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The Phanariot princes and the Europeanisation of the Romanians

Articles

• Oprisan, Horia B.

In the Phanar (suburb in the old Constantinople) there lived the phanariotprinces’ families. After 1453, the Phanariots made their way to the Portequickly, because they were educated, cultivated, spoke many foreign languages,they were skilled businessmen, great dealers, bankers and diplomats and thatwas just what the Porte needed. Because of their remarkable gifts, they soonreached high positions at the Porte (they soon became rulers at the Porte), sothat from the XVlL-th century they were sent as voivodes in Wallachia andMoldavia, Romanian principalities. The Porte couldn’t stand any more theplots and the treasons of the Wallachians and wanted to settle the affairsof these principalities. In this way, the members of the great phanariot families:Duca, Mavrocordat, Soutza, lpsilanti, bacarne rulers of the principalities.These princes (voivodes), although completely foreign, involved themselvesinto the peasants’ life, the economy of the countries and the social,spiritual and cultural life. They brought in these countries the spirit of Europeand something of its civilization. They took them out of the darkness of avegetative existence and led them to light.

• History and Archaeology

• Ιστορία

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