| Monarchy ofSerbia | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| Details | |
| Style | His Majesty |
| First monarch | Višeslav(as first Prince known by name) |
| Last monarch | Petar I the Liberator(as King of Serbia) /Peter II(as King of Yugoslavia) |
| Formation | 7th century |
| Abolition | 1 December 1918(unification ofSerbs,Croats andSlovenes into a newKingdom) / 29 November 1945(proclamation of theSocialistOne-PartyDictatorship) |
| Residence | Stari Dvor,Belgrade,Serbia |
| Appointer | Hereditary |
| Pretender(s) | Crown Prince Alexander |
This is an archontologicallist ofSerbian monarchs, containingmonarchs of themedieval principalities, to heads of state of modernSerbia.TheSerbian monarchy dates back to theEarly Middle Ages. TheSerbian royal titles used includeKnyaz (Prince), GrandŽupan (Grand Prince),King,Tsar (Emperor) andDespot.
 |
| Vlastimirović |
|---|
TheVlastimirović dynasty was the first royal dynasty of theSerb people.Byzantine emperorConstantine VIIPorphyrogenitus (r. 913–959) mentions that the Serbian throne is inherited bythe son, i.e. the first-born,[1] though in his enumeration of Serbian monarchs, on one occasion there was atriumvirate.[2] The Serbs established several polities by the 10th century:Serbia orZagorje (hinterlands) which consisted ofSerbia (known as"Rascia" in historiography of the High Middle Ages), andBosnia; andPomorje (maritime) which consisted ofDioclea,Zachlumia,Pagania,Travunia (includingKanalitai). The Serbian ruler was titledknyaz orarchon by theByzantines, "prince".
The history of the dynasty starts with the eponymous founderVlastimir. This era is marked by theChristianization of Serbs, the many internal and external wars (Bulgars,Magyars), and the power struggle between theFirst Bulgarian Empire and theByzantine Empire in whichSerbia found itself in the middle. The history of this dynasty ends with the annexation of Serbia in 969.
| Ruler | Reign | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| fl. 610–641 | One of the two sons of an unnamed "king" ofWhite Serbia (assumed to beDervan),[3] he led "half of his folk" to the Balkans and was given land byByzantine emperorHeraclius (r. 610–641), upon receiving his protection (most likely before 626). He is said to have died long before theBulgar invasion (681). | ||
| Two or three generations pass without any information. | |||
| c. 780 | A descendant of the Unknown Archon, he lived during the rule ofFrankish KingCharlemagne, and ruled the hereditary lands,župe ("counties, districts") aroundTara,Piva, andLim. He united some Slavic tribes, forming thefirst Serbian principality. | ||
| <830 | Son of Višeslav, he or his son Prosigoj are believed to have ruled during the time in which theRoyal Frankish Annals speak ofLjudevit Posavski revolting against theFranks (ca. 819–822), during which time is said that the Serbs held a great part ofDalmatia.[4][5][6][7] At this time, there was peace with theBulgaria. | ||
| c. 830–850 | Son ofProsigoj. He is the eponymous founder of theVlastimirović dynasty. He defeated the Bulgars in athree-year war againstKhanPresian. Vlastimir had three sons (Mutimir,Strojimir andGojnik) and one daughter. His daughter marriedKrajina, who received thefief ofTravunia. | ||
| 850–891 | Eldest son of Vlastimir. Mutimir was the supreme ruler, with his two younger brothers (Gojnik and Strojimir) being subordinate to him. They successfully fought off an attack by Bulgarian PrinceVladimir-Rasate sent by Vladimir's fatherknyazBoris I of Bulgaria (r. 852–889) during theBulgar-Serb war of 853. Gojnik and Strojimir later revolted against Mutimir, who exiled them to Boris inBulgaria in 855–856, securing brief peace between the two nations. Byzantine emperorBasil I the Macedonian sent missionaries to Serbia by 869. TheEparchy of Ras was established by 871, as the bishopric of Serbs. | ||
| 891–892 | He was the eldest son ofMutimir. Pribislav ruled briefly until 892 whenPetar Gojniković, his cousin, returned and defeated him in battle. Pribislav fled with his two brothers (Bran andStefan) and son,Zaharije, toCroatia. | ||
| 892–917 | Son ofGojnik, born in ca. 870. His name (Peter) symbolizesChristianization of the Serbs. He returned from exile and deposed Pribislav in 892. He later caught Bran in 895 under an attempted coup and blinded him, and then in 897 he killedKlonimir, the son of Strojimir, in yet another attempted coup. Petar re-gainedBosnia and annexedPagania. He was in conflict withMihailo Višević, the ruler of Zahumlje (917–935), who would warnSimeon I of Bulgaria of a possible alliance between Serbia and theByzantines. Petar defeated Pavle, the son of Bran, who was sent by Simeon I of Bulgaria. In 917, Simeon's generals tricked and captured Peter, sending him to prison inFirst Bulgarian Empire, where he died within a year. | ||
