The House of Ghica
r Ghika(; }; , ''Gikas'') was an
Albanian
Albanian may refer to:
*Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular:
**Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans
**Albanian language
**Albanian culture
**Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...
noble family whose members held significant positions in
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia (; ; : , : ) is a historical and geographical region of modern-day Romania. It is situated north of the Lower Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians. Wallachia was traditionally divided into two sections, Munteni ...
,
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 ...
and later in the
Kingdom of Romania
The Kingdom of Romania () was a constitutional monarchy that existed from with the crowning of prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen as King of Romania, King Carol I of Romania, Carol I (thus beginning the Romanian royal family), until 1947 wit ...
, between the early 17th century and late 19th century.
The Ghica family produced many
voivode
Voivode ( ), also spelled voivod, voievod or voevod and also known as vaivode ( ), voivoda, vojvoda, vaivada or wojewoda, is a title denoting a military leader or warlord in Central, Southeastern and Eastern Europe in use since the Early Mid ...
s of
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia (; ; : , : ) is a historical and geographical region of modern-day Romania. It is situated north of the Lower Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians. Wallachia was traditionally divided into two sections, Munteni ...
and
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 ...
and two
Prime Minister
A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
s of
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...
. Several branches of the family still exist today.
History
Origins
The Ghica family is of
Albanian
Albanian may refer to:
*Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular:
**Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans
**Albanian language
**Albanian culture
**Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...
origin.
The first recorded Ghica in historical records is
Gheorghe Ghica. His family originally came from Albania and the wider region of Epirus and was possibly born in North Macedonia, south of the city of
Skopje
Skopje ( , ; ; , sq-definite, Shkupi) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It lies in the northern part of the country, in the Skopje Basin, Skopje Valley along the Vardar River, and is the political, economic, and cultura ...
, in
Köprülü (present-day Veles). Köprülü as his birthplace may be a later mistake based on Ion Neculce's literary narrative about his ties to
Köprülü Mehmed Pasha
Köprülü Mehmed Pasha (, , ; or ''Qyprilliu'', also called ''Mehmed Pashá Rojniku''; 1575, Roshnik,– 31 October 1661, Edirne) was Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire and founding patriarch of the Köprülü political dynasty. He helped ...
. Mihai Cantacuzino in the 18th century place his geographical origin ''from the Albanians of Zagora, in the region of Ianina'' - modern
Zagori
Zagori (; ), is a region, a municipality, and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the Pindus mountains in Epirus, in northwestern Greece. The seat of the municipality is the village Asprangeloi. It has an area of some and contains 46 v ...
, a
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
remotely situated in the
Pindus
The Pindus (also Pindos or Pindhos; ; ; ) is a mountain range located in Northern Greece and Southern Albania. It is roughly long, with a maximum elevation of (Smolikas, Mount Smolikas). Because it runs along the border of Thessaly and Epiru ...
mountains near
Ioannina
Ioannina ( ' ), often called Yannena ( ' ) within Greece, is the capital and largest city of the Ioannina (regional unit), Ioannina regional unit and of Epirus (region), Epirus, an Modern regions of Greece, administrative region in northwester ...
in
Epirus (region)
Epirus ( ; , ) is a traditional geographic regions of Greece, geographic and modern administrative regions of Greece, administrative region in northwestern Greece.Π.Δ. 51/87 "Καθορισμός των Περιφερειών της Χώρα� ...
and famous for famous for the Zagorochoria, villages with traditional stone architecture in a stunning landscape. In all available historical sources, despite the discrepancies about his exact birthplace, he is always referred to as an Albanian, an indication of his origin's role in the patronage networks which supported his political career. His father's name is unknown but Alexandru Ghica, a descendant of Gheorghe Ghica, suggested that his name was Matei (ca. 1565–1620). This figure hasn't been recorded in archival material and his existence is disputed. Gheorghe Ghica was engaged in commerce in
Constantinople
Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
and traveled as a merchant to
Iași
Iași ( , , ; also known by other #Etymology and names, alternative names), also referred to mostly historically as Jassy ( , ), is the Cities in Romania, third largest city in Romania and the seat of Iași County. Located in the historical ...
in the Romanian principalities. Ghica quickly moved upwards in the Romanian principalities mainly because he supported and was supported by other Albanians in the central and regional Ottoman administration. Ghica joined
Vasile Lupu
Lupu Coci, known as Vasile Lupu (; 1595 – 1661), was the voivode of Moldavia between 1634 and 1653. He was of Albanian and Greek origin. Lupu had secured the Moldavian throne in 1634 after a series of complicated intrigues and managed to h ...
, an Albanian emigre who was
Voivode of Moldavia
This is a list of monarchs of Moldavia, from the first mention of the medieval polity east of the Carpathian Mountains, Carpathians and until its disestablishment in 1862, when Unification of Moldavia and Wallachia, it united with Wallachia, the ot ...
and became his most trusted officer and representative in the
Ottoman court.
Miron Costin
Miron Costin (March 30, 1633 – 1691) was a Moldavian (Romanians, Romanian) political figure and chronicler. His main work, ''Letopiseţul Ţărâi Moldovei e la Aron Vodă încoace' (''The Chronicles of the land of Moldavia [from the rule ...
(1633–1691), a contemporary Romanian historian wrote about the clientelist relations in Ottoman hierarchy between figures of the same origin and noted that ''being of the same origin as him [Ghica] – that is Albanian – voievode Vasile brought him to the court and entrusted him some minor offices, and later [Ghica] reached the position of the Chief Judge of Lower Moldavia.'' Lupu's fall brought Ghica to an alliance with another Albanian, the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire, Köprülü Mehmed Pasha. In the Romanian principalities, Mehmed Pasha promoted an 'ethnicity-based patronage system' and chose to appoint Albanians as a means to strengthen his apparatus in the region. Gheorghe Ghica (voivode of Moldavia (1658–59), voivode of Wallachia (1859–1860)), his son Grigore (voivode of Wallachia, 1660–64), and Vasile Lupu's son,
Ștefăniță Lupu
Ştefăniţă Lupu, nicknamed Papură-Vodă (1641 – 29 September 1661), son of Vasile Lupu, was Voivode (List of Moldavian rulers, Prince) of Moldavia between 1659 and 1661, and again in 1661.
Life
Appointed by the Ottoman Porte, Porte as a res ...
(voivode of Moldavia, 1659–61) all were appointed by Köprülü Mehmed Pasha.
Ion Neculce
Ion Neculce (1672–1745) was a Moldavian chronicler. His main work, ''Letopisețul Țărâi Moldovei e la Dabija Vodă până la a doua domnie a lui Constantin Mavrocordat' (''The Chronicles of the land of Moldavia Constantin Mavrocordat'') ...
(1672–1745), another contemporary Romanian historian who continued the tradition of Miron Costin, recorded a tale about Gheorge Gica and Mehmed Pasha. According to the tale, they came from poor families and had met when they were children in Constantinople. The future Mehmed Pasha promised that he would help Ghica when he became powerful. Years later when they met again Mehmed Pasha supposedly remembered their meeting and made Ghica, voivode of Moldavia. The tale is definitely a literary construction, but it has historical value because its narration highlights the existing patronage ties of its era.
Ghica married Smaragda (Smada) Lână, daughter of Stamate Lână, the ''
Stolnic
''Stolnic'' was a '' boier'' (Romanian nobility) rank and the position at the court in the Danubian Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia. The title approximately corresponds to seneschal and is borrowed from the Slavic title ''stolnik'' (from ...
'' (
Seneschal
The word ''seneschal'' () can have several different meanings, all of which reflect certain types of supervising or administering in a historic context. Most commonly, a seneschal was a senior position filled by a court appointment within a royal, ...
) of Broşteni.
[Paul Cernovodeanu, ''La Famille Ghika – court historique''. Online a]
Ghika.net
Retrieved on 7 October 2010. Ghica rooted his family in the feudal class of Romania via the marriage of his son Grigore to the niece of
Gheorghe Ștefan.
Rise

Following the
power vacuum
In political science and political history, the term power vacuum, also known as a power void, is an analogy between a physical vacuum to the political condition "when someone in a place of power, has lost control of something and no one has replac ...
resulting from the failed
Transylvanian
Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...
-Wallachian-Moldavian anti-Ottoman uprising organized by Prince
George II Rákóczi
George II Rákóczi (30 January 1621 – 7 June 1660), was a Hungarian nobleman, Prince of Transylvania (1648-1660), the eldest son of George I and Zsuzsanna Lorántffy.
Early life
He was elected Prince of Transylvania during his father' ...
, Gheorghe Ghica managed to secure his position as Voivode of Moldavia, a position he held between 1658–1659 and 1659–1660. Unable to cope with the financial burdens imposed by the Porte, he was dismissed; nonetheless, following the intervention of Mehmed Pasha his son Grigore I Ghica became the new voivode. He was Gheorghe Ghica's oldest surviving son, born in Constantinople from a relationship he had with Ecaterina Vlasto, a Catholic from
Pera
Pera may refer to:
Places
* Pera (Beyoğlu), a district in Istanbul formerly called Pera, now called Beyoğlu
** Galata, a neighbourhood of Beyoğlu, often referred to as Pera in the past
* Pêra (Caparica), a Portuguese locality in the district o ...
. He had followed his father to Moldavia, where he further raised his family into the ranks of the indigenous Great
Boyars
A boyar or bolyar was a member of the highest rank of the Feudalism, feudal nobility in many Eastern European states, including First Bulgarian Empire, Bulgaria, Kievan Rus' (and later Russian nobility, Russia), Boyars of Moldavia and Wallach ...
, by marrying Maria Sturdza, daughter of ''Vistiern'' (
Treasurer
A treasurer is a person responsible for the financial operations of a government, business, or other organization.
Government
The treasury of a country is the department responsible for the country's economy, finance and revenue. The treasure ...
) Mateiaș Sturdza of the
Sturdza family, and niece of the Moldavian Prince
Gheorghe Ștefan.
The Ghica formed a close alliance with the Sturdza and
Cantacuzino families in the 17th century.
Grigore I Ghica's rule was also not free from disturbances due to the conflict with the Sublime Porte and especially because of the disputes between the Boyar parties. Through his political maneuvers and the assassination of his former mentor Constantine Cantacuzino, he instigated the hatred of nobility against him and his entourage. Taking advantage of the defeat of the Ottomans at the
Battle of Levice (1664), Grigore fled to
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
and then to
Vienna
Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
, in search of Habsburg military aid. His hopes having not been materialized, he returned to Constantinople and acquired the Moldavian throne once again in 1672. During his short second reign, the animosity of the
Cantacuzinos exploded violently, and after the defeat of the Turks
at Khotyn in 1673, Grigore was forced to flee to Constantinople; the hostility of his opponents lost his throne and he will die in Constantinople in 1674.
Grigore I Ghica's children, most notably Matei (Grigore) Ghica, assured the continuation of the lineage. Matei Ghica lived exclusively in Greek
Phanar neighborhood of Constantinople. The marriage with Ruxandra Mavrocordat, daughter of
Alexander Mavrocordatos Alexander Mavrokordatos, Mavrocordatos, or Mavrocordato () can refer to:
* Alexander Mavrokordatos the Exaporite (died 1709), physician and Grand Dragoman of the Porte (1673–1709)
* Alexander Mavrocordatos Delibey (1742–1712), Prince of Molda ...
, the
Dragoman of the Sublime Porte, introduced Matei to the
Phanariote
Phanariots, Phanariotes, or Fanariots (, , ) were members of prominent Greek families in Phanar (Φανάρι, modern ''Fener''), the chief Greek quarter of Constantinople where the Ecumenical Patriarchate is located, who traditionally occupied ...
nucleus – now the religious, cultural and political
hegemons
Hegemony (, , ) is the political, economic, and military predominance of one state over other states, either regional or global.
In Ancient Greece (ca. 8th BC – AD 6th c.), hegemony denoted the politico-military dominance of the ''hegemon'' ...
of the Christian Ottoman subjects and vassals – and ensured a path of political ascendancy for his descendants.
He became Grand Drogoman of
The Fleet, and in 1739 he negotiated an agreement with the Sultan whereby the key position of Grand Dragoman of the Sublime Porte would remain within the fold – i.e. among the descendants of a family pact involving the Ghicas,
Mavrocordatos and
Racoviţăs.
[Christopher Long, ''Prince Mattheos (Gregorios) Ghika – Family Group Sheet''. Online a]
Mavrogordato / Mavrocordato Family
. Retrieved on 7 October 2010.
His son
Grigore II Ghica
Grigore II Ghica (1695 – 3 September 1752) was Voivode (Prince) of Moldavia at four different intervals — from October 1726 to April 16, 1733, from November 27, 1735 to 14 September 1739, from October 1739 to September 1741 and from May 1747 ...
, initiated in the intricacies of the Ottoman politics due to his rank as Dragoman, succeeded in acquiring the Moldavian throne on 26 September 1726.
During his rule in Moldavia, Grigore II Ghica made proof of great diplomatic skills by leveling an unfortunate conflict with the
Crimean Khanate
The Crimean Khanate, self-defined as the Throne of Crimea and Desht-i Kipchak, and in old European historiography and geography known as Little Tartary, was a Crimean Tatars, Crimean Tatar state existing from 1441 to 1783, the longest-lived of th ...
who threatened to ravage the country. In 1733 a swap of thrones took place, with Grigore II going to Wallachia in place of his cousin
Constantine Mavrocordatos
Constantine Mavrocordatos (Greek language, Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Μαυροκορδάτος, Romanian language, Romanian: ''Constantin Mavrocordat''; February 27, 1711November 23, 1769) was a Greeks, Greek noble who served as List of rul ...
. Grigore II Ghica's diplomatic skills proved even more remarkable during the
Russo-Austrian-Turkish War, when the Prince of Moldavia, at the request of the Porte, acted as the intermediary and mediator between the Ottomans and Russians through correspondence and exchange of envoys with the Russian
Field Marshal
Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army (in countries without the rank of Generalissimo), and as such, few persons a ...
Burkhard Christoph von Münnich
Burkhard Christoph Graf von Münnich (; – ) was a German-born army officer who became a field marshal and political figure in the Russian Empire.
He carried out major reforms in the Russian Army and founded several elite military forma ...
, with John Bell, the secretary of the British embassy in St. Petersburg, with the French ambassador to Constantinople,
Louis Sauveur Villeneuve, as well as with the great Ottoman dignitaries.
Notable members of the family
Princes of Wallachia
*
Gheorghe Ghica: 1659–1660 and 1673–1678
*
Grigore I Ghica: 1660–1664 and 1672–1673
*
Grigore II Ghica
Grigore II Ghica (1695 – 3 September 1752) was Voivode (Prince) of Moldavia at four different intervals — from October 1726 to April 16, 1733, from November 27, 1735 to 14 September 1739, from October 1739 to September 1741 and from May 1747 ...
: 1733–1735 and 1748–1752
*
Matei Ghica
Matei Ghica (1728 – 8 February 1756), a member of the Ghica family, was the Prince of Wallachia between 11 September 1752 and 22 June 1753, and Prince of Moldavia between 22 June 1753 and 8 February 1756. He was son of Grigore II Ghica and broth ...
: 1752–1753
*
Scarlat Ghica
Scarlat Grigorie Ghica (1715 – 2 December 1766) was a Prince of Moldavia (2 March 1757 – 7 August 1758), and twice Prince of Wallachia (August 1758 – 5 June 1761; 18 August 1765 – 2 December 1766). He was a member of the Ghica family.
He ...
: 1758–1761 and 1765–1766
*
Alexandru Ghica
Alexandru Scarlat Ghica (? – after 1768) was Voivode (Prince) of Wallachia from December 1766 to October 1768. He succeeded Scarlat Ghica.
References
18th-century princes of Wallachia
Alexandru
Alexandru is the Romanian form of t ...
: 1766–1768
*
Grigore III Ghica: 1768–1769
*
Grigore IV Ghica
Grigore IV Ghica or Grigore Dimitrie Ghica (Albanian : Gjika) (June 30, 1755 – April 29, 1834) was Prince of Wallachia between 1822 and 1828. A member of the Albanian Ghica family, Grigore IV was the brother of Alexandru II Ghica and the uncle o ...
: 1822–1828
*
Alexandru II Ghica
Alexandru Dimitrie Ghica (1 May 1796 – January 1862), a member of the Ghica family, was Prince of Wallachia from April 1834 to 7 October 1842 and later caimacam (regent) from July 1856 to October 1858.
Family
He was son of Demetriu Ghica ...
: 1834–1842
Princes of Moldavia
*
Gheorghe Ghica: 1658–1659
*
Grigore II Ghica
Grigore II Ghica (1695 – 3 September 1752) was Voivode (Prince) of Moldavia at four different intervals — from October 1726 to April 16, 1733, from November 27, 1735 to 14 September 1739, from October 1739 to September 1741 and from May 1747 ...
