Kingdom of Yugoslavia

The Kingdom of Yugoslavia (Serbo-Croatian: Kraljevina Jugoslavija / Краљевина Југославија;[8] Slovene: Kraljevina Jugoslavija) was a state in Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 until 1941. From 1918 to 1929, it was officially called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (Serbo-Croatian: Kraljevina Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca / Краљевина Срба, Хрвата и Словенаца; Slovene: Kraljevina Srbov, Hrvatov in Slovencev), but the term "Yugoslavia" (literally "Land of South Slavs") was its colloquial name due to its origins.[9] The official name of the state was changed to "Kingdom of Yugoslavia" by King Alexander I on 3 October 1929.[9]

Quick facts: Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes .mw-par... ▼

Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (1918–1929) Kraljevina Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca Краљевина Срба, Хрвата и Словенаца Kraljevina Srbov, Hrvatov in Slovencev Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1929–1941) Kraljevina Jugoslavija Краљевина Југославија
1918–1941
Flag Greater coat of arms
Motto: Jedan narod, jedan kralj, jedna država   Један народ, један краљ, једна држава   "One People, One King, One State"
Anthem: Himna Kraljevine Jugoslavije Химна Краљевине Југославије "National Anthem of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia"
Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1930
Capital and largest city	Belgrade 44°48′N 20°28′E
Official languages	Serbo-Croato-Slovene[a][1][2]
Common languages	List (Without official status): German, Hungarian, Albanian, Macedonian, Romani, Romanian, Ladino
Demonym(s)	Yugoslav
Government	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy (1918–1929, 1931–1939) Unitary absolute monarchy under royal dictatorship (1929–1931) Federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy (1939–1941)
King
• 1918–1921	Peter I
• 1921–1934	Alexander I
• 1934–1941	Peter II[b]
Prince Regent
• 1918–1921	Prince Alexander
• 1934–1941	Prince Paul
Prime Minister
• 1918–1919 (first)	Stojan Protić
• 1941 (last)	Dušan Simović
Legislature	Provisional Representation (1919–1920) National Assembly[c] (1920–1941)
• Upper house	Senate (since 1931)
• Lower house	Chamber of Deputies (since 1931)
Historical era	Interwar period • World War II
• Established	1 December 1918
• Vidovdan Constitution	28 June 1921
• 6 Jan. Dictatorship	6 January 1929
• Octroic Constitution	3 September 1931
• King assassinated	9 October 1934
• Sporazum in Croatia	25 August 1939
• Joined the Axis	25 March 1941
• Coup d'état	27 March 1941
• Axis invasion	6 April 1941
• Government-in-exile	April 1941
• Monarchy abolished	29 November 1945
Area
1941[3]	247,542 km2 (95,577 sq mi)
Population
• 1918[4]	12,017,323
• 1931[5]	13,934,000
Currency	Yugoslav krone (1918–1920) Yugoslav dinar (1920–1941)
Preceded by Succeeded by Kingdom of Serbia State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs Kingdom of Hungary (portion) Kingdom of Italy (portion) Kingdom of Bulgaria (portion) German-occupied Serbia Italian governorate of Montenegro Independent State of Croatia Kingdom of Italy Kingdom of Bulgaria Kingdom of Hungary Italian protectorate of Albania Nazi Germany Yugoslav govt.-in-exile
^ Serbo-Croatian and Slovene are separate languages, but that was not officially accepted or universally acknowledged at the time, and 'Serbo-Croato-Slovene' was declared the single official language (srbsko-hrvatsko-slovenački or srbsko-hrvatsko-slovenski; also translated "Serbocroatoslovenian"). In practice it functioned as Serbo-Croatian.[6][7] ^ Peter II, still underage, was declared an adult by a military coup. Shortly after his assumption of royal authority, Yugoslavia was occupied by the Axis and the young King went into exile. In 1944, he accepted the formation of Democratic Federal Yugoslavia. He was deposed by the Yugoslav parliament in 1945. ^ Unicameral until 1931.

The preliminary kingdom was formed in 1918 by the merger of the provisional State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs (itself formed from territories of the former Austria-Hungary, encompassing today's Bosnia and Herzegovina and most of today's Croatia and Slovenia) and Banat, Bačka and Baranja (that had been part of the Kingdom of Hungary within Austria-Hungary) with the formerly independent Kingdom of Serbia. In the same year, the Kingdom of Montenegro also proclaimed its unification with Serbia, whereas the regions of Kosovo and Vardar Macedonia had become parts of Serbia prior to the unification.[10]

The state was ruled by the Serbian dynasty of Karađorđević, which previously ruled the Kingdom of Serbia under Peter I from 1903 (after the May Coup) onward. Peter I became the first king of Yugoslavia until his death in 1921. He was succeeded by his son Alexander I, who had been regent for his father. He was known as "Alexander the Unifier" and he renamed the kingdom "Yugoslavia" in 1929. He was assassinated in Marseille by Vlado Chernozemski, a member of the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO), during his visit to France in 1934. The crown passed to his 11-year-old son, Peter. Alexander's cousin Paul ruled as Prince regent until 1941, when Peter II came of age.[11] The royal family flew to London the same year, prior to the country being invaded by the Axis powers.

In April 1941, the country was occupied and partitioned by the Axis powers. A royal government-in-exile, recognized by the United Kingdom and, later, by all the Allies, was established in London. In 1944, after pressure from the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, the King recognized the government of Democratic Federal Yugoslavia as the legitimate government. This was established on 2 November following the signing of the Treaty of Vis by Ivan Šubašić (on behalf of the Kingdom) and Josip Broz Tito (on behalf of the Yugoslav Partisans).[12]