Two of Prince Mirko’s sisters were raised and educated under the care of the Dowager Empress of Russia, and both later married into the Russian imperial family. Their wedding dowries were paid by the late Tsar himself. The crown prince of Montenegro, Danilo, also formed a royal alliance by marrying the daughter of the Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. This marriage made him a brother-in-law to Grand Duke Vladimir of Russia, who generously gave him one million rubles as a wedding gift to help start his new household.
Because of these close family connections, the Russian imperial family—along with the country’s top political leaders—had a strong interest in helping young Prince Mirko gain the throne of Serbia. The idea of placing Mirko on the Serbian throne was appealing to the Russians. They believed it might even convince Empress Alix of Russia to accept Queen Draga, despite Draga’s controversial and scandalous past. Gaining the Empress’s support would be a major political victory for both Queen Draga and her husband, King Alexander Walking Tour Sofia.
Italian Support and Queen Helena’s Role
Italy also had a reason to support Prince Mirko’s nomination. Queen Helena of Italy, who was Mirko’s sister, actively participated in the political discussions between Italy and Serbia regarding his possible future as heir to the Serbian throne. Although Serbia had stronger political and historical ties to Russia than to Italy, Queen Draga understood that Queen Helena might be able to influence the Russian Empress. However, Draga herself did not care much about being accepted by the Queen of Italy. Her main focus was Russia and the powerful Empress Alix.
The Karageorgevitch Family and a Possible Peace Deal
There was another important element to these political negotiations. Peter Karageorgovitch, a rival claimant to the Serbian throne, had been married to Prince Mirko’s sister—the oldest daughter of Prince Nicholas of Montenegro—before her death in 1887. Because of this connection, Peter is still seen as part of the Montenegrin royal family. His sons maintain warm relations with their uncles and aunts in Montenegro. Currently, two of Peter’s sons are studying at a military school in St. Petersburg, and another is already serving in the Russian army Political Intrigue and the Question of Succession in Serbia.
Some believed that if Prince Mirko were officially named heir to the Serbian throne, Peter Karageorgovitch might be willing to renounce his claim, along with any future claims from the Karageorgovitch family. If this happened, it would be a huge step forward for political stability in Serbia. Ending this long-standing rivalry would likely reduce the number of conspiracies and uprisings that had weakened the country for years.
A Hope for Stability in Serbia
Overall, the idea of making Prince Mirko the next king was supported by both Russian and Italian royal families. If successful, this plan might have helped bring peace and political calm to Serbia, which had long been shaken by internal power struggles and foreign interference.
