This is a List of rulers of Moldavia, from the first mention of the medieval polity east of the Carpathians and until its disestablishment in 1862, when it united with Wallachia, the other Danubian Principality, to form the modern-day state 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 branch, including a previous ruler's bastard sons – being defined as os de domn – "of Voivode marrow", or as having hereghie – "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 1862, various systems combining election and appointment were put in practice. Moldavian rulers, like Wallachian and other Eastern European rulers, bore the titles of Voivode or/and Hospodar.
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.
The list is brought up to date for the first rulers, following the documented studies of Ștefan S. Gorovei[1] and Constantin Rezachevici.[2]
List[]
Princes of Moldavia[]
House of Dragoș[]
Portrait | Ruler | Began | Ended | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dragoș | c. 1347 | c. 1354 | Described as an early ruler of Moldavia, he was sent there as a representative of king Louis I of Hungary to establish a line of defense against the Golden Horde, where he ruled. | |
Sas | c. 1354 | c. 1363 | son of Dragoș | |
Balc of Moldavia | c. | c. | son of Sas |
House of Bogdan-Mușat[]
Portrait | Ruler | Began | Ended | Consort | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bogdan I the Founder | c. 1359 | 1367 | Maria three children |
Deposed Sas | |
Petru I | 1367 | July 1368 | Unmarried | Grandson of Bogdan I,[3] rule not universally accepted by modern historians | |
Lațcu | July 1368 | 1375 | Anna before 1372 one child |
Son of Bogdan I, deposed Petru I [3] | |
Petru II Mușat | 1375 | December 1391 | Sophia of Lithuania 1387 no children Olga of Warsaw 1388 no children |
Son of Costea; often referred as Petru I Mușat | |
Roman I | December 1391 | March 1394 | Anastasia three children |
Son of Costea | |
Ștefan I | March 1394 | 28 November 1399 | Unmarried | Son of Roman I | |
Iuga (George I) | 28 November 1399 | 29 June 1400 | Unmarried | Son of Roman I, deposed by intervention of Mircea I of Wallachia | |
Alexandru I the Good | 29 June 1400 | 1 January 1432 | Margareta of Losoncz 1394 two children Anna Neacsa of Podolsk 1405 three children Ringala of Lithuania 1419 (divorced 13 December 1421) no children Marina Bratul 1421 three children |
Son of Roman I, installed by Mircea I of Wallachia | |
Iliaș I | 1 January 1432 | October 1433 | Maria Olshanki of Lithuania 23 October 1425 three children |
Son of Alexandru cel Bun; 1st rule | |
Ștefan II | October 1433 | 4 August 1435 | Unmarried | Illegitimate son of Alexandru cel Bun; 1st rule (only de facto ruler till September 1434) | |
Iliaș I | 4 August 1435 | May 1443 | Maria Olshanki of Lithuania 23 October 1425 three children |
2nd rule, jointly with Ștefan II | |
Ștefan II | 4 August 1435 | 13 July 1447 | Unmarried | 2nd rule, 4 August 1435 – May 1443 jointly with Iliaș; May 1444–1445 jointly with Petru III | |
Petru III | May 1444 | 1445 | An unknown sister of John Hunyadi before 1445 no children |
1st rule, jointly with Ștefan II. | |
Roman II | 13 July 1447 | 22 August 1447 | Unmarried | son of Iliaș; 1st rule | |
