Stephen Bartlett Lakeman
Encyclopedia
Sir Stephen Bartlett Lakeman, also known as Mazar Paşa or Mozhar Pasha (1823 – July 1897) was an English
-born British
and Ottoman
adventurer, soldier, and administrator. A mercenary and veteran of several wars, including the Xhosa
and Crimean
conflicts, he was assigned by the Ottoman military
to Wallachia
, where he later settled, becoming in time a supporter of the liberal current in Romania
. He was an influential figure in local politics during the early 1870s, and a mediator between Ion Brătianu
's government and the Porte at the start of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878. Lakeman is also noted for having introduced Eastern Europe
an fish species to England.
origins, he was a graduate of the Lycée Louis-le-Grand
in Paris
, France
. Lakeman first saw action with the July Monarchy
's armies resisting Abd al-Qadir's uprising in French Algeria
. He later joined the British Army
, left for the Cape Colony
. A captain
and commander of the Waterkloof
Rangers in clashes with the Xhosa people, he was made a Knight Bachelor
by Queen Victoria
, during a ceremony at Windsor Castle
(November 25, 1853). According to his descendant Sybille Manu-Chrissoveloni, Lakeman had unsuccessfully tried to persuade British military officials to generalize the usage of khaki
, replacing red coats
in the standard uniforms
; when his proposal was rejected, he established his own Waterkloof troops of volunteers (also known as the "Death Regiment").
In his March 2004 address to the University of KwaZulu-Natal
, South Africa
n President
Thabo Mbeki
made ample mention of Lakeman's activities in the region. Quoting historian Noel Mostert, he indicated that the British commander had engaged in war crime
s and atrocities: Lakeman was reported to have cut the throats of women and children prisoners with a sickle
. Additionally, Lakeman himself admitted that he ordered his men to boil the severed heads of Xhosa people "for scientific interest". Volunteers of the Waterkloof unit were described by Lakeman as "brutally cruel […] killing without mercy all that came in their way when engaged in a fight, young as well as old, even braining little children".
Soon afterwards, he opted to join the Ottomans in their Crimea
n-centered conflict with the Russian Empire
, becoming a binbaşı
, and later a pasha
(becoming known under his Turkish
pseudonym Mazar Paşa). When Russian troops evacuated Wallachia, Lakeman, who was serving under Omar Pasha
, was appointed to a command position in the region, becoming police chief in Bucharest
(September 1854). This occurred as the two Danubian Principalities
came under Austrian
supervision, a measure which was meant to create a buffer area, while allowing for an Ottoman garrison to be maintained.
Lakeman kept close contacts with the Wallachian nationalist
circles, clashing with the Austrian governor, Johann Coronini-Cronberg, and becoming the subject of the latter's complaints to Omar Pasha and to Stratford Canning
, the British Ambassador in Istanbul
. During the same period, he met Maria Arion, an ethnic Greek
, whom he married in 1856.
In December 1854, Canning agreed to have Lakeman relieved from his post, and he was given instead military assignments on the Crimean front. As the war ended and Austrian troops withdrew, he returned to Bucharest and became the owner of several estates, establishing his main residence in a house next to Enei Church. In June 1857, Stephen Bartlett Lakeman met with Carroll Spence, the American
Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire
, who was visiting Wallachia. Spence asked Lakeman to mediate between him and Wallachia's Kaymakam
, Alexandru II Ghica
, after being offended that the latter had failed to receive him upon arrival. Lakeman visited the Kaymakam, who agreed to meet with the diplomatic envoy and apologize for the lack of courtesy.
Around 1864, on temporary return to England, he introduced there species of Wels catfish
and tench
, both native to the Danube
basin.
The Lakemans' house, also known to Bucharesters as Mazar Paşa, remained an important landmark and meeting spot for political figures after the creation of a unified Principality of Romania
. Starting in 1875, Stephen Lakeman was a supporter of the radical
groupings inside the liberal trend
, while his house hosted anti-Conservative
meetings which involved, among others, Ion
and Dimitrie Brătianu
, Ion Ghica
, Mihail Kogălniceanu
, Dimitrie Sturdza
, C. A. Rosetti
, Alexandru G. Golescu
, and Nicolae Fleva
. Negotiations between the moderate and radical faction resulted in the creation of the National Liberal Party
, sealed by the so-called Coalition of Mazar Paşa on May 24, 1875.
