Julia Hunyady de Kéthely
Encyclopedia
Countess Júlia Hunyady de Kéthely , was a Hungarian noblewoman and the Princess consort of Serbia as the wife of Mihailo Obrenović III. She remained a widow for seven and a half years after his assassination in 1868, until January 1876 she married her lover, Duke Karl von Arenberg, Prince von Recklinghausen.
into an old, noble Hungarian family, the only daughter of Count Ferenc Hunyady de Kéthely and Countess Júlia Zichy de Zich et Vásonkeő. She had three brothers, László, Kálmán and Vilmos. On 1 August 1853, less than a month before her 22nd birthday, she married her first husband Mihailo Obrenovic, the deposed ruler of Serbia.
On 26 September 1860, after the death of his father Miloš I
, he once again assumed power as the ruler of Serbia, making Julia, the Princess consort. She was not popular with the Serbs as they mistrusted her Catholic religion and Hungarian background. Prince Mihailo was not a faithful husband, and he had at least one illegitimate son. His last mistress was Katarina Konstantinović
, the young, pretty daughter of his first cousin, Princess Anka Obrenović
, both of whom resided at the royal court at Mihailos' request. Katarina had even entertained hopes of eventually becoming Mihailo's wife on account of Julia's inability to bear the Prince a child, and Mihailo was considering a divorce in spite of the national outrage such a move would invariably cause. In 1867, the esteemed Prime Minister Ilija Garasanin
was dismissed from his post for having voiced his opposition to Mihailo's proposed divorce and marriage to Katarina. Katarina openly despised Princess Júlia and made her life miserable by flaunting her affair with Mihailo. Júlia retaliated by conducting her own love affair with Belgian Duke Karl von Arenberg.
On 10 June 1868, Mihailo was taking a stroll through the park of Košutnjak
, close to the royal summer residence on the outskirts of Belgrade
. He was in the company of Princess Anka and his mistress, Katarina. All three were shot by assassins, leaving Prince Mihailo and Princess Anka dead, while Katarina was wounded. It was believed at the time that the assassination was the work of the Karađorđevićs, the rival dynasty of the Obrenovićs
. Mihailo was succeeded by Milan IV, his cousin and the son of Princess Anka's brother, Miloš. Milan would in 1882 reign as King Milan I of Serbia.
The same year Mihailo was assassinated, Katarina married General Milivoje Blaznavac and later assumed the role of first lady at her cousin, King Milan's court, when the latter's wife, Natalija Keshko
separated from him to live abroad. Julia continued her love affair with Duke Karl, finally marrying him on 16 January 1876 at Ivanka pri Dunaji
. She became Duchess von Arenberg and Princess von Recklinghausen upon her second marriage.
She died, childless, in her birthplace of Vienna on 19 February 1919. She was 87 years old.
Family and marriages
Júlia was born in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
into an old, noble Hungarian family, the only daughter of Count Ferenc Hunyady de Kéthely and Countess Júlia Zichy de Zich et Vásonkeő. She had three brothers, László, Kálmán and Vilmos. On 1 August 1853, less than a month before her 22nd birthday, she married her first husband Mihailo Obrenovic, the deposed ruler of Serbia.
On 26 September 1860, after the death of his father Miloš I
Miloš Obrenovic I, Prince of Serbia
Miloš Obrenović was Prince of Serbia from 1815 to 1839, and again from 1858 to 1860. He participated in the First Serbian Uprising, led Serbs in the Second Serbian Uprising, and founded the House of Obrenović...
, he once again assumed power as the ruler of Serbia, making Julia, the Princess consort. She was not popular with the Serbs as they mistrusted her Catholic religion and Hungarian background. Prince Mihailo was not a faithful husband, and he had at least one illegitimate son. His last mistress was Katarina Konstantinović
Katarina Konstantinović
Katarina Konstantinović was a Serbian noblewoman and a descendant of the Obrenović dynasty as the daughter of Princess Anka Obrenović. She was also the first cousin of King Milan I to whom she acted as his de facto first lady of the royal court after the Queen, Natalie Keshko, separated from...
, the young, pretty daughter of his first cousin, Princess Anka Obrenović
Princess Anka Obrenović
Princess Anka Obrenović was a member of the Serbian royal Obrenović dynasty as the niece of the dynasty's founder Miloš Obrenović I, Prince of Serbia. She was also a society leader and writer whose translations in 1836 were the first literary works compiled by a woman to be published in Serbia...
, both of whom resided at the royal court at Mihailos' request. Katarina had even entertained hopes of eventually becoming Mihailo's wife on account of Julia's inability to bear the Prince a child, and Mihailo was considering a divorce in spite of the national outrage such a move would invariably cause. In 1867, the esteemed Prime Minister Ilija Garasanin
Ilija Garašanin
Ilija Garašanin was a Serbian politician and statesman, serving as Interior Minister and Prime Minister ....
was dismissed from his post for having voiced his opposition to Mihailo's proposed divorce and marriage to Katarina. Katarina openly despised Princess Júlia and made her life miserable by flaunting her affair with Mihailo. Júlia retaliated by conducting her own love affair with Belgian Duke Karl von Arenberg.
On 10 June 1868, Mihailo was taking a stroll through the park of Košutnjak
Košutnjak
Košutnjak is a park-forest and urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is divided between in the municipalities of Čukarica and Rakovica .-Location:...
, close to the royal summer residence on the outskirts of Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
. He was in the company of Princess Anka and his mistress, Katarina. All three were shot by assassins, leaving Prince Mihailo and Princess Anka dead, while Katarina was wounded. It was believed at the time that the assassination was the work of the Karađorđevićs, the rival dynasty of the Obrenovićs
House of Obrenovic
The House of Obrenović was a Serbian dynasty that ruled Serbia from 1815 to 1842, and again from 1858 to 1903. They came to power through the leadership of their progenitor Miloš Obrenović in the Second Serbian uprising against the Ottoman Empire, which led to the formation of the Principality of...
. Mihailo was succeeded by Milan IV, his cousin and the son of Princess Anka's brother, Miloš. Milan would in 1882 reign as King Milan I of Serbia.
The same year Mihailo was assassinated, Katarina married General Milivoje Blaznavac and later assumed the role of first lady at her cousin, King Milan's court, when the latter's wife, Natalija Keshko
Natalija Obrenovic
Natalie Keşco was Princess consort of the Principality of Serbia from 1875 to 1882 and the Queen consort of the Kingdom of Serbia from 23 March 1882 to 6 March 1889 as the wife of King Milan Obrenović IV.-Early life and royal marriage:She was born in 1859 in Florence as the first child of the...
separated from him to live abroad. Julia continued her love affair with Duke Karl, finally marrying him on 16 January 1876 at Ivanka pri Dunaji
Ivanka pri Dunaji
Ivanka pri Dunaji is a village and municipality in western Slovakia in Senec District in the Bratislava Region.-History:In historical records the village was first mentioned in 1209....
. She became Duchess von Arenberg and Princess von Recklinghausen upon her second marriage.
She died, childless, in her birthplace of Vienna on 19 February 1919. She was 87 years old.