Petru III | 22 August 1447 | 23 December 1447 | An unknown sister of John Hunyadi before 1445 no children |
2nd rule | |
Roman II | 23 December 1447 | between 23 February and 5 April 1448 | Unmarried | 2nd rule | |
Petru III | 5 April 1448 | 10 October 1448 | An unknown sister of John Hunyadi before 1445 no children |
3rd rule | |
Csupor de Monoszló (Usurper) |
10 October 1448 | December 1448 | Unknown | Non-dynastic. Born in Croatia, he was a Hungarian nobleman, commander of troops of John Hunyadi. He was sent in support of Petru III to depose his brother Roman, but Petru died suddenly two months later. Csupor ascended at the throne. His name, literally Tub Voivode was mentioned by Grigore Ureche. | |
Alexandru II | December 1448 | 12 January 1449 | Unmarried | son of Iliaș I; 1st rule | |
Bogdan II | 12 January 1449 | 15 October 1451 | Oltea before 1433 six children |
nephew of Alexandru the Good. | |
Petru IV Aron | 15 October 1451 | 24 February 1452 | Unknown before 1455 one child |
illegitimate son of Alexandru the Good; 1st rule | |
Alexandru II | 24 February 1452 | 22 August 1454 | Unmarried | 2nd rule | |
Petru IV Aron | 22 August 1454 | between 8 December 1454 and 8 February 1455 | Unknown before 1455 one child |
2nd rule | |
Alexandru II | 8 February 1455 | 25 March 1455 | Unmarried | 3rd rule | |
Petru IV Aron | 25 March 1455 | 12 April 1457 | Unknown before 1455 one child |
3rd rule | |
Ștefan III the Great | 12 April 1457 | 2 July 1504 | Eudokia Olelkovna of Lithuania 5 July 1463 Suceava three children Maria Asanina Palaiologina of Gothia 14 September 1472 Suceava four children Maria Voichița of Wallachia 1478 three children |
Son of Bogdan II. In his reign Moldavia reaches its zenith. | |
Bogdan III The One-Eyed | 2 July 1504 | 22 April 1517 | Anastasia 1510 no children Ruxandra of Wallachia 21 July 1513 no children |
son of Ștefan III the Great; | |
Luca Arbore (Regent) |
22 April 1517 | 1523 | Unknown | Gatekeeper of Suceava. Regent in the name of Stefan IV. | |
Ștefan IV the Younger | 1523 | 14 January 1527 | Stana of Wallachia 1524 no children |
Son of Bogdan III; also called Ștefăniță until 1523 under the regency of Luca Arbore, Gatekeeper of Suceava | |
Petru V Rareș | 14 January 1527 | 14 September 1538 | Maria before 1529 four children Elena of Serbia 1530 four children |
Illegitimate son of Stephen the Great, 1st rule | |
Ștefan V Lăcustă | 21 September 1538 | 20 December 1540 | Chiajna before 1540 two children |
grandson of Stephen the Great | |
Alexandru III the Evil | 21 December 1540 | 9 or 16 February 1541 | Unmarried | son of Bogdan III | |
Petru V Rareș | 9 or 16 February 1541 | 2 or 3 September 1546 | Maria before 1529 four children Elena of Serbia 1530 four children |
2nd rule | |
Ilie II Rareș | 2 or 3 September 1546 | 30 May 1551 | Unmarried | 1st son of Petru Rareș | |
Ștefan VI Rareș | 30 May 1551 | 1 September 1552 | Unmarried | 2nd son of Petru Rareș | |
Ioan I Joldea | between 4 and 12 September 1552 | between 4 and 12 September 1552 | Unmarried | Non-dynastic. Ruled 2 or 3 days in 1552. | |
Alexandru IV Lăpușneanu | between 4 and 12 September 1552 | 30 November 1561 | Ruxandra of Moldavia January 1556 fourteen children |
