KARADJORDJEVIC DYNASTY

The Karadjordjevics are a Serbian royal dynasty. The founder of this royal dynasty is Djordje Petrovic, better known to the people as Karadjordj, who raised the First Serbian Uprising against the Ottoman Empire. In 1811 he was proclaimed ruler. During the Second Serbian Uprising, the Obrenović dynasty was established, but thanks to the Defender of the Constitution, Prince Aleksandar came to power, who was in power until 1858, when he was overthrown. He was married to Persida, with whom he had nine children. The Assembly decided in 1903 that Peter I Karadjordjevic would ascend the throne, when they claimed that he was the most conscientious ruler of all time in Serbia. With him began liberal governance. In 1914, King Peter I handed over the crown to his son Alexander I Karadjordjevic, who was nicknamed the unifying king by the people, due to the unification of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. He was praised by the people for his participation in the Balkan wars and the World War. He was married to a Romanian princess, with whom he had three sons, Peter, Tomislav and Andrej. After the assassination of King Alexander, his son King Peter II Karadjordjevic came to power. He completed his primary education at court and then went to England. In 1934, he returned to Serbia after the assassination of his father. As he was a minor, the royal power was transferred to the viceroyalty. He never abdicated, and spent the last years of his life in faraway America. The kingdom was officially abolished in 1945.

The Marshalate of the Court is a building that was most likely constructed around the same time as the Old Palace in 1884. The building was part of the court complex in the middle of the court garden. Its original name was the Court Guard Building, and it was expanded in 1918 and since then has been known as the Marshalate of the Royal Court. The expansion project was carried out by architect Momir Korunović. For unknown reasons, the building was demolished in 1958.

The Old Konak was built around 1840 by the constitutionalist Stojan Simić as his family home. Prince Aleksandar Karađorđević declared this building his residence in 1845, and it served this purpose during the rule of the Obrenović dynasty as well. The royal couple Aleksandar Obrenović and his wife Draga Mašin were assassinated in this building, after which it was demolished in 1904.

Karadjordjevic's property was taken over by the communist government in 1947. After his death, the head of the royal house was Alexander II Karadjordjevic. He received his first heirs with Maria Da Gloria from Orleans and Braganca. After the divorce with Maria, he married Katarina Karađorđević. On July 17, 2001, Alexander II, his wife and three sons, Peter, Alexander and Philip, returned to their home, a court in Belgrade. The court was the residence of King Alexander I and King Peter II. The royal family returned home after 60 years of exile. Today, the mausoleum of Karadjordjevic is located in Oplenac, near Topola.