Pârvu Cantacuzino
Encyclopedia
Pârvu or Pîrvu Cantacuzino (died 1769) was a high-ranking Wallachia
n boyar
, ban
of Oltenia
, and anti-Ottoman
rebellion leader who also briefly served as an officer in Russia's Imperial Army
during the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774
. He was a member of the Cantacuzino family
, and was joined in all of his political and military actions by his brother, the spătar Mihai, who succeeded him as ban.
, and welcomed Russian troops entering the city in November 1769.
When the Ottomans retook the Wallachian capital during spring, the Cantacuzinos, together with polkovnik
Nazary Alexandrovych Karazin (the father of Vasyl Karazin
), organized a group of volunteers and Cossacks which, on November 16, attacked and defeated the small Ottoman garrison
and captured the ruling prince of Wallachia, Grigore III Ghica
(who was later sent to Saint Petersburg
).
Placed in command of a small Russian detachment, Pârvu Cantacuzino was ambush
ed by Ottoman troops in Comana
(Giurgiu County
), and killed in battle alongside all his men.
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...
n boyar
Boyar
A boyar, or bolyar , was a member of the highest rank of the feudal Moscovian, Kievan Rus'ian, Bulgarian, Wallachian, and Moldavian aristocracies, second only to the ruling princes , from the 10th century through the 17th century....
, ban
Ban (title)
Ban was a title used in several states in central and south-eastern Europe between the 7th century and the 20th century.-Etymology:The word ban has entered the English language probably as a borrowing from South Slavic ban, meaning "lord, master; ruler". The Slavic word is probably borrowed from...
of Oltenia
Oltenia
Oltenia is a historical province and geographical region of Romania, in western Wallachia. It is situated between the Danube, the Southern Carpathians and the Olt river ....
, and anti-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...
rebellion leader who also briefly served as an officer in Russia's Imperial Army
Military history of Imperial Russia
The Military history of the Russian Empire encompasses the history of armed conflict in which the Empire participated. This history stretches from its creation in 1721 by Peter the Great, until the Russian Revolution , which led to the establishment of the Soviet Union...
during the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774
Russo-Turkish War, 1768-1774
The Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774 was a decisive conflict that brought Southern Ukraine, Northern Caucasus, and Crimea within the orbit of the Russian Empire.-Background:...
. He was a member of the Cantacuzino family
Cantacuzino family
The Cantacuzino or Cantacuzène family is an old boyar family of Wallachia and Moldavia, a branch of Greek Kantakouzinos family, allegedly descended from the Byzantine Emperor John VI Cantacuzenus. No definite genealogical links between Byzantine Greek and Romanian Cantacuzinos have been established...
, and was joined in all of his political and military actions by his brother, the spătar Mihai, who succeeded him as ban.
Revolt
After the military conflict began in October 1768, Pârvu and his brother formed a small group of pro-Russian boyars in BucharestBucharest
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....
, and welcomed Russian troops entering the city in November 1769.
When the Ottomans retook the Wallachian capital during spring, the Cantacuzinos, together with polkovnik
Polkovnik
Polkovnik is often a military rank in Slavic countries which corresponds to a colonel in English-speaking states. However, in the Ukraine, polkovnyk was an administrative rank similar to a governor...
Nazary Alexandrovych Karazin (the father of Vasyl Karazin
Vasyl Karazin
Vasily Nazarovych Karazin was a Ukrainian Enlightenment intellectual, inventor, and scientific publisher in Ukraine. He is the founder of Kharkiv University, which now bears his name...
), organized a group of volunteers and Cossacks which, on November 16, attacked and defeated the small Ottoman garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
and captured the ruling prince of Wallachia, Grigore III Ghica
Grigore III Ghica
Grigore III Ghica was twice the Prince of Moldavia between 29 March 1764 – 3 February 1767 and September 1774 – 10 October 1777 and of Wallachia: 28 October 1768 – November 1769....
(who was later sent to Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
).
Placed in command of a small Russian detachment, Pârvu Cantacuzino was ambush
Ambush
An ambush is a long-established military tactic, in which the aggressors take advantage of concealment and the element of surprise to attack an unsuspecting enemy from concealed positions, such as among dense underbrush or behind hilltops...
ed by Ottoman troops in Comana
Comana, Giurgiu
Comana is a commune in Giurgiu County, Romania. It is composed of five villages: Comana, Vlad Ţepeş, Budeni, Falaştoaca and Grădiştea.Comana monastery was founded by Vlad III "Ţepeş" in 1461, and is possibly the site of his tomb....
(Giurgiu County
Giurgiu County
Giurgiu is a county of Romania, in Muntenia, with the capital city at Giurgiu.- Demographics :In 2002, it had a population of 297,859 and the population density was 84/km².* Romanians – over 96%* Roma – 3.5%, and others.- Geography :...
), and killed in battle alongside all his men.