Serbian War
Hello everyone! I've decided to start my TL! The POD is in 1903, The May overthrow fails to kill King Alexander I of Serbia. Stuff ensues. Here goes nothing!
Excerpt from London times, 1st June 1903:
The conspirators, not willing to just give up and inevitably be arrested for their crimes (they killed Queen Draga during the coup attempt), began to shoot at King Alexander's 'Supporters' late on the 30th. Quite literally overnight, Serbia has erupted into chaos and violence. It is already being refered to as a 'civil war'.
On one side are the Royalists, on the other is the so-called 'Black hand' movement. Meanwhile, it appears that Austria-Hungary is preparing to intervene (it is unknown who they will support, although they have had some issues with Alexander in the past), having started to move troops into position along the borders of Serbia. Time will tell if they intervene, and if they do, if they succeed.
Excerpt from a Decades of Tragedy, The Balkan Crisis: 1903-1933
As it was, the royal couple had randomly decided that that night was a good one for a late night stroll. Three of the Conspirators saw them walking with two guards and fired upon the group, hitting a guard, and killing Queen Draga.
According to the surviving guard the King, distraught over his wife's death, immediately charged the Conspirators. Despite being wounded, he managed to tackle one and wrestle his gun away. With the help of his guards the three conspirators were all killed. The second guard died of his wounds a few hours later.
Eventually Alexander and his guard found a part of the Military that hadn't betrayed him and they approached the National Assembly with weapons drawn. After a brief round of shouting, members of the Assembly were revealed to have been in on The Conspiracy. This resulted in King Alexander dissolving it, and calling for new a election once the Conspiracy was dealt with. It was believed mostly Loyalists would win, for obvious (autocratic) reasons.
The Members of the Conspiracy, now called the Black Hand, chose to fight. In the evening hours of May 30th they fired upon the Loyalists outside the National Assembly. Within hours the Serbian Civil war was in full swing, Loyalist and Black Hand aligned soldiers fighting each other across all of Serbia. Eight days later, Austria-Hungary would attempt to intervene, shoot a Black Hand member, and wind up on King Alexander's side. On June 19th 1903, the last Black Hand soldiers surrendered in southern Serbia, ending the war.
However, this was not the end of the tragedy that befell Serbia. On June 28th, a dissatisfied supporter of the Black Hand shot and Fatally wounded King Alexander I of Serbia. Before this, he had agreed to let Austria-Hungary pick his successor, as he did not wish to remarry. This resulted in Theodore Nikolic von Rudna being crowned King of Serbia. Unknown to anyone at the time, this was the start of the formation of the Federal Habsburg Empire.
Excerpt from London times, 1st June 1903:
SERBIA EMBROILED IN CIVIL WAR!
Austria-Hungary Prepares Intervention!
Ladies and Gentlemen; as you all know, a coup attempt in Serbia to remove Serbian King Alexander two days ago on the night of 29-30 May failed when the King escaped. He eventually found himself among people who don't think he should die and that the coup attempt has taught him a 'valuable lesson'.Austria-Hungary Prepares Intervention!
The conspirators, not willing to just give up and inevitably be arrested for their crimes (they killed Queen Draga during the coup attempt), began to shoot at King Alexander's 'Supporters' late on the 30th. Quite literally overnight, Serbia has erupted into chaos and violence. It is already being refered to as a 'civil war'.
On one side are the Royalists, on the other is the so-called 'Black hand' movement. Meanwhile, it appears that Austria-Hungary is preparing to intervene (it is unknown who they will support, although they have had some issues with Alexander in the past), having started to move troops into position along the borders of Serbia. Time will tell if they intervene, and if they do, if they succeed.
-<>-
Excerpt from a Decades of Tragedy, The Balkan Crisis: 1903-1933
The Serbian War.
Many people today agree that the Balkan Crisis of the early 20th Century started with the Serbian Civil war of 1903. Had the Royal couple simply stayed inside like the previous night, they both would've died at the Conspiracy's hands. Had Nuamovic not been delayed by one day(for unknown reasons), it would have occurred the previous night.
As it was, the royal couple had randomly decided that that night was a good one for a late night stroll. Three of the Conspirators saw them walking with two guards and fired upon the group, hitting a guard, and killing Queen Draga.
According to the surviving guard the King, distraught over his wife's death, immediately charged the Conspirators. Despite being wounded, he managed to tackle one and wrestle his gun away. With the help of his guards the three conspirators were all killed. The second guard died of his wounds a few hours later.
Eventually Alexander and his guard found a part of the Military that hadn't betrayed him and they approached the National Assembly with weapons drawn. After a brief round of shouting, members of the Assembly were revealed to have been in on The Conspiracy. This resulted in King Alexander dissolving it, and calling for new a election once the Conspiracy was dealt with. It was believed mostly Loyalists would win, for obvious (autocratic) reasons.
The Members of the Conspiracy, now called the Black Hand, chose to fight. In the evening hours of May 30th they fired upon the Loyalists outside the National Assembly. Within hours the Serbian Civil war was in full swing, Loyalist and Black Hand aligned soldiers fighting each other across all of Serbia. Eight days later, Austria-Hungary would attempt to intervene, shoot a Black Hand member, and wind up on King Alexander's side. On June 19th 1903, the last Black Hand soldiers surrendered in southern Serbia, ending the war.
However, this was not the end of the tragedy that befell Serbia. On June 28th, a dissatisfied supporter of the Black Hand shot and Fatally wounded King Alexander I of Serbia. Before this, he had agreed to let Austria-Hungary pick his successor, as he did not wish to remarry. This resulted in Theodore Nikolic von Rudna being crowned King of Serbia. Unknown to anyone at the time, this was the start of the formation of the Federal Habsburg Empire.
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