Dumitrașcu Cantacuzino

Dumitrașcu Cantacuzino ruled the Principality of Moldova three times in the second half of the 17th century .

As a scion of the well-known Phanariot dynasty Cantacuzino, Dumitraşcu first came to the throne in Iaşi in November 1673 . "Grecul" ("the Greek"), as he was called, incited the Wallachian prince Grigore I. Ghica against his own uncle Constantin Cantacuzino (who was absurdly one of his greatest patrons). Towards the end of 1673 the Tatars set up their winter camp in the Vltava, which led to looting of gigantic proportions.

During the second reign of Cantacuzino from February 1674 to November 1675 there was a terrible famine. According to Moldovan chroniclers Miron Costin and Grigore Ureche, wolves even invaded cities, where they ate the remains of starved people found in houses. From February 1684 to June of the following year Cantacuzino came to power for a third and final time. Then he disappeared to Istanbul , where he found his end in extreme poverty.

source

• 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. 252)