Nicholas Mavrogenes

Nicholas Mavrogenes (or Mavrogenous; Greek: Νικόλαος Μαυρογένης/Nikolaos Mavrogenis, Romanian: Nicolae Mavrogheni) (d. 1790) was a Phanariote Prince of Wallachia (reigned 1786-1789). He was the grandfather of Manto Mavrogenous, a heroine of the Greek War of Independence. 1790 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Phanariotes (from Phanar, the chief Greek quarter at Istambul, where the oecumenical patriarchate is situated) were those members of families resident in the Phanar quarter who between the years 1711 and 1821 were appointed voivodes of the Danubian principalities (Moldavia and Wallachia). ... Below is the list of Wallachian rulers, since the first mentioned until the unification with Moldavia in 1859. ... Map of Romania with Wallachia in yellow. ... 1786 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1789 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Manto Mavrogenous Manto Magdalena Mavrogenous, (Greek: Μαντώ Μαγνταλένα Μαυρογένους). (b. ... Combatants Greek revolutionaries, United Kingdom, Russia, France Ottoman Empire, Egyptian troops Commanders Theodoros Kolokotronis, Alexander Ypsilanti Omer Vryonis, Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt. ...

Early life and election

Mavrogenes was born on Paros Island to a family claiming noble origins, and spoke natively one of the many Greek dialects of the Cyclades (Ienăchiţă Văcărescu later attested that he spoke Greek and Turkish poorly, and that he was not able to learn any Romanian). He lived among the sailors (for the rest of his life, he preferred to wear sailor's clothes in private),^[1] and was chosen Dragoman of Hasan Pasha, the commander of the Ottoman Fleet. Hasan, together with his friend, Grand Vizier Yusuf Pasha, both important figures in the politics of the Ottoman Empire, convinced the Sultan Abdul Hamid I to name Mavrogenes prince of Wallachia on April 6, 1786.^[2] He left the Ottoman capital accompanied by a huge and ostentatious retinue.^[3] Paros, or Paro (Greek: Πάρος), is an island of Greece in the Aegean Sea, one of the largest of the group of the Cyclades. ... Distribution of Greek dialects, ca. ... The Cyclades, from the Greek Κυκλάδες, (circular, modern Greek Kykládes; see also List of traditional Greek place names) form an island group south-east of the mainland of Greece. ... Ienăchiţă Văcărescu (1740-1797) Romanian poet and boyar of Phanariote origin. ... Dragoman, a word of Aramaic/Assyrian origin, designates the function of interpreter, translator and official guide in countries and polities of the Near East. ... A Vizier (وزير, sometimes also spelled Wazir) is an Arabic term for a high-ranking religious and political advisor, often to a king or sultan. ... Imperial motto (Ottoman Turkish) دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power (1683) Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital Söğüt (1299-1326), Bursa (1326-1365), Edirne (1365-1453), Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) (1453-1922) Imperial anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Sovereigns Padishah... The Ottoman Dynasty (or the Imperial House of Osman) ruled the Ottoman Empire from 1281 to 1923, beginning with Osman I (not counting his father, ErtuÄŸrul), though the dynasty was not proclaimed until 1383 when Murad I declared himself sultan. ... Sultan Abdul Hamid I Abd-ul-Hamid I (March 20, 1725 – April 7, 1789), also known as Abdulhamid, Abdul Hamid or Abdul-Hamid, was the 27th sultan of the Ottoman Empire. ... April 6 is the 96th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (97th in leap years). ... 1786 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... A retinue (O. Fr. ...

