Owing to a mishap to the carriage of the conniving news-bearer the true tale of the tragedy reached Belgrade before him and it was only through the masterful diplomacy of M. Petrovitch Blasnavatz, the Minister of War, that the throne of Servia was saved for the young Milan Obrenovitch.
In 1872 Prince Milan reached his majority and three years later, in Vienna, fell in love with the beautiful, charming Roumanian princess, Natalie, who was destined to play such a prominent role in the future of the Servian nation. To their union was born a son, Prince Alexander, “Little Sasha,” as the Servians lovingly called him. Natalie was popular with her subjects, and in many ways their love for her was made manifest. On one occasion, when she lay confined in her apartments before the birth of Alexander, the people walked along the street in front of the palace on tiptoe and spoke only in whispers, so fearful were they of disturbing her quiet.
But Milan, although a devoted parent and an unimpeachable patriot and ruler, proved himself nothing less than a Machiavellian roué. The persistent outcries against his dual life gained Natalie a divorce, which was subsequently revoked on account of her refusal to leave the country. Then, because of the continued murmurs of the Karageorgevitch faction against him, Milan abdicated and bade farewell to the “Little Sasha” on March 6, 1889. He died later in Vienna financially, physically and morally bankrupt.
THE LATE KING ALEXANDER OF SERVIA.
CHAPTER V
ALEXANDER AND DRAGA
Alexander—Draga—The Meeting—Draga’s Return to Belgrade—Russia’s Intrigues—Marriage of Alexander and Draga—Origin of the Plot to Murder.