The House of Obrenović or Obrenović Dynasty (Serbian Cyrillic: Династија Обрeновић, romanized: Dinastija Obrenović, pl. Обрeновићи / Obrenovići, pronounced [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.
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).
Prince Miloš I (1783–1860) Prince Milan II (1819–1839) Prince Mihailo III (1823–1868)
King Milan I (1854–1901) King Alexander I (1876–1903)