FIRST SERBIAN LADY
Princess Ljubica Obrenovic
1785-1843
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Maiden name Vukomanovic, born in Srezojevci 3/14. January 1785, from father Radosav and mother Maria.
On the eve of her marriage Ljubica "was the most seen among girls in all environments." In her looked a year or two before the outbreak of the Uprising brother of Jakov and Milan Obrenovic, Milos Teodorovic Obrenovic latter Serbian Prince.
Leaving his father in law Sava, perhaps in 1802 or 1803, before being finally settled with his brother Jakov, Milos is over Pranjane on his way to Brusnica, passed through Srezojevci. On one of the srezojevaci stream he saw Ljubica and her mother, who are white canvas. "Then I was past 20 years, and yet I was as a young boy. As soon as I saw Ljubica, were still my eyes on her. She and her mother, they noticed me, came out of the water, and lowered their skirts. I overrides water, and on another hill, I sat down to put on the back. I sat guess for an hour, only to endure watching Ljubica. Well, doing this much, she was beautiful for a miracle. "
When his brother Milan confided that for its commercial purposes keep cattle Milos is frequently stopped in Srezojevci, at Vukomanovic, to again saw Ljubica. His companion in the cattle prod Turk Cor-Zuka he realized the Milos secret and this he admitted that he loved Ljubica. Turk then took it upon himself to convince Milan to obtain for Ljubica of Vukomanovic.
Question of Milos marriage set again until after the outbreak of the uprising. From Prince's story we learn that the Duke Milan beg Ljubica and brought her into their home. "When I took a wife, I was around 24 years."
Milos and Ljubica took in the spring of 1804. Milan called Karadjordje to the patron probably during the conquest of the Rudnik on March 18, 1804.
Prince Milos with Ljubica had eight children, four men and the same female. Parents have survived only two children, son Mihailo and daughter Petrija, and Jelisaveta his mother.
For a murder she committed against Petrija, one of the mistress of Prince Milos, for some time she lived separately from him, and even at the time of the attack on Prince Milos openly sided with the opposition. From other side, by Milos departure from Serbia in 1839, participated in the movement for the return of her husband in the country.
Of all the Obrenovic who had been expelled from the country, Ljubica last withdrew trying until the last moment to save the Dynasty. Depressed more than rage and sorrow over the fate of his family than from the disease, dies in Novi Sad, 14/26 May 1843. She was buried in the Monastery of Krusedol.
Princess Julia Obrenovic
1831-1919
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Maiden name Hunyady de Kéthely. She was born on August 26, 1831 in Vienna. Daughter of Count Ferenc Hunyady de Kéthely and Countess Júlia Zichy de Zich et Vásonkeő. Married on August 1st, 1853 for Prince Mihailo Obrenovic, who lived in Vienna as exiled former Serbian Prince. To return to the throne of Serbian Prince Mihailo and Julia lived in Austria-Hungary. They had a farm Ivanka on the Danube, which was bought by Prince Mihailo. They had no children.
After the death of Prince Mihailo, Princess Julia married Belgian Duke Karl von Arenberg.
She died in Vienna on February 19, 1919.
Queen Natalia Obrenovic
1859-1941
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She was born on 2/14. May 1859 in Florence. Her father was a Russian colonel Petre KeÅŸcu, and his mother Princess Pulcheria Sturdza. For King Milan marry 5/17. October 1875 and with him had a son, Aleksandar, born the following year. Large differences between spouses led to their passing. While Milan asked for support in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Natalia was turned Russia. Natalie's cold and Milan's temperament led them into numerous love affairs, which insulted Natalia. She is become very popular due care and effort around the wounded during the war with Bulgaria in 1885. Open and public conflict with Milan was built in 1886, on the occasion of his relationship with Ms. Nasos.
This has led to the divorce of King and Queen in 1888. Marriage is, has been shown, divorced in an irregular manner, which was later canceled. Milan abdicated in 1889, and, as part of its settlement with governing radicals and regency, Queen Natalia was expelled from Serbia on June 1st, 1891. Until formal, but not essential reconciliation occurred in 1893, and the 1894 re-admitted to the Royal House.
