1882 Serbia Gold 10 Dinara of Milan Obrenovich IV

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A Lustrous ALMOST UNCIRCULATED 1882 Serbian Gold 10 Drachmas minted in Vienna during the reign of King Milan Obrenovich IV. This coin was minted to a standard of 2.90 grams of fine gold (.0934 Fine Troy Oz.) which was mandated as the official weight of 10 Francs, 10 Lire, 10 Drachmas for the members of the Latin Monetary Union (the first real precursor to the Euro). Early years Milan Obrenović IV was born in exile in Manasija (Mărăşeşti, Wallachia ) during a period of the Karađorđević rule in Serbia which began in 1842 with the deposition of Milan's cousin Prince Mihailo (Michael) Obrenović. He was the son of Miloš (1829-1861) and Maria Katargi from Moldavia. Milan's father, Miloš, was the son of Jevrem, the brother of famous Serb Prince, Miloš Obrenović. Milan was tfore prince Miloš's grand-nephew. At an early age Milan lost both his parents. He was subsequently adopted by his cousin, Prince Mihailo. After the expulsion of the House of Karađorđević in 1858, Michael Obrenović returned to Serbia. Michael became ruling prince of Serbia in 1861, when his father, Miloš, died. During the reign of Mihailo, young Milan was educated at the Lycée Louis le Grand in Paris. T he displayed considerable maturity. In 1868, when Milan was only fourteen years of age, Prince Mihailo was assassinated. Milan succeeded Mihailo to the throne under a regency. In 1872, Milan was declared of age, and he took government into his own hands. He soon manifested great intellectual power, coupled with a passionate headstrong character. Eugene Schuyler, who saw him about this time, found him a very remarkable, singularly intelligent and well-informed young man. Milan carefully balanced the Austrian and Russian parties in Serbia, with a judicious leaning towards Austria-Hungary. At the end of the Russo-Turkish War, 1877–1878, Prince Milan induced the Porte to acknowledge his independence in the Treaty of Berlin. King Milan I In 1882, Milan was proclaimed King of Serbia. Acting under Austrian influence, King Milan devoted all his energies to the improvement of the means of communication and the development of natural resources. However, the cost of this, unduly increased by reckless extravagance, led to disproportionately heavy taxation. This, coupled with increased military service, rendered King Milan and the Austrian party unpopular. Milan's political troubles were further increased by the defeat of the Serbians in the war against Bulgaria from 1885–1886. In September 1885, the union of Eastern Rumelia and Bulgaria caused widespread agitation in Serbia. Milan promptly declared war upon the new Bulgarian state on November 15. After a short, decisive campaign, the Serbs were utterly routed at the battles of Slivnitsa and Pirot. Milan's throne was only saved by the direct intervention of Austria-Hungary. Domestic difficulties now arose which rapidly assumed political significance. In October 1875, Milan had married Natalie (Natalija Obrenovic), the sixteen-year old daughter of Peter Ivanović Ketchko. Ketchko (Keshko), a Moldavian boyar , was also a colonel in the Russian army. Ketchko's wife, Pulcheria, was by birth Princess Sturdza. A son, Aleksandar, was born to Natalie and Milan in 1876, but the king and queen's relationship showed signs of friction. Milan was anything but a faithful husband, having an affair with most notably Jennie Jerome (wife of Lord Randolph Churchill and mother to Winston Churchill) among others, while Queen Natalie was greatly influenced by Russian sympathies. In 1886, the couple, mismatched both personally and politically, separated. Natalie withdrew from the kingdom, taking with her the ten-year old Prince Aleksandar (the later King Alexander). While she was residing at Wiesbaden in 1888, King Milan succeeded in recovering the crown prince, whom he undertook to educate. In reply to the queen's remonstrances, Milan exerted considerable pressure upon the metropolitan, and procured a divorce, which was afterwards annulled as illegal.... read more

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