List of rulers of Wallachia

This is a List of rulers of Wallachia, from the first mention of a medieval polity situated between the Southern Carpathians and the Danube until the union with Moldavia in 1862, leading to the creation of Romania.

Notes

Dynastic rule is hard to ascribe, given the loose traditional definition of the ruling family (on principle, princes were chosen from any family branch, including a previous ruler's bastard sons - being defined as os de domn - "of Voivode marrow", or as having heregie - "heredity" (from the Latin hereditas); the institutions charged with the election, dominated by the boyars, had fluctuating degrees of influence). The system itself was challenged by usurpers, and became obsolete with the Phanariote epoch, when rulers were appointed by the Ottoman Sultans; between 1821 and 1878 (the date of Romania's independence), various systems combining election and appointment were put in practice. Wallachian rulers, like the Moldavian rulers, bore the titles of Voivode or/and Hospodar.

Most rulers did not use the form of the name they are cited with, and several used more than one form of their own name; in some cases, the ruler was only mentioned in foreign sources. The full names are either modern versions or ones based on mentions in various chronicles.

List

Ruler Portrait Years Family Notes
1. Seneslau c. 1247 Voivode on the eastern side of the Olt River (around the Argeş).
2. Litovoi 1247–1277 Voivode on the western side of the Olt River.
3. Bărbat c. 1277 – 1290 brother of Litovoi
4. Thocomerius c. 1290 – 1310 some propose Tihomir as a more accurate rendition
5. Radu Negru c. 1300 legendary voivode of Wallachia; some historians consider it to be just a nickname of Thocomerius or Basarab I
Wallachian principality attested in the early 14th century.
6. Basarab I c. 1310 – 1352 Basarab son of Thocomerius; first non-legendary ruler of Wallachia; later also called Basarab Întemeietorul (Basarab the Founder);
7. Nicolae Alexandru 1352–1364 Basarab son of Basarab I
8. Vladislav I c. 1364 – 1377 Basarab son of Nicolae Alexandru; also known as Vlaicu-Vodă
9. Radu I c. 1377 – 1383 Basarab son of Nicolae Alexandru
10. Dan I c. 1383 – 1386 Dăneşti son of Radu I
11. Mircea I cel Bătrân
(Mircea I the Elder)		 1386–1418 Basarab son of Radu I
12. Vlad I Uzurpatorul
(Vlad I the Usurper)		 1394–1397
13. Mihail I 1418–1420 Basarab son of Mircea cel Bătrân
14. Dan II 1420–1421 Dăneşti son of Dan I, member of the Order of the Dragon; 1st rule
15. Radu II Chelul
(Radu II the Bald)		 1421 Basarab son of Mircea cel Bătrân; 1st rule
16. Dan II 1421–1423 Dăneşti 2nd rule
17. Radu II Chelul 1423 Basarab 2nd rule
18. Dan II 1423–1424 Dăneşti 3rd rule
19. Radu II Chelul 1424–1426 Basarab 3rd rule
20. Dan II 1426–1427 Dăneşti 4th rule
21. Radu II Chelul 1427 Basarab 4th rule
22. Dan II 1427–1431 Dăneşti 5th rule
23. Alexandru I Aldea 1431–1436 Drăculeşti son of Mircea cel Bătrân; 1st rule
