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List of princes of Wallachia

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Summary

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This is a list of princes of Wallachia, also known as the Voivodes of Wallachia from the first mentions of Vlach rulers situated in the Wallachian Plain in the mid-13th century until the union with Moldavia in 1859, which led to the establishment of Romania.

Determining Succession

Dynastic succession in Wallachia was not strictly hereditary. Princes could be selected from various branches of a ruling family, and in some cases even from among a ruler’s illegitimate sons. Such candidates were described as os de domn (“of voivode stock”) or as possessing heregie (“heredity”, from the Latin hereditas). The right to elect the ruler formally rested with assemblies dominated by the boyars, whose influence varied over time. This system was often contested by usurpers and was eventually replaced during the Phanariote era, when the Ottoman sultans directly appointed rulers. Between the Wallachian uprising in 1821 and Romania’s independence in 1878, succession involved a mixture of election and appointment.

The rulers of Wallachia, like those of Moldavia, commonly bore the titles of Voivode (“duke”) and/or Hospodar (“lord, master”). In Romanian usage, the term Domn (from Latin dominus) was most frequently employed.

List of Wallachian Princes

Prior to 14th-century

Bezerenbam and Mișelav
Seneslau
John (knez)
Farcaș
Litovoi
Bărbat
Thocomerius

House of Basarab

From the early 15th century the family was divided in two main branches: : :

