PETER I., KARAREORGEVITCII (1846— ). King of Servia. He was born at Belgrade in 1846. His grandfather was George Petrovitch, known as Kara (Black) or Czerny George (q.v.). who led the Servians in their struggle for inde pendence against the Turks, and in 1812 was I recognized by the Sultan as Prince of Servia. Peter's father Alexander was elected Prince of Servia in 1842. to succeed Michael Obrenovitch, but in December, 1858. he was declared de posed by the National Assembly, and in the fol lowing month left the country. With him went Peter. who was put to school in Hungary, made frequent visits to Russia, and finally entered the French military school of St. Cyr. He gradu ated there and became an officer in the French army. After the outbreak of the Franco-Ger man war be served with distinction under Boor baki, notably before Villersexcl. Three times he was captured by the and as often es caped. For several years he followed a life of extravagance and dissipation in Paris, and then, aroused by the troubles in the Balkans, actively encouraged the rising of lS75-76 in Herzegovina. which culminated in the Russo-Turkish war of ]S77-78 and the complete establishment of Ser vian independence. After a period of roving
he went to Montenegro, and in August, 1SS3, married the Princess Zorka (born 1864), eldest daughter of Prince Nicholas. Eventually this marriage served to conneet him with the Rus sian and Italian courts, since Zorka's sister Militza married the Grand Duke Peter Nikolaie vitch and her sister Helena became the consort of Victor Emmanuel 11. The permanent resi dence of Peter and Zorka was at Cettinje, but frequent visits to Paris were made. After Zor ka', death (1890), Peter became estranged from his father-in-law and went to Geneva to educate there hi, three children, a girl need five and two boys aged three and two. From that time until 1903. though a recognized 'pretender.' he lived quietly in Switzerland. On June 11, 1903, King Alexander of Servia, of the rival house of Obrenoviteh (q.v.). and Queen Draga were mur dered, and four days later l'eter was elected King of Servia by the Skupshtina. After an absence of forty-four years he entered Belgrade on .June 24th and on the following day took the oath of office. He was credited with liberal views and with pro-Russian sympathies. See SERVLI.