The House of Obrenović or Obrenović Dynasty (Serbian: Династија Обрeновић|Dinastija Obrenović, Обрeновићи / Obrenovići, pronounced as /obrěːnoʋitɕ/) was a Serbian dynasty that ruled Serbia from 1815 to 1842, and again from 1858 to 1903.
They came to power through the leadership of their progenitor Miloš Obrenović I in the Serbian Uprising of 1815–1817 against the Ottoman Empire, which led to the formation of the Principality of Serbia in 1817. The Obrenović dynasty were traditionally allied with Austria-Hungary and opposed the Russian-supported House of Karađorđević.
The family's rule came to an end in a coup d’état by the military conspirators, often known today as the Black Hand,[1] who invaded the royal palace and murdered King Alexander I, who died without an heir.[2] [3] The National Assembly of Serbia invited Peter Karađorđević to become king of Serbia.[3]
Unlike other Balkan states such as Greece, Bulgaria, or Romania, Serbia did not import a member of an existing European royal family (mostly German dynasties) to take its throne; the Obrenović dynasty, like its Karađorđević rival, was an indigenous Serbian family.
See also: List of Serbian monarchs. Unlike most other dynasties in Europe, where a regnal number is used to distinguish different monarchs who shared the same given name, the Obrenović dynasty assigned subsequent regnal numbers to each ruling prince. Thus, there was never a Milan I, Milan III, a Michael I or a Michael II. Milan II and Michael III were simply the second and third ruling prince from the Obrenović dynasty. This practice was discontinued when prince Milan IV proclaimed himself king and declared the principality of Serbia a kingdom (1882).
| Picture | Title Name | Birth | Reign | Spouse | Death | Claim | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Vožd Prince Miloš I | 23 April 1815 25 June 1839 | 26 September 1860 Belgrade, Serbia, Ottoman Empire (aged 77 or 80) | Leader of the Second Serbian Uprising. | Abdicated. | ||||
| Prince Milan II | 25 June 1839 8 July 1839 | — | 8 July 1839 Belgrade, Serbia (aged 19) | Died in office. | ||||
| Prince Michael III | 8 July 1839 14 September 1842 | 10 June 1868 Belgrade, Serbia (aged 44) | Deposed by the Defenders of the Constitution. | |||||
| Out of power for . | ||||||||
| Prince Miloš I | 18 March 1780 or 1783 Gornja Dobrinja, Ottoman Empire | 23 December 1858 26 September 1860 | Ljubica Vukomanović | 26 September 1860 Belgrade, Serbia, Ottoman Empire (aged 77 or 80) | Elected by the National Assembly. | Died in office. | ||
| Prince Michael III | 16 September 1823 Kragujevac, Serbia | 26 September 1860 10 June 1868 | Júlia Hunyady de Kéthely | 10 June 1868 Belgrade, Serbia (aged 44) | Son of Miloš I and Ljubica Vukomanović | Assassinated in Belgrade. | ||
| Prince; King Milan IV Milan I | 10 June 1868 6 March 1889 | 11 February 1901 Vienna, Austria-Hungary (aged 46) | Elected by the National Assembly. Cousin of Mihailo III. | Milivoje Blaznavac acted as regent until the age of majority. Abdicated. | ||||
| King Alexander I | 14 August 1876 Belgrade, Serbia | 6 March 1889 11 June 1903 | 11 June 1903 Belgrade, Serbia (aged 26) | Jovan Ristić acted as regent until the age of majority. Assassinated in Belgrade. | ||||