Wikipedia
List of rulers of Wallachia
This is a list of rulers of Wallachia, from the first mention of a medieval polity situated between the Southern Carpathians and the Danube until the union with Moldavia in 1859, which led to the creation of Romania.
Notes
Dynastic rule is hard to ascribe, given the loose traditional definition of the ruling family. On principle, princes were chosen from any family branch, including a previous ruler's bastard sons, being defined as os de domn, "of Voivode marrow", or as having heregie, "heredity" (from the Latin hereditas); the institutions charged with the election, dominated by the boyars, had fluctuating degrees of influence. The system itself was challenged by usurpers, and became obsolete with the Phanariote epoch, when rulers were appointed by the Ottoman Sultans; between 1821 and 1878 (the date of Romania's independence), various systems combining election and appointment were put in practice. Wallachian rulers, like the Moldavian rulers, bore the titles of Voivode ("duke") or/and Hospodar ("lord, master"); when writing in Romanian, the term Domn (from the Latin dominus) was used.
Most rulers did not use the form of the name they are cited with, and several used more than one form of their own name; in some cases, the ruler was only mentioned in foreign sources. The full names are either modern versions or ones based on mentions in various chronicles.
List
Early rulers
House of Basarab
| Ruler | Portrait | Years | Family | Marriage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radu Negru | c. 1290 – 1310 | Unknown | Radu Negru is legendary voivode of Wallachia; some historians consider it to be just a nickname of Thocomerius or Basarab I. | ||
| Basarab I the Founder (Basarab I Întemeietorul) | c. 1310 – 1352 | Basarab | Margaret two children | son of Thocomerius; first non-legendary ruler of Wallachia. | |
| Nicolae Alexandru | 1352–1364 | Basarab | Maria Lackfy five children Clara Dobokai two children Margareta Dabkai no children | son of Basarab I | |
| Vladislav I Vlaicu-Vodă | c. 1364 – 1377 | Basarab | unknown | son of Nicolae Alexandru | |
| Radu I | c. 1377 – 1383 | Basarab | Anna one child Kalinikia c.1354 or 1355 two children | son of Nicolae Alexandru | |
| Dan I | c. 1383 – 1386 | Dănești | Maria of Serbia one child | son of Radu I | |
| Mircea I the Elder (Mircea I cel Bătrân) | 1386–1394 1397–1418 | Basarab | Maria Tolmay six children Anca no children | Son of Radu I. Wallachia reached one of its peaks. Was deposed by a usurper, Vlad. | |
| Vlad I the Usurper (Vlad I Uzurpatorul) | 1394–1397 | Dănești | Unknown | second son of Dan I, usurped the throne | |
| Mihail I | 1418–1420 | Basarab | unknown two children | Son of Mircea cel Bătrân, co-ruled with his father since 1415. | |
| Radu II the Bald (Radu II Praznaglava) | 1420–1422 1426–1427 | Basarab | unknown | Son of Mircea cel Bătrân | |
| Dan II | 1422–1426 1427–1431 | Dănești | unknown five children | Son of Dan I, member of the Order of the Dragon | |
| Alexandru I Aldea | 1431–1436 | Basarab | unknown | son of Mircea cel Bătrân | |