Son of Bogdan III, brother of Ștefan IV; 1st rule | |
Ioan II Iacob Heraclid (Jacob Heraclides) |
18 November 1561 | 9 November 1563 | A illegitimate daughter of Mircea IV of Wallachia no children |
The Despot Vodă, non-dynastic. | |
Ștefan VII Tomșa | 9 August 1563 | between 20 February and 10 March 1564 | Unknown at least two children |
Non-dynastic. | |
Alexandru IV Lăpușneanu | between 20 February and 10 March 1564 | 9 March 1568 | Ruxandra of Moldavia January 1556 fourteen children |
Restored to the throne. | |
Ruxandra of Moldavia (regent) |
9 March 1568 | November 1570 | Alexandru IV Lăpușneanu January 1556 fourteen children |
Widow of Alexander IV. Regent on behalf of her son. | |
Bogdan IV | November 1570 | 15 February 1572 | A princess from the Paniczewsk family 1571 one child |
Son of Alexandru Lăpușneanu | |
Ioan III the Terrible | 15 February 1572 | 11 June 1574 | Maria Semionovna of Rostov 1552 Moscow two children |
Son of Ștefan IV; also called cel Viteaz) (the Brave) |
Houses of Basarab (Drăculeşti line) and Bogdan-Muşat[]
Portrait | Ruler | Began | Ended | Family | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Petru VI the Lame | 1574 | 1577 | Drăculești | 1st rule | |
Ioan IV Potcoavă | November 1577 | December 1577 | Hetman, also called Ivan Pidkova, Nicoară Potcoavă or Ivan Sarpega. Non-dynastic. | ||
Petru VI the Lame | 1578 | 1579 | Drăculești | 2nd rule | |
Ioan V the Saxon | 1579 | 1582 | Bogdan-Mușat | illegitimate son of Petru Rareș | |
Petru VI the Lame | 1582 | 1591 | Drăculești | 3rd rule | |
Aaron I the Tyrant | 1591 | 1592 | Bogdan-Mușat | son of Alexandru Lăpușneanu; 1st rule | |
Alexandru V the Wrongdoer | 1592 | 1592 | Bogdan-Mușat | son of Bogdan IV; also ruled Wallachia (1592–1593) | |
Petru VII the Cossack | 1592 | 1592 | Bogdan-Mușat | son of Alexandru IV Lăpușneanu | |
Aaron I the Tyrant | 1592 | 1595 | Bogdan-Mușat | 2nd rule | |
Ștefan VIII Răzvan | 1595 | 1595 |
Houses of Basarab (Drăculești line) and Movilești[]
Various dynasties[]
Portrait | Ruler | Began | Ended | Family | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alexandru VII Iliaş | 1620 | 1621 | Bogdan-Mușat | nephew of Petru VI, Aron Tiranul and Bogdan IV; 1st rule | |
Ștefan IX Tomșa | 1621 | 1623 | 2nd rule | ||
Radu Mihnea | 1623 | 1626 | Drăculești | 2nd rule | |
Miron Barnovschi-Movilă | 1626 | 1629 | Movilești | 1st rule | |
Alexandru VIII Coconul (Alexander the Child-Prince) |
1626 | 1629 | Drăculești | 1st rule | |
Moise Movilă | 1630 | 1631 | Movilești | 1st rule | |
Alexandru VII Iliaș | 1631 | 1633 | Bogdan-Mușat | 2nd rule | |
Miron Barnovschi-Movilă | 1633 | 1633 | Movilești | 2nd rule | |
Moise Movilă | 1633 | 1634 | Movilești | 2nd rule | |
Vasile Lupu | 1634 | 1653 | 1st rule | ||
Gheorghe II Ștefan | 1653 | 1653 | 1st rule | ||
Vasile Lupu | 1653 | 1653 | 2nd rule | ||
Gheorghe II Ștefan | 1653 | 1658 | 2nd rule | ||
Gheorghe III Ghica | 1658 | 1659 | Ghica | ||
Constantin Șerban | 1659 | 1659 | 1st rule | ||
Ștefan X Lupu | 1659 | 1661 | also called Papură-Vodă (Bullrush Voivode); 1st rule | ||
Constantin Șerban | 1661 | 1661 | 2nd rule | ||
Ștefan X Lupu | 1659 | 1661 | 2nd rule | ||
Eustratie Dabija | 1661 | 1665 | |||
Gheorghe IV Duca | 1665 | 1666 | 1st rule | ||
