List of monarchs of Moldavia

This is a list of monarchs of Moldavia, from the first mention of the medieval polity east of the Carpathians and until its disestablishment in 1862, when it united with Wallachia, the other Danubian Principality, to form the modern-day state 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 branch, including a previous monarch's bastard sons – being defined as os de domn – "of domn marrow", or as having hereghie – "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 monarchs were appointed by the Ottoman Sultans. Between 1821 and 1862, various systems combining election and appointment were put in practice. Moldavian monarchs, like Wallachian and other Eastern European monarchs, bore the titles of Voivode or/and Hospodar (when writing in Romanian, the term Domn (from the Latin dominus) was used).

Most monarchs 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 monarch was only mentioned in foreign sources. The full names are either modern versions or ones based on mentions in various chronicles.

The list is brought up to date for the first monarchs, following the documented studies of Ștefan S. Gorovei and Constantin Rezachevici.

List

Princes of Moldavia

House of Dragoș

Portrait Monarch Reign Remarks
Dragoș I c. 1347–c. 1354 Described as an early monarch of Moldavia, he was sent there as a representative of king Louis I of Hungary to establish a line of defense against the Golden Horde, where he ruled.
Sas c. 1354–c. 1363 son of Dragoș
Balc c. son of Sas

House of Bogdan-Mușat

Portrait Monarch Reign Consort Notes
Bogdan I the Founder c. 1359–1367 Maria
three children
Deposed Sas
Peter I 1367 – July 1368 Unmarried Grandson of Bogdan I, rule not universally accepted by modern historians.
Lațcu July 1368 – 1375 Anna
before 1372
one child
Son of Bogdan I, deposed Petru I
Peter II 1375 – December 1391 Sophia of Lithuania
1387
no children

Olga of Masovia
1388
no children
Son of Costea and Margareta; often referred as Petru I Mușat
Roman I December 1391 – March 1394 Anastasia
three children
Brother of the predecessor.
Stephen I March 1394 – 28 November 1399 Unmarried Son of Roman I.
Iuga 28 November 1399 – 29 June 1400 Unmarried Son of Roman I, deposed by intervention of Mircea I of Wallachia
Alexander I the Good 29 June 1400 – 1 January 1432 Margareta of Losoncz
1394
two children

Anna Neacsa of Podolsk
1405
three children

Ringala of Lithuania
1419
(divorced 13 December 1421)
no children

Marina Bratul
1421
three children
Son of Roman I, installed by Mircea I of Wallachia
Iliaș I 1 January 1432 – October 1433

4 August 1435 – May 1443
Maria Olshanki of Lithuania
23 October 1425
three children
Son of Alexandru I; Deposed by Stefan II, joined his rule in 1435.
Stephen II October 1433 – 13 July 1447 Unmarried Illegitimate son of Alexandru I; Only de facto monarch till September 1434.
Peter III May 1444 – 1445

22 August – 23 December 1447

5 April – 10 October 1448
An unknown sister of John Hunyadi
before 1445
no children
Also joined firstly Ștefan II's rule, before returning in 1447 independently.
Roman II 13 July – 22 August 1447

23 December 1447 – bet. 25 February/5 April 1448
Unmarried son of Iliaș; 1st rule
Csupor de Monoszló
(Ciubăr Vodă)
10 October – December 1448 Unknown Non-dynastic usurper. Born in Croatia, he was a Hungarian nobleman, commander of troops of John Hunyadi. He was sent in support of Petru III to depose his brother Roman, but Petru died suddenly two months later. Csupor ascended at the throne. His name, literally Tub Voivode was mentioned by Grigore Ureche.
Alexăndrel December 1448 – 12 January 1449

24 February 1452 – 22 August 1454

8 February – 25 March 1455
Unmarried Son of Iliaș I.
Bogdan II 12 January 1449 – 15 October 1451 Oltea
before 1433
six children
Nephew of Alexandru I.
Peter III Aaron 15 October 1451 – 24 February 1452

