Mihailo Obrenović, Prince of Serbia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Михаило Обреновић III |
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| Prince of Serbia | |
| Reign | 8 July 1839 – 14 September 1842 |
| Predecessor | Milan Obrenović II |
| Successor | Alexander Karadjordjević |
| Reign | 26 September 1860 – 10 June 1868 |
| Predecessor | Miloš Obrenović I |
| Successor | Milan Obrenović IV |
| Born | 16 September 1823 Kragujevac, Principality of Serbia |
| Died | 10 June 1868 (aged 44) Belgrade, Principality of Serbia |
| Spouse | Júlia Hunyady de Kéthely |
| House | Obrenović |
| Father | Miloš Obrenović I |
| Mother | Ljubica Vukomanović |
| Religion | Serbian Orthodox |
| Signature |  |
Mihailo Obrenović (Serbian Cyrillic: Михаило Обреновић, romanized: Mihailo Obrenović; 16 September 1823 – 10 June 1868) was an important ruler of Serbia. He was the Prince of Serbia two times. His first rule was from 1839 to 1842. His second rule was from 1860 to 1868.
He is known as a great reformer. He worked to make Serbia a modern and strong country. One of his biggest achievements was getting the Ottoman soldiers to leave Serbian land. He also wanted to unite the Balkan countries against the Ottoman Empire.
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Early Life of Prince Mihailo
Mihailo was born in Kragujevac. His father was Prince Miloš Obrenović, a famous Serbian ruler. His mother was Princess Ljubica. Mihailo was their second son.
In 1823, he was the first person in Serbia to get a smallpox vaccine. This vaccine saved many lives. He grew up in different Serbian towns. After finishing school, he went to Vienna with his mother. His older brother, Milan, often had poor health.
First Time as Prince
Mihailo's father, Prince Miloš, gave up his throne to Mihailo's older brother, Milan. But Milan was very sick and died after only one month. So, Mihailo became Prince on 25 June 1839. He was still young, but he was declared old enough to rule the next year.
During his first rule, Mihailo founded the Society of Serbian Letters in 1841. This society helped Serbian culture and education. However, he was young and did not have much experience. His rule ended on 14 September 1842. A rebellion, led by Toma Vučić-Perišić, forced him to leave the throne. This allowed the Karađorđević dynasty to take power.
Life in Exile and Marriage
After losing his throne, Prince Mihailo left Serbia. He went to live in other countries, like Austria. His mother, Princess Ljubica, also went into exile and sadly passed away in 1843. Mihailo arranged her burial at Krušedol monastery.
While in exile, Mihailo managed his father's large properties. He also wrote a poem called "Što se bore misli moje" (Why do my thoughts torture me). On 1 August 1853, Mihailo married Countess Júlia Hunyady de Kéthely in Vienna. He spoke French and German very well.
Second Time as Prince and His Death
Mihailo returned to Serbia and became Prince again in September 1860. This happened after his father, who had regained the throne, passed away. For the next eight years, Mihailo ruled as an "enlightened monarch." This means he was a strong leader who wanted to improve his country.
Great Achievements
Prince Mihailo's biggest success was getting all Turkish soldiers to leave Serbia. Before this, Turkish troops were still in some fortresses and parts of Belgrade. After a riot in 1862, the Turks even bombed Belgrade. Mihailo worked hard to negotiate with the Ottoman government.
On 4 September 1862, an agreement was reached. Most Muslim people had to leave Serbia. Later, Mihailo convinced the Sultan to let Serbian soldiers guard the fortresses instead of Turkish ones. The Serbian flag was allowed to fly next to the Turkish flag over these fortresses. This was a huge step towards Serbia's independence.
Mihailo also worked to create alliances with other Balkan countries between 1866 and 1868. This was known as The First Balkan Alliance. During his rule, the first modern Serbian coins were made. He also officially declared Belgrade the capital city of Serbia.
The Prince's Assassination
Prince Mihailo wanted to divorce his wife, Julia. He wished to marry his young cousin, Katarina Konstantinović. This plan caused a lot of disagreement among politicians and the public. His Prime Minister, Ilija Garašanin, was even removed from his job for disagreeing with the divorce. However, the divorce never happened.
While Prince Mihailo was making changes to his rule, a group of people planned against him. The main people involved were the Radovanović brothers. They wanted revenge for their imprisoned brother.
On 10 June 1868, Prince Mihailo was riding in a carriage through the Košutnjak park near Belgrade. He was with Katarina and his cousin, Princess Anka Obrenović. The Radovanović brothers appeared and shot the Prince. Mihailo and Anka were killed, and Katarina was wounded.
The full details of the plot are still not completely clear. Some suspected people connected to the rival Karađorđević family. After Mihailo's death, the National Assembly declared that the Karađorđević family could never rule again. Mihailo's fourteen-year-old cousin, Milan, became the new Prince of Serbia.
Prince Mihailo received many awards during his life. These included the Order of Prince Danilo I, the Order of the White Eagle (Russian Empire), and the Order of Leopold (Austria).
Images for kids
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Prince Michael's official seal
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Portrait of Prince Michael by Jovan Popović, 1841
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A lithography of Prince Michael by Josef Kriehuber, 1843
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Portrait of Prince Michael by Johann Böss, around 1860
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A photo of Prince Michael by Anastas Jovanović, 1856
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A photo of Prince Michael, around 1860
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"Knez Mihailo na odru" by Đura Jakšić, 1868‒1869
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Prince Michael's summer residence in Aranđelovac.
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Michael Obrenović's grave at St. Michael's Cathedral in Belgrade.
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The statue of Prince Michael on Republic Square in Belgrade.
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Princess Maria Josefa of Liechtenstein (1835-1905).
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Mihailo's sister, Princess Jelisaveta Obrenović (1818-1848).
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See also
In Spanish: Miguel III Obrenović para niños
- Čukur Fountain
- Treaty of Vöslau