| 917–921 | Son ofBran Mutimirović, born in ca. 870–874. He was sent with an army to Serbia in 917, but was defeated by Petar. After Petar was deposed, Pavle took the throne. He defeats Zaharija, the son of Pribislav, sent by the Byzantines in 920. He was initially vassal to Simeon I of Bulgaria, later he switched to theByzantine Empire. Zaharija, now sent by theBulgarians, defeats him in 921. | ||
| 921–924 | Son of Pribislav. Zaharije was sent in 920 by the Byzantines to retake the throne, but was captured by Pavle and handed over to Simeon I of Bulgaria who held him hostage for future tactics. In the meantime, Pavle switched sides to the Byzantines; Simeon dispatched Zaharija who managed to defeat Pavle and then betrayed Simeon by supporting the Byzantines. Zaharija defeated the Bulgarian army in 923, when he sent two heads and weapons of Bulgarian generals as trophies toConstantinople. In 924, a much larger army was sent by the Bulgarians, led byČaslav Klonimirović, Zaharija's second cousin. Časlav won the battle and Zaharija fled to Croatia. Simeon gathered all Serbian counts, and instead of instating Časlav, he arrested them and sent them as captives to Bulgaria,annexing Serbia. | ||
Serbia was annexed by theFirst Bulgarian Empire (924–927) | |||
| 933–943/960 | Born toKlonimir. Defeated Zaharija in 924, after which he was attacked by Simeon I of Bulgaria who annexed the Serbian tribes. He returned and liberated and united the tribes from Bulgaria. His state included the provinces (or tribes) ofSerbia (Rascia andBosnia). According to theDoclean Chronicle, he defeated the Magyars, but was later captured and drowned by them. His son-in-lawTihomir, who had held theDrina county, succeeded him as ruler of "Rascia". The state is believed to have disintegrated, and becoming annexed by the Byzantines and Bulgaria. | ||
| Serbia was annexed by theByzantines (Catepanate of Ras fl. 969–976), and ruled bystrategoi. The Serbian principality was succeeded by the principality ofDuklja. | |||
With the partial annexation ofRascia (Serbia), the county around the city ofDoclea emerges into a Principality, where the leaders adopt the titlearchon of Serbs, signifying supreme leadership among Serbs, alongside their given offices under Byzantine overlordship. The first office-holder wasPeter of Diokleia, of which we only have a seal found in the 19th century. The next known isJovan Vladimir, who became a Bulgarian vassal.Stefan Vojislav succeeds in giving the realm independence, he is the eponymous founder of the Vojislavljevići that ruledDuklja from the early 11th century up to the 1180s.
| Picture | TitleName | Reign | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Archon Peter | 10th century | Peter was anarchon ofDuklja in the 10th or 11th century. The only information on him is from a seal found in the 19th century, which is decorated on the obverse with a bust of theVirgin Mary holding a medallion ofChrist and flanked by twocruciform invocativemonograms. The text is inGreek letters, saying "Petrou, Archontos Diokleias, Amin" (ΠΕΤΡ(Ο)Υ ΑΡΧΟΝΤΟΣ ΔΙΟΚΛ(Ε)ΙΑ(Σ) ΑΜΗΝ) -Peter, archon of Dioklea,Amen. The seal shows that although Duklja underwent turmoil in the 9th century, the region still continued underByzantine rule, or if not authority,influence.[8] |
 | Prince Jovan Vladimir | c.1000–1016 | Jovan fought to protect Duklja from Bulgarian expansion, making an alliance with Byzantium;Bulgaria however conquered Doclea in 997 and took Jovan Vladimir prisoner. Jovan ruled Duklja as a vassal of the Bulgarian empire until his murder in 1016. |
| Prince Stefan Vojislav | 1018–1043 | Overthrew the Byzantine supremacy over Serbs in Duklja; founder of the Vojislavljević dynasty; in 1035 rebelled against theByzantine Empire, but forced to sign anarmistice; went to war again in 1040, which would be continued by his heir and son, Mihailo. Except Doclea, his realm includedTravunia withKonavli andZachumlia. | |
| Queen Neda | 1043–1046 | As queen, she co-ruled with her sons, the princes. | |
 | King ↑Prince Mihailo Vojislavljević | 1046–1081 | Initially as a Byzantine vassal holding the title ofprotospatharios, then after 1077 as nominally servingPope Gregory VII, addressed as "King of the Slavs". He had alienated himself from the Byzantines when he supported aByzantine Slavic revolt in 1071–72, after which he then sought to gain support in the West. In 1077 he received a royal insignia by Gregory VII in the aftermath of theChurch schism of 1054.