| Vlad II the Dragon (Vlad II Dracul) | 1436–1442 1443–1447 | Drăculești | unknown one child Cneajna of Moldavia three children | illegitimate son of Mircea cel Bătrân; member of the Order of the Dragon (thus Dracul); While in negotiations outside Wallachia with the Ottoman Empire, his son Mircea was named prince. He returned to the throne in 1443, winning against John Hunyadi, and deposing also Basarab II. He was assassinated in 1447. | |
| Mircea II the Younger (Mircea al II-lea cel Tânăr) | 1442 | Drăculești | Unmarried | son of Vlad II Dracul, sometimes not counted; he ruled while his father was absent, on his way to pay the tribute to the Ottoman Empire; Deposed by John Hunyadi. Returned in 1446, co-ruling with his father. He was blinded and buried alive by Hunyadi in 1447. | |
| Basarab II | 1442–1443 | Dănești | Maria (Dobra) two children | son of Dan II; Placed in the throne by John Hunyadi, in war with Vlad II. | |
| Vladislav II | 1447–1448 1448–1456 | Dănești | Neacşa one child | son of Dan II; supported by John Hunyadi, Regent of Hungary; The way he came to the throne is debatable, but the most accepted is that he killed Vlad II, and was then replaced in the throne by Hunyadi. Returned in 1448, after deposing Vlad the Impaler, and ruled again until his death in a combat hand-to-hand against Vlad III, who retook the throne | |
| Vlad III the Impaler (Vlad al III-lea Țepeș) | 1448 1456–1462 1476 | Drăculești | Justina Szilágyi Between 1475 and 1476 | son of Vlad II Dracul, invaded Wallachia while Vladislav was away, in battle against the Ottomans; Deposed in the next year by Hunyadi. Returned in 1456, after killing Vladislav II in battle. Deposed again in 1462. | |
| Radu III the Fair (Radu cel Frumos) | 1462–1473 1473–1474 1474 1474–1475 | Drăculești | Maria one child | son of Vlad II Dracul; From 1473 in war with Basarab III. | |
| Basarab III Laiotă the Old (Basarab Laiotă cel Bătrân) | 1473 1474 1474 1475–1476 1476–1477 | Dănești | Unmarried | son of Dan II; In war against Radu III;1st rule | |
| Basarab IV The Younger, The Little Impaler (Basarab IV Țepeluș cel Tânăr) | 1477–1481 1481–1482 | Dănești | Maria one child | son of Basarab II | |
| Mircea (II) | 1480 | Drăculești | Unknown | illegitimate son of Vlad II Dracul. Placed on the throne by Stephen the Great from July to November 1480. | |
| Vlad IV the Monk (Vlad Călugărul) | 1481 1482–1495 | Drăculești | Rada Smaranda Before 1460 four children Maria Palaiologina 1487 one child | son of Vlad II Dracul | |
| Radu IV the Great (Radu cel Mare) | 1495–1508 | Drăculești | Catherine of Zeta six children | son of Vlad Călugărul | |
| Mihnea I the Bad (Mihnea cel Rău) | 1508–1509 | Drăculești | Smaranda no children Voica three children | son of Vlad III Țepeș | |
| Mircea III Dracul | 1509–1510 | Drăculești | Maria of Serbia 1519 two children | son of Mihnea cel Rău | |
| Vlad V the Younger (Vlad cel Tânăr) | 1510–1512 | Drăculești | Anca of Zeta Before 1508 one child | son of Vlad Călugărul; also known as Vlăduț | |
| Neagoe Basarab | 1512–1521 | Craiovești | Milica of Serbia 1505 six children | possibly son of Pârvu Craiovescu or Basarab IV; The most accepted theory is that he claimed the throne as a son of Basarab IV, being in fact son of Pârvu. Cultural zenith in Wallachia. | |