22 August 1454 – 8 February 1455

25 March 1455 – 12 April 1457
Unknown
before 1455
one child
Illegitimate son of Alexandru I.
Stephen III the Great 12 April 1457 – 2 July 1504 Eudokia Olelkovna of Lithuania
5 July 1463
Suceava
three children

Maria Asanina Palaiologina of Gothia
14 September 1472
Suceava
four children

Maria Voichița of Wallachia
1478
three children
Son of Bogdan II. In his reign Moldavia reaches its zenith.
Bogdan III The One-Eyed 2 July 1504 – 22 April 1517 Anastasia
1510
no children

Ruxandra of Wallachia
21 July 1513
no children
son of Ștefan III the Great;
Regency of Luca Arbore, gatekeeper of Suceava (22 April 1517 – 1523) Son of Bogdan III; also called Ștefăniță.
Stephen IV the Younger 22 April 1517 – 14 January 1527 Stana of Wallachia
1524
no children
Peter IV Rareș 14 January 1527 – 14 September 1538

9/16 February 1541 – 2/3 September 1546
Maria
before 1529
four children

Elena of Serbia
1530
four children
Illegitimate son of Stephen the Great.
Stephen V Locust 21 September 1538 – 20 December 1540 Chiajna
before 1540
two children
Grandson of Stephen the Great.
Alexandru Cornea the Evil 21 December 1540 – 9/16 February 1541 Unmarried Son of Bogdan III.
Regency of Elena of Serbia (2/3 September 1546 - 30 May 1551) 1st son of Petru Rareș. Deposed and eventually converted to Islam.
Ilie II Rareș 2 or 3 September 1546 – 30 May 1551 (married several wives as a Muslim)
Regency of Elena of Serbia (30 May 1551 – 1 September 1552) 2nd son of Petru Rareș, attempted an alliance with Hungary; ended up assassinated by his boyars, and was shortly followed by his mother, strangled by them in the following year.
Stephen VI Rareș 30 May 1551 – 1 September 1552 Unmarried
Ioan Joldea bet. 4/12 September 1552 Unmarried Non-dynastic. Ruled 2 or 3 days in 1552.
Alexandru IV Lăpușneanu 12 September 1552 – 30 November 1561

10 March 1564 – 9 March 1568
Ruxandra of Moldavia
January 1556
fourteen children
Son of Bogdan III, brother of Ștefan IV.
Ioan Iacob Heraclid 18 November 1561 – 9 November 1563 An illegitimate daughter of Mircea IV of Wallachia
no children
The Despot Vodă, non-dynastic. Tried, unsuccessfully, to introduce Lutheranism in Moldavia.
Ștefan Tomșa 9 August 1563 – bet. 20 February/10 March 1564 Unknown
at least two children
Non-dynastic. Came to power after a boyar revolt that deposed Ioan Iacob Heraclid.
Regency of Ruxandra of Moldavia (9 March 1568 – November 1570) Son of Alexandru IV Lăpușneanu.
Bogdan IV 9 March 1568 – 15 February 1572 A princess from the Paniczewsk family
1571
one child
John III the Terrible 15 February 1572 – 11 June 1574 Maria Semyonovna of Rostov
1552
Moscow
two children
Son of Ștefan IV; also called cel Viteaz (the Brave).

House of Bogdan-Muşat, with interventions of Basarab (Drăculeşti line) and Movilești dynasties

Portrait Monarch Reign Family Notes
Peter VI the Lame June 1574 – 23 November 1577

1 January 1578 – 21 November 1579

17 October 1582 – 29 August 1591
Drăculești
Ivan Pidkova November–December 1577 Non-dynastic. Hetman in Ukraine (1577-78), also called Nicoară Potcoavă or Ivan Sarpega.
John II the Saxon 21 November 1579 – September 1582 Bogdan-Mușat Illegitimate son of Petru Rareș
Aaron the Tyrant September 1591 – June 1592

