Doamna Ecaterina Cercheza

Doamna Ecaterina Cercheza (c. 1620 – after 1 March 1666) was a Circassian noblewoman who became Princess consort of Moldavia by marriage to Vasile Lupu. As reported by Evliya Çelebi, her mother was the sister of Koca Dervish Mehmed Pasha who was the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire from 1653 to 1654, and her sister was married to Islam III Giray, Khan of Crimea (1644–1654). She played a major role on personal and political decisions of her husband and son Ştefăniţă Lupu. Doamna Ecaterina Cercheza became patron of the Moldavian monasteries and churches. The historian and Prime Minister of Romania (1931–1932) Nicolae Iorga also states that "the Princess [Ecaterina], a Circassian by birth, was extraordinarily beautiful" and highly appreciated all over Moldavia.

Marriage to Vasile Lupu Originating from a wealthy Circassian family in the Caucasus, Ecaterina (born circa 1620) was brought to Moldavia in 1639 to marry Vasile Lupu who, upon the death of his first wife Doamna Tudosca (1600 – May 1639), immediately sent Ambassador Nicolae Catargie to look through the entire Circassian land for a new wife. Catargie paid 1500 ducats as dowry to Ecaterina's parents before taking her to Crimea.

The wedding was of major political importance. She participated alongside Vasile Lupu at all official celebrations, including the weddings of Princess Maria and Princess Ruxandra whose fates were determined by Ecaterina herself. She equipped the Golia Monastery with pews brought from Constantinople. Then she was taken captive to Bistrița, where she was imprisoned until 1658.