Alexandru Ipsilanti

Alexandru Ipsilanti was a Greek prince who served as a hospodar, or ruler, of Walachia, a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire. This period, from 1711 to 1821, is known as the Phanariote period in Romanian history, characterized by Greek administrators in Ottoman service. Walachia, located on the lower Danube River, was a principality that later joined Moldavia to form Romania. The Phanariote rulers were often appointed by the Ottoman Turks after 1716, replacing the native dynasty. The influence of these Greek administrators, including members of the Ypsilantis family, was significant in the Ottoman Empire during the 18th century. An uprising in Walachia in 1821 led to the end of the Phanariote regime.12