Ştefan Cantacuzino

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ştefan Cantacuzino (Greek: Στέφανος Καντακουζινός, Stephanos Cantacuzinos), was a Prince of Wallachia between April 1714 and January 21, 1716, the son of stolnic Constantin Cantacuzino.

[edit] Life

Ştefan was involved in his father's intrigue against Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu, denouncing him to the Ottoman Empire (Wallachia's overlord), and surrendering Brâncoveanu's secret correspondence with the Habsburg Monarchy, enemies of the Porte in the Great Turkish War. After obtaining the Prince's deposition, he took the throne in Bucharest as an Ottoman appointee.

His rule was coincided with the Habsburg attack led by Prince Eugene of Savoy, during which the Cantacuzinos shook off Ottoman tutelage, informing Stephan, comte de Steinville on the Porte's war preparations. A kapucu was sent to depose Prince Ştefan in January 1716, and arrested him together with his father and uncle (the spătar Mihai Cantacuzino). The three of them were executed in Istanbul.

Following Ştefan Cantacuzino's death, the Phanariote rule in Wallachia was established as a way to ensure a tighter Ottoman control over Wallachia.