European Kingdoms

Serbia

Before the Roman occupation of the northern Balkans, various tribes had occupied the region, including the Celtic Anarti and the Scordisci, who were of mixed origin. Northern areas of Serbia later formed part of the Germanic kingdom of Gepidia during the late fifth and the first half of the six centuries, but this was destroyed by the Langobards and the territory was soon occupied by the Avars. Serbia itself was founded by Slavs in the sixth century as they moved southwards to take possession of territory between the Bulgars and the Adriatic. They were in part drawn southwards by the Byzantines, who were eager to stem the advance of the Avars.

Some Serb elements remained in the north-eastern regions of Europe (known as White Serbs), including western Poland, eastern Germany and Saxony. They can still be found in Lausitz in Germany, and are now known as the Laustiz Serbs.

509 - 512

Members of the Heruli tribes who do not join the migration to Scandinavia initially seek refuge with the Gepids. Subsequently, some of them are allowed to resettle depopulated land in Singidunum (modern Belgrade) by the Byzantines in 512.

An artist's reconstruction of the Roman city of Singidunum (Belgrade)

530s

After one generation, the minor federate Heruli kingdom in Singidunum disappears from the historical record. These 'South Heruli' merge into surrounding populations or unite with the Langobards.

Kingdom of Serbia
AD 1217 - 1345

1151 - 1196

Stephan I Nemanja

1163 - 1180

The Serbs and Bosnians fall to Byzantium.

1196 - 1228

Stephen II the First-Crowned

First king of Serbia in 1217.

1228 - 1234

Stephen III Radoslav

1234 - 1243

Stephen IV Vladislav

1243 - 1276

Stephen Urosh I

1276 - 1282

Stephen Dragutin

1282 - 1321

Stephen Urosh II Milutin

1321 - 1331

Stephen Urosh III Dechanski

1331 - 1345

Stephen Urosh IV Dushan

Empire declared.

Empire of Serbia
AD 1345 - 1459

1345 - 1355

Stephen Urosh IV Dushan

First tsar of Serbia.

1355 - 1374

Stephen Urosh V the Weak

1374

The dynasty collapses and with it royal authority.

1371 - 1389

Lazar

Prince of Serbia

1389

The Battle of Kosovo, 'Field of the Blackbirds', takes place where the Serbs are defeated by the Ottomans.

1389 - 1427

Stephen Lazarevich

Despot. Turkish vassal from 1396.

1427 - 1456

George Brankovich

1456 - 1458

Lazar Brankovich

1459 - 1878

Serbia is annexed and ruled by Ottoman Turks.

1804 - 1878

Two Serbs lead a long revolt which ultimately leads to Serbian independence. There is a bitter inter-rivalry between the two revolutionaries' families (Karageorgevich and Obrenovic), and this leads to much bloody in-fighting.

Principality of Serbia
AD 1811 - 1882

1804 - 1813

Djordje Petrovic / Kara ('Black') George

Lord. Led anti-Turk revolt. Confirmed as ruler in 1811.

1815 - 1817

Milos Obrenovic

Led anti-Turkish revolt.

1817 - 1839

Milos Obrenovic

Prince.

1839

Milan I Obrenovic

Prince. Son.

1839 - 1842

Michael Obrenovic

Prince. Second son of Milos.

1842 - 1858

Alexander Karadjordjevic (Karageorgevich)

Prince. Son of Djordje Petrovic.

1858 - 1860

Milos Obrenovic

Restored.

1860 - 1868

Michael

Restored.

1868 - 1882

Milan II Obrenovic

Prince. First cousin, once removed, of Michael.

1875 - 1878

The Treaty of San Stephano makes most of the Balkans independent of Ottoman control, and the Congress of Berlin (1878) officially creates an independent Serbian state.

1882

The independent state is elevated to a kingdom.

Kingdom of Serbia
AD 1882 - 1918

1868 - 1882

Milan II Obrenovic

Elevated to king.

1882 - 1903

Alexander I

Son. Murdered.

1903 - 1918

Peter I Karadjordjevic

Son of Alexander Karadjordjevic.

1914

The heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, is assassinated by Serb nationalists. The murder is used by Austria to declare war on Serbia, from which declaration the First World War results, with Germany becoming immediately involved as a close ally.

1915

Bulgaria joins the war on the side of Germany and Austria-Hungary, agreeing to attack Serbia in exchange for territory. Britain and France land troops in neutral Greece in an attempt to support Serbia, but the help comes too late. Belgrade is taken on 9 October, with the king and the army heading into Monte Negro rather than surrender.

1918

On 6 October, a 'Southern-Slav' kingdom is declared by the Serb, Croat, and Slovene subjects of the Austro-Hungarian empire. This includes the Kosovo region (liberated in 1913), Bosnia, Herzegovina & Monte Negro. Serbia is the dominant member of the new Yugoslavia and views much of the territory as being part of a traditional 'Greater Serbia'.

Kingdom of Yugoslavia (Serbs, Croats & Slovenes)
AD 1918 - 1941

The kingdom of Southern Slavs was founded as the kingdom of Serbs, Croats & Slovenes in 1918. Its second king, Alexander II, altered the name in 1928.

1918 - 1921

Peter I Karadjordjevic

Territory expanded.

1918 - 1921

Alexander II

Regent.

1921 - 1934

Alexander II

Son of Peter I. m Marie, dau of King Ferdinand of Rumania.

1928

The Serb-born king, Alexander, renames the kingdom. All citizens are required to declare themselves as Yugoslavs in the subsequent census.

1934

The dictatorial, and anti-fascist, Alexander is assassinated in Marseille by a Croatian, at least partially in revenge for the Serb killing of the Croatian parliamentary leader in 1928, but probably also because of his resistance to fascism.

1934 - 1941

Peter II

Son. Went into exile in 1941. Maintained claim until 1945.

1934 - 1941

Paul

Regent. Grandson of Alexander Karadjordjevic.

1941 - 1943

The Nazi German & Italian occupation of Yugoslavia brings the kingdom to an end. Croatia, which has always regarded itself (with legal justification) as autonomous, is granted a puppet king by its Italian pro-Nazi occupiers.

Modern Serbia
AD 1941 - Present Day

Successive claimants to the throne are shown with a shaded background.

1941 - 1945

Peter II

Exiled former king of Yugoslavia.

1943 - 1945

The Nazi Germans occupy Serbia alone after the Italian surrender.

1945

Communists take over the state after fighting off the Nazis. Yugoslavia gains Istria from Italy.

1945 - 1980

Josip Broz Tito

Communist Dictator. Died 4 May.

1947

Italy loses sections of its eastern border to Yugoslavia under the terms of the Paris Peace Treaties.

1991

On 25 June, Croatia, Istria, and Slovenia leave Yugoslavia and declare themselves independent. Serbia begins a war which lasts until 4 August 1995. Croatian and Slovenian independence is secured and recognised by Europe.

2006

Serbian-dominated Yugoslavia loses Monte Negro following a vote by the populace of the latter for full independence, completing the break-up of the Yugoslav state.

? - Present

Crown Prince Alexander II

Born 1945 London. Returned to Belgrade in 2001.