Unlike other Greek princes of Wallachia chosen by the Sultan, Mavrogenes was not born in Phanar and, as the Greeks of Constantinople (Istanbul) saw this as a decrease in their influence, they tried to bribe Abdul Hamid with 4,000 bags of gold, in order to obtain Yusuf Pasha's ousting from office; nevertheless, the sultan disagreed, and the treasurer of the empire, who had proposed the deal, was arrested, tortured and killed.^[4] Fanar (formerly Phanar) is a neighborhood in Istanbul, Turkey (formerly Constantinople). ... Istanbul (Turkish: , Greek: , see other names) is Turkeys most populous city, and its cultural, and economic centre. ... Bribery is the practice of offering a professional money or other favours in order to circumvent ethics in a variety of professions. ...

Ruler of Wallachia

Mavrogenes and the Boyar Council

On May 15, 1786, Mavrogenes reached Văcăreşti, near Bucharest, and on May 17 he was ceremoniously crowned and settled at the princely residence of Curtea Nouă. One of his first decrees was issued four days later, when he announced that all the people of Wallachia could address their grievances directly to him. He even set up a gazebo in Târgul de afară (Obor), so that peasants could speak to him.^[5] He also attempted to erect stakes on all major crossroads, to show the people what would happen to them if they engaged in theft or murder, or if they failed to attend church services.^[6] During the same year, he ordered the building of an aqueduct, which, although completed, was destroyed during the conflicts that followed his rule, and never fully rebuilt.^[7] May 15 is the 135th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (136th in leap years). ... 1786 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... VăcăreÅŸti is a neighbourhood in south-eastern Bucharest, located near DâmboviÅ£a River and the VăcăreÅŸti Lake. ... Status Capital of Romania Mayor Adriean Videanu, since 2005 Area 228 km² Population (2003) 1,929,615[1] Density 9131. ... Curtea Nouă (Romanian for New Court) was the residence of the prince of Wallachia between 1776 and 1812. ... A large gazebo on the grounds of Iolani Palace, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA A gazebo inside the spacious Singapore Botanic Gardens A gazebo is a pavilion structure commonly found in parks, gardens, and spacious public areas. ... Obor is the name of a market and the surrounding district of Bucharest, the capital of Romania. ... Pont du Gard, France, a Roman aqueduct built circa 19 BC. It is one of Frances top tourist attractions and a World Heritage Site. ...

Mavrogenes was also involved in the Orthodox Church, decreeing that places of worship were to be permanently open; according to chronicles of the time (Dionisie Eclesiarhul), churches were always full during service, for the duration of his rule — not because of fear of divine punishment, but rather due to fear of the law. Mavrogenes also demanded that Wallachians should lead an austere life and, as such, forbade his people from feasting or lingering in taverns for more than one hour after sunset. On January 10, 1787, he signed a degree which allowed Jews to be tax exempt, and gave them a plot of land in mahalaua Popescului neighbourhood of Bucharest for them to build a synagogue (see History of the Jews in Romania).^[8] The Romanian Orthodox Church (Biserica Ortodoxă Română in Romanian) is one of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches. ... Generally a chronicle (Latin chronica) is historical account of facts and events in chronological order. ... January 10 is the 10th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1787 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... A tax exemption is an exemption to the tax law of a state or nation in which part of the taxes that would normally be collected from an individual or an organization are instead foregone. ... Lesko synagogue, Poland A synagogue (Hebrew: בית כנסת ; beit knesset, house of assembly; Yiddish: שול, shul; Ladino אסנוגה esnoga) is a Jewish place of religious worship. ... Jewish Romanian history concerns the Jews of Romania and of Romanian origins. ...

Mavrogenes often extorted money from the boyars,^[9] for which he cited as pretext his recurring dreams, in which he claimed to have been commanded random killings or banishments, effects which he was allowed to avert only if paid a certain sum. In order to mock the boyars, he even gave his horse the rank of clucer and assigned him a bedroom right next to his own, on the second floor of the Court Palace.^[10] Mavrogenes awarded those people who paid him enough money boyar ranks and privileges, and even revoked the title for boyars who refused to pay him the amount he demanded.^[11] He sometimes staged incognito inspections, to observe the activities of boyar officials.^[12] Extortion is a criminal offense, which occurs when a person obtains money, behaviour, or other goods and/or services from another by wrongfully threatening or inflicting harm to this person, reputation, or property. ... A boyar (also spelled bojar) or bolyarin was a member of the highest rank of the feudal Russian, Romanian and Bulgarian aristocracy, second only to the ruling princes, from the tenth through the seventeenth century. ... A privilege—etymologically private law or law relating to a specific individual—is an honour, or permissive activity granted by another person or a government. ...