Ruler	Portrait	Years	Marriage	Notes
Radu Negru	[[File:Negru.Voda.pictura.jpg	100px]]	– 1310	Unknown	Radu Negru is the legendary founder of Wallachia; some historians consider him to be just a nickname of Thocomerius or Basarab I.
Basarab I the Founder
(Basarab I Întemeietorul)	[[File:Basarab I of Wallachia.jpg	100px]]	– 1352	Margareta
two children	Son of Thocomerius; first non-legendary ruler of Wallachia.
Nicolae Alexandru	[[File:Nicolae Alexandru.jpg	100px]]	1352 – 16 November 1364	Maria Lackfy
five children
Clara Dobokai
two children
Margareta Dabkai
no children	Son of Basarab I; he was already co-ruling with his father since 1344.
Vladislav I
Vlaicu-Vodă	[[File:Vladislav Vlaicu.jpg	100px]]	16 November 1364 – 1377	unknown	son of Nicolae Alexandru
Radu I	[[File:Radu I.jpg	100px]]	1377 – 1383	Anna
one child
Kalinikia
c.1354 or 1355
two children	Son of Nicolae Alexandru.
Dan I		1383 – 1386	Maria of Serbia
one child	Son of Radu I. After his death, his descendants formed the Danesti family.
Mircea I the Elder
(Mircea I cel Bătrân)	[[File:MirceatheElder.jpg	100px]]	23 September 1386 – November 1394
January 1397 – 31 January 1418	Maria Tolmay
six children
Anca
no children	Son of Radu I. Wallachia reached one of its peaks. He was deposed by a usurper, Vlad, in 1394, but was restored in 1397.
Vlad I the Usurper
(Vlad I Uzurpatorul)		November 1394 – January 1397	Unknown	Second son of Dan I, usurped the throne.
Mihail I	[[File:Mircea and Mihail.jpg	100px]]	31 January 1418 – August 1420	unknown
two children	Son of Mircea I, co-ruled with his father since 1415.
Radu II the Bald
(Radu II Praznaglava)	[[File:Radu II.jpg	100px]]	August 1420 – October 1422
December 1426 – March/June 1427	unknown	War of succession in Wallachia, which opposed Radu II, brother of Mihail I, to the Danesti pretender Dan II (son of Dan I and member of the Order of the Dragon), where both had brief periods of power in succession.
Dan II the Brave
(Dan II cel Viteaz)	[[File:Dan al II-lea.jpg	100px]]	October 1422 - December 1426
March/June 1427 - 1 June 1431	unknown
five children
Alexandru I Aldea		1 June 1431 – December 1436	unknown	Son of Mircea I, ousted Dan II of the throne.
Vlad II the Dragon
(Vlad II Dracul)	[[File:Vlad II Dracul of Wallachia.jpg	100px]]	December 1436 – 1442
1443 – 7 December 1447	Unknown
one child
Cneajna of Moldavia
three children	Illegitimate son of Mircea cel Bătrân; member of the Order of the Dragon (thus Dracul); While in negotiations outside Wallachia with the Ottoman Empire, his son Mircea was named prince. He returned to the throne in 1443, winning against John Hunyadi, and deposing also Basarab II. He was assassinated in 1447. His descendants, from his sobriquet, founded the Draculesti family.
Mircea II the Younger
(Mircea al II-lea cel Tânăr)		September – December 1442
Unmarried	Son of Vlad II Dracul, sometimes not counted; he ruled while his father was absent, on his way to pay the tribute to the Ottoman Empire; Deposed by John Hunyadi. Returned in 1446, co-ruling with his father. He was blinded and buried alive by Hunyadi in 1447.
Basarab II		1442–1443	Maria (Dobra)
two children	Son of Dan II; Placed in the throne by John Hunyadi, in war with Vlad II.
Vladislav II	[[File:Vladislav al II-lea.jpg	100px]]	7 December 1447 – 20 August 1456	Neacşa
one child	Son of Dan II; supported by John Hunyadi, Regent of Hungary; The way he came to the throne is debatable, but the most accepted is that he killed Vlad II, and was then replaced in the throne by Hunyadi. Returned in 1448, after deposing Vlad the Impaler, and ruled again until his death in a combat hand-to-hand against Vlad III, who retook the throne
Vlad III the Impaler
(Vlad Țepeș)	[[File:Vlad Ţepeş, the Impaler, Prince of Wallachia (1456-1462) (died 1477).jpg	100px]]	20 August 1456 – July 1462
June 1476 - January 1477	Unknown
one child
Justina Szilágyi
Between 1475 and 1476
no children	Son of Vlad II Dracul, invaded briefly Wallachia in 1448 (October–November) while Vladislav II was away. His real rulership would begin after killing Vladislav II in battle. Vlad III was at war against the Ottomans.
Radu III the Fair
(Radu cel Frumos)	[[File:Radu cel Frumos.jpg	100px]]	August 1462 – November 1473
23 December 1473 – March 1474
March - bet. June/September 1474
October 1474 – January 1475	Maria Despina
one child - Maria Voichița	Son of Vlad II Dracul; from 1473 in war with Basarab III.
Basarab III Laiotă the Old
(Basarab Laiotă cel Bătrân)	[[File:Laiota basarab fresca.png	100px]]	November - 23 December 1473
March 1474
bet.June/September - October 1474
January1475 -	Unmarried	Son of Dan II; In war against Radu III.
Basarab IV The Young Impaler
(Basarab IV Țepeluș cel Tânăr)		December 1477 – September 1481
