Constantin Brâncoveanu

August 15th 1654 - August 15th 1714 

Prince of Wallachia 1688 -1714




In a period of constant battles between the world powers of that time, Constantin Brâncoveanu put cultural development of his country above everything and made it the goal of his life. Under his reign, many Romanian, Greek, Bulgarian, Arabic, Turkish, and Georgian texts were printed after a printing press was established in Bucharest. Brâncoveanu left to the secular Romanian spirituality a few fundamental books, printed for the first time in Wallachia; among them, Aristotle's Ethics, the Flower of the Gifts and the Philosophical Examples. In 1694, he founded the Royal Academy of Bucharest. After all of his fortune has been seized, in exchange for the life of his family he was asked to renounce the Orthodox Christian faith. 

He reportedly said: "Behold, all my fortunes and all I had, I have lost! Let us not lose our souls. Be brave and manly, my beloved! Ignore death. Look at how much Christ, our Savior, has endured for us and with what shameful death he died. Firmly believe in this and do not move, nor leave your faith for this life and this world." After this, his four sons, Constantin, Ștefan, Radu and Matei and advisor Ienache Vacarescu were beheaded in front of their father. Brâncoveanu’s sanctification is recognized by all The Eastern Orthodox Churches. His remains were brought to Romania and burried in 1720 at the church „Sf. Gheorghe cel Nou” in Bucharest, one of his constructions.


Evolutionist

Pylon of Romanian cultural identity and spirituality

Great Patriot

Piety and unshakeable faith in God

Supreme Sacrifice Icon

Victorious and sustaining his beliefs

Innovator in art and culture and science

Dedicated to the values of his family and his people

Constantin Brâncoveanu Milestones

Prince of Wallachia. He was a great patron of the arts, and responsible for many books being printed for the first time in Wallachia. After his death - he was captured by the Ottomans and both him and his sons were beheaded - he was sanctified as a martyr by the Eastern Orthodox Church.  

Constantin Brâncoveanu's Footprint

  • Constantin Brâncoveanu owned vineyards as well, including in Dealu Mare region, and old documents show that he was receiving a tax on wine, called “vinarici”. Romania has a very long tradition of wine production, dating back more than 2000 years ago, which explains why it is currently the 5th producer of wine in Europe and one the biggest producers in the world. Brâncoveanu was not only producing wine and wine distilate, but also vermouth (“Hypocratic wine”), vodka, gin flavoured vodkas and bitters. Old manuscripts from Brâncoveanu era are among the first cookbooks ever written in Romanian language.

  • In his religious and laic constructions, Brâncoveanu harmoniously combined in architecture the mural and sculptural painting, the local tradition, the Neo-Byzantine style and the innovative ideas of the Italian Renaissance, giving rise to Brâncovenesc style, which is the original Romanian style. The most accomplished and the best-preserved example of Brâncovenesc style architecture is Horezu monastery, inscribed by UNESCO on its list of World Heritage Sites, where Brâncoveanu intended to have his tomb. 

    Other buildings built by him are Mogoşoaia Palace complex, Potlogi Palace, Brâncoveanu monastery, and many others. The neo-Romanian style was born from the style of the monasteries, of the houses and of the palaces of Brâncoveanu and it became the national style at the time of the affirmation of the cultural identities of the nations of Europe in the beginning of the 20th century. Brâncoveanu was deposed from his throne by Sultan Ahmed III, and brought under arrest to Istanbul, where he was imprisoned and tortured by the Ottomans. 

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