24. Vlad II Dracul 1436–1442 Drăculeşti illegitimate son of Mircea cel Bătrân; member of the Order of the Dragon (thus Dracul); 1st rule
25. Mircea II 1442 Drăculeşti son of Vlad II Dracul
26. Basarab II 1442–1443 Dăneşti son of Dan II
27. Vlad II Dracul 1443–1447 Drăculeşti 2nd rule
28. Vladislav II 1447–1448 Dăneşti son of Dan II; supported by John Hunyadi, Regent of Hungary; 1st rule
29. Vlad III Ţepeş
(Vlad the Impaler)		 1448 Drăculeşti son of Vlad II Dracul, thus called Vlad Dracula (son of Dracul); 1st rule
30. Vladislav II 1448–1456 Dăneşti son of Dan II; supported by John Hunyadi, Regent of Hungary; 2nd rule
32. Vlad III Ţepeş 1456–1462 Drăculeşti 2nd rule
33. Radu III cel Frumos
(Radu III the Fair)		 1462–1473 Drăculeşti son of Vlad II Dracul; 1st rule
34. Basarab III Laiotă cel Bătrân
(Basarab III Laiotă the Elder)		 1473 Dăneşti son of Dan II; 1st rule
35. Radu III cel Frumos 1473–1474 Drăculeşti 2nd rule
36. Basarab III Laiotă cel Bătrân 1474 Dăneşti 2nd rule
37. Radu III cel Frumos 1474 Drăculeşti 3rd rule
38. Basarab III Laiotă cel Bătrân 1474 Dăneşti 3rd rule
39. Radu III cel Frumos 1474–1475 Drăculeşti 4th rule
40. Basarab III Laiotă cel Bătrân 1475–1476 Dăneşti 4th rule
41. Vlad III Ţepeş 1476 Drăculeşti 3rd rule
42. Basarab III Laiotă cel Bătrân 1476–1477 Dăneşti 5th rule
43. Basarab IV Ţepeluş cel Tânăr
(Basarab IV Ţepeluş the Younger)		 1477–1481 Dăneşti son of Basarab II; 1st rule
44. Mircea 1481
45. Vlad IV Călugărul
(Vlad IV the Monk)		 1481 Drăculeşti son of Vlad II Dracul; 1st rule
46. Basarab IV Ţepeluş cel Tânăr 1481–1482 Dăneşti 2nd rule
48. Vlad IV Călugărul 1482–1495 Drăculeşti 2nd rule
49. Radu IV cel Mare
(Radu IV the Great)		 1495–1508 Drăculeşti son of Vlad Călugărul
50. Mihnea I cel Rău
(Mihnea the Mean)		 1508–1509 Drăculeşti son of Vlad III Ţepeş
51. Mircea III 1509–1510 Drăculeşti son of Mihnea cel Rău
52. Vlad V cel Tânăr
(Vlad V the Younger)		 1510–1512 Drăculeşti nephew of son Radu cel Mare; also known as Vlăduţ
53. Neagoe Basarab V 1512–1521 Craioveşti
54. Teodosie 1521–1522
55. Radu V 1522–1523 Drăculeşti illegitimate son of Radu cel Mare; allied with Craioveşti; 1st rule
56. Vladislav III 1523 Dăneşti nephew of Vladislav II; 1st rule
57. Radu VI Bădica 1523–1524
58. Radu V 1524 Craioveşti 2nd rule
59. Vladislav III 1524 Dăneşti 2nd rule
60. Radu V 1524–1525 Craioveşti 3rd rule
61. Vladislav III 1525 Dăneşti 3rd rule
62. Radu V 1525–1529 Craioveşti 4th rule
63. Basarab VI 1529
64. Moise 1529–1530
65. Vlad VI Înecatul
(Vlad VI the Drowned)		 1530–1532 Drăculeşti son of Vlad cel Tânăr
66. Vlad VII Vintilă de la Slatina 1532–1535 Drăculeşti son of Radu cel Mare
67 Radu VII Paisie 1535–1545 Drăculeşti son of Vlad Vintilă de la Slatina
68. Mircea IV Ciobanul
(Mircea IV the Shepherd)		 1545–1552 Drăculeşti son of Radu cel Mare; 1st rule
69. Radu VIII Ilie Haidăul
(Radu VIII Ilie the Cowherd)		 1552–1553 Drăculeşti son of Radu de la Afumaţi
