Karađorđević dynasty

Karađorđević
Country Serbia
Yugoslavia
Titles
  • Grand Vožd of Serbia (1804-1813)
  • Prince of Serbia (1842-1858)
  • King of Serbia (1903-1918)
  • King of Yugoslavia (1918-1945)
Founded 14 February 1804
Founder Karađorđe Petrović
Final ruler Peter II
Current head Alexander Karađorđević
Deposition 29 November 1945
Ethnicity Serbian

The House of Karađorđević (Serbian pronunciation: [karad͡ʑǒːrd͡ʑeʋit͡ɕ]) is a Serbian and European dynastic family, founded by Karađorđe Petrović, the Veliki Vožd ("Grand Leader") of Serbia in the early 1800s during the First Serbian Uprising. The dynasty name Karađorđević is derived from the name of the founder, Đorđe "Karađorđe" Petrović (Karadjorde = "Black George" and Petrovic = "Peter's Son"), and is typically spelled "Karadjordjevic" while pronunciation is roughly anglicized as "Karageorgevitch", and was in previous times rendered also as Kara-Georgevitch.

The relatively short-lived dynasty had an ongoing blood feud with the Obrenović dynasty after Karađorđe's assassination in 1817, which was apparently authorized by Miloš Obrenović. The two Houses subsequently traded the throne for several generations.

In 1903, the Serbian Parliament chose Karađorđe's grandson, Peter Karađorđević, then living in exile, for the throne of the Kingdom of Serbia. He was duly crowned as King Peter I, and shortly before the end of World War I, 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 throne was lost when the League of Communists of Yugoslavia seized power, during the reign of Peter II.

Ancestry

According to some researchers, Karađorđe's paternal ancestors most likely migrated from the Herzegovina-Montenegro hills to Šumadija during the Second Great Serb Migration in 1737–1739 under the leadership of Patriarch Šakabenta, as a result of the Austrian-Turkish War (in which Serbs took part).[1]

Some conjecture has arisen about where the family ended up after arriving in Šumadija. According to Radoš Ljušić, Karađorđe's ancestors most likely hailed from Vasojevići, 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 Vasojevići.[2][3][4] The Vasojevići clan claim descent from Stephen Constantine of the Nemanjić dynasty (which ruled Medieval Serbia, 1166–1371).[3] The Vasojevići were proud of Karađorđe, and saw him as their kinsman.[5] Montenegrin politician and Vasojević Gavro Vuković, supported this theory.[6] Accordingly, Alexander Karađorđević (1806-1885) was given the title "Voivode of Vasojevići".[6]

Additional origin theories point to France, Herzegovina, Kuči and Klimenti. Grigorije Božović (1880–1945) claimed that the family were Srbljaci (natives) in Vasojevići territory;[7] Montenegrin historian Miomir Dašić claimed that Karađorđe's family originated from the Gurešići from Podgorica in Montenegro.[7] Folklorist Dragutin Vuković believed that Tripko Knežević "Guriš" [explanation needed] was Karađorđe's great-grandfather;[7] In the surroundings of Podgorica, there is a local claim that Karađorđe's ancestors initially came from Vranj.[8] A 2006 book by journalist Milorad Bošnjak and machine engineer Slobodan Jakovljević (a direct descendant of Jakov Obrenović, half-brother of Miloš Obrenović) claimed that Karađorđe's ancestor was an Albanian Catholic from Kelmend called Đin Maraš Klimenta;[9] while Dimitrije Tucović had earlier claimed that he was of Albanian descent.[10]

Monarchs

The ruling members of the family were:

Current claims to the throne

The Karađorđevićs are active in Serbian society in various ways. Politically, they support the view that constitutional parliamentary monarchy would be the ultimate solution for stability, unity and continuity. In addition, they support Serbia as a democratic country with a future in the European Union.

The last crown prince of Yugoslavia, Alexander, has been living in Belgrade in 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. Prior to the fall of Slobodan Milosevic, he personally united the parliamentary opposition in several major congresses. In the palace, he regularly receives religious leaders and strives, as opportunity permits, to demonstrate his commitment to human rights and to democracy.