Shortly after the outbreak of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, he was present in Istanbul, as an unofficial representative of the Ion Brătianu cabinet. As Romania evaluated joining the Russian side in exchange for independence, Lakeman negotiated with Saffet Pasha, the Grand Vizier
, arguing that the Bucharest authorities were to adopt neutrality and resist a Russian offensive in exchange for the official recognition of the name "Romania". He also called on the Ottoman Empire to offer assistance in the military effort. Despite the secret character of the proceedings, the Romanian press published allegations that Saffet had agreed to the demands, and that it had made other sizable concessions to the Brătianu government. Nevertheless, the negotiations' only visible outcome was the pledge of Ottoman authorities in Dobruja
to aid Romania in the likelihood of an invasion — this offer was ignored by Brătianu, who also opted to reject approaching the Russian side until, in April 1877, Romania declared war on the Ottoman Empire.
According to memoirist James William Ozanne, who was visiting Romania during the period, Lakeman "made no secret of his disgust" in respect to the Russian-Romanian alliance. Following that moment, the pasha withdrew from political life, and returned to his native country. He died in London
, in relative obscurity.
Stephen Lakeman had three children with Maria: two sons, George (whose daughter, Georgeta Lakeman, married the banker Nicolae Chrissoveloni in 1941) and Dan (who settled in Argentina
), as well as a daughter, Celia. George Lakeman was naturalized
Romanian in 1906.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born British
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
and 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...
adventurer, soldier, and administrator. A mercenary and veteran of several wars, including the Xhosa
Xhosa wars
The Xhosa Wars, also known as the Cape Frontier Wars, were a series of nine wars between the Xhosa people and European settlers, from 1779 to 1879 in what is now the Eastern Cape in South Africa....
and Crimean
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
conflicts, he was assigned by the Ottoman military
Military of the Ottoman Empire
The history of military of the Ottoman Empire can be divided in five main periods. The foundation era covers the years between 1300 and 1453 , the classical period covers the years between 1451 and 1606 , the reformation period covers the years between 1606 and 1826 ,...
to Wallachia
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...
, where he later settled, becoming in time a supporter of the liberal current in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. He was an influential figure in local politics during the early 1870s, and a mediator between Ion Brătianu
Ion Bratianu
Ion C. Brătianu was one of the major political figures of 19th century Romania. He was the younger brother of Dimitrie, as well as the father of Ionel, Dinu, and Vintilă Brătianu...
's government and the Porte at the start of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878. Lakeman is also noted for having introduced Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
an fish species to England.
Biography
Born into a family of DutchDutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
origins, he was a graduate of the Lycée Louis-le-Grand
Lycée Louis-le-Grand
The Lycée Louis-le-Grand is a public secondary school located in Paris, widely regarded as one of the most rigorous in France. Formerly known as the Collège de Clermont, it was named in king Louis XIV of France's honor after he visited the school and offered his patronage.It offers both a...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Lakeman first saw action with the July Monarchy
July Monarchy
The July Monarchy , officially the Kingdom of France , was a period of liberal constitutional monarchy in France under King Louis-Philippe starting with the July Revolution of 1830 and ending with the Revolution of 1848...
's armies resisting Abd al-Qadir's uprising in French Algeria
French rule in Algeria
French Algeria lasted from 1830 to 1962, under a variety of governmental systems. From 1848 until independence, the whole Mediterranean region of Algeria was administered as an integral part of France, much like Corsica and Réunion are to this day. The vast arid interior of Algeria, like the rest...
. He later joined the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, left for the Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
. A captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
and commander of the Waterkloof
Waterkloof
Waterkloof is a suburb of the city of Pretoria, South Africa. It is named after the original farm that stood there when Pretoria was founded in the 19th Century. Located to the east of the city centre, Waterkloof is a leafy, established area that is home to some of the city's most expensive real...
