The murderers of King Alexander and Queen Draga, who on that gruesome dawn of the 11th June 1903 made themselves masters of Belgrade, and consequently of Serbia, have taken care that many of the details of their terrible deed should not be made public. But those few details which could not be hidden were of such a revolting and horrible nature that the whole civilised world stood aghast; indeed, the conscience of the civilised nations has not yet recovered from the shock that it then received. But the assassination of King Alexander and Queen Draga was more terrible, and the drama of King Alexander’s destiny more tragical, than is generally known. It has seemed to me, in the interests of history and justice, that the world should learn the whole truth. In presenting an historical sketch of the last years and sad end of the Obrenovich Dynasty I have no political object in view. An inscrutable Providence has enacted on the volcanic platform of a small Balkan State a tragedy, of which the extraordinary sadness must always arouse in the hearts of noble and generous men and women the deepest pity and sympathy. I intend to describe that tragedy. I wish impartially to relate all that can be justly and truthfully said for and against King Alexander and Queen Draga, that can explain that horrible deed, and all that can be said in justification – or at least in extenuation – of that crime. My desire is to tell the whole truth, and by truth to move my readers to pity the victims as well as the principal actors of this, the greatest tragedy of the last hundred years.