| Milica of Serbia (Regent) | 1521–1522 | Branković/ Craiovești | Neagoe Basarab 1505 six children | Regent in behalf of her son | |
| Teodosie | Craiovești | Unmarried | under regency of his mother Milica Despina | ||
| Vlad (Dragomir) the Monk Vlad (Dragomir) Călugărul | 1521 | Drăculești | Unknown | possible son of Vlad the Younger. Ruled from September to October 1521. | |
| Radu V | 1522–1523 1524 1524–1525 1525–1529 | Drăculești | Voica of Bucsani three children Ruxandra of Wallachia After 1525 no children | illegitimate son of Radu cel Mare; allied with Craiovești | |
| Vladislav III | 1523 1524 1525 | Dănești | Unknown | nephew of Vladislav II | |
| Radu VI Bădica | 1523–1524 | Drăculești | Unknown | son of Radu IV the Great. | |
| Basarab VI | 1529 | Unknown | Non-dynastic; Son of Mehmed-bey | ||
| Moise | 1529–1530 | Dănești | Unknown | son of Vladislav III. Last of the Dănești. | |
| Vlad VI the Drowned (Vlad Înecatul) | 1530–1532 | Drăculești | Anna of Moldavia 1531 no children | son of Vlad cel Tânăr | |
| Vlad VII Vintilă de la Slatina | 1532–1535 | Drăculești | Zamfira one child Rada one child | son of Radu cel Mare | |
| Radu VII Paisie | 1535–1545 | Drăculești | Stana three children Ruxandra of Wallachia c.1541 three children | son of Vlad Vintilă de la Slatina | |
| Mircea V the Shepherd (Mircea Ciobanul) | 1545–1552 1553–1554 1558–1559 | Drăculești | Chiajna of Moldavia June 1546 seven children | son of Radu IV. | |
| Radu VIII Ilie the Cowherd (Radu Ilie Haidăul) | 1552–1553 | Drăculești | Unknown | son of Radu de la Afumați | |
| Pătrașcu the Good (Pătrașcu cel Bun) | 1554–1558 | Drăculești | Voica of Slatioare four children | son of Radu Paisie | |
| Chiajna of Moldavia (regent) | 1559–1564 | Drăculești | Mircea V June 1546 seven children | Regent on behalf of her son. | |
| Petru I the Younger (Petru cel Tânăr) | 1564–1568 | Drăculești | Jelena Crepovic of Transylvania 22 August 1563 one child | son of Mircea Ciobanul | |
| Alexandru II Mircea | 1568–1574 1574–1577 | Drăculești | Catherine Salvaresso 1558 Pera one child | Son of Mircea III Dracul; popularly called Oaie Seacă (Barren Sheep); in 1574 was expelled by Vintilă, but returned in that same year to the throne. | |
| Vintilă | 1574 | Drăculești | Unknown | son of Petru Pătrașcu cel Bun | |
| Catherine Salvaresso (regent) | 1577–1583 | Salvaresso/Drăculești | Alexandru II Mircea 1558 Pera one child | Regent on behalf of her son, Mihnea II. Deposed by Peter II. | |
| Petru II of the Earring (Petru Cercel) | 1583–1585 | Drăculești | Unmarried | son of Petru Pătrașcu cel Bun | |
| Mihnea II the Turk (Mihnea Turcitul) | 1585–1591 | Drăculești | Neaga de Cislau June 1582 three children | Paid for the assassination of his usurper. Returned and ruled alone. |
House of Bogdan-Muşat
| Ruler | Portrait | Years | Family | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ștefan I Surdul (Stephen the Deaf) | 1591–1592 | |||
| Alexandru III cel Rău (Alexander III the Bad) | 1592–1593 | also ruled Moldavia (1592) |
Houses of Basarab and Movilă