70. Mircea IV Ciobanul 1553–1554 Drăculeşti 2nd rule
71. Pătraşcu cel Bun
(Pătraşcu the Kind)		 1554–1558 Drăculeşti son of Radu Paisie; 3rd rule
72. Mircea IV Ciobanul 1558–1559 Drăculeşti 3rd rule
73. Petru I cel Tânăr
(Peter I the Younger)		 1559–1568 Drăculeşti son of Mircea Ciobanul
74. Alexandru II Mircea 1568–1574 Drăculeşti son of Mircea II; popularly called Oaie Seacă (Barren Sheep); 1st rule
75. Vintilă 1574 Drăculeşti son of Petru Pătraşcu cel Bun
76. Alexandru II Mircea 1574–1577 Drăculeşti 2nd rule
77. Mihnea II Turcitul
(Mihnea the Turned-Turk)		 1577–1583 Drăculeşti son of Alexandru II Mircea; 1st rule
78. Petru II Cercel
(Peter II Earring)		 1583–1585 Drăculeşti son of Petru Pătraşcu cel Bun
79. Mihnea II Turcitul 1585–1591 Drăculeşti 2nd rule
80. Ştefan Surdul
(Stephen the Deaf)		 1591–1592
81. Alexandru III cel Rău
(Alexander III the Mean)		 1592–1593 also ruled Moldavia (1592)
82. Michael the Brave
(Mihai Viteazul)		 1593–1600 Drăculeşti illegitimate son of Petru Pătraşcu cel Bun; also ruled Transylvania (1599-1600) and Moldavia (1600), briefly uniting the three principalities.
83. Simion Movilă 1600–1601 Movileşti 1st rule
84. Radu IX Mihnea 1601–1602 Drăculeşti son of Minhea II Turcitul; 1st rule
85. Simion Movilă 1602 Movileşti 2nd rule
86. Radu X Şerban 1602–1610 1st rule
87. Gabriel Báthory 1611 Báthory also Prince of Transylvania
88. Radu IX Mihnea 1611 Drăculeşti 2nd rule
89. Radu X Şerban 1611 2nd rule
90. Radu IX Mihnea 1611–1616 Drăculeşti 3rd rule
91. Gabriel Movilă 1616 Movileşti son of Simion Movilă; 1st rule
92. Alexandru IV Iliaş 1616–1618 1st rule
93. Gabriel Movilă 1618–1620 Movileşti 2nd rule
94. Radu IX Mihnea 1620–1623 Drăculeşti 4th rule
95. Alexandru V Coconul
(Alexander the Child-Prince)		 1623–1627 Drăculeşti son of Radu Mihnea
96. Alexandru IV Iliaş 1627–1629 2nd rule
97. Leon Tomşa 1629–1632
98. Radu XI Iliaş 1632
99. Matei Basarab 1632–1654 Brâncoveneşti
100. Constantin Şerban 1654–1658 illegitimate son of Radu Şerban
101. Mihnea III 1658–1659
102. Gheorghe Ghica 1659–1660 Ghica
103. Grigore I Ghica 1660–1664 Ghica 1st rule
104. Radu XII Leon 1664–1669
105. Antonie Vodă din Popeşti 1669–1672
106. Grigore I Ghica 1672–1673 Ghica 2nd rule
107. George Ducas 1673–1678
108. Şerban Cantacuzino 1678–1688 Cantacuzene
109. Constantin Brâncoveanu 1688–1714 Brâncoveneşti
110. Ştefan Cantacuzino 1714–1715 Cantacuzene
Phanariote rule (1715–1821)
111. Nicolae Mavrocordat 1715–1716 Mavrocordato 1st rule
112. Habsburg occupation 1716
113. Ioan Mavrocordat 1716–1719 Mavrocordato
114. Nicolae Mavrocordat 1719–1730 Mavrocordato 2nd rule
115. Constantin Mavrocordat 1730 Mavrocordato 1st rule
116. Mihai Racoviţă 1730–1731 Racoviţă 1st rule
117. Constantin Mavrocordat 1731–1733 Mavrocordato 2nd rule
118. Grigore II Ghica 1733–1735 Ghica 1st rule
119. Constantin Mavrocordat 1735–1741 Mavrocordato 3rd rule
120. Mihai Racoviţă 1741–1744 Racoviţă 2nd rule
