black sea

y the exceptionally influential great drogman
Panayotis Nikoussios.
To make an idea about the amounts paid to the
Porte, at thrones auction, with the help of money
lenders, Greeks more often, the price for appointing
of Radu Leon was, after Ricaut, 800 purses or
400 000 scuds, approximately 200 000 golden
coins. 11 During this prince the conflict between
boyar fractions burst out again, Băleni’s side which
supported the Levantine princes and their Greek
clientele and Cantacuzino’s side – Greek themselves
– who led the “national party”. 12 Reveal of the
plot crafted by Necula Sofialis, and Balasake
Muselim, through which these advisers of Radu
Leon aimed physical liquidation of great land
boyars, 13 the population of Bucharest revolted on
December 3, 1669. Same as his father Leon Tomşa,
proceeded in 1631 to save his throne, Radu Leon
• • Constantin Constantin Constantin Brâncoveanu, Brâncoveanu, the the prince prince of
of
Wallachia Wallachia (1688-1714)
(1688-1714)
gave a charter (December 9, 1669) against abuses
by Greeks in his entourage and especially against
his two favorites. During the prince of Antonie
Vodă of Popeşti (1669-1672), Necula Sofialis will be
hanged. 14 More paragraphs of the December 9,
1669 charter are similar to that of 1631, 15 which
means that we encounter conflictive relations of
the same nature, namely who is actually to posses
the power in the country. After eliminating his
favorites, Radu Leon was constrained to accept that
abbots of monasteries devoted to Grand Lavra of
Levant stop being Greek monks, but Romanians. 16
After the treason in the battle between
Ottomans and Imperials of Levice (1664), in nowadays
Slovakia, when Grigore Ghica has left the
battlefield, 17 the prince not only gained Porte’s forgiveness,
but also was reappointed on the throne of
Wallachia (1672) with the help of great drogman
Panayotis Nikoussios, who proved this way, once
more, his great influence in the Ottoman politics.
Another Greek prince was Gheorghe Duca, in
Wallachia (1673-1678) and in Moldavia (1665-1666,
1668-1672, 1678-1683). His son, Constantin Duca
will also be prince in Moldavia (1693-1695, 1700-
1703).
A Cantacuzino, Şerban, was also prince of
Wallachia (1678-1688). His kapukehaia was another
influential Greek, Iannaki Porphyrita.
The follower of Nikoussios as great drogman
became a well known doctor and translator,
Alexandros Mavrokordatos, surnamed Exaporitul
(Ex Aporriton). 18 His son, Scarlat „Celebi” married
in 1698 Ilinca, the daughter of Constantin
Brâncoveanu, the prince of Wallachia (1688-1714),
who honored his son-in-law with the dignity of great
cupbearer.
The Greek cultural influence was more and
more visible in Moldavia and in Wallachia, flourishing
during the princes of Şerban Cantacuzino
and Constantin Brâncoveanu.
At the Romanian princes courts will reach
Greek patriarchs 19 , such as Cyril of Alexandria,
future patriarch of Constantinople, the Cretan
Cyril Lucaris 20 (1572-1638), who in 1614-1615 and
1620 was at the court of Radu Mihnea, in Wallachia.
Another personality who wrote chronics in
prose and in verses and religious booklets was
Matei of Mirelor 21 (about 1550-1624), abbot of
Monastery Dealu.
In the second decade of the XVII th century,
metropolitan bishop of Wallachia was the Cypriot
Luca. 22
34 ����� Review of Military History �����