Grigore II Ghica
Encyclopedia
Grigore II Ghica
was Voivode (Prince) of Moldavia
at four different intervals — from October 1726 to April 16, 1733, from November 27, 1735 to 14 September 1739, from October 1739 to September 1741 and from May 1747 to April 1748 — and twice Voivode (Prince) of Wallachia
: April 16, 1733 – November 27, 1735 and April 1748 to September 3, 1752.
by previous Prince Nicolae Mavrocordat, upon Mihai Racoviţă
's deposition
by the Ottoman
overlord. He decreased taxes, but chose to continue the established policy of awarding offices to Greeks
and Levant
ines instead of local boyars. Thus, he faced mounting opposition from Dimitrie Racoviţă, who tried to remove Scarlat by enlisting Budjak
Tatars
' help - he was however rejected after clashing with Ghica and his Wallachian and Ottoman allies. With the outbreak of the Russo-Turkish War
came Imperial Russian occupation, forcing Grigore II Ghica to leave the Moldavia briefly, in September-October 1739.
Although he tried to counter Constantin Mavrocordat's intrigue at the Porte, Ghica was deposed and exiled in 1741, gaining the throne for a final, brief time in 1747–1748. He effectively purchased the throne in Bucharest
— the exhorbitant payment made him rely on further increased taxation.
and built the Frumoasa
one in Iaşi, and the one at Pantelimon - the church's patron saint
, Panteleimon
, is the eponym
for both the commune Pantelimon, Ilfov
, on the edge of Bucharest, and the Pantelimon Quarter
of the capital; Ghica also built and furnished the area's hospital (staffed with Eastern Orthodox monk
s), the basis for the modern one.
Ghica family
The Ghica family were a Romanian noble family, active in Wallachia, Moldavia and in the Kingdom of Romania. In the 18th century, several branches of the family went through a process of Hellenization...
was Voivode (Prince) of 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...
at four different intervals — from October 1726 to April 16, 1733, from November 27, 1735 to 14 September 1739, from October 1739 to September 1741 and from May 1747 to April 1748 — and twice Voivode (Prince) of Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
: April 16, 1733 – November 27, 1735 and April 1748 to September 3, 1752.
Reigns
He was helped to gain the throne in IaşiIasi
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...
by previous Prince Nicolae Mavrocordat, upon Mihai Racoviţă
Mihai Racovita
Mihai or Mihail Racoviţă was a Prince of Moldavia on three separate occasions and Prince of Wallachia on two occasions...
's deposition
Deposition (politics)
Deposition by political means concerns the removal of a politician or monarch. It may be done by coup, impeachment, invasion or forced abdication...
by the Ottoman
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...
overlord. He decreased taxes, but chose to continue the established policy of awarding offices to Greeks
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
and Levant
Levant
The Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
ines instead of local boyars. Thus, he faced mounting opposition from Dimitrie Racoviţă, who tried to remove Scarlat by enlisting Budjak
Budjak
Budjak or Budzhak is a historical region in the Odessa Oblast of Ukraine. Lying along the Black Sea between the Danube and Dniester rivers this multiethnic region was the southern part of Bessarabia...
Tatars
Tatars
Tatars are a Turkic speaking ethnic group , numbering roughly 7 million.The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of around 5.5 million, about 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan.Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,...
' help - he was however rejected after clashing with Ghica and his Wallachian and Ottoman allies. With the outbreak of the Russo-Turkish War
Russo-Turkish War, 1735-1739
Russo–Turkish War of 1735–1739, a war between Russia and the Ottoman Empire, caused by intensified contradictions over the results of the War of the Polish Succession of 1733–1735 and endless raids by the Crimean Tatars...
came Imperial Russian occupation, forcing Grigore II Ghica to leave the Moldavia briefly, in September-October 1739.
Although he tried to counter Constantin Mavrocordat's intrigue at the Porte, Ghica was deposed and exiled in 1741, gaining the throne for a final, brief time in 1747–1748. He effectively purchased the throne in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
— the exhorbitant payment made him rely on further increased taxation.
Legacy
He repaired several monasteriesMonastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
and built the Frumoasa
Frumoasa
Frumoasa may refer to several places in Romania:* Frumoasa, a commune in Harghita County* Frumoasa, a commune in Teleorman County* Frumoasa, a village in Balcani Commune, Bacău County* Frumoasa, a village in Moara Commune, Suceava County...
one in Iaşi, and the one at Pantelimon - the church's patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
, Panteleimon
Saint Pantaleon
Saint Pantaleon , counted in the West among the late-medieval Fourteen Holy Helpers and in the East as one of the Holy Unmercenary Healers, was a martyr of Nicomedia in Bithynia during the Diocletian persecution of 303 AD...
, is the eponym
Eponym
An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
for both the commune Pantelimon, Ilfov
Pantelimon, Ilfov
Pantelimon is a city in Ilfov County, Romania. The town — bordered by the Romanian capital, Bucharest, to the west — has an area of 134.83 km². Its name is derived from the Greek saint Panteleimon.-Local government:...
, on the edge of Bucharest, and the Pantelimon Quarter
Pantelimon, Bucharest
Pantelimon is a working-class neighborhood located in south-eastern Bucharest, Romania, in Sector 2. Outside Bucharest, there is an adjacent town named Pantelimon, administered separately....
of the capital; Ghica also built and furnished the area's hospital (staffed with Eastern Orthodox monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s), the basis for the modern one.