During the reign of his son, Aleksandar, Natalia tried to be his chief advisor. She advocated for orientation on Russia and the radicals, believing that without them there will be no political stability in Serbia. Mostly lived in Biarritz in France, in a villa called Sasino. In Belgrade has come a longer period in 1895, and in 1897, when they again clashed with King Milan. In her company as a court lady stood Draga Lunjevica, in which Aleksandar definitely love. The big disagreement with his son brought to his marriage with Draga Lunjevica 1900. The biggest blow suffered 29 May / 11. June 1903, when a group of officers, in a terrible way, unthinkable in Europe at the time, killed King Aleksandar. After 1903, she found some solace in the company of a Spanish Catholic family, and took the Catholic faith and the nun. She died on May 5, 1941 at the Monastery of Saint-Denis near Paris and was buried in the cemetery Lardi near Paris. Her memoirs are kept in the Vatican and not yet published.
After the May coup in 1903, all the property of the family Obrenovic, which is not unlawfully deprived,went to the Queen Natalia Obrenovic. She became a great benefactor. His testament large estates in Serbia bequeathed to the Belgrade University and the monasteries and churches who endowments ruler of the family Obrenovic. A portion in cash and the works of art determined the living descendants of Jakov Obrenovic, brother of Prince Milos Obrenovic. Queen Natalija in 1903 wanted to properties in Serbia gifts family Jakovljevic (descendants of Jacob Obrenovic), but they did not dare to accept it for fear of the former Karadjordjevic Dynasty, so that more than 7700 hectares of forest given Belgrade University. What we can safely say is that it has survived a personal diary of Queen Natalija. The artworks are in museums and private collections.
Dance of Queen Draga
Queen Draga Obrenovic
1866-1903
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She was born on September 23, 1866 in Gornji Milanovac in a wealthy family Lunjevica. Draga's father, Pantelija Lunjevica was prefect of the Gornji Milanovac, and his mother a housewife Andjelija. Her grandfather was Nikola Milicevic Lunjevica, one of the insurgent champion and friend of Prince Milos Obrenovic. Apart from Draga, Andjelija and Panta had sons Nikodije and Nikola, and daughters Kristina, Vojka and Ana.
In the age of nine, Draga was sent to school in Belgrade. The base school was educated in Belgrade, then "Cermanka`s Institute" or "Women's Institute". There she learned several foreign languages, including Russian, French and German. During his stay in Belgrade, Draga started writing novels and short stories, translating books for money. And besides being a father led a lot of care of her, as a very young girl began to earn his living. She even made a few interesting stories to foreign magazines. She loved to read, and especially loved to read Stendhal.
In Belgrade, he first fell in love with the student Bogdan Popovic, later professor and literary critic, which is of the Draga was three years older. They often met in the Writers Club, where Draga often frequented. However, the wishes of the parents will take Draga is completely away from Popovic.
As soon as she turned sixteen, parents they started preparing for marriage. Mining engineer Svetozar Masin was a good acquaintance of her father, and in addition he had a good origin. Svetozar Masin was fifteen years older than Draga. His father was a prominent doctor and served at court to Prince Mihailo and King Milan Obrenovic. Draga's brother in law, and Svetozar brother, Aleksandar Mashin was later one of the leading conspirators in her liquidation, and at one time was the chief of the General Staff of the Serbian Army. Draga Lunjevica said Bogdan Popovic
that because of parental coercion married with Svetozar Masin, but that there is no love, only benefits. Svetozar and Draga were married in August 1883 in the Cathedral Church in Belgrade. Draga often went to the court of King Milan Obrenovic, who was a great friend of Svetozar Masin. Married with Svetozar Masin lived for three years and then became a widow.