|
| King (titular) Constantine Bodin | 1081–1101 | Son of Michael. He was crowned 'Tsar of Bulgaria' asPeter III in 1072, after being chosen by Bulgarian nobles through hisCometopuli lineage, he was sent off with an army that would conquer parts of southern Serbia and Macedonia. He was captured and sent to Constantinople, where he spent several years. He was rescued in 1078 by Venetian sailors, and in 1081 he succeeds his father as King. He enlarged his realm, installing his nephews and other family in Bosnia and Rascia. He is captured by the Byzantines in the 1090s, and continues as a mere Byzantine vassal, with his peripheral provinces gaining independence, of which Rascia becomes the most powerful one.
| |
| King (titular) Dobroslav II | 1101–1102 | Overthrown byVukan of Rascia andKočapar. | |
| Kočapar | 1102–1103 | Brought to power by Vukan ofRascia. Killed in battle againstZachlumia. | |
| Vladimir II | 1103–1113 | Married daughter of Vukan ofRascia. He was poisoned by his cousinĐorđe I. | |
| Đorđe I | 1113–1118 | Son of Constantine Bodin. Đorđe was overthrown byUroš I of Rascia in 1118. | |
| Grubeša | 1118–1125 | Overthrew Đorđe with the help of the Byzantines. | |
| Đorđe I | 1125–1131 | Second rule. | |
| Prince Gradinja | 1131–1146 | Appointed to Doclean throne by Byzantines after Đorđe's defeat in the second war against Byzantines. | |
| Prince Radoslav | 1146–1148 | Byzantine vassal. Only dynastic member to be mentioned as Prince of Doclea. | |
| Prince Mihailo III | 1148–1186 | Byzantine vassal. |
In the mid-11th century,Mihailo I had liberated Rascia from Byzantine rule, and appointed his sonPetrislav to rule as Prince, independently. In 1083,Constantine Bodin appoints brothers Vukan and Marko, sons of Petrislav, as rulers of Rascia. In 1089, the Byzantines capture Bodin, and Vukan retains independence, founding the Vukanović dynasty. The Vukanovići quickly claim the following Serbian domains in the following decades, and by 1148, the maritime possessions are united with the inland. The Byzantine Empire at times intervened in the political scene, and at times Serbia had Hungary as its main ally. The dynasty ruled until 1166, when a dynastic branch is instated by the Byzantines.
| Ruler | Reign | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Prince Vukan | 1091–1112 | Vukan was the son ofPetrislav, the Prince of Rascia and son ofMihailo I, that held the office from ca 1060. In 1083, Constantine Bodin appoints Vukan to the supreme rule of "Rascia", while Vukan's brotherMarko administrated a part of the land, most likely the frontier region in the north. After the Byzantine campaign against Duklja in 1089, and the subsequent civil war, Vukan asserted independence, ruling asGrand Prince, becoming the most powerful Serb ruler as of ca 1091. He began raiding Byzantine territories in 1090, taking Kosovo, and defeated a Byzantine army in 1092. Vukan made peace withAlexios I Komnenos, after the Emperor had threatened with a larger army. However, Vukan immediately broke the treaty as the Byzantines marched onto the dangerous Cumans in Adrianople. Vukan conquers the cities along the Vardar. In 1095, the Emperor meets Vukan and renews the treaty. Vukan again raidedMacedonia, as theFirst Crusade began. In 1106 he nominally recognized Alexios I. Note: Rascia is elevated to an independent Grand Principality. |
| Grand Prince Uroš I | 1112–1145 | Uroš I was the son of either Vukan or Marko. In the treaty concluded between Vukan and Alexios I in 1095, Uroš I and Vukan became "guarantors of peace", as hostages to the Byzantines. Uroš succeeds the throne when Vukan dies. In ca 1130, he married his daughter, Jelena, to KingBéla II of Hungary. Béla II, being blind, relied entirely on Jelena who acted as a co-ruler. In 1137,Ladislaus II, the son of Béla II and Jelena (the grandson of Uroš), becomes theBan of Bosnia. |
| Grand Prince Uroš II | 1145–1162 | Replaced his father at 1131 or around 1140 and ruled until 1155. |
| Grand Prince Beloš | 1162 | Instated byManuel I Komnenos. |
| Grand Prince Desa | 1150–1155 1162–1166 | Desa took Zeta (Duklja) and Travunia fromRadoslav of Duklja and unified the coastal Serbian Principalities under his firm grip. |
| Grand Prince Tihomir | 1166 | First son ofZavida, exiled Župan ofZahumlje. |
After Desa's revolt, in 1165 the Byzantium divided the Serb lands between the four sons of Zavida: Tihomir in Raška, Stracimir inDuklja, Miroslav inZahumlje andTravunia, andStefan Nemanja in Toplica (in today's central Serbia). Stefan Nemanja rebelled against his eldest brother Tihomir in 1166, who fled with his brothers Stracimir and Miroslav to Byzantium to seek help. But later on, Stefan Nemanja defeated his Greek army of mercenaries in the same year near the town of Pantino on Kosovo in which poor Tihomir drowned in the River of Sitnica. Nemanja captured his other brothers and made peace with them by giving them rule in their former parts of the land to recognise him as the only ruler of Rashka or Serbia. The Nemanjić dynasty was named after Stefan Nemanja and ruled over Serbia until 1371.
