The Kingdom of Serbia, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia were located in the present-day countries of Yugoslavia, Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and Kosovo in southeastern and central Europe.
Đorđe (George) Petrovic, called Karađorđe (Black George) (1768 – 1817), was the founder of the House of Karađorđević. From a poor family, Karađorđe distinguished himself during the Austro-Turkish War of 1788–1791. He became a Serbian revolutionary who led the struggle for Serbia’s independence from the Ottoman Empire during the Serbian Revolution. Eventually, Serbia became an autonomous state. In 1817, Karađorđe was killed by agents of Miloš Obrenović, a rival rebel leader. His murder resulted in a violent, decades-long feud between his descendants, the House of Karađorđević, and the descendants of Miloš Obrenović, the House of Obrenović, with the Serbian throne changing hands several times.
In 1882, the Principality of Serbia was elevated to the Kingdom of Serbia under the House of Obrenović. In 1903, a coup d’etat led by army officers who supported the rival House of Karađorđević assassinated King Alexander I of Serbia and his wife Queen Draga, resulting in the extinction of the House of Obrenović. Prince Peter Karađorđević was then proclaimed as the new King of Serbia. The House of Karađorđević reigned until the monarchy was abolished in 1945.
After the First and Second Balkan Wars (1912-1913), Serbia annexed Sandžak-Raška, Kosovo Vilayet, and Vardar Macedonia. In November 1918, at the end of World War I, Serbia united with Vojvodina and the Kingdom of Montenegro. The next month, Serbia merged with the newly created State of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs to form the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, which became known as the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929.
During World War II, Yugoslavia was occupied by Germany and the young King Peter II went into exile. In 1944, Communist Party leader Josip Broz, later known as Tito, established a Communist government. In November 1945, the monarchy was formally abolished and King Peter II was deposed but he never abdicated. Yugoslavia would remain a Communist country for over forty years.
Below is an indexed listing with links to articles and information about the Serbian and Yugoslavian Royal Family at Unofficial Royalty. If it says “Notable Issue” before a name, that means not all of the children for the parent of that person are listed. Also listed below are links to the various Serbian/Yugoslavian Content Areas.
House of Obrenović (1882 – 1903)
Kingdom of Serbia
Family of Milan I, King of Serbia
- King Milan I of Serbia (reigned as Sovereign Prince of Serbia 1868 – 1882, reigned as King of Serbia, 1882 – 1889, abdicated)
- King Alexander I of Serbia (see below)
- Natalija Keschko, Queen of Serbia
Alexander I, King of Serbia
- King Alexander I of Serbia (reigned 1889 – 1903, assassinated)
- Draga Mašin, Queen of Serbia (no issue, assassinated)
House of Karađorđević (1903 – 1945)
Kingdom of Serbia (1903 – 1918)
Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (1918 -1929)
Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1929 – 1945)
Family of Peter I, King of Serbia (1903-1918), King of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (1918-1921)
- Peter I, King of Serbia 1903 – 1918, King of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes 1918 – 1921
- Zorka of Montenegro, Princess Karađorđević (died in childbirth in 1890)
- Notable Issue: King Alexander I of Yugoslavia (see below)
Family of Alexander I, King of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (1921-1929), King of Yugoslavia (1929-1934)
- Alexander I, King of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes 1921 – 1929, King of Yugoslavia 1929 -1934, assassinated
- Maria of Romania, Queen of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, Queen of Yugoslavia
- Notable Issue: King Peter II of Yugoslavia (see below)
Family of Peter II, King of Yugoslavia
- King Peter II of Yugoslavia (reigned 1934 – 1945, monarchy abolished)
- Alexandra of Greece, Queen of Yugoslavia
- Crown Prince Alexander II of Serbia
- Princess Maria da Gloria of Orléans Bragança, first wife, had issue, divorced
- Crown Princess Katherine of Serbia (Katherine Clairy Batis), second wife, no issue
Pretenders to the Throne
- LAST REIGNING: King Peter II of Yugoslavia
- Current: Crown Prince Alexander II of Serbia
Serbian/Yugoslavian Miscellaneous Articles
- Assassination of Alexander I, King of Serbia and Queen Draga (1903)
- Assassination of Alexander I, King of Yugoslavia (1934)
- St. George’s Church at Oplenac in Topola, Serbia