Ioan Teodor Callimachi (1690–1780) was Prince of Moldavia from 1758 to 1761.

Early years

Ioan was the second son of Teodor Calmăşul

Teodor Calmasul

Teodor Calmăşul was a low level boyar from the Orhei region of Bessarabia, founder of the princely family of Callimachi, the hellenized form of the name.He established himself in Câmpulung, where he founded a church...

. Teodor, born Calmăşul, changed the family name to Callimachi

Callimachi family

Callimachi, Calimachi, or Kallimachi was a Moldavian boyar and princely family, originating with a group of free peasants living in the Orhei area of Bessarabia. It still remains present today in modern Romania.-Members:*Vasile Călmaşul: b...

. Ioan's older brother, Gavriil Callimachi

Gavriil Callimachi

Gavriil Callimachi was a monk at Putna Monastery who rose eventually to the position of Metropolitan of Moldavia. He was born Gheorghe Călmaşul, son of the Câmpulung headman, Teodor Călmaşul, and younger brother of Ioan Teodor Callimachi, Prince of Moldavia from 1758 to 1761.Gheorghe Callimachi...

 (1689–1786) was a monk at Putna Monastery

Putna Monastery

The Putna monastery is a Romanian Orthodox monastery, one of the most important cultural, religious and artistic centers established in medieval Moldavia; as with many others, it was built and dedicated by Prince Stephen the Great. Putna was founded on the lands perambulated by the Putna...

. Ioan pursued his studies at Lvov. He knew Latin, Turkish, Italian, Greek and French.

Career

Callimachi served in the administrations of Ioan Mavrocordat and of Grigore II Ghica

Grigore II Ghica

Grigore II Ghica was Voivode 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 of Wallachia: April 16, 1733 – November 27, 1735 and...

. He was Grand Dragoman

Dragoman

A dragoman was an interpreter, translator and official guide between Turkish, Arabic, and Persian-speaking countries and polities of the Middle East and European embassies, consulates, vice-consulates and trading posts...

 at the Ottoman Porte in Istanbul

Istanbul

Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...

 where, over the course of his sixteen years of service, he was recognized for his diplomatic ability. In 1758, he was rewarded with the position of 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...

 which he held until 1761. Callimachi retired to Constantinople

Constantinople

Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...

 where he lived for 19 years before his death.

Personal life

Callimachi married Raliţa Chrisoscoleo and they had four children. Their son, Grigore Callimachi (1735–1769), succeeded Callimachi as Prince of Moldavia; and son Alexandru Callimachi (1737–1821) was Prince of Moldavia before the turn of the century. Their daughter, Sevastiţa (born 1736), married Mihai Suţu

Mihai Sutu

Mihai Draco Suţu was a Prince of Moldavia between 1792 and 1795. A member of the Soutzos family of Phanariotes, he was the uncle of Mihail Suţu, himself a ruler of Moldavia between 1819 and 1821.-Third ruler of Wallachia:...

; and they had a younger daughter, Maria (1740–1831).