Iliaș III Alexandru | 1666 | 1668 | Bogdan-Mușat | The last member of the House of Bogdan-Mușat reigning in Moldavia; son of Alexandru VII | |
Gheorghe IV Duca | 1668 | 1672 | 2nd rule | ||
Ștefan XI Petriceicu | 1672 | 1673 | 1st rule | ||
Dumitrașcu Cantacuzino | 1673 | 1673 | Cantacuzene | 1st rule | |
Ștefan XI Petriceicu | 1673 | 1674 | 2nd rule | ||
Dumitrașcu Cantacuzino | 1674 | 1675 | Cantacuzene | 2nd rule | |
Antonie Ruset | 1675 | 1678 | Rosetti | ||
Gheorghe IV Duca | 1678 | 1683 | 3rd rule | ||
Ștefan XI Petriceicu | 1683 | 1684 | 3rd rule | ||
Dumitrașcu Cantacuzino | 1684 | 1685 | Cantacuzene | 3rd rule | |
Constantin Cantemir | 1685 | 1693 | Cantemirești | ||
Dimitrie Cantemir | 1693 | 1693 | Cantemirești | 1st rule; deposed by Ottomans | |
Constantin Duca | 1693 | 1695 | 1st rule | ||
Antioh Cantemir | 1695 | 1700 | Cantemirești | 1st rule | |
Constantin Duca | 1700 | 1703 | 2nd rule | ||
Chancellor Ioan Buhuș |
1703 | 1703 | 1st term | ||
Mihail III Racoviță | 1703 | 1705 | Racoviță | 1st rule | |
Antioh Cantemir | 1705 | 1707 | Cantemirești | 2nd rule | |
Mihail III Racoviță | 1707 | 1709 | Racoviță | 2nd rule | |
Chancellor Ioan Buhuș |
1709 | 1710 | 2nd term | ||
Nicolae Mavrocordat | 1709 | 1710 | Mavrocordato | 1st rule | |
Dimitrie Cantemir | 1710 | 1711 | Cantemirești | 2nd rule |
Phanariotes (1711–1821)[]
Portrait | Ruler | Began | Ended | Family | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Caimacam Lupu Costachi |
1711 | 1711 | |||
Ioan Ι Mavrocordat | 1711 | 1711 | Mavrocordato | ||
Nicolae Mavrocordat | 1711 | 1715 | Mavrocordato | 2nd rule | |
Mihai III Racoviță | 1715 | 1726 | Racoviță | 3rd rule | |
Grigore II Ghica | 1726 | 1733 | Ghica | 1st rule | |
Constantin Mavrocordat | 1733 | 1735 | Mavrocordato | 1st rule | |
Grigore II Ghica | 1735 | 1739 | Ghica | 2nd rule | |
Russian occupation | 1739 | 1739 | Russo-Austrian-Turkish War (1735–1739) | ||
Beth Gait | 1739 | 1741 | Ghica | 3rd rule | |
Constantin Mavrocordat | 1741 | 1743 | Mavrocordato | 2nd rule | |
Ioan II Mavrocordat | 1743 | 1747 | Mavrocordato | son of Nicolae Mavrocordat and brother to Constantin Mavrocordat | |
Grigore II Ghica | 1747 | 1748 | Ghica | 4th rule | |
Constantin Mavrocordat | 1748 | 1749 | Mavrocordato | 3rd rule | |
Iordache Stavrachi | 1749 | 1749 | |||
Constantin Racoviță | 1749 | 1753 | Racoviță | 1st rule | |
Matei Ghica | 1753 | 1756 | Ghica | ||
Constantin Racoviță | 1756 | 1757 | Racoviță | 2nd rule | |
Scarlat Ghica | 1757 | 1758 | Ghica | ||
Ioan Teodor Callimachi | 1758 | 1761 | Callimachi | ||
Grigore Callimachi | 1761 | 1764 | Callimachi | 1st rule | |
Grigore III Ghica | 1764 | 1767 | Ghica | 1st rule | |
Grigore Callimachi | 1767 | 1769 | Callimachi | 2nd rule | |
Constantin Mavrocordat | 1769 | 1769 | Mavrocordato | 4th rule | |
Russian occupation | 1769 | 1774 | Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774) | ||
Grigore III Ghica | 1774 | 1777 | Ghica | 2nd rule | |
Constantin Moruzi | 1777 | 1782 | Mourousi | ||
Alexandru Mavrocordat Delibey | 1782 | 1785 | Mavrocordato | ||
Alexandru Mavrocordat Firaris | 1785 | 1786 | Mavrocordato | ||
Alexandru Ipsilanti | 1786 | 1788 | Ypsilanti | ||