November 1481 – 23 March 1482	Maria
one child	Son of Basarab II. His first reign was briefly contested by:
Vlad IV the Monk
(Vlad Călugărul)	[[File:Vlad Calugarul.jpg	100px]]	September - November 1481
23 March 1482 – November 1495	Rada Smaranda
Before 1460
four children
Maria Palaiologina
1487
one child	Son of Vlad II.
Radu IV the Great
(Radu cel Mare)	[[File:Radu cel Mare Dealu.jpg	100px]]	November 1495 – 23 April 1508	Catherine of Zeta
1494
four children	Son of Vlad IV.
Mihnea I the Bad
(Mihnea cel Rău)	[[File:Mihnea I cel Rau.jpg	100px]]	23 April 1508 – 29 October 1509	Smaranda
no children
Voica
three children	Son of Vlad III. Abdicated to his son. Died 1510.
Mircea III the Dragon
(Mircea III Dracul)	[[File:Mihnea al III-lea si fiul.jpg	100px]]	29 October 1509 – 26 January 1510	Maria of Serbia
1519
two children	Son of Mihnea I.
Vlad V the Younger
(Vlad cel Tânăr)		8 April 1510 – 23 January 1512	Anca of Zeta
Before 1508
one child	Son of Vlad IV; also known as Vlăduț
Neagoe Basarab	[[File:Neagoe Basarab 01.jpg	100px]]	23 January 1512 – 15 September 1521	Milica of Serbia
1505
six children	Possibly son of Pârvu Craiovescu (Craiovești family) or Basarab IV; The most accepted theory is that he claimed the throne as a son of Basarab IV, being in fact son of Pârvu. It's possible that the matter arose from the fact that Neagoe's mother was a mistress of Basarab IV. Cultural zenith in Wallachia.
Regency of Milica of Serbia (15 September - December 1521)	Under regency of his mother. His rule was briefly challenged by:
Teodosie	[[File:041 - Teodosie.jpg	100px]]	15 September - December 1521	Unmarried
Radu V of Afumati
(Radu de la Afumati)	[[File:Radu V de la Afumati.jpg	100px]]	December 1521 – April 1523
19 January - June 1524
September 1524 – April 1525
August 1525 – 2 April 1529	Voica of Bucsani
three children
Ruxandra of Wallachia
After 1525
no children		Son of Radu IV; allied with the Craiovești.
Vladislav III		April - 8 November 1523
June - September 1524
19 April - August 1525	Unknown	Nephew of Vladislav II.
Radu VI Bădica		November 1523 – 19 January 1524	Unknown	Illegitimate son of Radu IV.
Basarab VI		6 January - 5 February 1529	Unknown	Non-dynastic; Son of Mehmed-bey.
Moise	[[File:Moise Voda.jpg	100px]]	January 1529 – June 1530	Unknown	Son of Vladislav III. Last of the Dănești. Deposed, died 29 August of that same year.
Vlad VI the Drowned
(Vlad Înecatul)	[[File:Vlad VI of Wallachia.jpg	100px]]	June 1530 – September 1532	Anna of Moldavia
1531
no children	Son of Vlad V.
Vlad VII Vintilă de la Slatina	[[File:VladVintila.jpg	100px]]	September 1532 – 10 June 1535	Zamfira
one child
Rada
one child	Illegitimate son of Radu IV.
Radu VII Paisie	[[File:Radu Paisie si fiul sau Marco.jpg	100px]]	10 June 1535 – 1545	Stana
three children
Ruxandra of Wallachia
c.1541
three children	Son of Radu IV. Had to face some very brief boyar usurpations or mere attacks to his sovereignty:
Mircea IV the Shepherd
(Mircea Ciobanul)	[[File:MirceaCiobanul.jpg	100px]]	January 1545 – 16 November 1552
11 May 1553 – 28 February 1554
24 December 1557 – 25 September 1559	Chiajna of Moldavia
June 1546
seven children	Son of Radu IV.
Radu VIII Ilie the Cowherd
(Radu Ilie Haidăul)		16 November 1552 – 11 May 1553	Unknown	Son of Radu V. Deposed; died 1558.
Pătrașcu the Good
(Pătrașcu cel Bun)	[[File:Patrascu cel Bun - litografie publicata de Dimitrie Papazoglu.jpg	100px]]	28 February 1554 – 24 December 1557	Voica of Slatioare
four children	Son of Radu VII.
Regency of Chiajna of Moldavia (25 September 1559 - 1564)	Son of Mircea IV. Deposed and died in exile in the following year.
Petru I the Younger
(Petru cel Tânăr)	[[File:Petru cel Tanar - Snagov.jpg	100px]]	25 September 1559 – 8 June 1568	Jelena Crepovic of Transylvania
22 August 1563
one child
Alexandru II Mircea	[[File:067b - Alexandru al II-lea.jpg	100px]]	8 June 1568 – 11 September 1577	Catherine Salvaresso
1558
Pera
one child	Son of Mircea III Dracul; popularly called Oaie Seacă (Barren Sheep). His rule was briefly challenged by:
Regency of Catherine Salvaresso (11 September 1577 - July 1583)	Initially under regency of his mother, both were deposed by the usurper Petru Cercel. Mihnea paid for the assassination of his usurper, returned and ruled alone. In 1591, he was deposed and died in exile in Constantinople, in 1601.
Mihnea II the Turk
(Mihnea Turcitul; Mehmet Bey)	[[File:068 - Mihnea Turcitul.jpg	100px]]	11 September 1577 - July 1583
6 April 1585 – 19 May 1591	Neaga de Cislau
June 1582
three children
Petru II of the Earring
(Petru Cercel)	[[File:PetruCercel.jpg	100px]]	July 1583 – 6 April 1585	Unmarried	Son of Pătrașcu; deposed Mihnea II, but ended up assassinated by his order.

