Draga Mašin

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Queen Draga of Serbia
Queen Draga of Serbia

Draga Mašin (nee Lunjevica) (September 23, 1861 in Gornji MilanovacJune 11, 1903 in Belgrade), also known as Queen Draga, was the consort of King Aleksandar Obrenović of the Kingdom of Serbia. She was formerly a lady-in-waiting to Aleksandar's mother Queen Natalija.

Draga Mašin was a daughter of Panta Lunjevica, local leader of the Aranđelovac area. At the time of her second marriage, she was the widow of Svetozar Mašin, a Czech civil engineer, and was fifteen years older than Aleksandar.

They married on 5 August 1900. When Aleksandar announced their engagement, public opinion turned against him. He was viewed as a besotted young fool in the power of a wicked seductress. Dowager Queen Natalija bitterly opposed the marriage, and was exiled by her son, in part because of it. His many arbitrary and unpopular acts were blamed on Draga's influence. There were rumors that Aleksandar would name Draga's brother as heir to the throne.

This last threat was the final straw. On June 11, 1903, a group of army officers invaded the royal palace, led by the brother of Draga's late husband. They found Aleksandar and Draga hiding in a cupboard and savagely murdered them, throwing their mutilated bodies from a palace window.


Royal titles
Preceded by
Natalija Obrenović
Queen Consort of Serbia
5 August 190011 June 1903
Vacant
Title next held by
Maria of Romania
as Queen Consort of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes