DIMITRIE CANTEMIR

Dimitrie Cantemir, Prince of Moldavia (March April 1673 and 1710-1711) author,
scholar, encyclopedist, ethnographer, geographer, philosopher, historian, linguist, musicologist,
composer, politician and Romanian writer, is one of the most prominent representatives of the
Romanian history and culture. He was twice Prince of Moldavia ,in MarchApril 1693 and in
17101711.
Dimitrie Cantemir was born on the 26th of October 1673, in Siliteni , which today is
called Cantemir village of Vaslui district, situated in the south of the town Husi. He was the son
of moldavian voivode Constantin Cantemir. His mother, Ana Bantas, was a learned woman of
noble origins. His education began at home, where he learned greek and latin and acquired a
profound knowledge of the classics. Between 1687 and 1710 he lived in forced exile
in Constantinople, where he learned Turkish and studied the history of the Ottoman Empire at
the Patriarchate's Greek Academy, where he also composed music.
Between March and April 1693, after his fathers death, he became Prince of Moldavia but, not
being confirmed by the Sublime Porte, he returned to Constantinople to continue with his
studies. His bid for the throne was successful only in 1710, when he joined Peter the Great in his
campaign against the Ottoman Empire and placed Moldova under Russian suzerainty, after a
secret agreement signed in Lutsk. Defeated by the Turks in the battle of Stnileti (July 18July
22, 1711), Cantemir sought refuge in Russia, where he and his family finally settled.
He was married twice: in 1699, to Kassandra Cantacuzene (16821713), member of
the Cantacuzino family (the daughter of Prince erban Cantacuzino),but she died when she was
only thirty years old and in 1717 to Anastasia Trubetskaya. Cantemir's children were rather
prominent in Russian history. His elder daughter Maria Cantemir attracted the attention of
Peter the Great who allegedly planned to divorce his wife and marry her. His son Antioh
Cantemir was also the Russian ambassador to London and Paris, a poet and Voltaire's friend.
Another son, Constantin , was implicated in a conspiracy and exiled to Siberia. Finally,
Dimitrie's younger daughter Smaragda, the wife of a prince , was one of the great beauties of
her time.

Dimitrie Cantemir was the first Romanian elected member of the Berlin Academy in
1714. Between 1711 and 1719 he wrote his most important creations. Cantemir was known as
one of the greatest linguists of his time, speaking and writing eleven languages, and being well
versed in Oriental scholarship. He died in 1723 and was buried in Russia. Today, his remains rest
in the Three Hierarchs Church in Iasi.
The best known is his History of the Growth and Decay of the Ottoman Empire. This
volume circulated throughout Europe in manuscript for a number of years. In 1714, at the request
of the Royal Academy in Berlin, Cantemir wrote the first geographical, ethnographical and
economic description of Moldova, Descriptio Moldaviae. It is made up of three parts: the first
part is devoted to the geographical description of Moldavia, its mountains, waters and plains.
Dimitrie Cantemir drew up the first map of Moldavia. He presented the flora and fauna, the fairs
and countrys capitals over time. In the second part of the work he depicted the countrys
political and administrative organization. He referred in detail to the form of state, to the
enthronement or dethronement of the Lords, to the customs triggered by these events or by other
important events in their lives such as engagements, weddings or funerals. The last part contains
information about the Moldavians dialect. As many of his books it circulated first in manuscript
and was only later published in Germany.
Cantemir had around 40 compositions in the Ottoman music of which few are performed
today, but his greatest service to the Ottoman music is the fact that he helped preserve 350
instrumental pieces by recording them in a certain notation. Some of Cantemir's compositions
are part of the regular repertory of Turkish music ensembles.
One of the houses inhabited by Dimitrie Cantemir during his exile in Constantinople has
been restored and transformed into a museum in 2007.

APOSTU ANCA ALEXANDRA

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