The Karađorđevićs are 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, summer camps for children, etc. The Karađorđevics are also prominent in national sports activities.

Serbia and Yugoslavia

The Karadjordjević 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 II was born in London but on property temporarily recognised 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.

In 2006 Yugoslavia disintegrated geo-politically in such a way that Serbia re-emerged as the national state, on which devolved rights and obligations of the former state of Yugoslavia. Crown Prince Alexander, previously "of Yugoslavia", now also claims the throne of Serbia as the senior patrilineal great-grandson of the last King of Serbia prior to its inclusion in Yugoslavia. However, his use of the title of the Crown Prince of Serbia has been questioned because he was born Crown Prince of Yugoslavia and held that title until the monarchy was abolished, while the current nation of Serbia is a republic. Nonetheless, as is customary among former dynasties, Alexander is accorded the title he claims by his kinsmen, the reigning monarchs of Europe, and their courts.

Heraldry

See also: Coat of arms of Serbia and Coat of arms of Yugoslavia

Royal Standards of Yugoslavia

Family tree

Karađorđe Petrović
b. 1768 – d. 1817
reigned 1804–1813
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Alexis
b. 1801 – d. 1830
 
 
 
 
 
Alexander Karađorđević
b. 1806 – d. 1885
reigned 1842–1858
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
George
b. 1827 – d. 1884
 
 
Peter I
b. 1844 – d. 1921
reigned 1903–1921
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Arsen
b. 1859 – d. 1938
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Alexis
b. 1859 – d. 1920
Bojidar
b. 1862 – d. 1908
 
 
George
b. 1887 – d. 1972
 
 
 
Alexander I
b. 1888 – d. 1934
reigned 1921–1934
 
 
 
 
Paul Karađorđević
b. 1893 – d. 1976
ruled 1934–1941
(as Prince Regent)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Peter II
b. 1923 – d. 1970
reigned 1934–1945
 
Tomislav
b. 1928 – d. 2000
 
Andrew
b. 1929 – d. 1990
 
Alexander
b. 1924
 
Nicholas
b. 1928 – d. 1954
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Alexander Karađorđević
b. 1945
 
Nikola
b. 1958
George
b. 1984
Michael
b. 1985
 
Karl Vladimir
b. 1964
Dimitri Mihailo
b. 1965
 
Dimitri
b. 1958
Michael
b. 1958
Sergius
b. 1963
Dushan
b. 1977
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Peter
b. 1980
Philip
b. 1982
Alexander
b. 1982
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.novosti.rs/dodatni_sadrzaj/clanci.119.html:276201-Pastir-u-najmu
  2. ↑ Bogdan Popović, Jovan Skerlić (1932). Srpski književni glasnik, Volumes 35-36. p. 282.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 R-J. V. Vesović, 1935, "Pleme Vasojevići", Državna Štampa u Sarajevu, Sarajevo
  4. ↑ Felix Phillip Kanitz 1987, p. 334: "Као што је доказао Ђукић10, велики српски борац за слободу угледао је свој први дан живота 1752. у Вишевцу, окруженом густом храстовом шумом, где се његов отац доселио из Васојевића у Црној Гори."
  5. ↑ Pregled, Volume 9 (in Serbian). Nova tiskara Vrček i dr. 1933. Васојевићи нарочито радо причају о војводама Србије који су имали везе са њиховим племеном или из њега старином потичу. Говоре често о Карађорђу, зову га Карађоко и сматрају га као свој изданак.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Vuković 1985
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 http://www.srpsko-nasledje.co.rs/sr-l/1998/01/article-09.html
  8. ↑ Vukićević 1907, p. 5: "околини Подгорице и у селу Врању. А да је Карађорђе старинбм из села Врања, чуо је у Црној Гори још 1875 године г."
  9. ↑ "Karađorđevići - sakrivena istorija": Teorija o albanskom poreklu porodice
  10. ↑ Ivo Banac, The National Question in Yugoslavia: Origins, History, Politics, p. 297

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to House of Karađorđević.