Rangers in clashes with the Xhosa people, he was made a Knight Bachelor
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
by Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
, during a ceremony at Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
(November 25, 1853). According to his descendant Sybille Manu-Chrissoveloni, Lakeman had unsuccessfully tried to persuade British military officials to generalize the usage of khaki
Khaki
This article is about the fabric. For the color, see Khaki . Kaki, another name for the persimmon, is often misspelled "Khaki".Khaki is a type of fabric or the color of such fabric...
, replacing red coats
Red coat (British army)
Red coat or Redcoat is a historical term used to refer to soldiers of the British Army because of the red uniforms formerly worn by the majority of regiments. From the late 17th century to the early 20th century, the uniform of most British soldiers, , included a madder red coat or coatee...
in the standard uniforms
British Army Uniform
British Army uniform currently exists in several grades, which are worn depending on the requirements of a unit or individual, ranging from ceremonial uniforms to combat dress.-History:...
; when his proposal was rejected, he established his own Waterkloof troops of volunteers (also known as the "Death Regiment").
In his March 2004 address to the University of KwaZulu-Natal
University of KwaZulu-Natal
The University of KwaZulu-Natal or UKZN is a university with five campuses all located in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. It was formed on 1 January 2004 after the merger between the University of Natal and the University of Durban-Westville.-History:-University of...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n President
President of South Africa
The President of the Republic of South Africa is the head of state and head of government under South Africa's Constitution. From 1961 to 1994, the head of state was called the State President....
Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is a South African politician who served two terms as the second post-apartheid President of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008. He is also the brother of Moeletsi Mbeki...
made ample mention of Lakeman's activities in the region. Quoting historian Noel Mostert, he indicated that the British commander had engaged in war crime
War crime
War crimes are serious violations of the laws applicable in armed conflict giving rise to individual criminal responsibility...
s and atrocities: Lakeman was reported to have cut the throats of women and children prisoners with a sickle
Sickle
A sickle is a hand-held agricultural tool with a variously curved blade typically used for harvesting grain crops or cutting succulent forage chiefly for feeding livestock . Sickles have also been used as weapons, either in their original form or in various derivations.The diversity of sickles that...
. Additionally, Lakeman himself admitted that he ordered his men to boil the severed heads of Xhosa people "for scientific interest". Volunteers of the Waterkloof unit were described by Lakeman as "brutally cruel […] killing without mercy all that came in their way when engaged in a fight, young as well as old, even braining little children".
Soon afterwards, he opted to join the Ottomans in their Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
n-centered conflict with the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
, becoming a binbaşı
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
, and later a pasha
Pasha
Pasha or pascha, formerly bashaw, was a high rank in the Ottoman Empire political system, typically granted to governors, generals and dignitaries. As an honorary title, Pasha, in one of its various ranks, is equivalent to the British title of Lord, and was also one of the highest titles in...
(becoming known under his Turkish
Ottoman Turkish language
The Ottoman Turkish language or Ottoman language is the variety of the Turkish language that was used for administrative and literary purposes in the Ottoman Empire. It borrows extensively from Arabic and Persian, and was written in a variant of the Perso-Arabic script...
pseudonym Mazar Paşa). When Russian troops evacuated Wallachia, Lakeman, who was serving under Omar Pasha
Omar Pasha
Omar Pasha Latas was a Ottoman general and governor. He was a Serb convert to Islam, who managed to quickly climb in Ottoman ranks, crush several rebellions throughout the Empire and defeat Russia the Crimean War.-Early life:...
, was appointed to a command position in the region, becoming police chief in Bucharest
Bucharest
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....
(September 1854). This occurred as the two Danubian Principalities
Danubian Principalities
Danubian Principalities was a conventional name given to the Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, which emerged in the early 14th century. The term was coined in the Habsburg Monarchy after the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca in order to designate an area on the lower Danube with a common...
came under Austrian
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
supervision, a measure which was meant to create a buffer area, while allowing for an Ottoman garrison to be maintained.