| Ruler | Portrait | Years | Family | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mihail II Viteazul (Michael II the Brave) | 1593–1600 | Drăculești | according to some, the illegitimate son of Petru Pătrașcu cel Bun; also ruled Transylvania (1599–1600) and Moldavia (1600), briefly bringing the three principalities under a personal union. | |
| Nicolae Pătrașcu | 1599–1600 | Drăculești | Son of Michael II, co-ruled with his father since 1599. | |
| Simion Movilă | 1600–1601 1602 | Movilești | ||
| Radu IX Mihnea | 1601–1602 1611 1611–1616 | Drăculești | son of Minhea II Turcitul; 1st rule | |
| Radu X Șerban | 1602–1610 1611 | Nephew of Neagoe Basarab. 1st rule | ||
| Transylvanian occupation: direct rule of Gabriel Báthory (1611) | ||||
| Gabriel Movilă | 1616 | Movilești | son of Simion Movilă; 1st rule | |
Various dynasties
| Ruler | Portrait | Years | Family | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandru IV Iliaș | 1616–1618 | 1st rule | ||
| Gabriel II Movilă | 1618–1620 | Movilești | 2nd rule | |
| Radu IX Mihnea | 1620–1623 | Drăculești | 4th rule | |
| Alexandru V Coconul (Alexander the Child-Prince) | 1623–1627 | Drăculești | son of Radu Mihnea | |
| Alexandru IV Iliaș | 1627–1629 | 2nd rule | ||
| Leon Tomșa | 1629–1632 | |||
| Radu XI Iliaș | 1632 | |||
| Matei Basarab | 1632–1654 | Brâncovenești | ||
| Constantin I Șerban | 1654–1658 | illegitimate son of Radu Șerban | ||
| Mihnea III | 1658–1659 | |||
| Gheorghe I Ghica | 1659–1660 | Ghica | ||
| Grigore I Ghica | 1660–1664 | Ghica | 1st rule | |
| Radu XII Leon | 1664–1669 | |||
| Antonie Vodă din Popeşti | 1669–1672 | |||
| Grigore I Ghica | 1672–1673 | Ghica | 2nd rule | |
| Gheorghe II Ducas | 1673–1678 | |||
| Șerban Cantacuzino | 1678–1688 | Cantacuzene | ||
| Constantin II Brâncoveanu | 1688–1714 | Brâncovenești | ||
| Ștefan II Cantacuzino | 1714–1715 | Cantacuzene | ||
| Phanariote rule (1715–1821) | ||||
| Nicolae Mavrocordat | 1715–1716 | Mavrocordato | 1st rule | |
| – Habsburg occupation | 1716 | |||
| Ioan Mavrocordat | 1716–1719 | Mavrocordato | ||
| Nicolae Mavrocordat | 1719–1730 | Mavrocordato | 2nd rule | |
| Constantin Mavrocordat | 1730 | Mavrocordato | 1st rule | |
| Mihai Racoviță | 1730–1731 | Racoviță | 1st rule | |
| Constantin Mavrocordat | 1731–1733 | Mavrocordato | 2nd rule | |
| Grigore II Ghica | 1733–1735 | Ghica | 1st rule | |
| Constantin Mavrocordat | 1735–1741 | Mavrocordato | 3rd rule | |
| Mihai Racoviță | 1741–1744 | Racoviță | 2nd rule | |
| Constantin Mavrocordat | 1744–1748 | Mavrocordato | 4th rule | |
| Grigore II Ghica | 1748–1752 | Ghica | 2nd rule | |
| Matei Ghica | 1752–1753 | Ghica | ||
| Constantin Racoviță | 1753–1756 | 1st rule | ||
| Constantin Mavrocordat | 1756–1758 | 5th rule | ||
| Scarlat Ghica | 1758–1761 | Ghica | 1st rule | |
| Constantin Mavrocordat | 1761–1763 | 6th rule | ||
| Constantin Racoviță | 1763–1764 | Racoviță | 2nd rule | |
| Ștefan Racoviță | 1764–1765 | Racoviță | ||
| Scarlat Ghica | 1765–1766 | Ghica | 2nd rule | |
| Alexandru I Ghica | 1766–1768 | Ghica | ||
| – Russian occupation | 1768 | |||
| Grigore III Ghica | 1768–1769 | Ghica | ||
| – Russian occupation | 1769–1770 | |||
| Emanuel Giani Ruset | 1770–1771 | Rosetti | also called Manole or Manolache | |
| Alexander Ypsilantis | 1774–1782 | Ypsilanti | 1st rule | |
