Ioan Sturdza
Encyclopedia
Ioan Sturdza was a Prince of Moldavia
(June 21, 1822–May 5, 1828) and the most famous descendant of Alexandru Sturdza
. He is considered the first indigenous ruler with the end of Phanariote rule (as a move the Ottoman Empire
undertook after seeing the political disadvantages of Greek
domination after the troubles in the Greek War of Independence
).
Immediately after the Greek revolution, Prince Ioan Sturdza took an active part in subduing the roving bands of Eterist
s in Moldavia
; he transformed the Greek language
elementary schools into Romanian language
ones and laid the foundation for that scientific national development which Prince Mihai Sturdza continued after 1834, especially after his founding of an upper school in the Trei Ierarhi Cathedral complex in Iaşi
. Although his project for the confiscation of some Church properties was initially blocked by Russia, Sturdza opted not to revise his position.
Contested by the boyars who had taken refuge in Imperial Russia during Ypsilanti's military rule over the country, and threatened to lose his throne after the 1826 Russo-Turkish Akkerman Convention that established a seven-year term in office for Princes elected by the Divan (confirmed by the Ottomans, with Russia's approval), Sturdza agreed to many boyar demands, including tax cut
s and exemptions from conscription
. However, Sturdza ensured meritocratic
criteria in access to public offices. At the same time, a conflict became apparent between high- and low-ranking boyars, after the proposed constitution
of Ionică Tăutu
was rejected by most of the former (a vocal minority under the leadership of Mihail Sturdza
).
In 1828, the Russians entered the country during the War
and took Prince Ioan prisoner. He died while being kept in Bessarabia
and was later buried in Iaşi.
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...
(June 21, 1822–May 5, 1828) and the most famous descendant of Alexandru Sturdza
Alexandru Sturdza
Alexandru Sturdza was a Russian publicist and diplomat of Romanian origin. In his writings, he referred to himself with a French rendition of his name, Alexandre Stourdza.-Life:...
. He is considered the first indigenous ruler with the end of Phanariote rule (as a move the Ottoman Empire
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...
undertook after seeing the political disadvantages of Greek
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....
domination after the troubles in the Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
).
Immediately after the Greek revolution, Prince Ioan Sturdza took an active part in subduing the roving bands of Eterist
Filiki Eteria
thumb|right|200px|The flag of the Filiki Eteria.Filiki Eteria or Society of Friends was a secret 19th century organization, whose purpose was to overthrow Ottoman rule over Greece and to establish an independent Greek state. Society members were mainly young Phanariot Greeks from Russia and local...
s in 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...
; he transformed the Greek language
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
elementary schools into Romanian language
Romanian language
Romanian Romanian Romanian (or Daco-Romanian; obsolete spellings Rumanian, Roumanian; self-designation: română, limba română ("the Romanian language") or românește (lit. "in Romanian") is a Romance language spoken by around 24 to 28 million people, primarily in Romania and Moldova...
ones and laid the foundation for that scientific national development which Prince Mihai Sturdza continued after 1834, especially after his founding of an upper school in the Trei Ierarhi Cathedral complex in Iaşi
Iasi
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...
. Although his project for the confiscation of some Church properties was initially blocked by Russia, Sturdza opted not to revise his position.
Contested by the boyars who had taken refuge in Imperial Russia during Ypsilanti's military rule over the country, and threatened to lose his throne after the 1826 Russo-Turkish Akkerman Convention that established a seven-year term in office for Princes elected by the Divan (confirmed by the Ottomans, with Russia's approval), Sturdza agreed to many boyar demands, including tax cut
Tax cut
A tax cut is a reduction in taxes. The immediate effects of a tax cut are a decrease in the real income of the government and an increase in the real income of those whose tax rate has been lowered. Due to the perceived benefit in growing real incomes among tax payers politicians have sought to...
s and exemptions from conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
. However, Sturdza ensured meritocratic
Meritocracy
Meritocracy, in the first, most administrative sense, is a system of government or other administration wherein appointments and responsibilities are objectively assigned to individuals based upon their "merits", namely intelligence, credentials, and education, determined through evaluations or...
criteria in access to public offices. At the same time, a conflict became apparent between high- and low-ranking boyars, after the proposed constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
of Ionică Tăutu
Ionica Tautu
Ionică Tăutu was a Moldavian low-ranking boyar, Enlightenment-inspired pamphleteer, and craftsman .-Constitutional project:...
was rejected by most of the former (a vocal minority under the leadership of Mihail Sturdza
Mihail Sturdza
Mihail Sturdza was a prince of Moldavia from 1834 to 1849. A man of liberal education, he established the Mihaileana Academy, a kind of university, in Iaşi. He brought scholars from foreign countries to act as teachers, and gave a very powerful stimulus to the educational development of the...
).
In 1828, the Russians entered the country during the War
Russo-Turkish War, 1828-1829
The Russo–Turkish War of 1828–1829 was sparked by the Greek War of Independence. The war broke out after the Sultan, incensed by the Russian participation in the Battle of Navarino, closed the Dardanelles for Russian ships and revoked the Akkerman Convention....
and took Prince Ioan prisoner. He died while being kept in Bessarabia
Bessarabia
Bessarabia is a historical term for the geographic region in Eastern Europe bounded by the Dniester River on the east and the Prut River on the west....
and was later buried in Iaşi.
See also
- Sturdza familySturdza familySturdza, Sturza or Stourdza is the name of an old Romanian family, whose origins can be traced back to the 1540s.The Sturdza family has been long and intimately associated with the government first of Moldavia and afterwards of Romania...