Ștefan Petriceicu

Ștefan Petriceicu (also: Ștefan d. XI .; † 1690 in Zwollin Monastery ) was prince of Moldova three times in the second half of the 17th century . On August 20, 1672 Petriceicu is the son of the late 1663 Boyar Toader, for the first time rulers in Iasi , after his predecessor Gheorghe Duca from the Sublime Porte was deposed and the candidate with the best chance Ilie Sturdza, definitely explains this office not to strive for.

In the 3rd Polish-Ottoman war , the Moldovan voivode was responsible for supplying the garrison of Camenca and the army stationed in Hotin . In addition, on behalf of the Turkish army command , the Moldovans are responsible for building bridges to the north. Thus the most ungrateful tasks are passed on to the small principality.

Because of this, but above all because of the disdainful behavior of the Turkish commanders towards Petriceicu, the boyars and the Moldovan population, the prince is drawing closer and closer to the Poles .

When the Polish army attacked Hotin on November 10, 1673, the Moldovan units turned around in the middle of the battle and helped them achieve a remarkable victory - the Turks had to retreat across the Danube.

The Poles only benefit slightly from their victory, however, as the future King Jan Sobieski needs the Turkish money to gain the Warsaw throne and does not want to annoy them too much. Now many boyars, including the important chronicler Miron Costin , turn away from Petriceicu.

During his second reign (December 1673 – February 1674) the prince plans an understanding with Moscow . But the sultan gets ahead of him, deposed him and forced him into exile . Only in December 1683 was Ștefan Petriceicu able to return and in January 1684 he became prince a third time - with Polish help - after he was able to drive out Gheorghe Ghica .

When the Cossacks who support him suffer a defeat, Petriceicu goes into exile in Poland. He spent the last years of his life as a starets (abbot) in the Zwollin monastery , where he died in 1690. Petriceicu is now buried in the Lawriv monastery , near the Polish-Ukrainian border.

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• Alexandru Xenopol: Istoria românilor din Dacia-Traiană, vol. VII (Istoria Moldovei de la detronarea lui V. Lupu până la Constantin Duca 1653 - 1691, Bucharest 1929, p. 247)
• Article: Doi domnitori români uitați, descoperiți după patru secole într-o mănăstire din Ucraina in: magazine ROST, No. 6 (August 2003)