 |
| Nemanjić |
|---|
TheNemanjić dynasty ruled the Serb lands between ca. 1166 up to 1371.
| Picture | TitleName | Reign | Notes | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja Saint Symeon theMyrrh-streaming | 1166–1196 | Nemanja is the eponymous founder of theZoupanic Nemanjić dynasty. He re-established control over the neighbouring territories, including Duklja, Hum and Travunia. In his last years, he joined his son Sava and took monastic vows, later recognized asSaint Symeon after numerous alleged miracles following his death. Note: Duklja, Zahumlje and Travunija is reconquered, Nemanja is proclaimed "Grand Prince of All Serbia" | ||||||||
 | Grand Prince Vukan Nemanjić | 1202–1204 | Eldest son of Stefan Nemanja. He held the appanage of "Duklja, Dalmatia (Zahumlje), Travunija, Toplica and Hvosno" as Grand Prince, by 1190. He was the initial heir presumptive, but his father chose Stefan instead upon the abdication in 1196. With the death of Nemanja, Vukan started plotting against his brother. He found help in Hungary, and together they forced Stefan to flee toBulgaria. He ruled as a Hungarian vassal, evident in Emeric I's title "King of Serbia". He left the throne in 1204, and continued to rule his appanage, he was later pardoned by the third brotherSaint Sava. | ||||||||
 | King ↑Grand Prince Stefan Prvovenčani Stefan the First-Crowned | 1196–1202 1204–1228 | Second son of Stefan Nemanja. He inherited the title ofGrand Prince in 1196 when his father retired as a monk. His reign began with a struggle against his brother Vukan, who expelled Stefan to Bulgaria.Kaloyan gave him an army ofCumans in exchange foreastern territories. The crisis ended when Sava negotiated a peace between the brothers and Stefan's power was cemented. He was crownedKing in 1217, and thenSava gainsautocephaly, becoming the firstArchbishop of Serbs in 1219, thus Serbia retained full independence. | ||||||||
 | King Stefan RadoslavStephanos Doukas Jovan | 1228–1233 | Son of Stefan the First-crowned. He ruled Zahumlje during the reign of his father, and also held a governor status of Zeta. He was the co-founder of theŽiča monastery with his father, who would abdicate in 1227 due to illness, taking monastic vows. Radoslav was crowned by his uncleSava, theArchbishop of Serbia. His marriage toAnna Angelina Komnene Doukaina would prove unpopular as she undermined his authority, he lost the loyalty of the people and in 1233 a revolt against them prompted the couple to flee toDubrovnik. | ||||||||
 | King Stefan Vladislav | 1234–1243 | Son of Stefan the First-crowned. He succeeded his brother Radoslav in 1234 and ruled for 10 years, before being overthrown by his younger brother Uroš. He continued to rule Zeta. The first known flag design of Serbia was found in his treasury. | ||||||||
 | King Stefan Uroš I Uroš the Great Symeon | 1243–1276 | Son of Stefan the First-crowned. He succeeded his brother Vladislav. He boosted trade with Dubrovnik and Kotor, marking a beginning of economic prosperity. In 1253 a war was fought against Dubrovnik, peace was signed in 1254, and in the 1260s a second war begun that ended in 1268. Uroš immediately turned towards Hungary, successfully takingMačva, he was however captured and peace was ensured between the two Kings through marriage of Dragutin and Catherine, the daughter ofStephen V of Hungary. His oldest son Dragutin would have succeeded his rule, but Uroš favored Stefan Milutin, the younger son, as successor. He was overthrown by Stefan Dragutin in 1276. | ||||||||
 | King Stefan Dragutin Teoctist | 1276–1282 1282–1316 | Son of Stefan Uroš I. He overthrew his father with help from the Hungarian royalty (through his marriage toCatherine of Hungary) after theBattle of Gacko. He was injured in 1282, and gave the supreme rule to his younger brother Milutin, but continued to rulewhat would later become the Kingdom of Srem with the capital atBelgrade. Milutin boosted relations with the Byzantine Emperor, and refused to give the rule to Vladislav II (Dragutin's son), causing a split of the Kingdom. Dragutin continued to rule the northern frontier in Hungarian alliance, but in the last years re-connected with Serbia, acting as a vassal. | ||||||||