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
circles, clashing with the Austrian governor, Johann Coronini-Cronberg, and becoming the subject of the latter's complaints to Omar Pasha and to Stratford Canning
Stratford Canning, 1st Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe
Stratford Canning, 1st Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe KG GCB PC , was a British diplomat and politician, best known as the longtime British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire...
, the British Ambassador 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...
. During the same period, he met Maria Arion, an ethnic Greek
Greeks in Romania
There has been a Greek presence in Romania for at least 27 centuries. At times, as during the Phanariote era, this presence has amounted to hegemony; at other times , the Greeks have simply been one among the many ethnic minorities in Romania.-Ancient and Medieval Period:The Greek presence in what...
, whom he married in 1856.
In December 1854, Canning agreed to have Lakeman relieved from his post, and he was given instead military assignments on the Crimean front. As the war ended and Austrian troops withdrew, he returned to Bucharest and became the owner of several estates, establishing his main residence in a house next to Enei Church. In June 1857, Stephen Bartlett Lakeman met with Carroll Spence, the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire
United States Ambassador to Turkey
The United States of America has maintained many high level contacts with Turkey since the nineteenth century.-Chargé d'Affaires:*George W. Erving *David Porter -Minister Resident:*David Porter *Dabney Smith Carr...
, who was visiting Wallachia. Spence asked Lakeman to mediate between him and Wallachia's Kaymakam
Kaymakam
Qaim Maqam or Qaimaqam or Kaymakam is the title used for the governor of a provincial district in the Republic of Turkey, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and in Lebanon; additionally, it was a title used for roughly the same official position in the Ottoman...
, Alexandru II Ghica
Alexandru II Ghica
Alexandru II or Alexandru D. Ghica , a member of the Ghica family, was Prince of Wallachia from April 1834 to 7 October 1842 and later caimacam from July 1856 to October 1858....
, after being offended that the latter had failed to receive him upon arrival. Lakeman visited the Kaymakam, who agreed to meet with the diplomatic envoy and apologize for the lack of courtesy.
Around 1864, on temporary return to England, he introduced there species of Wels catfish
Wels catfish
The wels catfish , also called sheatfish, is a large catfish found in wide areas of central, southern, and eastern Europe, and near the Baltic and Caspian Seas. It is a scaleless fresh and brackish water fish recognizable by its broad, flat head and wide mouth...
and tench
Tench
The tench or doctor fish is a freshwater and brackish water fish of the cyprinid family found throughout Eurasia from Western Europe including the British Isles east into Asia as far as the Ob and Yenisei Rivers. It is also found in Lake Baikal...
, both native to the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
basin.
The Lakemans' house, also known to Bucharesters as Mazar Paşa, remained an important landmark and meeting spot for political figures after the creation of a unified Principality of Romania
Kingdom of Romania
The Kingdom of Romania was the Romanian state based on a form of parliamentary monarchy between 13 March 1881 and 30 December 1947, specified by the first three Constitutions of Romania...
. Starting in 1875, Stephen Lakeman was a supporter of the radical
Radicalism (historical)
The term Radical was used during the late 18th century for proponents of the Radical Movement. It later became a general pejorative term for those favoring or seeking political reforms which include dramatic changes to the social order...
groupings inside the liberal trend
Liberalism and radicalism in Romania
This article gives an overview of Liberalism and Radicalism in Romania. It is limited to liberal parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ denotes another party in this scheme...
, while his house hosted anti-Conservative
Conservative Party (Romania, 1880-1918)
The Conservative Party was between 1880 and 1918 one of Romania's two most important parties, the other one being the Liberal Party...
meetings which involved, among others, Ion
Ion Bratianu
Ion C. Brătianu was one of the major political figures of 19th century Romania. He was the younger brother of Dimitrie, as well as the father of Ionel, Dinu, and Vintilă Brătianu...
and Dimitrie Brătianu
Dimitrie Bratianu
Dimitrie Brătianu was the Prime Minister of Romania from 22 April to 21 June 1881 and Minister of Foreign Affairs from April 10, 1881 until June 8, 1881....