In the 1787 War

Main article: Russo-Turkish War, 1787-1792

On August 24, 1787, the Ottomans declared war on the Russian Empire, and imprisoned the Russian ambassador, Yakov Bulgakov, in the Seven Towers. Mavrogenes replicated the gesture of the Grand Vizier, and arrested Ivan Ivanovich Severin, Russia's consul in Wallachia. Severin was soon freed, after the intervention of Georg Ignaz, Freiherr von Metzburg, the Habsburg consul, who described Mavrogenes as acting maniacally and being terrified by the prospect of being at war.^[13] The Russo-Turkish War of 1787-1792 was a futile attempt by the Ottoman Empire to regain lands lost to Russia in the course of the Russo-Turkish War, 1768-1774. ... August 24 is the 236th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (237th in leap years), with 129 days remaining. ... Official language Russian Official Religion Russian Orthodox Christianity Capital Saint Petersburg (Petrograd 1914-1924) Area Approx. ... Yakov Bulgakov Yakov Ivanovich Bulgakov (15 October 1743 — 7 July 1809) was a Russian diplomat best remembered as Catherine IIs emissary in Istanbul in the 1780s. ... Map showing Constantinople and its walls The Walls of Constantinople surrounded the city of Constantinople (today Istanbul in Turkey). ... A Vizier (وزير, sometimes also spelled Wazir) is an Arabic term for a high-ranking religious and political advisor, often to a king or sultan. ... The title Consul has been used for official representatives of a state, outside its (metropolitan) territory, looking after its interests (a task normally largely transferred to the formal diplomacy) and, especially, those of its subjects, individuals as well as enterprises. ... The Habsburg Monarchy, often called Austrian Monarchy or simply Austria, are the territories ruled by the Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg, and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine, between 1526 and 1867/1918. ...

As the city of Bucharest was spread over a large area and lacked any kind of fortifications, Mavrogenes decided to build some, including the digging of a moat from Cotroceni to Oborul Vechi, as well as reinforcing the walls of inns and monasteries (which were thus turned into crude fortresses). Unlike any other Phanariote ruler, he raised his own army, which reached 5–10,000 men and was equipped with several cannons,^[14] but it was unruly and poorly trained. In addition, Mavrogenes asked for the Ottoman army to help him seal the border with Habsburg Transylvania and reinforce the borders with Moldavia.^[15] The moated manor house of Baddesley Clinton in Warwickshire, England Moats (also known as a Fosse) were deep and wide water-filled trenches, excavated to provide a barrier against attack upon castle ramparts or other fortifications. ... House in Cotroceni neighbourhood. ... A small cannon on a carriage, Bucharest. ... This article details the military of the Ottoman Empire. ... Map of Romania with Transylvania in yellow Transylvania (Romanian: or Transilvania; Hungarian: ; German: ; Serbian: or Erdelj / Ердељ) is a historical region in the center of Romania. ... Moldavia (Moldova in Romanian) was a Romanian principality, originally created in the Middle Ages, now divided between Romania, Moldovan Republic and Ukraine. ...

During that period, Mavrogenes used the services of Perdicari, an astrologer whom he trusted, and used both the predictions and his dreams for decisions in time of war, such as attacking the city of Kronstadt (present-day Braşov).^[16] Hand-coloured version of the anonymous Flammarion woodcut. ... County BraÅŸov County Status County capital Mayor George Scripcaru, since 2004 Area  km² Population (2002) 283,901 Density  inh/km² Geographical coordinates Web site http://www. ...