 | King Stefan Uroš II Milutin | 1282–1321 | Son of Stefan Uroš I. He succeeded his brother Dragutin. Upon his accession, he immediately turned towards Macedonia, conquering the northern part withSkoplje, which became his capital. He continued deep into Byzantine lands, taking northern Albania and as far as Kavala. He also tookVidin, and laterDurrës. He was in a succession war with Dragutin after peace was signed with the Byzantines in 1299. Milutin aids the Byzantines against the Turks at theBattle of Gallipoli, which ended in a victory. When Dragutin died he put most of his lands with Belgrade under his rule, in the same year his son Stefan Uroš III tried to overthrow him, resulting in him being exiled toConstantinople. In 1319 the Hungarians took all of Dragutin's lands butBraničevo. | ||||||||
 | King of Srem (King of the Serbs) Stefan Vladislav II | 1316–1325 | Son of Dragutin. | ||||||||
 | King Stefan Konstantin | 1321–1322 | Younger son of Stefan Uroš II, defeated in 1322 by his older brother, Stefan Uroš III. | ||||||||
 | King Stefan Uroš III Dečanski Stefan ofDečani | 1322–1331 | Older brother of Stefan Konstantin | ||||||||
 | Emperor ↑King Stefan Dušan Dušan the Mighty | 1331–1355 | Son of Uroš III. He was a very skilled military leader, and defeated Bosnia and Bulgaria at the age of 20. As his father was not an able conqueror, Dušan removed him from the throne. Dušan doubled the size of the realm, taking Byzantine lands as far as thePeloponnese. He was crownedEmperor in 1346. The Serbian Empire flourished, becoming one of the most developed countries and cultures in Europe. He enacted the constitution -Dušan's Code in 1349. | ||||||||
 | Emperor Stefan Uroš V Uroš the Weak | 1355–1371 | Son of Stefan Uroš IV Dušan, crowned King of Rascia (1346–1355), succeeds as Emperor after the death of Dušan in 1355. His epithet was given due to his "weak rule". | ||||||||
 | Emperor of Serbs and Greeks (pretender) Simeon Uroš | 1359–1370 | Uncle of Uroš V. He was appointed governor in the southwestern conquered regions in 1348, and ruled until 1355, when his brother-in-lawNikephoros II Orsini returned and rallied support. Nikephoros was killed in 1359, and Simeon continued his rule until his death in 1371. He proclaimed himself "Emperor of Serbs and Greeks" in 1356, however against the wishes of nobility of Serbia proper and Macedonia. After an unsuccessful invasion of Zeta, he gave up the idea of ruling Serbia. Note:Epirus breaks away:
| ||||||||
 | Emperor of Serbs and Greeks Jovan Uroš | 1370–1373 | Son of Simeon Uroš. Succeeded his father as titular "Emperor of Serbs and Greeks" and ruled an area of Epirus and Thessaly 1370–1373 before taking monastic vows. In 1384–1385 he helped his sisterEmpressMaria Angelina Doukaina Palaiologina govern Epirus (she was the widow ofThomas II Preljubović, the Despot of Epirus 1367–1384). |
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Lazarević | Mrnjavčević | Dejanović | Branković | Vojinović | Balšić | Crnojević |
|---|
The crumblingSerbian Empire underStefan Uroš V (called "the Weak") was to be of little resistance to the powerful Ottoman Empire. In light of conflicts and decentralization of the realm, the Ottomans defeated the Serbs at theBattle of Maritsa in 1371, making vassals of the southern governors, soon thereafter, the Emperor died. As Uroš was childless and the nobility could not agree on the rightful heir, the Empire was ruled by semi-independent provincial lords, who often were in feuds with each other. The most powerful of these,Tsar Lazar, a Duke of present-day central Serbia (which had not yet come under the Ottoman yoke), stood against the Ottomans at theBattle of Kosovo in 1389. The result was indecisive, but it resulted in the subsequent fall of Serbia.
