Ioan Vodă cel Cumplit

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Ioan cel Cumplit (1521 – 1574) was Voivode of Moldavia between February 1572 and June 1574.

He was surnamed Vodă cel Cumplit (the Terrible Voivode), cel Viteaz (the Brave) or Armeanul (the Armenian).

He was one of the last Romanian rulers to battle the Turks. His short reign was marked by fierce combat against the Ottoman Empire and their Crimean Tatar allies. In order to counter the power of the Ottomans, he allied himself with the Ukrainian Cossacks. He was victorious at Brăila, Tighina and Cetatea Alba. When an army of 150,000 Turks was sent against him, he personally surrendered, being promised that his Moldavian and Cossack soldiers would be spared in exchange. He was killed by the Ottomans by tying his body to two camels, which drove in opposite directions. His soldiers were slaughtered nevertheless.

Preceded by Bogdan Lăpuşneanu

Ruler of Moldavia 1572-1574

Succeeded by Petru Şchiopul