Radu Leon was ruler of Wallachia from 1664 to 1669. He had the byname Radu the Oyster-seller.

Son of Wallachian ruler Leon Tomşa, and putative grandson of Ştefan Tomşa

Stefan Tomsa

Ştefan Tomşa or Ştefan VII was the ruler of Moldavia in 1563 and 1564.-Career:Tomşa served as hatman and came to power as leader of a boyar revolt against the Lutheran Ioan Iacob Heraclid, whose attempts to impose the new usages in Moldavia offended the Eastern Orthodox sensibilities of nobles...

, ruler of Moldavia, Radu Leon replaced the deposed Grigore I Ghica

Grigore I Ghica

Grigore I Ghica, a member of the Ghica family, was Prince of Wallachia between September 1660 and December 1664 and again between March 1672 and November 1674....

 in December 1664.

Supposedly barely able to speak Romanian

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...

, Radu's authority relied on the support of the Phanariots, and especially 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...

. Şerban Cantacuzino

Serban Cantacuzino

Șerban Cantacuzino was a Prince of Wallachia between 1678 and 1688.He took part in the Ottoman campaign ending in their defeat at the Battle of Vienna...

, later ruler of Wallachia, served as his chamberlain, and Draghici Cantacuzino commanded Radu's armies.

Anti-Greek protests beginning in December 1668 led to Radu's downfall in March 1669 and replacement by Antonie Vodă din Popeşti

Antonie Voda din Popesti

Antonie din Popeşti was ruler of Wallachia from March 1669 to 1672.Antonie din Popeşti, a member of a boyar family, came to power with the assistance of the Cantacuzino family, who had supported Radu Leon, the previous ruler, until he turned against them in late 1668...

.