America's King Multi-Cache
Mr.Charlie: God save the King, but not the cache.
More
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size:
 (regular)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
The cache is not at the listed coordinates. You will need to visit the grave of the only European King buried in the United States. Please be respectful of the location. If there are services being conducted during your visit you are requested to come back another time.
King Peter II of Yugoslavia is was the only European King buried in the United States.
His Majesty was born on 6 September 1923 in Belgrade. His father was King Alexander I of Yugoslavia. In 1934, while on a state visit to France, King Alexander I was assassinated in Marseille and young Peter ascended to the throne. Because he was only eleven years old a regency was established to control the government until Peter was old enough to assume the duties of a head of state.
King Peter II was opposed to the Nazis in World War II but one of his regents, Prince Paul, declared that Yugoslavia would join the Axis powers on 25 March 1941. With the backing of the British, King Peter II assumed control of the government two days later. In retaliation the Germans attacked Yugoslavia and overran the country in eleven days. Peter was forced to leave Yugoslavia and set up a government in exile based in London. During the War, Peter completed his education at Cambridge University and then joined the Royal Air Force to fight the Nazis.
There were two rival factions back in Yugoslavia. The Chetniks were loyal to King Peter II and were commanded by General Dragoljub Mihailovic. The Partisans were a communist group led by Marshall Josep Tito. The two groups fought each other in a bitter civil war while also attempting to push the Nazis out of their homeland. By the end of the war the communist Partisans had assumed control of the country with the help of the Soviet military. They abolished the monarchy and established a communist state.
While King Peter II never abdicated the throne, he was unable to return to Yugoslavia as long as the communists were in control. He lived in exile abroad and died in Colorado on 3 November 1970. He requested that he be buried at the St. Sava Monastery in Libertyville.
His Majesty's son, Crown Prince Alexander II is the current head of the Serbian Royal Family. Now that the communist regime has fallen he lives with his family in the Royal Palace in Belgrade. He has declared his intent to bring King Peter's remains back to his homeland. You may pay your respects to King Peter II in Libertyville for now, but time may be running short.
***His Majesty Peter II has returned to Serbia. In a ceremony in January, 2013, his remains were removed from their resting place at St. Sava and he will be reburied in May, 2013 in the Mausoleum of the Serbian Royal Family at Oplenac, Serbia. You can still find the cache, however, you just need to pay close attention to determine where the grave was located. ***
To find the cache:
You will need to visit the grave of King Peter II at St. Sava. His Majesty is was interred inside the chapel at the posted coordinates. There, and nearby, you will find the information you need to build the coordinates for the final cache location. The final cache is a short drive away from the cemetery.
The cache is located at N42 AB.CDE W87 FG.HIJ
King Peter II is was buried inside the chapel. His grave is was in the floor on the north side underneath stained glass windows. While his majesty is no longer buried here, there is a small plaque indicating the former site. D is the number of windows directly above His Majesty's grave. Add the similar grouping on the opposite wall to determine G.
Just to the south of the door to the chapel, on the exterior wall, is a red granite plaque with a dedication date engraved in both English and Cyrillic letters. The chapel was dedicated on October 7, BEAJ.
Outside the chapel are buried former religious leaders of the community. Count the graves on both sides of the chapel within the small fenced area, but not the graves in the back. This number is F.
To the west of the chapel is a plaza with three busts dedicated to WWII Yugoslavian heroes. The middle and largest bust is a memorial to General Dragoljub Mihailovich. According to the Legion of Merit awarded by President Harry S Truman, General Mihailovich was credited with rescuing a large number of American airmen who had been shot down over Yugoslavia during the war. The number of airmen listed on the plaque is IHC.
DO NOT ATTEMPT ANY STAGE OF THIS CACHE AFTER HOURS. LOGS INDICATING FINDS AFTER ANY LOCATION IS CLOSED WILL BE DELETED.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)
Treasures
You'll collect a digital Treasure from one of these collections when you find and log this geocache:

Loading Treasures