The Sublime Porte’s Two Eyes Fixed over Europe: Phanariote Voivodes (Principalities) in Wallachia and Moldavia (1711-1821)

Abstract

The process of 1711-1821 is a different period in terms of governance of Wallachia and Moldavia. In these years, the Ottoman Empire relinquished to appoint local governors for governance of Wallachia and Moldavia and assigned as voivodes the Greek families from the Phanar working in translations of Supreme Court and navy for years. These voivodes selected from aristocratic families residing in Phanar (Fener) district of Istanbul took many important tasks in both governorship in the region they appointed and correspondences with neighbour states in terms of foreign relations of Ottoman Empire and intelligence of confidential activities of them. In this study, Phanariotes are evaluated under light of original historical sources in terms of their positions in Ottoman Empire, their interpreting activities, their appointment to Wallachia and Moldavia as voivode, their intelligence works during period of governorship for Ottoman Empire on political developments and agreements in Europe by means of their intelligencers.

Keywords

Wallachia, Moldavia, Voivode, Phanariots, Ottoman.

Citation

Çiftçi, Cafer, “The Sublime Porte’s Two Eyes Fixed over Europe: Phanariote Voivodes (Principalities) in Wallachia and Moldavia (1711-1821)”, International Relations, Volume 7, Issue 26 (Summer 2010), pp. 27-48.

Affiliations

• Cafer Çiftçi, Assoc. Prof. Dr., Uludag University, Department of History