After the divorce of King Milan with Queen Natalia Obrenovic 1888, Queen bought the castle "Sasino" in the spa resort Biarritz in France, which was named by her only son Aleksandar Obrenovic. Queen Natalia is on road called Draga, to be her escort and court Miss. The young King Aleksandar arrived in March 1895 in Biarritz. Meanwhile, Draga took care of arrangement and maintenance of the bathing beach in Biarritz. Love Draga and Aleksandar was born just at that place, when according to the chronicler, Draga future King saved from drowning. In Biarritz began to correspond, to see each other and go out together. Queen Natalia never objected to it because she wanted her son to prepare for a possible marriage with a princess of high rank. However, between them was born a true love, a lot stronger than they thought Natalia and Milan. Aleksandar asked Natalia to leave him alone with Draga, and to return to Belgrade. She did it. In the beginning nobody had against this love, thinking that this is just a temporary adventure. The King talked with Draga to leave the employ of his mother and that he would financially take care of her and her family. Draga Lunjevica remained in the service of Queen Natalija until 1897 when she returned to Belgrade. The whole of Serbia is alarmed by the news announced by King on July 8, 1900, that begged the hand Draga Lunjevica, granddaughter of Nikola Lunjevica, fighter in wars for the liberation of Serbia. Marriage, in particular, opposed the former King Milan, which is a sign of protest left Serbia and went to Bucharest, and in Vienna, where he died the following year. The king was totally turned against his father, and even pardoned and radicals, who were lying in prison because Ivandan assassination of King Milan. King Aleksandar failed marriage to Draga Lunjevica on July 23 , 1900 and called on all well-meaning citizens to see the queen true Serb woman, marking a new policy to Serbian rulers getting married to a Serb women, and no longer with foreign princesses. King Aleksandar is very happy news that the best man the wedding will be the Russian Tsar Nicholas II Romanov. On the wedding day, in front of the house Draga Lunjevica appeared thousands of citizens, who wore pictures of her and cheered her. The procession was headed for the Cathedral Church, where should perform the act of marriage. The priests from early morning amounted icons, oil lamps and candles. King Aleksandar appeared this morning at a wedding in a military uniform with epaulets and decorations, and Draga Lunjevica in the wedding gown of white lace with diamond diadem on her head. The church wedding act made two Metropolitans, Bishops and twenty-six Archimandrite. Honorary escort consisted of officers of the Serbian Army, including Dragutin Dimitrijevic Apis, with the rank of captain. Upon completion of the wedding, after leaving the church, the people shouted: "Long live the King! Long live the Queen Draga! " It's not even a year of the wedding of the royal couple, and already on May 8, 1901, King Aleksandar announced that the Queen Draga pregnant and that Serbia would gain a descendant of Obrenovic. Before the release, Queen Draga was in the Royal summer palace in Smederevo, when the doctor Cole arrived from Paris and told her she was blessed condition. However, all the dreams of a successor is dispelled prominent Russian physician Snjegirev, who together with Professor Gubarev, under the influence of Queen Natalija, in Serbia sent Nicholas Romanov to corroborate findings the doctor Cole. A panel of doctors came in May 1901 in Smederevo and examined Draga. The finding was that there is no pregnancy. As a token of appreciation for his wife, he issued an order to the 4th Cavalry Regiment of King Milan from May 23 called "Cavalry Regiment of Queen Draga." The King had to come to terms with the decision that there was no pregnancy, and together with Draga returned to Belgrade.
Group "officers" - the conspirators organized the assassination of King Aleksandar and Queen Draga Obrenovic, in order to bring to the throne Petar Karadjordjevic, who is also the chief organizer of the coup. As the day for the beginning of the action is determined by the night between 28 and 29 May 1903 as then in Dvor contained conspiratorial group on duties. That evening, the King and Queen returned from dinner at Queen's relatives and just went into the bed. Conspiratorial action began exactly ten minutes after midnight. Thanks conspirators in Dvor, officers quickly ran into the room of King Aleksandar and Queen Draga, but in the bed there was no one. On the dressing table are found Draga favorite novel "La trahison", facing 80 side. Officers scoured the room, opened cabinets and flipped over things, but failed to find the King and Queen. Before the act of finding hidden royal couple, the officers were captured Draga`s brothers, second Lt. Nikola and Nikodije Lunjevica and took them to the local command center, where they were on the orders of Colonel Masin, lieutenant Voja Tankosić pulled into the courtyard and executed. Draga`s sisters Ana, Vojka and Kristina were dispatched to the train station and sent to Munich.
After a major hassle, conspirators led the King's adjutant Laza Petrovic to reveal where the King and Queen hide. Then in the royal room standing next Petrovic and lieutenant Djordje Ristic, lieutenant Velimir Vemic and captain Ilija Radivojevic. Lieutenant Vemic found notch on one door and exclaimed: "Axe" "Here's the door!" Finally appeared behind the hidden door King and Queen in white pajamas, clinging to each other.
Captain Mihailo Ristic was the one who killed the King, and the Queen, which is the first shot threw his body to protect the King. Then they and other co-conspirators shot, emptied their guns and swords pain murdered body, and then threw them out the window into the yard, from where they were dragged to a nearby ground-floor room, where they are prepared for burial, which was carried out the next night, in the Church of St. Mark. At the moment when the assassination took place, it was exactly 3:50 minutes in the morning.
The bodies of the King and Queen were placed in tin trunks and under the greatest secrecy carriages transported to Old Belgrade cemetery. Carriages arrived after midnight in the Church of St. Mark, surrounded by soldiers. The act of burial was attended by two of the conspirators. Coffins were lowered, one beside the other, in the tomb of the king's grandmother Anka Obrenovic, which, together with Prince Mihailo died in Kosutnjak on May 29, 1868.