
Васо?еви?и нарочито радо прича?у о во?водама Срби?е ко?и су имали везе са ?иховим племеном или из ?ега старином потичу. Говоре често о Кара?ор?у, зову га Кара?око и сматра?у га као сво? изданак.
- ^
Miladinovi?, Ivan (25 November 2012).
"?егово миш?е?е ?е почетком прошлог века прихватио и историчар Вуки?еви?, прилажу?и као доказ диплому ко?у ?е 1840. године владика црногорски Петар II Петрови? ?егош издао Вождовом сину Александру Кара?ор?еви?у, у ко?о? се каже да Вожд потиче од "древних кнезова наше провинци?е Васо?еви?а"
"
.
Politika
.
- ^
Vuki?evi? 1907, p. 5: "околини Подгорице и у селу Вра?у. А да ?е Кара?ор?е старинбм из села Вра?а, чуо ?е у Црно? Гори ?ош 1875 године г.
- ^
McKinsey, Kitty (27 June 1997).
"Kings Try for Comeback"
. San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from
the original
on 13 November 2007.
- ^
Luxmoore, Jonathan (8 December 2003).
"Serbian Orthodox Leader Calls For Monarchy To Be Reintroduced"
. Ecumenical News International. Archived from
the original
on 10 October 2006.
- ^
"Crown Prince Petar Karađorđevi? Abdicates In Favour Of Prince Philip"
.
cordmagazine.com
. 29 April 2022.
Archived
from the original on 8 May 2022
. Retrieved
1 May
2022
.
- ^
"Princ Petar saop?tio da je abdicirao u korist brata Filipa"
.
danas.rs
. 28 April 2022.
Archived
from the original on 1 May 2022
. Retrieved
1 May
2022
.
- ^
"Crown Prince Alexander II: the man who would be king of Serbia"
.
Telegraph.co.uk
.
Archived
from the original on 12 January 2022
. Retrieved
6 July
2017
.
- ^
"Enlarged Family Tree ? RFS"
.
royalfamily.org
. Retrieved
24 December
2021
.
- ^
"Order of line of Succession ? RFS"
.
royalfamily.org
. Retrieved
24 December
2021
.
Sources and further reading
[
edit
]
- Jelavich, Charles;
Jelavich, Barbara
(2000).
The Establishment of the Balkan National States, 1804?1920
. Vol. 8 (4th ed.). Seattle, Washington: University of Washington Press.
ISBN
978-0-29580-360-9
.
- Kanitz, Felix Phillip (1987).
Srbija: zemlja i stanovni?tvo od rimskog doba do kraja XIX veka, Volume 1
(3 ed.). Srpska knji?evna zadruga.
- Kiraly, Bela K.
;
Rothenberg, Gunther E.
(1982).
War and Society in East Central Europe: The first Serbian uprising 1804-1813
. Brooklyn College Press.
ISBN
978-0-930888-15-2
.
- Pavlowitch, Stevan K.
(2002).
Serbia: The History of an Idea
. New York: New York University Press.
ISBN
978-0-8147-6708-5
.
- Rehm, Brendon A. (1992). "Karageorge". In Dupuy, Trevor Nevitt; Johnson, Curt; Bongard, David L. (eds.).
The Harper Encyclopedia of Military Biography
. New York: Harper Collins. p.
392
.
ISBN
978-0-78580-437-6
.
- Singleton, Frederick Bernard (1985).
A Short History of the Yugoslav Peoples
. New York: Cambridge University Press.
ISBN
978-0-521-27485-2
.
- Skrivani?, Gavro (1982). "The Armed Forces in Karadjordje's Serbia". In Vucinich, Wayne S. (ed.).
The First Serbian Uprising, 1804?1813
. War and Society in East Central Europe. New York: Columbia University Press. pp. 303?340.
ISBN
978-0-930888-15-2
.
- Vuki?evi?, Milenko M. (1907).
Karađorđe: 1752?1804
. ?tampano u Dr?avnoj ?tampariji Kraljevine Srbije.
- Vukovi?, Gavro (1985). Slobodan Tomovi? (ed.).
Memoari, Volume 2
. Obod.
External links
[
edit
]
Media related to
House of Karađorđevi?
at Wikimedia Commons
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Children
|
- Princess Sava
- Princess Sarka
- Princess Pola
- Princess Stamenka
- Prince Alexa
- Prince Alexander
|
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Grandchildren
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Great grandchildren
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Children
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- Princess Polexia
- Princess Cleopatra
- Prince Alexa
- Prince Svetozer
- Peter I
- Princess Elena
- Prince Andrej
- Princess Elizabeth
- Prince Djordje
- Prince Arsen
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Grandchildren
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Great grandchildren
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Great-great grandchildren
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- Prince Dimitri
- Prince Michael
- Prince Sergius
- Princess Helene
- Prince Dushan
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Children
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Grandchildren
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- Prince Nikolas
- Princess Katarina
- Prince George
- Prince Michael
- Princess Maria Tatiana
- Prince Christopher
- Princess Lavina
- Prince Karl Wladimir
- Prince Dimitri
|
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Great grandchild
|
- Princess Marija
- Princess Natalija
- Princess Isidora
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Child
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Grandchildren
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Great-great grandchildren
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