On November 21, a Habsburg army of 20,000 men, located in the Banat and led by Prince Josias of Coburg, started pressuring the Wallachian border and soon occupied fortified spots such as the Tismana and Sinaia monasteries;^[17] nevertheless, Mavrogenes continued to dismiss evidence of a Habsburg-Russian alliance. Two months later, on January 28, 1788, the boyars were summoned and informed that the Russians, led by Alexander Suvorov, had entered Moldavia, and that 25 of them were to lead military units and leave for Focşani as soon as possible, to engage Russian troops. However, just as the boyar contingents reached Buzău, they were ordered to return — it became apparent that Mavrogenes was just testing to see if boyars would betray him (indeed, two of them, members of the Câmpineanu and Cantacuzino families, fled to Transylvania). In order to avoid other betrayals, Mavrogenes arrested all the Wallachian boyars and dispatched them to an Ottoman fortress.^[18] November 21 is the 325th day of the year (326th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Banat (Romanian: Banat; Serbian: Банат or Banat; German: Banat; Hungarian: Bánát or Bánság; Slovak: Banát) is a geographical and historical region in Southeastern Europe divided among three countries: the eastern part belongs to Romania (the counties of TimiÅŸ, CaraÅŸ-Severin, Arad, and MehedinÅ£i), the western... Prince Frederick Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (26 December 1737 – 26 February 1815), a son of Duke Josias Francis of Coburg (German: Koburg) became a famous general of the Holy Roman Empire. ... The Church of the Sinaia Monastery The Sinaia Monastery, founded by Prince Mihai Cantacuzino in 1695 and named after the great Sinai Monastery on Mount Sinai, in the Sinai Peinsula. ... January 28 is the 28th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1788 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov (Russian: ) (sometimes transliterated as Aleksandr, Aleksander and Suvarov), Count Suvorov of Rymnik, Prince of Italy () (November 24, 1729 – May 18, 1800), was the fourth and last Russian Generalissimo (not counting Stalin). ... County Vrancea County Status County capital Mayor Decebal Bacinschi, Social Democratic Party, since 2004 Population (2002) 103,219 Geographical coordinates Web site http://www. ... Buzău () is a city in the Buzău County, Wallachia, Romania, situated near the right bank of the Buzău river, between the Carpathian Mountains and the fertile lowlands of south Moldavia and east Wallachia. ... The Cantacuzino (Cantacuzène) family is an old boyar family of Wallachia which they claim to get their roots from the Byzantine Emperor John VI Cantacuzenus. ...

On February 9, 1788, Joseph II, the Habsburg Holy Roman Emperor, declared war on the Ottoman Empire and started spreading manifestos in Wallachia which explained the war's purpose and promised to "free the Romanian people from the Turkish yoke". At that time, Mavrogenes' army had about 11,000 soldiers, and there was also an army of about 15,000 Turks assisting him. With these forces, he obtained a few victories in the battles of Târgu Jiu and Câmpulung, and was able to prevent a Habsburg invasion for about a year.^[19] February 9 is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1788 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II Joseph II (Joseph Benedict August Johannes Anton Michel Adam) (March 13, 1741 – February 20, 1790) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. ... The Holy Roman Emperor was, with some variation, the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, the predecessor of modern Germany, during its existence from the 10th century until its collapse in 1806. ... A manifesto is a public declaration of principles and intentions, often political in nature. ... The Romanians (români in present-day Romanian and rumâni in historical contexts) are an ethnic group; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania. ... Târgu Jiu (also spelt Tîrgu Jiu) is a town in the Gorj county, Oltenia, Romania. ... Câmpulung (Câmpulung Muscel) is a city in the Arges county, Romania. ...