The administration was divided in the following:
| Picture | TitleName | Reign | Overlordship | Notes | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moravian Serbia /Serbian Despotate (Lazarević) | ||||||||||
.jpg) | Lord, Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović Tsar Lazar | 1371–1389 | None | After Uroš V died, the last of the Nemanjić emperors, through a combination of diplomacy, military action, and family alliances, Lazar emerged from the resulting power vacuum as the most powerful Serbian noble not in theOttomans' service. He acquired dynastic legitimacy by marryingMilica Nemanjić, and despite retaining only the minor title ofknez ("prince"), he nevertheless used the imperial name of 'Stefan' as well as the designation "autocrator". Lazar spent his time strengthening the Serbian state, knowing fully well that he would eventually have to face the Ottoman threat. He unified most of Serbia under his rule and managed to gain the loyalty of a majority of the Serbs. He also ceded the title "King of Serbs" to KingTvrtko I of Bosnia (great-grandson ofUroš the Great). His first major military action was at theBattle of Dubravnica where his two subjects, Crep and Vladimir managed to decisively defeat an Ottoman army in southern Serbia. No further recorded hostilities took place until theBattle of Pločnik where Knez Lazar managed to crush an Ottoman force and drive them back toNiš. Serbian troops also took part in theBattle of Bileća where again he defeated the Turks. Lazar was killed during the 1389Battle of Kosovo along with most of Serbia's political elite. | ||||||
 | Despote ↑Prince Stefan Lazarević Stefan the Tall | 1389–1427 | Ottoman 1391–1404----Hungarian 1404–1427 | Son of Lazar. In 1391, Serbia became an Ottoman vassal, so Stefan was obliged to aid the Ottoman sultan in battles when asked. He did so in theBattle of Rovine in May 1395 against theWallachian princeMircea I and theBattle of Nicopolis in 1396 against the Hungarian kingSigismund. After that, Sultan Bayezid awarded Stefan with theVuk Branković's land on Kosovo, as Branković sided with the Hungarian king at Nicopolis. WhenMongols entered the Ottoman realm, Stefan Lazarević participated in theBattle of Angora in 1402 when Ottomans were defeated and sultan Bayezid was captured. Returning to Serbia, Stefan visitedConstantinople where theByzantine EmperorManuel II Palaiologos granted him the title ofdespot. In previous years, title would mean that the despot would rule some vassal state, but as the Byzantine Empire was too weak to assert such a rule and Serbia was not its vassal state, Stefan Lazarević took this title as the personal style of the Serbian monarchs, thus the Principality of Serbia became the Serbian Despotate. | ||||||
| Picture | TitleName | Reign | Overlordship | Notes | ||||||
| Lordship of Prilep (Mrnjavčević) | ||||||||||
 | King Marko Mrnjavčević Prince Marko | 1371–1395 | Ottoman | Son of Vukašin. Killed in theBattle of Rovine. | ||||||
| Picture | TitleName | Reign | Overlordship | Notes | ||||||
| Lordship of the Dejanović family (Dejanović) | ||||||||||
 | Despot Jovan Dragaš Dejanović | 1371–1378 | Ottoman | |||||||
 | Lord Konstantin Dragaš Dejanović | 1378–1395 | Ottoman | Killed in theBattle of Rovine. | ||||||
| Picture | TitleName | Reign | Overlordship | Notes | ||||||
| District of Altomanović (Vojinović) | ||||||||||
| Grand Župan Nikola Altomanović | 1371–1373 | Defeated and blinded inUžice in 1373 by a coalition of his Serbian and Bosnian royals neighbors. | ||||||||
| Picture | TitleName | Reign | Overlordship | Notes | ||||||
| Lordship of Zeta under the Balšić family (Balšić) | ||||||||||
| Lord Đurađ I | 1371–1378 | |||||||||
| Lord Balša II | 1378–1385 | Note: Lords ofValona and Kanina broke away from Zeta as independent rulers:
| ||||||||
| Lord Đurađ II | 1385–1403 | |||||||||
| Lord Balša III | 1403–1421 | |||||||||
| Picture | TitleName | Reign | Overlordship | Notes | ||||||
| Lordship of Zeta under the Crnojević family (Crnojević) | ||||||||||
| Lord Stefan Stefanica | 1451–1465 | |||||||||
| Lord Ivan Ivan the Black | 1465–1490 | |||||||||
| Lord Đurađ | 1490–1496 | |||||||||
Note: Zeta under the Crnojevići is conquered by theOttoman Empire. TheZetan nobility enters the service of theOttoman Empire (titular lord of Zeta). | ||||||||||
| Stefan II | 1496–1499 | nominal ruler under Ottoman suzerainty | Younger brother of Đurađ. Imprisoned by the Ottomans in 1499. | |||||||
|
| Branković |
|---|
TheBranković family descends from the Nemanjići and the Lazarevići via female line. The family rises to prominence during the time of disintegration of the Serbian Empire under the last Nemanjić. The original family domains were centred aroundKosovo region, one of the heartlands ofmedieval Serbian state. Later members of the house extended their rule over all remaining independent regions of Serbia making them the last suzerain rulers of medieval Serbia. The dynasty ruled theSerbian Despotate from 1427 to 1459.