House of [[Basarab]], with interventions of [[House of Bogdan-Muşat|Bogdan-Muşat]] and [[Movilești]] dynasties

Ruler	Portrait	Years	Family	Notes
Ștefan I Surdul
(Stephen the Deaf)		1591–1592	Bogdan-Muşat
Alexandru III cel Rău
(Alexander III the Bad)		1592–1593	Bogdan-Muşat	also ruled Moldavia (1592)
Mihail II Viteazul
(Michael II the Brave)	[[File:MViteazul at Alba Iulia.jpg	100px]]	1593–1600	Drăculești	according to some, the illegitimate son of Petru Pătrașcu cel Bun; also ruled Transylvania (1599–1600) and Moldavia (1600), briefly bringing the three principalities under a personal union.
Nicolae Pătrașcu	[[File:Nicolae Pătrașcu at Căluiu.png	100px]]	1599–1600	Drăculești	Son of Michael II, co-ruled with his father since 1599.
Simion Movilă	[[File:Stamp of Moldova 255.gif	100px]]	1600–1601
1602	Movilești
Radu IX Mihnea	[[File:Stamp of Moldova 444.gif	100px]]	1601–1602
1611
1611–1616
1620–1623	Drăculești	son of Minhea II Turcitul
Radu X Șerban	[[File:Painting of Wallachian voivode Radu Șerban at Horezu Monastery.jpg	100px]]	1602–1610
1611	Basarab	Nephew of Neagoe Basarab. 1st rule
Transylvanian occupation: direct rule of Gabriel Báthory (1611)
Gabriel Movilă		1616
1618-1620	Movilești	son of Simion Movilă
Alexandru IV Iliaș	[[File:Alexandru Ilias.jpg	100px]]	1616–1618
1627-1629	Bogdan-Mușat
Alexandru V Coconul
(Alexander the Child-Prince)		1623–1627	Drăculești	son of Radu Mihnea
Leon Tomșa	[[File:Leon Tomsa.jpg	100px]]	1629–1632	Bogdan-Mușat
Radu XI Iliaș		1632	Bogdan-Mușat
Matei Basarab	[[File:Bessaraba.jpg	100px]]	1632–1654	Brâncovenești
Constantin I Șerban	[[File:Constantin Serban Basarab.jpg	100px]]	1654–1658	Basarab	illegitimate son of Radu Șerban
Mihnea III	[[File:063 - Mihail Radu.jpg	100px]]	1658–1659

Pre-Phanariote period

The Ottoman influence in the Wallachian rulers' election grows from the mid-17th century onward. From 1659, the rulers elected are mostly scions of Greek families, and increasingly less linked to the original Wallachian ruling family. The process reached its peak with the called Phanariote period (1715-1821), where, between the rulers, there was already no connection (or a very distant one) with the dynasty of Basarab.

Various dynasties

Ruler	Portrait	Years	Family	Notes
Gheorghe Ghica	[[File:114 - Gheorghe Ghica.jpg	100px]]	1659–1660	Ghica
Grigore Ghica I	[[File:116 - Grigore Ghica.jpg	100px]]	1660–1664
1672–1673	Ghica
Radu Leon	[[File:Radu Leon.jpg	100px]]	1664–1669	Bogdan-Mușat
Antonie Vodă din Popeşti		1669–1672	Popeşti
Gheorghe Ducas	[[File:Stamp of Moldova 114.gif	100px]]	1673–1678	Ducas
Șerban Cantacuzino	[[File:Serban Cantacuzino.jpg	100px]]	1678–1688	Cantacuzene
Constantin Brâncoveanu	[[File:Constantin Brancoveanu.jpg	100px]]	1688–1714	Brâncovenești
Ștefan Cantacuzino	[[File:Manastirea dintr-un lemn-Biserica Nasterea Maicii Domnului – ctitor1 Stefan Cantacuzino.jpg	100px]]	1714–1715	Cantacuzino

[[Phanariotes#Danubian principalities|Phanariotes (1715–1821)]]

