House of Karađorđević

Royal house
surname = House of Karađorđević
estate = of Serbia and Yugoslavia
coat of arms =
country = Serbia, Yugoslavia
parent house =
titles = Prince (Кнез/Knez), King (Краљ/Kralj)
founder = Karađorđe Petrović
final ruler = Peter II of Yugoslavia
current head = Alexander, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia
founding year = 1804
dissolution = 1945
nationality = Serb
cadet branches = The House of Karađorđević ( _sr. Карађорђевићи, Serbian Latin: Karađorđevići; _en. House of Karageorgevich) was a Serbian ruling dynasty descended from Karađorđe (George Petrović). The family had a long blood feud with the Obrenović dynasty. The dynasty lost the throne in November 1945 when the Communist party seized power in Yugoslavia. King Peter II never abdicated.

History

The House of Karađorđević comes from Đorđe Petrović, a merchant, (known to his followers as Karađorđe). In 1804, the Serbs revolted against the Ottoman Empire that controlled the Balkans at that time. The First Serbian Uprising was successful and Karađorđe established a government in Belgrade. In 1811 he was recognised as ruler with the right of succession vested in his family. However, in 1813 the Ottomans returned, and Karađorđe and his family fled. His son Prince Alexander, however, returned to rule Serbia in 1842 and reigned until 1858.When Karađorđe was killed by Miloš Obrenović, a blood feud between the two houses of Karađorđević and the Obrenović developed which lasted until the Obrenović King Alexander I was killed with his family and the Karađorđević returned to the throne.

In 1903 the Serbian Parliament requested that Prince Peter - grandson of George Petrović (Karađorđe) - come to the throne of the Kingdom of Serbia, following the murder of King Aleksander Obrenović and his wife, Draga Mašin, by the Black Hand. Petar was duly crowned as King Peter I. Shortly before the end of the World War I, representatives of the three peoples proclaimed a Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes under King Peter I.

The senior branch of the family became extinct in 1920 with the death of Prince Alexis Karageorgevich

Ruling Members

The ruling members of the family were:
*Karađorđe Petrović, leader of the Serbian uprising 1804-1817
*Alexander, Prince of Serbia (1842-1858)
*Peter I Karađorđević, King of Serbia (1903-1918), King of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (1918-1921)
*Alexander I, Prince Regent (1918-1921), King of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes/Yugoslavia (1921-1934)
*Peter II, King of Yugoslavia (1934-1945), King-in-exile from 1945 until his death in 1970.
*Prince Paul, Prince Regent (1934–1941)

Current non-ruling members:
*Alexander Karađorđević, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia and Serbia
*HRH Prince Nikola Karadjordjevic, Head of the Kraljevic Tomislav Branch
*HRH Prince Vladimir Karadjordjevic, Head of the Kraljevic Andrej Branch
*HRH Prince Alexander, son of Prince Paul), head of the Prince Paul Branch

Current claims to the throne

The Karađorđevics are very active in Serbia, 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.

Crown Prince Alexander II. has been living in Belgrade in the Royal Palace since 2001. As son of the last King, Peter II, who never abdicated, he has the full right to claim the Serbian throne. However, he often says Serbia must crown democracy before it can crown the King. Crown Prince Alexander is known for his democratic views and tolerance. He personally united the opposition on several big congresses prior to the fall of Milosevic. In the Palace, he receives all religious leaders and always demonstrates his desire for human rights and democracy on a regular basis.

The Karađorđevics are very much engaged in humanitarian work. Crown Princess Katherine has a humanitarian Foundation while Crown Prince Alexander has his Foundation for Culture and Education, whose activities include student scholarships, summer camps for children etc. The Karađorđevics are also involved in sports.

Their ancestry among medieval monarchs of the Balkans is presented at Nemanjic pedigree of the Royal House of Yugoslavia.

"Serbia and Yugoslavia"

The Karađorđevic 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 the territory that was declared Yugoslav territory by the United Kingdom Government. Therefore, by right he is the Crown Prince of Yugoslavia. In 2006, Yugoslavia dissolved in such a way that it ceased to exist after a long series of situations that started in 1990, with Serbia inheriting the rights and obligations of the former state of Yugoslavia. Therefore, Crown Prince Alexander II is the Crown Prince of Yugoslavia by right, but his claim to the throne of Serbia, which is now a sovereign state that has succeeded Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (later State union of Serbia and Montenegro) is questionable, because the UN did not recognise Federal Republic of Yugoslavia's (2 republics) direct succession to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (6 republics), and indeed the FRY later reapplied for membership.

ee also

*Karađorđević family tree

External links

* [http://www.royalfamily.org/ Official site of the Serbian Royal Family]
* [http://www.karadjordjevic.de/ HRH Prince Nikola Karageorgevich]
* [http://www.douklia.net/ HRH Prince Aleksandar Pavlov Karageorgevich]
* [http://www.princess-elizabeth.com/ HRH Princess Jelisaveta Karageorgevich]
* [http://www.royalfamily.org/edufond/ Crown Prince Alexander's Foundation for Culture and Education]
* [http://www.lifelineaid.org/ Princess Katherine's humanitarian Foundation]
* [http://www.princetomislav.org/ Prince Tomislav Karageorgevich Fund]
* [http://www.princesselizabeth.org/ The Princess Elizabeth Foundation]