Austrian occupation | 1787 | 1791 | military commander: Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg | ||
Emanuel Giani Ruset | 1788 | 1789 | Rosetti | also called Manole or Manolache | |
Russian occupation | 1788 | 1791 | Russo-Turkish War (1787–1792) | ||
Alexandru Moruzi | 1792 | 1792 | Mourousi | 1st rule | |
Mihai Suțu | 1793 | 1795 | Soutzos | also called Draco | |
Alexandru Callimachi | 1795 | 1799 | Callimachi | ||
Constantin Ipsilanti | 1799 | 1801 | Ypsilanti | ||
Alexandru Suțu | 1801 | 1802 | Soutzos | ||
Chancellor Iordache Conta |
1802 | 1802 | |||
Alexandru Moruzi | 1802 | 1802 | Mourousi | 2nd rule | |
Scarlat Callimachi | 1806 | 1806 | Callimachi | 1st rule | |
Alexandru Moruzi | 1806 | 1807 | Mourousi | 3rd rule | |
Russian occupation | 1806 | 1812 | Russo-Turkish War (1806–1812) | ||
Bessarabia is placed under Imperial Russian rule in 1812. (See also President of Moldova, for the rulers of Moldova, a part of this territory which became independent in the 20th century.) | |||||
Alexandru Hangerli | 1807 | 1807 | |||
Scarlat Callimachi | 1807 | 1810 | Callimachi | 2nd rule deposed by Russians | |
Caimacam Iordache Ruset-Roznovanu |
1807 | 1807 | Rosetti | ||
Caimacam Metropolitan Veniamin Costache |
1807 | 1812 | 1st term | ||
Scarlat Callimachi | 1812 | 1819 | Callimachi | 3rd rule | |
Mihail Suțu | 1819 | 1821 | Soutzos | ||
Stolnici Manu and Rizos-Nerulos |
1819 | 1819 | |||
Caimacam Metropolitan Veniamin Costache |
1821 | 1821 | 2nd term | ||
Filiki Eteria occupation | 1821 | 1821 | military commander: Alexander Ypsilantis | ||
Caimacam Stefan Bogoridi (Ștefan Vogoride) |
1821 | 1822 | |||
Ioan Sturdza | 1822 | 1828 | |||
Russian occupation | 1828 | 1834 | military commanders: Fyodor Pahlen, Pyotr Zheltukhin, and Pavel Kiseleff | ||
Organic Statute government (1832–1856) | |||||
Mihail Sturdza | 1834 | 1849 | |||
Grigore Alexandru Ghica | 1849 | 1853 | Ghica | 1st rule | |
Russian occupation | 1853 | 1854 | Crimean War | ||
Grigore Alexandru Ghica | 1854 | 1856 | Ghica | 2nd rule | |
Protectorate established by the Treaty of Paris (1856–1859) | |||||
Extraordinary Administrative Council | 1856 | 1856 | |||
Caimacam Teodor Balș |
1856 | 1857 | |||
Caimacam Nicolae Vogoride |
1857 | 1858 | |||
Caimacams | 1858 | 1859 | Ștefan Catargiu, Vasile Sturdza and Anastasie Panu (Catargiu resigns in 1858 and is replaced by Ioan A. Cantacuzino) | ||
Alexander John Cuza | 1859 | 1862 | also ruled Wallachia in personal union | ||
Formal union of Moldavia and Wallachia in 1862. For later rulers, see Domnitor and King of Romania. |
References[]
- Constantin Rezachevici - Cronologia critică a domnilor din Țara Românească și Moldova a. 1324 - 1881, Volumul I, Editura Enciclopedică, 2001,
- ^ Gorovei, Ștefan S., Întemeierea Moldovei. Probleme controversate, Editura Universităţii „Alexandru Ioan Cuza”, Iași, 1997, ISBN 973-9149-74-X
- ^ Rezachevici, Constantin, Cronologia critică a domnilor din Țara Românească și Moldova, a. 1324 - 1881, vol. I, Editura Enciclopedică, București, 2001, ISBN 973-45-0387-1
- ^ a b Constantin Rezachevici - Cronologia critică a domnilor din Țara Românească și Moldova a. 1324 - 1881, Volumul I, Editura Enciclopedică, 2001
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