| Picture | TitleName | Reign | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Lord Vuk Branković | 1371 – 1396 | Imprisoned and died in an Ottoman prison. |
.jpg) | Despot ↑Lord Đurađ I Branković | 1396 – 1412 1427 – 26 December 1456 | Grandson of Lazar I |
.jpg) | Despot Lazar Branković | December 1456 – 20 January 1458 | Son of Đurađ I |
.jpg) | Despot Stefan Branković Stefan the Blind | 1458 – April 8, 1459 | Son of Đurađ I, regent for niece. Serbia proper was annexed by theOttoman Empire in 1459. |
 | Despot Stephen Tomašević | 1 April 1459 – 20 June 1459 | He marriedHelena Branković, the eldest daughter ofLazar Branković andHelena Palaiologina. |
Note: Serbian Despotate is conquered by theOttoman Empire. TheSerbian nobility enters the service ofHungary. The regnal title ofdespot is given by theHungarians andHabsburgs (titular despot of Serbia). | |||
 | Vuk Grgurević Branković Vuk the Fiery Dragon | 1471–1485 | Grandson of Đurađ I. In 1471 a dependent Serbian state was established by the Hungarians mostly on the territory ofVojvodina andSyrmia. |
 | Đorđe Branković | 1486–1497 | Son of Stefan Branković, abdicated |
 | Jovan Branković | 1493–1502 | Son of Stefan Branković |
| Ivaniš Berislavić | 1504–1514 | Married widow of Jovan Branković. | |
| Stjepan Berislavić | 1520–1535 | Son of Ivaniš and Jelena. Deposed | |
| Radič Božić | 1527–1528 | Vassal of John Zapolya. | |
| Pavle Bakić | 1537 | Vassal of Ferdinand I. The last titular Despot of Serbia. | |
| Picture | TitleName | Reign | Territory | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emperor of the Serbs (self-proclaimed) Jovan Nenad Jovan the Black | 1526 – July 26, 1527 | southernPannonian Plain | Many Serbian historians consider him the founder of contemporaryVojvodina | |
| Duke Radoslav Čelnik | 1527 – 1532 | Syrmia | He was general commander ofEmperor Jovan Nenad's army. |
| Picture | TitleName Born - Died | Reign | Territory | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Vice Duke of Serbian Vojvodina Jovan Monasterlija 1660s–1706 | 1691–1706 | Habsburg-occupied Serbia | "Chief of the Serbian Nation" underLeopold I |
_-_Portr%25C3%25A4t_Kaiser_Karl_VI.jpg) | King of Serbia Charles III October 1, 1685 – October 20, 1740 | 1718–1739 | HabsburgKingdom of Serbia | The Kingdom of Serbia was acrown land of theHabsburg monarchy |
 | Duke of Serbian Vojvodina Stevan Šupljikac 1786 – December 15, 1848 | May 1, 1848 – December 15, 1848 | Serbian Vojvodina | The Serbian Vojvodina was a short-lived self-proclaimed Serb autonomous province during therevolutions of 1848 in the Austrian Empire |
 | Grand Voivode of the Voivodeship of Serbia Franz Joseph I August 18, 1830 – November 21, 1916 | November 18, 1849 – December 27, 1860 | Voivodeship of Serbia and Banat of Temeschwar | The Voivodeship of Serbia and Banat of Temeschwar was a crown land of theAustrian Empire |
| Picture | TitleName Born - Died | Reign | Territory | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Grand Vožd of Serbia Karađorđe Petrović Black George November 3, 1768 – July 24, 1817 | February 15, 1804 – September 21, 1813 | Revolutionary Serbia | Leader of theFirst Serbian Uprising Founder ofRevolutionary Serbia andKarađorđević dynasty Deposed and exiled toAustria. Collapse of theFirst Serbian Uprising. |
| Picture | TitleName Born - Died | Reign | Territory | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Grand Vožd of Serbia ↑Prince of Serbia Miloš Obrenović I Miloš the Great March 18, 1780 – September 26, 1860 | First reign April 23, 1815 – June 25, 1839 | Principality of Serbia | Leader of theSecond Serbian Uprising Founder ofPrincipality of Serbia andObrenović dynasty Elevated to the status of Prince on November 6, 1817. Abdicated. |
 | Prince of Serbia Milan Obrenović II October 21, 1819 – July 8, 1839 | June 25, 1839 – July 8, 1839 | Principality of Serbia | Elder adult son of Miloš; ruled for only 13 days. |
 | Prince of Serbia Mihailo Obrenović III September 16, 1823 – June 10, 1868 | First reign July 8, 1839 – September 14, 1842 | Principality of Serbia | Younger adult son of Miloš; deposed by theDefenders of the Constitution. |
| Picture | TitleName Born - Died | Reign | Territory | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Prince of Serbia Aleksandar Karađorđević October 11, 1806 – May 3, 1885 | September 14, 1842 – December 23, 1858 | Principality of Serbia | Abdicated. Return ofObrenović dynasty to power. |
| Picture | TitleName Born - Died | Reign | Territory | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Prince of Serbia Miloš Obrenović I Miloš the Great March 18, 1780 – September 26, 1860 | Second reign December 23, 1858 – September 26, 1860 | Principality of Serbia | Died due to old age. |