These victories, together with the predictions astrologer made him confident in a victory and attacked Kronstadt from July to October 1788, but failed to take the city.^[20] As the winter of 1788-1789 was harsh, no further military actions were carried out. After Abdul Hamid died in April, the new sultan, Selim III, gave Mavrogenes about 5-6,000 soldiers from Rumelia.^[21] Sultan Selim III Selim III (December 24, 1761 – July 28/29, 1808) was a sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1789–1807). ... Map of Rumelia as of 1801 Rumelia (turkish: Rum: Roman El: Land Rumeli: Lands of Rome), the area that was the East Roman or Byzantine Empire, a name commonly used, from the 15th century onwards, to denote the part of the Balkan Peninsula subject to the Ottoman Empire. ...

Coburg's troops being welcomed in Bucharest

In the meantime, the Russian army reported victories in Moldavia and rendezvoused with the Habsburg Army in Adjud, advancing toward Wallachia. On July 21, 1789, they fought the Wallacho-Ottoman army led by Grand Vizier Koca Yusuf Pasha in the Battle of Focşani, with an undecided result. A second confrontation occured as the Battle of Rymnik; more than 10,000 died on the Ottomans' side.^[22] Adjud is a town in Vrancea county, Romania with a population of 20,776. ... July 21 is the 202nd day (203rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 163 days remaining. ... A Vizier (وزير, sometimes also spelled Wazir) is an Arabic term for a high-ranking religious and political advisor, often to a king or sultan. ... Combatants Russia, Austria Ottoman Empire Commanders Alexander Suvorov, Josias of Coburg Yusuf Pasha Strength 25,000 60,000 In the Battle of Rymnik (September 22, 1789) during the Russo-Turkish War, Alexander Suvorov, acting together with the Austrian General Prince Josias of Coburg, attacked the main Ottoman army under Grand...

Mavrogenes fled Bucharest on October 26, accompanied by an army of 1,000 men, after appointing Dumitru Turnavitu as temporary Caimacam. Most Wallachians welcomed Prince Coburg's army,^[23] and the local boyars accepted a document which basically annexed Wallachia, while keeping autonomy to the same level as within the Ottoman Empire.^[24] The country was, however, soon hit by a major plague and famine; these were still claiming lives after the end of the war and through the early years of Alexander Mourousis' rule.^[25] October 26 is the 299th day of the year (300th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 66 days remaining. ... Kaymakam (Turkish term; also rendered as kaimakam) was the Ottoman title used by provincial governors. ... Annexation (Latin ad, to, and nexus, joining) is the legal incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity (either adjacent or non-contiguous). ... Bubonic plague is the best-known variant of the deadly infectious disease plague, which is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis. ... A famine is a social and economic crisis that is commonly accompanied by widespread malnutrition, starvation, epidemic disease and increased mortality. ... Alexander Mourousis welcoming the British ambassador in Curtea Nouă Alexander Mourousis (Greek: Αλεξανδρος Μουρουζης - Alexandros Mourouzis, Romanian: Alexandru Moruzi; d. ...

In June 1790, Mavrogenes, joined by a new Ottoman invading force, occupied the village of Calafat, but, after being attacked and defeated by the Habsburg troops, retreated and, all alone, crossed the Danube in a small boat. He wandered from village to village on the Bulgarian shore, until September 1790, when a kapucu sent by the Sultan killed him in the village of Byala. His body was buried on the shore of the Danube, while his head was sent to Constantinople, where it was impaled on a stake. His bones were later moved by his daughter, Eufrosina, to the Church of the Holy Apostles in Brussa.^[26] Calafat is a town in Dolj county, Romania, on the river Danube, opposite the Bulgarian city of Vidin. ... The Danube (ancient Danuvius, ancient Greek Istros) is the longest river of the European Union and Europes second-longest[3] (after the Volga). ... Kapucu (/kapuu/; may also be rendered as Kapudju; Capugiu in Romanian) designated the official envoy of the Ottoman Sultan in medieval Wallachia and Moldovia. ... Bursa (formerly known as Brusa, Greek Prusa, Προύσσα) is a city in northwestern Turkey and the capital of Bursa Province. ...