: 1735–1741 and 1747–1748
*
Matei Ghica
Matei Ghica (1728 – 8 February 1756), a member of the Ghica family, was the Prince of Wallachia between 11 September 1752 and 22 June 1753, and Prince of Moldavia between 22 June 1753 and 8 February 1756. He was son of Grigore II Ghica and broth ...
: 1753–1756
*
Scarlat Ghica
Scarlat Grigorie Ghica (1715 – 2 December 1766) was a Prince of Moldavia (2 March 1757 – 7 August 1758), and twice Prince of Wallachia (August 1758 – 5 June 1761; 18 August 1765 – 2 December 1766). He was a member of the Ghica family.
He ...
: 1757–1758
*
Grigore III Ghica: 1764–1767 and 1774–1777
*
Grigore V Ghica: 1849–1853 and 1854–1856, from Katherine's Moldavian branch
Prime Ministers of Romania
*
Ion Ghica
Ion Ghica (; 12 August 1816 – 7 May 1897) was a Romanian statesman, mathematician, diplomat and politician, who was Prime Minister of Romania five times. He was a full list of members of the Romanian Academy, member of the Romanian Academy an ...
: 1866–1867 and 1870–1871
*
Dimitrie Ghica
Dimitrie Ghica or Ghika (Albanian: Gjika) (; 31 May 1816 – 15 February 1897) was a Romanian politician. A prominent member of the Conservative Party, he served as Prime Minister between 1868 and 1870.
Dimitrie Ghica was born in Buchares ...
: 1868–1870
Others

*
Albert Ghica (late 19th century), Romanian socialite and pretender to the
Albania
Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...
n throne
*
Alexandrina Pallady (1876–1944), adopted Ghica and married
Grigore Gheorghe Cantacuzino, Romanian feminist and fascist activist
*
Alexandru Ghika (1902–1964), Romanian mathematician
*
Aurélie Soubiran, Princess Ghika (1820–1904), French writer and wife of Grigore Ghika (1812–58), fourth son on Grigore IV
*
Dimitrie Ghica
Dimitrie Ghica or Ghika (Albanian: Gjika) (; 31 May 1816 – 15 February 1897) was a Romanian politician. A prominent member of the Conservative Party, he served as Prime Minister between 1868 and 1870.
Dimitrie Ghica was born in Buchares ...
(1816–1897), Romanian politician
*
Dimitrie Ghica-Comănești (1839–1923), Romanian politician, explorer of Africa, hunter, member of the Romanian Parliament
*
Eugen Ghica-Comănești (1839–1914), Romanian politician, Union Army officer
*
Dimitrie I. Ghika
Dimitrie I. Ghika or Ghica (21 January 1875 – 13 October 1967) was a Romanian politician and diplomat. He was the son of Ioan Grigore Ghica, former minister of National Defence and of Foreign Affairs.
Dimitrie Ghika studied at the University ...
(1875–1967), Romanian politician,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania
The Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs () is the ministry responsible for external affairs of the Government of Romania, Romanian Government. The current foreign minister is Emil Hurezeanu.
List of ministers of foreign affairs (1862–1989) ...
*
Elena Ghica (1828–1888), Romanian writer
*
Ioan Grigore Ghica (1830–1881), Romanian politician,
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and foreign relations, relations, diplomacy, bilateralism, ...
and
Ministry of National Defense of Romania
The Ministry of National Defence () is one of the eighteen ministries of the Government of Romania.
The current acting Minister of National Defence is Angel Tîlvăr.
Ministry
The Ministry of National Defence is the specialized body of the ...
*
Matila Ghyka (1881–1965), Romanian writer, historian and diplomat
*
Pantazi Ghica (1831–1882), Romanian writer, politician and financier
*
Vladimir Ghika (1873–1954), Romanian diplomat and Roman Catholic Priest
*
Major General Chris Ghika CBE, British Army General
Bibliography
*
*
*
*Mănescu, Jean-Nicholas: ''Das Oswaldussymbol in der Wappenwelt Osteuropas.'' Tom C. Bergroth (edited): Genealogica & Heraldica. Report of The 16th International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences in Helsinki 16-21 August 1984. Helsinki 1984, p. 415-424. ISBN 951-99640-4-5
References
External links
*
Extensive website about the family
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ghica Family