 | Prince of Serbia Mihailo Obrenović III September 16, 1823 – June 10, 1868 | Second reign September 26, 1860 – June 10, 1868 | Principality of Serbia | Younger adult son of Miloš;assassinated inKošutnjak. |
 | King of Serbia ↑Prince of Serbia Milan Obrenović IV August 22, 1854 – February 11, 1901 | June 10, 1868 – March 6, 1882 | Principality of Serbia | Grandnephew of Miloš In 1878, Serbia gained full international recognition at theCongress of Berlin. In 1882, the country was elevated to the status of kingdom. |
| Picture | TitleName Born - Died | Reign | Territory | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | King of Serbia Milan Obrenović IV August 22, 1854 – February 11, 1901 | March 6, 1882 – March 6, 1889 | Kingdom of Serbia | Abdicated. |
 | King of Serbia Alexander I Obrenović August 14, 1876 – June 11, 1903 | March 6, 1889 – June 11, 1903 | Kingdom of Serbia | Assassinated together withQueen Draga in theMay Coup. The end ofObrenović dynasty. |
| Picture | TitleName Born - Died | Reign | Territory | Notes | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | King of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes ↑King of Serbia Peter I Karađorđević King Peter the Liberator Old King June 29, 1844 – August 16, 1921 | June 15, 1903 – December 1, 1918 | Kingdom of Serbia | Elder adult son of Aleksandar; in exile from November 1915 due to theSerbian Campaign. Proclaimed King of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes on December 1, 1918. | ||||||
| After theCreation of Yugoslavia → | SeeList of heads of state of Yugoslavia | |||||||||
| Monarchy ofYugoslavia | |
|---|---|
%2c_1920s_to_1937.svg) | |
 | |
| Details | |
| Style | His Majesty |
| First monarch | Peter I |
| Last monarch | Peter II |
| Formation | 1 December 1918 |
| Abolition | 29 November 1945(proclamation of theSocialistOne-PartyDictatorship) |
| Residence | Royal Compound,Belgrade |
| Appointer | Hereditary |
| Pretender(s) | Crown Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia |
In 1918,Serbia became part of thenewly formedKingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. Later that state changed name in theKingdom of Yugoslavia (i.e. Kingdom ofSouth Slavs) in 1929. During thatinterwar period the country was aparliamentary monarchy (except during the period ofroyal dictatorship 1929–1931), ruled by theKarađorđević dynasty.
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Rule start | Rule end | Marriages | Succession right | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | Peter I Karađorđević King Peter the Liberator Old King (1844–1921) | 1 December 1918 | 16 August 1921 | Princess Zorka of Montenegro in 1883 (5 children) | PreviouslyKing of Serbia, proclaimed King by representatives of South Slav states | Held the title "King of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes". PrinceAlexander served as regent in his final years. |
 | Alexander I Karađorđević Alexander the Unifier (1888–1934) | 16 August 1921 | 9 October 1934 | Maria of Yugoslavia on 8 June 1922 (3 children) | Son of the preceding | Changed title to "King of Yugoslavia" in 1929. Assassinated inMarseille. |
 | Paul Karađorđević (1893–1976) | 9 October 1934 | 27 March 1941 | Olga of Greece and Denmark on 22 October 1923 (3 children) | Cousin of the preceding | Prince Paul withRadenko Stanković,Ivo Perović as the regent for King Peter II. |
| Peter II Karađorđević (1923–1970) | 9 October 1934 | 29 November 1945 | Alexandra of Greece and Denmark on 20 March 1944 (1 child) | Son of the preceding | Prince Paul acted as regent untilousted on 27 March 1941; exiled on 17 April 1941 and deposed on 29 November 1945. |
AfterWorld War II and the civil war Yugoslavia became acommunist state known as theSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, ruled byJosip Broz Tito and theLeague of Communists of Yugoslavia. AfterTito's death in 1980, the federation starteda process of dissolution which finished ina series of civil wars in the early 1990s. Through the 1990s, constituent republicsSerbia andMontenegro comprised theFederal Republic of Yugoslavia, which was restructured in 2003 into a confederation calledSerbia and Montenegro. The state union ended withMontenegro's separation following the2006 independence referendum. CurrentlySerbia is aparliamentary republic. There was no referendum of restoration ofparliamentary monarchy, although political organizations and a certain public in favor of it do exist.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)...the Serbs, a people that is said to hold a large part of Dalmatia
...who are said to hold a great part of Dalmatia
'a people that is said to hold a large part of Dalmatia'. This was a reference to the ancient Roman province of Dalmatia, which extended deep into the western Balkan interior, from the eastern Adriatic coast to the valleys of the Ibar and Sava Rivers.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)