The Septilici family (also spelled Șeptilici, Șaptelici, Șeptelici) was a

princely A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The fema ...

noble A noble is a member of the nobility. Noble may also refer to: Places Antarctica * Noble Glacier, King George Island * Noble Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land * Noble Peak, Wiencke Island * Noble Rocks, Graham Land Australia * Noble Island, Gr ...

family from

Bukovina Bukovina or ; ; ; ; , ; see also other languages. is a historical region at the crossroads of Central and Eastern Europe. It is located on the northern slopes of the central Eastern Carpathians and the adjoining plains, today divided betwe ...

, in the

Principality of Moldavia Moldavia (, or ; in Romanian Cyrillic: or ) is a historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester River. An initially independent and later auto ...

. It played a significant political, military role in the history of Moldavia, especially in the medieval and early modern periods. Documented connections to the

House of Obrenović The House of Obrenović or Obrenović Dynasty (, Обрeновићи / Obrenovići, ) was a Serbian dynasty that ruled Serbia from 1815 to 1842, and again from 1858 to 1903. They came to power through the leadership of their progenitor Milo ...

(Serbian royalty),

Cantacuzino The House of Cantacuzino (; ) is a Romanian aristocratic family of Greek origin. The family gave a number of princes to Wallachia and Moldavia, and it claimed descent from a branch of the Byzantine Kantakouzenos family, specifically from Byzanti ...

(Byzantine dynasty). Other princely families such as

Shakhovskoy The House of Shakhovskoy is the name of a Russian nobility, noble family of the Russian Empire which claims descent from Konstantin Glebovich "Shah", a voivode of Nizhny Novgorod in 1481. Most members of the family fled the Russian Empire in 191 ...

Svyatopolk-Mirsky The House of Sviatopolk-Mirsky (, , , also transliterated using ''Swiatopolk'' or ''Mirskii'') is a family of nobility in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Russian Empire, and Poland that originated from present-day northwestern Belarus. They firs ...

, Rosetti,

Sturdza The House of Sturdza, Sturza or Stourdza () is the name of an old Moldavian noble family whose origins can be traced back to the 1540s. Members of the family played important political role in the history of Moldavia, Russia and later Romania. ...

, Bals and others.

Origin

The origins of the Șeptilici family date back to the

15th century The 15th century was the century which spans the Julian calendar dates from 1 January 1401 (represented by the Roman numerals MCDI) to 31 December 1500 (MD). In Europe, the 15th century includes parts of the Late Middle Ages, the Early Re ...

. The Șeptilici were included by

Dimitrie Cantemir Dimitrie or Demetrius; Cantemir (; ; 26 October 1673 – 21 August 1723), also known by other spellings, was a Moldavian prince, statesman, and man of letters. He twice served as voivode of Moldavia (March–April 1693 and 1710–1711). Durin ...

among the most important

boyar A boyar or bolyar was a member of the highest rank of the feudal nobility in many Eastern European states, including Bulgaria, Kievan Rus' (and later Russia), Moldavia and Wallachia (and later Romania), Lithuania and among Baltic Germans. C ...

(noble) families of

Moldavia Moldavia (, or ; in Romanian Cyrillic alphabet, Romanian Cyrillic: or ) is a historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester River. An initially in ...

. The name of the family appears in internal documents as early as the 16th century, with reference to the reign of Petru Vodă Rareș. The Șeptilici family was mentioned in royal documents during the reign of

Stephen the Great Stephen III, better known as Stephen the Great (; ; died 2 July 1504), was List of rulers of Moldavia, Voivode (or Prince) of Moldavia from 1457 to 1504. He was the son of and co-ruler with Bogdan II of Moldavia, Bogdan II, who was murdered in ...

(1457–1504), when the family began to gain recognition and influence.

Connected families

The Septilici family, an established noble lineage from the historical region of Moldova, is connected through marriage and descent to several prominent European aristocratic and royal families:

Serbian Royalty Serbian may refer to: * Pertaining to Serbia in Southeast Europe; in particular **Serbs, a South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans ** Serbian language ** Serbian culture **Demographics of Serbia, includes other ethnic groups within the co ...

: Through the marriage of Maria Kesco into the Septilici family, the Septilici are linked to Queen Natalie of Serbia (née Keșco), consort of King Milan I and mother of King Alexander I of Serbia.

Romanian Nobility The boyars of Moldavia and Wallachia were the nobility of the Danubian Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia. The title was either inherited or granted by the Hospodar, often together with an administrative function.Djuvara, p.131 The boyars ...

: A connection to the influential

family was established through Aspasia Andrieș Septilici, one of Romania’s most historically significant noble houses, which claims descent from Byzantine imperial lines.

Russian Aristocracy The Russian nobility or ''dvoryanstvo'' () arose in the Middle Ages. In 1914, it consisted of approximately 1,900,000 members, out of a total population of 138,200,000. Up until the February Revolution of 1917, the Russian noble estates staffed ...

: Constantin Andrieș Șeptilici, a notable member of the family, served as a court counselor in the Russian Empire and as Governor of Crimea. He was married to

Princess Princess is a title used by a female member of a regnant monarch's family or by a female ruler of a principality. The male equivalent is a prince (from Latin '' princeps'', meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for ...