Legacy and reputation

Mavrogenes in a deer-drawn carriage

Rigas Feraios, the Greek revolutionary who was a clerk for the Wallachian court, considered Mavrogenes "a villain, unworthy to be the ruler of Wallachia";^[27] Feraios had begun a lifelong friendship with Osman Pazvantoğlu, future pasha and rebel leader, who at the time was a soldier in Mavrogenes' service — on one occasion, he defended and rescued Pazvantoğlu from the prince's wrath. Thomas Hope, who knew Mavrogenes personally, made him a character in a novel called Anastasius, or Memoirs of a Modern Greek.^[28] Rigas Velestinlis or Rigas Feraios, (Greek: Ρήγας Βελεστινλής-Φεραίος, real name: Antonios Kyriazis), 1757-1798, was a Greek poet. ... Osman PazvantoÄŸlu (also spelled Osman Passvan-Oglou or Pasvanoglu, Pazvan Oglu/OÄŸlu; 1758—January 27, 1807, Vidin) was an ethnic Bosniak Ottoman pasha, a governor of the Vidin district after 1794, and, eventually, a rebel against Ottoman rule. ... Pasha (or pascha, bashaw; Turkish: paÅŸa; originally from Persian padshah or padeshah meaning king or from Turkish bash head, chief [1]) was a high rank in the Ottoman Empire political system, typically granted to governors and generals. ... Thomas Hope (c. ...

Mavrogenes remained a controversial figure, and historians' opinions about him are often contradictory. The Romanian radical and historian Nicolae Bălcescu considered him an "original and fantastic man, despising the aristocracy, but having pity of the low-ranking and poor people". However, another 19th century historian, Mihail Kogălniceanu thought of him as "a new Caligula, a tyrant for the boyars, priests, merchants and peasants". V. A. Urechia believed him to be in fact "a great patriot and organizer", while A. D. Xenopol saw him as maniacal and cruel.^[29] This article gives an overview of Liberalism and Radicalism in Romania. ... Nicolae Bălcescu Nicolae Bălcescu (1819-1852) was a Romanian historian, writer, and revolutionary. ... -1... Mihail Kogălniceanu Mihail Kogălniceanu (September 6, 1817, Iasi - July 1, 1891, Paris) was a Romanian statesman, historian and publicist, he became the first Prime minister of Romania October 11, 1863, after the union of Moldavian and Wallachian principalities. ... Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (August 31, 12 – January 24, 41), most commonly known as Caligula, was the third Roman Emperor and a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, ruling from 37 to 41. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ... Alexandru Dimitrie Xenopol (March 23, 1847 - February 27, 1920) was the Romanian historian credited with authoring of the first major synthesis of the history of the Romanian people. ...

See also

• History of Bucharest
• Wallachian military forces

This article is about the history of Bucharest, the capital of Romania. ... Mihai Draco Suţu was a ruler of Moldavia between 1792 and 1795. ... Below is the list of Wallachian rulers, since the first mentioned until the unification with Moldavia in 1859. ... 1786 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1789 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

Notes

Thomas Hope (c. ...

References

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Category:Nicholas Mavrogenis

• Neagu Djuvara, Între Orient şi Occident. Ţările române la începutul epocii moderne ("Between Orient and Occident. The Romanian Lands at the beginning of the modern era"), Humanitas, Bucharest, 1995
• Constantin C. Giurescu, Istoria Bucureştilor. Din cele mai vechi timpuri pînă în zilele noastre ("History of Bucharest. From the earliest times until our day"), Ed. Pentru Literatură, Bucharest, 1966
• Ştefan Ionescu, Bucureştii în vremea fanarioţilor ("Bucharest in the time of the Phanariotes"), Editura Dacia, Cluj, 1974.