Ruler	Portrait	Years	Family	Notes
Nicolae Mavrocordat	[[File:NicolaeMavrocordat.gif	100px]]	1715–1716
1719-1730	Mavrocordato
Habsburg occupation (1716)
Ioan Mavrocordat		1716–1719	Mavrocordato
Constantin Mavrocordat	[[File:Stamp of Moldova RM442.jpg	100px]]	1730
1731–1733
1735–1741
1744–1748
1756–1758
1761–1763	Mavrocordato
Mihai Racoviță	[[File:Stamp of Moldova md412.jpg	100px]]	1730–1731
1741–1744	Racoviță	1st rule
Grigore II Ghica	[[File:Stamp of Moldova md413.jpg	100px]]	1733–1735
1748–1752	Ghica
Matei Ghica	[[File:Matei Ghica.jpg	100px]]	1752–1753	Ghica
Constantin Racoviță		1753–1756
1763–1764	Racoviță
Scarlat Ghica	[[File:Scarlat Ghica portrait.jpg	100px]]	1758–1761
1765–1766	Ghica
Ștefan Racoviță		1764–1765	Racoviță
Alexandru I Ghica		1766–1768	Ghica
Russian occupation (1768)
Grigore III Ghica	[[File:Grigore III Ghica, Prince of Moldavia and Wallachia.jpg	100px]]	1768–1769	Ghica
Russian occupation (1769-1770)
Emanuel Giani Ruset	[[File:Kherson-28102009(059).jpg	100px]]	1770–1771	Rosetti	also called Manole or Manolache
Alexander Ypsilantis	[[File:Stamp of Moldova md631.jpg	100px]]	1774–1782	Ypsilanti	1st rule
Nicolae Caragea		1782–1783	Caradja
Mihai Suțu	[[File:Le Prince de Moldavie - Choiseul-gouffier Gabriel Florent Auguste De - 1822.jpg	100px]]	1783–1786
1790–1793
1801-1802	Soutzos
Nicolae Mavrogheni	[[File:Nicolae Mavrogheni.jpg	100px]]	1786–1789	Mavrogheni
Habsburg occupation (1789-1790)
Military commander: Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg
Alexandru Moruzi	[[File:Alexandru Moruzi.jpg	100px]]	1793–1796
1799–1801	Mourousi
Alexander Ypsilantis	[[File:Stamp of Moldova md631.jpg	100px]]	1796–1797	Ypsilanti	2nd rule
Constantin Hangerli	[[File:Alexander Hangerli engraving.jpg	100px]]	1797–1799	Hangerli
Alexandru Suțu	[[File:Alexandru Sutu.jpg	100px]]	1802	Soutzos
Constantin Ypsilanti	[[File:Constantin Ipsilanti.jpg	100px]]	1802–1806	Ypsilanti
Russian occupation (1806-1812)
Ioan Gheorghe Caragea	[[File:Italian-school portrait of John Karatzas, circa 1819.png	100px]]	1812–1818	Caradja
Caimacam
Grigore Brâncoveanu		1818	Craiovești	assisted by Vornic Barbu Văcărescu, Vistier Grigore Ghica and Logofăt Samurcaș
Alexandru Suțu	[[File:Alexandru Sutu.jpg	100px]]	1818–1821	Soutzos
Caimacam
Grigore Brâncoveanu		1821	Craiovești
Tudor Vladimirescu	[[File:Theodor Aman - Tudor Vladimirescu2.jpg	100px]]	1821		leader of the anti-Phanariote uprising
Scarlat Callimachi	[[File:Stamp of Moldova md633.jpg	100px]]	1821	Callimachi

Post-Phanariote period

Ruler	Portrait	Years	Family	Notes
Grigore IV Ghica	[[File:Grigore Dimitrie Ghica IV.jpg	100px]]	1822–1828	Ghica
Russian occupation (1828-1834)
Military commanders:
Fyodor Pahlen, Pyotr Zheltukhin, and Pavel Kiseleff
Organic Statute government (1832–1856)
Alexandru II Ghica	[[File:Alexander II. Ghika.jpg	100px]]	1834–1842	Ghica
Gheorghe Bibescu	[[File:Domnitorul Gheorghe Bibescu, c.1860.jpg	100px]]	1842–1848	Craiovești / Brâncovenești / Știrbei / Bibescu
Provisional Government		1848		Metropolitan Neofit II, assisted by Christian Tell, Ion Heliade Rădulescu, Ștefan Golescu, Gheorghe Magheru, Gheorghe Scurti
Locotenența domnească
(Regency of three)		1848		Christian Tell, Ion Heliade Rădulescu, Nicolae Golescu
Joint Russian and Ottoman occupation (1848-1851)
Military commanders: Omar Pasha and Alexander von Lüders
Caimacam
Constantin Cantacuzino	[[File:Pavel Đurković (attrib.) - Constantin Cantacuzino.png	100px]]	1848	Cantacuzino
Barbu Știrbei	[[File:Barbu stirbey 1860.jpg	100px]]	1848–1853
1854–1856	Știrbei
Russian (1853-1854), Ottoman (1854) and Austrian occupations (1854-1856)
military commander: Johann Coronini-Cronberg (1854–56)
Protectorate established by the Treaty of Paris (1856–1859)
Caimacam
Alexandru II Ghica	[[File:Alexander II. Ghika.jpg	100px]]	1856–1858	Ghica
Caimacam of three		1858–1859		Ioan Manu, Emanoil Băleanu, Ioan A. Filipescu
Alexander John Cuza	[[File:Alexandru Ioan Cuza - Photo by Carol Popp de Szathmáry.jpg	100px]]	1859–1862	Cuza	also ruled Moldavia in personal union as the United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia.
Formal union of Moldavia and Wallachia in 1862 as the Romanian United Principalities.
A new constitution came into effect in 1866 giving the country the official name Romania.

Bibliography

References

Constantin Rezachevici - "Critical chronology of the lords of Wallachia and Moldova a. 1324 - 1881", Volume I, Enciclopedic Publishing House, 2001, p. 86

Wikipedia Source

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