Peter the Lame
Encyclopedia
Petru Şchiopul was ruler of Moldavia
from June 1574 to November 1577. He also ruled 1578-1579 and 1582-1591. He was known as "the Lame" due to a physical deformity. Raised by the Turks in Istanbul
and hardly knew of his country of origin before gaining the throne of Moldavia
.
, Petru was elected prince of Moldavia
in 1574. However, unlike most of his ancestors, he was a weak prince and eventually gave up the throne in order to live comfortably in the west.
in Innsbruck
. He was known to be an obedient student, but died of tuberculosis
in 1585. He is buried beside his parents in Bolzano.
. He is laid to rest beside her and on his tombstone is the inscription: "I, Prince Peter, descendant of the royal Corvinus family of Wallachia...who abandoned the throne of my own will, having obtained asylum from the House of Austria, [breathed my last] on July 1, 1594."
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...
from June 1574 to November 1577. He also ruled 1578-1579 and 1582-1591. He was known as "the Lame" due to a physical deformity. Raised by the Turks 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...
and hardly knew of his country of origin before gaining the throne 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...
.
Voivode of Moldavia
Anxious to rule like his brother Alexandru II MirceaAlexandru II Mircea
Alexandru II Mircea was Hospodar of Wallachia from 1568 to 1574 and 1574 to 1577. He was the father of Mihnea II Turcitul. His parents were Mircea III Dracul and Maria Despina...
, Petru was elected 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...
in 1574. However, unlike most of his ancestors, he was a weak prince and eventually gave up the throne in order to live comfortably in the west.
Family life
His first marriage to Maria Amirali was arranged in childhood, and failed. Petru soon fell in love with a gypsy named Irina who became his mistress since marriage to a gypsy was inconceivable. He had Irina freed from slavery and baptized, hence her nickname "Botezata" (the Baptized). Together they moved to the city of Bolzano in present day Italy's Tyrol. Sadly for Irina, Peter fell in love again with a seductive Circassian lady named Maria, a lady-in-waiting at his mini-court. The gypsy died presumably of a broken heart at 25 years-old and buried in a small cemetery in Bolzano. Their son Stefanita, never ruled but instead was raised as a Catholic and placed in a Jesuit seminarySeminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
in Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
. He was known to be an obedient student, but died of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
in 1585. He is buried beside his parents in Bolzano.
Death
Two years after the death of Irina, Peter died of syphilisSyphilis
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the spirochete bacterium Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum. The primary route of transmission is through sexual contact; however, it may also be transmitted from mother to fetus during pregnancy or at birth, resulting in congenital syphilis...
. He is laid to rest beside her and on his tombstone is the inscription: "I, Prince Peter, descendant of the royal Corvinus family of Wallachia...who abandoned the throne of my own will, having obtained asylum from the House of Austria, [breathed my last] on July 1, 1594."