Constantin Cantacuzino

Constantin Cantacuzino (1639 – Constantinople, 7 June 1716) was a Romanian nobleman and historian who held high offices in the Principality of Wallachia. He was a humanist scholar who drew the first local map of Wallachia in 1700, and started to write a History of Wallachia which remained unfinished. in connection with the origin of the Romanians. A promoter of a prudent anti-Ottoman policy, he was executed together with his son Ștefan.

Life

Constantin Cantacuzino was born in a Wallachian boyar family of Greek origin, He promoted a prudent anti-Ottoman policy, being aware of the weak geopolitical position of his country, of the relative weakness of the Russian Empire and of the aggressive religious conversion policy of the Habsburgs.

While Cantacuzino still supported his nephew in 1703 against Alexander Mavrocordatos' intrigue, at a later point their relationship deteriorated. Brâncoveanu didn't completely remove the Cantacuzino family from high offices, but sacked his uncles Constantin and Mihai and promoted instead his cousins Toma (vel spătar) and Ștefan Cantacuzino (vel postelnic). The latter succeeded to the throne of Wallachia upon Brâncoveanu's 1714 deposition and arrest by the Ottomans, again promoting his father to a position of influence. Two years later, Ștefan was deposed himself and executed alongside his father in Constantinople.

Constantin Cantacuzino collected a notable collection of books on various subjects. His views on the origin of the Romanians were widely accepted after Dionisie Fotino published his own History of Old Dacia in 1818 which also refer to the "crosbreeding" of Dacians and Romans.

He was married two times, to Safta Buhuș and Maria (family name unknown). He had another son, Radu (? - d. 1715), and two daughters, Maria (married to Radu Dudescu) and Ilinca. Both sons had issue.