KILLA

How does a dynasty evolve? Especially when the founder of the dynasty has no interest in any such thing. ‘Black’ George wanted to go back to his family, his farm. But he lost his footing and found himself at the mercy of his rival. And his rival took this opportunity to have him assassinated. 

George was never interested in a crown or a lineage but his widow Jelena encouraged her children to think of themselves as leaders and as representatives of Serbia while in exile or when they were back home. One of her grandsons would marry a princess from Montenegro. And that wouldn’t sound like any big shakes except this princess had a sister who went on to marry the king of Italy. In two generations Kara George the farmer had by strength of character created a royal dynasty. His grandson King Peter I built a fitting resting place for Karageorge Petrovic. Oplenac, the family crypt. The second largest mosaic church in the world. It has a chandelier made from melted swords. It has two floors with archways of mosaics and slabs of marble with names carved into them. I saw a Kleopatra. She died young and there she lies. 

George did not see any of this coming and he didn’t care for pomp. But he was so beloved by his fellow Serbs that it was beyond him to prevent. And his descendants were honored to carry the torch no matter what personal discomfort this brought them. No matter the normal lives it robbed of them. No matter that perhaps it was all a delusion. When you’re living on a border town in exile for decades how do you maintain any belief that you are going to go home and rule? Game of Thrones!

Arsene, the father of my grandfather, in peacetime would challenge anyone to a duel and shoot them in the nethers. Arsene was so dangerous he was expelled from the Serbian Army before the start of World War I.