The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-06-15
STORMY CAREERS OF
SERYIA'S RULERS
Fierce and Picturesque
Serbs Used to BIOOd-
Letting

Servia and it's royal masters have
bike he'd the stormiest and most pic
uresque Of careers The country, in
bablted by a fierce and warlike Sla.
5onic race, known as Serbs, was once
IN empire, holding much of Albania
md Bulgarh Gee, but was conquer
"a by the Turks about 500 years ago.
lazarus, the last Of the Servian mon
archs, was slain by Sultan Bajazet
It the battle of Kossovo. and the ma
ion was a Turkish province for five
Centuries. Servia, however was new.
br treated with as much cruelty as
Bulgaria or Macedonia. owing to the
dangerous character of its ferocious
Inhabitants, and the Serbs were
among the first of the Balkan race to
gain independence of Turkish sway.
Since 1877 the Serbs have handled
heir own AFFAIRS and nave handled
hem in a Wild and turbulent fashion
Belgrade. the Servian capitol, has been
hotbed Ct scandal, intrigue, and in
surrection. The serbs quit fighting
among themSi Ives long enough to at
aclS Bulgaria in 1885, but the stolid
and peaceful Bulgars beat the Serbs
30 thoroughly that the country has
troubled none of it's neighbors since.
Fighting against their rulers and bouts
between hostile factions have occupied
she natives quite sufficiently. for the
last eighteen years.
At the beginning of the nineteenth
century Servia was Turkish province
|and was governed by a just and hui
name pasha named Hadli Mustapha.
HE was popular and beloved by his
|Christian subjects, but the Janissar-
lies did not approve of his liberal pol
icy or his efforts to protect the inhab-
itants against their extortions and
cruelties, and they put him to death
The Janissartes had their own way
but fearing an uprising Of the people
decided to murder every man who
could be considered a leader Thou.
sands were massacred. Among those
who escaped was a swineherd named
George Petrovitch (Georse, the son OF
Peter), better known to history as
Kara (Black) George because OF his
dark complexion and raven hair To
him seryia owes its independence
from the Turks. Karageorge, who
was initerate and was always garbed
as a peasant, was progressive and in
Produced a free school system, courts
OF justice, reduced taxation. and or
ganized the different branches of the
government. The Seople. however
were not able to advance at his rapid
pace and his enemies encompassed
about him. In a fit of anger he abdi.
Gated after nine years reign.
When Karageorge. who, besides be
ing the founder the liberal monarchy
in servia, vas the founder Of the
Karageorgevitch family. abdicated nc
was succeeded on the throne by Milos
Obren. also a peasant his rival, and
founder OF another faction AID the
head of the late reigning housv Oi
servia. Milos, fearing a popular
movement to restore Karageorge tc
the throne, caused him TO be assassin
ated. Thus began the feud between
the descendants Of the two men and
the history os servia is merely a re
cltal of he rivalries OF the Obren
witch and Karageorgevitch families.
Mnos ruled as an autocrat until he
was forced to give up the throne bs
the oppressed populace and was sue
ceeded by bis son. Milan H., who dies
month later. and his brother Michae
was seated. The latter was liberia
and progressive ruler and introduced
many modern improvements into Ser
via. The peasants. who were the rul
ing class. opposed what they called
German IDEAS and Michael was driv
en- from power The peasantry elect
ed as king in his place Alexander
Karageorgevitch. son Of the nationa
hero. Although his rule was libera
and just. rs his fathers had been. thu
dissatisfied element encouraged b.
partisans Of the Cbrenvitch family
gained control OF The parliament
which forced Alexander to abdicat
and restored old Milos. The latte
reiened two years and died, being sue
ceeded by his brother Michael, who's
second advent on the throne was Gu
short by assassination. II was tn
intention Of the consplrators to pre-
claim Peter Karageorgeyiteh as kim
simultaneously with the death o
Michael. but their plans misearriee
There was no evidence G. compiicit
on the part Of Peter who was the
living at Lucerne. Switzerland. He
IN ..nu