, Ion Ghica
Ion Ghica
Ion Ghica was a Romanian revolutionary, mathematician, diplomat and twice Prime Minister of Romania . He was a full member of the Romanian Academy and its president for four times...
, Mihail Kogălniceanu
Mihail Kogalniceanu
Mihail Kogălniceanu was a Moldavian-born Romanian liberal statesman, lawyer, historian and publicist; he became Prime Minister of Romania October 11, 1863, after the 1859 union of the Danubian Principalities under Domnitor Alexander John Cuza, and later served as Foreign Minister under Carol I. He...
, Dimitrie Sturdza
Dimitrie Sturdza
Dimitrie Sturdza was a Romanian statesman of the late 19th century, and president of the Romanian Academy between 1882 and 1884.-Biography:Born in Iaşi, Moldavia, and educated there at the Academia Mihăileană, he continued his studies in Germany, took part in the political movements of the time,...
, C. A. Rosetti
C. A. Rosetti
Constantin Alexandru Rosetti was a Romanian literary and political leader, born in Bucharest into a Phanariot Greek family.In 1845, Rosetti went to Paris, where he met Alphonse de Lamartine, the patron of the Society of Romanian Students in Paris. In 1847, he married Mary Grant, the sister of the...
, Alexandru G. Golescu
Alexandru G. Golescu
Alexandru G. Golescu was a Romanian politician who served as a Prime Minister of Romania in 1870 .-Early life:...
, and Nicolae Fleva
Nicolae Fleva
Nicolae Fleva was a Wallachian-born Romanian politician, political journalist and lawyer. Known especially for his involvement in political incidents, and for a stated patriotism bordering on demagogy, he tested all political formulas that Romania's two-party system would allow...
. Negotiations between the moderate and radical faction resulted in the creation of the National Liberal Party
National Liberal Party (Romania)
The National Liberal Party , abbreviated to PNL, is a centre-right liberal party in Romania. It is the third-largest party in the Romanian Parliament, with 53 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 22 in the Senate: behind the centre-right Democratic Liberal Party and the centre-left Social...
, sealed by the so-called Coalition of Mazar Paşa on May 24, 1875.
Shortly after the outbreak of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, he was present in Istanbul, as an unofficial representative of the Ion Brătianu cabinet. As Romania evaluated joining the Russian side in exchange for independence, Lakeman negotiated with Saffet Pasha, the Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam , deriving from the Arabic word vizier , was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself...
, arguing that the Bucharest authorities were to adopt neutrality and resist a Russian offensive in exchange for the official recognition of the name "Romania". He also called on the Ottoman Empire to offer assistance in the military effort. Despite the secret character of the proceedings, the Romanian press published allegations that Saffet had agreed to the demands, and that it had made other sizable concessions to the Brătianu government. Nevertheless, the negotiations' only visible outcome was the pledge of Ottoman authorities in Dobruja
Dobruja
Dobruja is a historical region shared by Bulgaria and Romania, located between the lower Danube river and the Black Sea, including the Danube Delta, Romanian coast and the northernmost part of the Bulgarian coast...
to aid Romania in the likelihood of an invasion — this offer was ignored by Brătianu, who also opted to reject approaching the Russian side until, in April 1877, Romania declared war on the Ottoman Empire.
According to memoirist James William Ozanne, who was visiting Romania during the period, Lakeman "made no secret of his disgust" in respect to the Russian-Romanian alliance. Following that moment, the pasha withdrew from political life, and returned to his native country. He died in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, in relative obscurity.
Stephen Lakeman had three children with Maria: two sons, George (whose daughter, Georgeta Lakeman, married the banker Nicolae Chrissoveloni in 1941) and Dan (who settled in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
), as well as a daughter, Celia. George Lakeman was naturalized
Naturalization
Naturalization is the acquisition of citizenship and nationality by somebody who was not a citizen of that country at the time of birth....
Romanian in 1906.