Alexandru Sturdza
Encyclopedia
Alexandru Sturdza was a Russian publicist and diplomat of Romanian
origin. In his writings, he referred to himself with a French rendition of his name, Alexandre Stourdza.
, born in Jassy
, in Moldavia
, and related to the Greek Phanariote
family of the Mourousis through his mother. After his family fled Bessarabia in 1802 in order to avoid the repression from the Ottomans
, he was educated in Russia.
He entered the Russian diplomatic service in 1809 and acted as secretary of Ioannis Kapodistrias
during the Congress of Vienna
. Under this capacity, he drafted the first version of the treaty of the Holy Alliance
, from the penciled notes of the Czar Alexander I
. Because of his Greek origins and his friendship with Ioannis Kapodistrias, he was a strong supporter Philhellenism
before and during the Greek War of Independence
, and sponsored philanthropic activities to help Greek war refugees.
He retired in Odessa
in 1830, where he devoted himself to his literary works.
Alexandru Sturdza was brother of Roxandra Edling-Sturdza. He was cousin of Mihail Sturdza
, prince of Moldavia from 1834 to 1849.
and to promote it in Western Europe
, he wrote Considérations sur la doctrine et l’esprit de l’Église orthodoxe (Stuttgart
, 1816).
His Mémoire sur l'état actuel de l'Allemagne, written at the request of Tsar
Alexander I
during the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle
, was an attack on the German universities, repeated in Coup d'oeil sur les universites de l'Allemagne (Aachen
, 1818). His other important works are La Grèce in 1821 (Leipzig, 1822) and Oeuvres posthumes religieuses, historiques, philosophiques et litteraires (5 vols., Paris
, 1858-1861).
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
origin. In his writings, he referred to himself with a French rendition of his name, Alexandre Stourdza.
Life
Alexandru Sturdza was a member of the Sturdza familySturdza family
Sturdza, Sturza or Stourdza is the name of an old Romanian family, whose origins can be traced back to the 1540s.The Sturdza family has been long and intimately associated with the government first of Moldavia and afterwards of Romania...
, born in Jassy
Iasi
Iași is the second most populous city and a municipality in Romania. Located in the historical Moldavia region, Iași has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Romanian social, cultural, academic and artistic life...
, in Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
, and related to the Greek Phanariote
Phanariotes
Phanariots, Phanariotes, or Phanariote Greeks were members of those prominent Greek families residing in Phanar , the chief Greek quarter of Constantinople, where the Ecumenical Patriarchate is situated.For all their cosmopolitanism and often Western education, the Phanariots were...
family of the Mourousis through his mother. After his family fled Bessarabia in 1802 in order to avoid the repression from the Ottomans
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, he was educated in Russia.
He entered the Russian diplomatic service in 1809 and acted as secretary of Ioannis Kapodistrias
Ioannis Kapodistrias
Count Ioannis Antonios Kapodistrias |Academy of Athens]] Critical Observations about the 6th-Grade History Textbook"): "3.2.7. Σελ. 40: Δεν αναφέρεται ότι ο Καποδίστριας ήταν Κερκυραίος ευγενής." "...δύο ιστορικούς της Aκαδημίας κ.κ...
during the Congress of Vienna
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...
. Under this capacity, he drafted the first version of the treaty of the Holy Alliance
Holy Alliance
The Holy Alliance was a coalition of Russia, Austria and Prussia created in 1815 at the behest of Czar Alexander I of Russia, signed by the three powers in Paris on September 26, 1815, in the Congress of Vienna after the defeat of Napoleon.Ostensibly it was to instill the Christian values of...
, from the penciled notes of the Czar Alexander I
Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia , served as Emperor of Russia from 23 March 1801 to 1 December 1825 and the first Russian King of Poland from 1815 to 1825. He was also the first Russian Grand Duke of Finland and Lithuania....
. Because of his Greek origins and his friendship with Ioannis Kapodistrias, he was a strong supporter Philhellenism
Philhellenism
Philhellenism was an intellectual fashion prominent at the turn of the 19th century, that led Europeans like Lord Byron or Charles Nicolas Fabvier to advocate for Greek independence from the Ottoman Empire...
before and during the Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
, and sponsored philanthropic activities to help Greek war refugees.
He retired in Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
in 1830, where he devoted himself to his literary works.
Alexandru Sturdza was brother of Roxandra Edling-Sturdza. He was cousin of Mihail Sturdza
Mihail Sturdza
Mihail Sturdza was a prince of Moldavia from 1834 to 1849. A man of liberal education, he established the Mihaileana Academy, a kind of university, in Iaşi. He brought scholars from foreign countries to act as teachers, and gave a very powerful stimulus to the educational development of the...
, prince of Moldavia from 1834 to 1849.
Works
Striving to develop a renovated form of Orthodox ChristianityOrthodoxy
The word orthodox, from Greek orthos + doxa , is generally used to mean the adherence to accepted norms, more specifically to creeds, especially in religion...
and to promote it in Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
, he wrote Considérations sur la doctrine et l’esprit de l’Église orthodoxe (Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, 1816).
His Mémoire sur l'état actuel de l'Allemagne, written at the request of Tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
Alexander I
Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia , served as Emperor of Russia from 23 March 1801 to 1 December 1825 and the first Russian King of Poland from 1815 to 1825. He was also the first Russian Grand Duke of Finland and Lithuania....
during the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle
Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle (1818)
The Congress or Conference of Aix-la-Chapelle , held in the autumn of 1818, was primarily a meeting of the four allied powers Britain, Austria, Prussia and Russia to decide the question of the withdrawal of the army of occupation from France and the nature of the modifications to be introduced in...
, was an attack on the German universities, repeated in Coup d'oeil sur les universites de l'Allemagne (Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
, 1818). His other important works are La Grèce in 1821 (Leipzig, 1822) and Oeuvres posthumes religieuses, historiques, philosophiques et litteraires (5 vols., Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, 1858-1861).