| Nicolae Caragea | 1782–1783 | Caradja | ||
| Mihai Suțu | 1783–1786 | Soutzos | 1st rule | |
| Nicolae Mavrogheni | 1786–1789 | |||
| – Habsburg occupation | 1789–1790 | military commander: Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg | ||
| Mihai Suțu | 1791–1793 | Soutzos | 2nd rule | |
| Alexandru Moruzi | 1793–1796 | Mourousi | 1st rule | |
| Alexander Ypsilantis | 1796–1797 | Ypsilanti | 2nd rule | |
| Constantin Hangerli | 1797–1799 | |||
| Alexandru Moruzi | 1799–1801 | Mourousi | 2nd rule | |
| Mihai Suțu | 1801–1802 | Soutzos | 3rd rule | |
| Alexandru Suțu | 1802 | Soutzos | ||
| Constantin Ypsilanti | 1802–1806 | Ypsilanti | ||
| – Russian occupation | 1806–1812 | |||
| Ioan Gheorghe Caragea | 1812–1818 | Caradja | ||
| Caimacam Grigore Brâncovenu | 1818 | assisted by Vornic Barbu Văcărescu, Vistier Grigore Ghica and Logofăt Samurcaș | ||
| Alexandru Suțu | 1818–1821 | Soutzos | ||
| Caimacam Grigore Brâncoveanu | 1821 | |||
| Tudor Vladimirescu | 1821 | leader of the anti-Phanariote uprising | ||
| Scarlat Callimachi | 1821 | Callimachi | ||
| Grigore IV Ghica | 1822–1828 | Ghica | ||
| – Russian occupation | 1828–1834 | military commanders: Fyodor Pahlen, Pyotr Zheltukhin, and Pavel Kiseleff | ||
| Organic Statute government (1832–1856) | ||||
| Alexandru II Ghica | 1834–1842 | Ghica | ||
| Gheorghe Bibescu | 1842–1848 | Craiovești / Brâncovenești / Știrbei / Bibescu | ||
| Provisional Government | 1848 | Metropolitan Neofit II, assisted by Christian Tell, Ion Heliade Rădulescu, Ștefan Golescu, Gheorghe Magheru, Gheorghe Scurti | ||
| Locotenența domnească (Regency of three) | 1848 | Christian Tell, Ion Heliade Rădulescu, Nicolae Golescu | ||
| Joint Ottoman and Russian occupation | 1848–1851 | military commanders: Omar Pasha and Alexander von Lüders | ||
| Caimacam Constantin Cantacuzino | 1848 | |||
| Barbu Știrbei | 1848–1853 | Știrbei | 1st rule | |
| Russian occupation | 1853–1854 | |||
| Ottoman occupation | 1854 | |||
| Austrian occupation | 1854–1856 | military commander: Johann Coronini-Cronberg | ||
| Barbu Știrbei | 1854–1856 | Știrbei | 2nd rule | |
| Protectorate established by the Treaty of Paris (1856–1859) | ||||
| Caimacam Alexandru II Ghica | 1856–1858 | |||
| Caimacam of three | 1858–1859 | Ioan Manu, Emanoil Băleanu, Ioan A. Filipescu | ||
| Alexander John Cuza | 1859–1862 | also ruled Moldavia in personal union | ||
| United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia since 1862. | ||||
| Alexander John Cuza | 1862–1866 | also ruled Moldavia in personal union | ||
| Carol I | 1866–1881 | Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen | A new constitution came into effect in 1866 giving the country the official name Romania, and on 14 March (O.S.) (26 March) 1881, it became the Kingdom of Romania. | |
| For later rulers, see Kings of Romania. | ||||
See also
Bibliography
- Constantin Rezachevici (2001). Cronologia critică a domnilor din Țara Românească și Moldova: a. 1324-1881. Editura Enciclopedică. ISBN 9734503863.
- Treptow, Kurt W. (2000). Vlad III Dracula: The Life and Times of the Historical Dracula. The Center of Romanian Studies. ISBN 973-98392-2-3.
External links
- Rulers of Wallachia