121. Constantin Mavrocordat 1744–1748 Mavrocordato 4th rule
122. Grigore II Ghica 1748–1752 Ghica 2nd rule
123. Matei Ghica 1752–1753 Ghica
124. Constantin Racoviţă 1753–1756 1st rule
125. Constantin Mavrocordat 1756–1758 5th rule
126. Scarlat Ghica 1758–1761 Ghica 1st rule
127. Constantin Mavrocordat 1761–1763 6th rule
128. Constantin Racoviţă 1763–1764 Racoviţă 2nd rule
129. Ştefan Racoviţă 1764–1765 Racoviţă
130. Scarlat Ghica 1765–1766 Ghica 2nd rule
131. Alexandru Ghica 1766–1768 Ghica
132. Russian occupation 1768
133. Grigore III Ghica 1768–1769 Ghica
134. Russian occupation 1769–1770
135. Emanuel Giani Ruset 1770-1771 Rosetti also called Manole or Manolache
136. Alexander Ypsilantis 1774–1782 Ypsilanti 1st rule
137. Nicolae Caragea 1782–1783 Caradja
138. Mihail Suţu 1783–1786 Soutzos 1st rule
139. Nicolae Mavrogheni 1786–1789
140. Habsburg occupation 1789–1790 military commander: Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg
141. Mihail Suţu 1791–1793 Soutzos 2nd rule
142. Alexandru Moruzi 1793–1796 Mourousi 1st rule
143. Alexander Ypsilantis 1796–1797 Ypsilanti 2nd rule
144. Constantin Hangerli 1797–1799
145. Alexandru Moruzi 1799–1801 Mourousi 2nd rule
146. Mihail Suţu 1801–1802 Soutzos 3rd rule
147. Alexandru Suţu 1802 Soutzos
148. Constantin Ypsilanti 1802-1806 Ypsilanti
149. Russian occupation 1806–1812
150. Ioan Gheorghe Caragea 1812–1818 Caradja
151. Caimacam
Grigore Brâncovenu		 1818 assisted by Vornic Barbu Văcărescu, Vistier Grigore Ghica and Logofăt Samurcaş
152. Alexandru Suţu 1818–1821 Soutzos
153. Caimacam
Grigore Brâncoveanu		 1821
154. Tudor Vladimirescu 1821 leader of the anti-Phanariote uprising
155. Scarlat Callimachi 1821 Callimachi
156. Grigore IV Ghica 1822–1828 Ghica
157. Russian occupation 1828–1834 military commanders: Fyodor Pahlen, Pyotr Zheltukhin, and Pavel Kiseleff
Organic Statute government (1832–1856)
158. Alexandru II Ghica 1834–1842 Ghica
159. Gheorghe Bibescu 1842–1848 Bibescu
160. Provisional Government 1848 Metropolitan Neofit II, assisted by Christian Tell, Ion Heliade Rădulescu, Ştefan Golescu, Gheorghe Magheru, Gheorghe Scurti
161. Locotenenţa domnească
(Regency of three)		 1848 Christian Tell, Ion Heliade Rădulescu, Nicolae Golescu
162. Joint Ottoman and Russian occupation 1848–1851 military commanders: Omar Pasha and Alexander von Lüders
163. Caimacam
Constantin Cantacuzino		 1848
164. Barbu Ştirbei 1848–1853 Ştirbei 1st rule
165. Russian occupation 1853–1854
166. Ottoman occupation 1854
167. Austrian occupation 1854–1856 military commander: Johann Coronini-Cronberg
168. Barbu Ştirbei 1854–1856 Ştirbei 2nd rule
Protectorate established by the Treaty of Paris (1856–1859)
169. Caimacam
Alexandru II Ghica		 1856–1858
170. Caimacam of three 1858–1859 Ioan Manu, Emanoil Băleanu, Ioan A. Filipide
171. Alexander John Cuza 1859–1862 also ruled Moldavia in personal union
Formal union of Wallachia and Moldavia since 1862.

For later rulers, see Domnitor and Kings of Romania.