Elisabeta Știrbey

Elisabeta Știrbey (1805–1874), was a Princess consort of Wallachia.

Early life Born into an old Phanariote noble family which claimed descent from Byzantine Emperors, she was the daughter of Prince Grigore Cantacuzino-Pașcanu (1779–1808) and his wife, Princess Elena (1787–1809), descendant of Constantin Brâncoveanu.

Biography From 1825, Elisabeta and her husband lived in Bucharest, where their palace at the Calea Victoriei became a center of social life, where she became known for the grand balls she regularly arranged. She was also a noted philanthropist. In 1839, she had French educational work by Jeanne Campan translated to Romanian, and in 1843, she founded the first Romanian language school for girls.

Personal life In 1820, she married Prince Barbu Dimitrie Știrbei, the son of Boyar Dumitrache Bibescu, Palatine of Wallachia (1772–1831), and his wife, Ecaterina Văcărescu (1777–1842). They had: Princess Fenareta Stirbey (1822–1894); married Prince Theodor Ghica (1820–1865) and had issue Princess Elize Stirbey (1827–1890); married Ştefan Bellu (1824–1902) and had issue Princess Elena Stirbey (1831–1864); married Count Leo Larisch von Mönnich (1824–1872) and had issue Prince Alexandru Stirbey (1836–1895); married Princess Maria Ghica-Comănești (1851–1885) and had issue Prince Dimitrie Stirbey (1842–1913); married Alexandrine von Soyka (1857–1931) and had issue