October 1592 – 4 May 1595
Bogdan-Mușat son of Alexandru Lăpușneanu; 1st rule
Alexander III the Bad June – August 1592 Bogdan-Mușat son of Bogdan IV; also ruled Wallachia (1592–1593)
Peter VI the Cossack 1592 Bogdan-Mușat son of Alexandru IV Lăpușneanu
Ștefan Răzvan 1595 Non-dynastic.
Ieremia Movilă August 1595 – May 1600

September 1600 – 10 July 1606
Movilești grandson of Petru Rareș; 1st rule
Michael the Brave 1600 Drăculești Also ruled Wallachia (1593–1600) and Transylvania (1599–1600)
Simion Movilă July 1606 – 14 September 1607 Movilești brother of Ieremia Movilă
Mihail Movilă 24 September – October 1607

November – December 1607
Movileşti son of Ieremia Movilă; 1st rule
Regency of Elzbieta Csomortany de Losoncz
(October 1607 and December 1607 – 20 November 1611)
Son of Ieremia Movilă.
Constantin Movilă October 1607

December 1607 – 20 November 1611
Movilești
Ștefan Tomșa II 20 November 1611 – 22 November 1615

September 1621 – August 1623
Non-dynastic. Probably a relative of Ștefan Tomșa I.
Regency of Elzbieta Csomortany de Losoncz
(22 November 1615 – 2 August 1616)
Alexandru Movilă 22 November 1615 – 2 August 1616 Movilești
Radu Mihnea 2 August 1616 – 9 February 1619

4 August 1623 – 13 January 1626
Drăculești
Gaspar Graziani 9 February 1619 – 29 September 1620 Non-dynastic.
Alexandru IV Iliaş 29 September 1620 – October 1621

5 December 1631 – April 1633
Bogdan-Mușat Nephew of Petru VI, Aron and Bogdan IV
Miron Barnovschi-Movilă 13 January 1626 – July 1629

April – 2 July 1633
Movilești
Alexander the Child July 1629 – 29 April 1630 Drăculești
Moise Movilă 28 April 1630 – November 1631

2 July 1633 – April 1634
Movilești
Vasile Lupu April 1634 - 13 April 1653

8 May – 16 July 1653
Non-dynastic
Gheorghe Ștefan 13 April – 8 May 1653

16 July 1653 – 13 March 1658

Pre-Phanariote period

The Ottoman influence in the Moldavian rulers' election grows from the mid-17th century onward. From 1659, the rulers elected are mostly scions of Greek families, and increasingly less linked to the original Moldavian ruling family. The process reached its peak with the called Phanariote period (1715-1859), where, between the rulers, there was already no connection (or a very distant one) with the dynasty of Bogdan-Musat.

Various dynasties

Portrait Monarch Reign Family Remarks
Gheorghe Ghica 1658–1659 Ghica
Constantin Șerban 1659

1661
Ștefan Lupu 1659–1661

1661
also called Papură-Vodă (Bullrush Voivode); 1st rule
Eustratie Dabija 1661–1665
Gheorghe Duca 1665–1666

1668–1672

1678–1683
Iliaș Alexandru 1666–1668 Bogdan-Mușat The last member of the House of Bogdan-Mușat reigning in Moldavia; son of Alexandru VII.
Ştefan Petriceicu 1672–1673

1673–1674

1683–1684
1st rule
Dumitrașcu Cantacuzino 1673

1674–1675

1684–1685
Cantacuzene 1st rule
Antonie Ruset 1675–1678 Rosetti
Constantin Cantemir 1685–1693 Cantemirești
Dimitrie Cantemir 1693

1710–1711
Cantemirești 1st rule; deposed by Ottomans
Constantin Duca 1693–1695

1700–1703
Antioh Cantemir 1695–1700

1705–1707
Cantemirești 1st rule
Chancellor
Ioan Buhuș
1703

1709–1710
Mihai Racoviță 1703–1705

1707–1709

1715–1726
Racoviță
Nicolae Mavrocordat 1709–1710

1711–1715
Mavrocordato 1st rule

Phanariotes (1711–1821)