Paraschiva Șahovsky, of the

princely house one of Russia’s oldest noble families with Rurikid origins. Maria Septilici (also known as Princess Maria Andrias Septilici), born in the Chernivtsi region (Khotyn), married Prince Dmitri Sviatopolk-Mirski, connecting the family to the

princely dynasty. The Septilici lineage is also associated with other prominent Moldavian boyar families, including the Rosetti,

and Bals families.

History

Assassination of Voivode Gaspar Graziani

One of the most controversial events in which the noble family was involved was the assassination of ruler

Gaspar Graziani Gaspar (or Gașpar, Gasparo) Graziani (also credited as Grazziani, Gratiani and Grațiani; 1575/1580 – 29 September 1620) was Voivode (Prince) of Moldavia between February 4OS/February 14 NS 1619 and September 19 OS/September 29 NS 1620 (''s ...

(ruler of Moldavia between 1619 and 1620). According to historical accounts, members of the Șeptilici and Goia families conspired against Graziani because of his dangerous policies and authoritarian tendencies. They saw in his elimination a way to prevent a possible Ottoman invasion and restore order in the principality. His death was a landmark event in Moldavian history, and the Șeptilici family apparently played a significant role in the plot that led to his murder.

Notable members

Vasile Septilici Vasile Șeptilici (17th century) was a prominent Moldavian nobleman, known for his significant roles in the political and military spheres of the Principality of Moldavia. He served as hetman (army commander) and burgrave of Suceava in 1620, also ...

- count, representative of the prince (

hetman ''Hetman'' is a political title from Central and Eastern Europe, historically assigned to military commanders (comparable to a field marshal or imperial marshal in the Holy Roman Empire). First used by the Czechs in Bohemia in the 15th century, ...

and

burgrave Burgrave, also rendered as burggrave (from , ), was since the medieval period in Europe (mainly Germany) the official title for the ruler of a castle, especially a royal or episcopal castle, and its territory called a ''Burgraviate'' or ''Burgr ...

Suceava Suceava () is a Municipiu, city in northeastern Romania. The seat of Suceava County, it is situated in the Historical regions of Romania, historical regions of Bukovina and Western Moldavia, Moldavia, northeastern Romania. It is the largest urban ...

) (1610-1620). * Ilie Septilici - count, representative of the prince, member of the princely council (

and

of Suceava) (1658-1663). * Gheorghe Septilici -

logothete Logothete (, ''logothétēs'', pl. λογοθέται, ''logothétai''; Med. , pl. ''logothetae''; ; ; ; , ''logotet'') was an administrative title originating in the eastern Roman Empire. In the middle and late Byzantine Empire, it rose to become ...

II,

of Khotyn, Ukraine. (1666-1703). * Andreica Septilici - commander of the vanguard,

of Khotyn, Ukraine. *

Aspasia Andrias-Septilici (née

) - married to Ion Septilici. (1822-1870). *

Maria Andrias

(née Septilici) - married to Prince Dmitri Sviatopolk-Mirski, born in Ukraine, Khotyn, Chernivtsi (24.12.1898-) *

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

Constantin Septilici - Governor of Crimea, settled in Russia in 1792, received from Catherine II the title of titular advisor and the rank of captain in the army. Later, in 1803, Alexander I promoted him, granting him the rank of Court Advisor, married to Princess Paraschiva Shakhovskoy. *

Arcadie Septilici ''Prince'' Arcadie Septilici-Shakhovskoy (29 November 1839, Odesa – 1923) was a captain in Russo-Turkish war, Russian-Romanian noble from an old noble family Septilici. Remarked for his military service and loyalty for Romania. When young, it i ...

-Shakhovskoy -

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

, young man was an orderly officer of King

Carol I Carol I or Charles I of Romania (born Karl Eitel Friedrich Zephyrinus Ludwig von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen; 20 April 1839 – ), was the monarch of Romania from 1866 to his death in 1914, ruling as Prince (''Domnitor'') from 1866 to 1881, and as ...

. He studied in military schools in Russia, his grandfather was Constantin Septilici, and his grandmother

Paraschiva

, heir to the Burchi-Septilici house (November 29, 1839 - 1923). * Ivan Petrovich Septilici - Russian-Moldovan politician, deputy of the Duma, and later elected chairman of the Beloyarsk Duma. * Mircea Septilici - famous Romanian theater and film actor.

Estates

In 1907, an Ilie Șeptilici appears as the owner of the Burchi house. He was a descendant of Șeptilici the

, commander of the Moldavian army, beheaded in 1621 by

Alexandru Iliaș Alexandru IV Iliaș (died 1666) was Prince of Wallachia from 1616 to 1618, then from 1628 to 1629, and Prince of Moldavia from 1620 to 1621 and 1631 to 1633. Life Alexandru IV Iliaș was the son of Ilie, or Iliaș, himself son of Alexandru I ...

Vodă. The Șeptilici family also had descendants in Moldova across the Prut (which became the Russian governorate of "Bessarabia" after 1812). His great-grandfather, Constantin Andries Șeptilici, former counselor in Russia and Governor of Crimea, is known; he was married to Princess Paraschiva Șahovsky.