Elena Maria Catargiu-Obrenović (Serbian

Serbian language

Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....

 Cyrillic

Serbian Cyrillic alphabet

The Serbian Cyrillic alphabet is an adaptation of the Cyrillic script for the Serbian language, developed in 1818 by Serbian linguist Vuk Karadžić. It is one of the two standard modern alphabets used to write the Serbian language, the other being Latin...

: Елена Марија Катарџи-Обреновић; 1831 Iași

Iasi

Iași is the second most populous city and a municipality in Romania. Located in the historical Moldavia region, Iași has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Romanian social, cultural, academic and artistic life...

  – June 28, 1879 or July 16, 1876 Dresda ), known in Serbia as Marija Obrenović, was a Moldavia

Moldavia

Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...

n and Romania

Romania

Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...

n boyar

Boyar

A boyar, or bolyar , was a member of the highest rank of the feudal Moscovian, Kievan Rus'ian, Bulgarian, Wallachian, and Moldavian aristocracies, second only to the ruling princes , from the 10th century through the 17th century....

ess. She was the mother of King Milan I of Serbia and the mistress

Mistress (lover)

A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...

 of Alexander John Cuza

Alexander John Cuza

Alexander John Cuza was a Moldavian-born Romanian politician who ruled as the first Domnitor of the United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia between 1859 and 1866.-Early life:...

.

Born Elena Maria Catargiu, a member of the Catargiu family, she was married to Miloš Obrenović. Her husband was a nephew of Miloš Obrenović I, Prince of Serbia

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...

 (the founder of the House of Obrenović

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...

) and cousin of Mihailo Obrenović III (1823-1868), Prince of Serbia (1839-1842 and 1860-1868). Their son, Milan Obrenović

Milan Obrenovic IV

Milan Obrenović was a Serbian monarch reigning as Prince Milan IV of Serbia from 1868 to 1882 and King Milan I of Serbia from 1882 to 1889.-Early years:...

 (1854-1901), became Prince of Serbia (1868-1882) and then King of Serbia (1882-1889) as Milan I.

Later in life, she was the mistress

Mistress (lover)

A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...

 of Alexander John Cuza

Alexander John Cuza

Alexander John Cuza was a Moldavian-born Romanian politician who ruled as the first Domnitor of the United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia between 1859 and 1866.-Early life:...

, Domnitor

Domnitor

Domnitor was the official title of the ruler of the United Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia between 1859 and 1866....

 of the Principality of Romania

Kingdom of Romania

The Kingdom of Romania was the Romanian state based on a form of parliamentary monarchy between 13 March 1881 and 30 December 1947, specified by the first three Constitutions of Romania...

. Marija Obrenović had two sons by Cuza: Alexandru Al. Ioan Cuza

Alexandru Al. Ioan Cuza

Alexandru Al. Ioan Cuza was a Romanian aristocrat, businessman and journalist. He was the son of Domnitor Alexander John Cuza, whose rule coincided with the political union between the Danubian Principalities...

 and Dimitrie Cuza. Cuza's wife, Elena Rosetti

Elena Cuza

Elena Cuza , also known under her semi-official title Elena Doamna, was a Moldavian-born Romanian noblewoman and philanthropist, the wife of Alexander John Cuza.-Biography:...

, who was childless, raised her husband's two illegitimate children as her own. Dimitrie committed suicide

Suicide

Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...

 in 1888, and Alexandru died the following year.

Issue

By her husband, Miloš Obrenović:

• Milan I of Serbia (22 August 1854 – 11 February 1901)

By Alexander John Cuza

Alexander John Cuza

Alexander John Cuza was a Moldavian-born Romanian politician who ruled as the first Domnitor of the United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia between 1859 and 1866.-Early life:...

:

• Alexandru Al. Ioan Cuza
  Alexandru Al. Ioan Cuza
  Alexandru Al. Ioan Cuza was a Romanian aristocrat, businessman and journalist. He was the son of Domnitor Alexander John Cuza, whose rule coincided with the political union between the Danubian Principalities...
  
  (born between 1862 and 1864, died 1889)
• Dimitrie Cuza (1865-1888)