Portrait Monarch Reign Family Remarks
Caimacam
Lupu Costachi
1711
Ioan Ι Mavrocordat 1711 Mavrocordato
Nicolae Mavrocordat 1711–1715 Mavrocordato 2nd rule
Mihai III Racoviță 1715–1726 Racoviță
Grigore II Ghica 1726–1733

1735–1739

1739–1741

1747–1748
Ghica 1st rule
Constantin Mavrocordat 1733–1735

1741–1743

1748–1749
Mavrocordato 1st rule
Russian occupation (1739)
(Russo-Austrian-Turkish War (1735–1739))
Ioan II Mavrocordat 1743–1747 Mavrocordato son of Nicolae Mavrocordat and brother to Constantin Mavrocordat
Iordache Stavrachi 1749
Constantin Racoviță 1749–1753

1756–1757
Racoviță
Matei Ghica 1753–1756 Ghica
Scarlat Ghica 1757–1758 Ghica
Ioan Teodor Callimachi 1758–1761 Callimachi
Grigore Callimachi 1761–1764

1767–1769
Callimachi 1st rule
Grigore III Ghica 1764–1767

174–1777
Ghica 1st rule
Russian occupation (1769–1774)
(Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774))
Constantin Moruzi 1777–1782 Mourousi
Alexandru Mavrocordat Delibey 1782–1785 Mavrocordato
Alexandru Mavrocordat Firaris 1785–1786 Mavrocordato
Alexandru Ipsilanti 1786–1788 Ypsilanti
Habsburg occupation (1787–1791)
Military commander: Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg
Emanuel Giani Ruset 1788–1789 Rosetti also called Manole or Manolache
Russian occupation (1788–1791)
(Russo-Turkish War (1787–1792))
Alexandru Moruzi 1792

1802

1806–1807
Mourousi 1st rule
Mihai Suțu 1793–1795 Soutzos also called Draco
Alexandru Callimachi 1795–1799 Callimachi
Constantin Ipsilanti 1799–1801 Ypsilanti
Alexandru Suțu 1801–1802 Soutzos
Chancellor
Iordache Conta
1802
Scarlat Callimachi 1806

1807–1810

1812–1819
Callimachi deposed by Russians
Russian occupation (1806–1812)
(Russo-Turkish War (1806–1812))
Bessarabia is placed under Imperial Russian rule in 1812.
(See also President of Moldova, for the heads of state of Moldova, a part of this territory which became independent in the 20th century.)
Alexandru Hangerli 1807
Caimacam
Iordache Ruset-Roznovanu
1807 Rosetti
Caimacam Metropolitan
Veniamin Costache
1807–1812

1821
1st term
Mihail Suțu 1819–1821 Soutzos
Stolnici
Manu and Rizos-Nerulos
1819
Filiki Eteria occupation 1821 military commander: Alexander Ypsilantis
Caimacam
Stefan Bogoridi
(Ștefan Vogoride)
1821–1822

Post-Phanariote period

Portrait Monarch Reign Family Remarks
Ioan Sturdza 1822–1828 Sturdza
Russian occupation (1828–1834)
Military commanders: Fyodor Pahlen, Pyotr Zheltukhin, and Pavel Kiseleff
Organic Statute government (1832–1856)
Mihail Sturdza 1834–1849 Sturdza
Grigore Alexandru Ghica 1849–1853

1854–1856
Ghica 1st rule
Russian occupation (1853–1854)
(Crimean War)
Protectorate established by the Treaty of Paris (1856–1859)
Extraordinary Administrative Council 1856
Caimacam
Teodor Balș
1856–1857
Caimacam
Nicolae Vogoride
1857–1858
Caimacams 1858–1859 Ștefan Catargiu, Vasile Sturdza and Anastasie Panu
(Catargiu resigns in 1858 and is replaced by Ioan A. Cantacuzino)
Alexandru Ioan Cuza 1859–1862 also ruled Wallachia in personal union as the United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia.
Formal union of Moldavia and Wallachia in 1862 as the Romanian United Principalities.
A new constitution came into effect in 1866 giving the country the official name Romania.

For later rulers, see Domnitor and King of Romania.

See also


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