Radu Cantacuzino

Faced with the unlikelihood of her son's accession, Păuna first hoped to send Radu to live out his life in exile the Netherlands, but was unable to do so.^[9] After negotiating with Eugene of Savoy, Păuna instead managed to secure Radu's entry into the imperial army in the spring of 1718,^[5][9] as well as a pension of 2,000 florins.^[9] By this point, Radu had adjusted his first name to the German Rudolf.^[1][9] At an unspecified date, Păuna, Radu and Constantin travelled to Russia, where Emperor Peter the Great placed them under the protection of Dimitrie Cantemir. The stay in Russia did not last for long, as Cantemir died in 1723 and Peter in 1725. Radu travelled back to Vienna in 1724, passing through Poland, where his presence is recorded in September 1724. Păuna and Constantin left Russia in May 1725, when Peter's successor, Catherine I, allowed her to "return to her homeland, of her own free will".^[6]

The pension paid to Radu and Constantin was not enough to support their retinue and their aristocratic way of life. In 1725, Radu petitioned Pope Benedict XIII for help, but papal response was nothing more than words of encouragement. Radu also travelled to Warsaw, meeting with the Polish king Augustus the Strong, and to Venice, seeking to offer his services in exchange for funds.^[10] Radu returned to Vienna, where he grew increasingly dissatisfied with the family's poor residence and their scant imperial support, which clashed with his and Constantin's self-image. In July 1726, Radu and Constantin wrote a letter of complaint to Eugene of Savoy. In the letter, the two brothers complained that they were unable to maintain the dignity of their rank due to their lack of funds, and that they did not even have a single carriage, even though they were "not accustomed to walking". The letter had the opposite effect of what the brothers hoped. Radu and Constantin had sought to extend their pension to 5,000 florins, but Emperor Charles VI instead retracted the individual bonuses that had previously been granted to the brothers.^[6]

Faced with economical problems and a perceived loss of dignity, Radu turned to an unorthodox method of raising his income: exploiting and exaggerating the illustrious origins of his family. Publishing a great genealogy in 1730, Radu claimed that he was not only a Wallachian prince, but also one of the last legitimate descendants of the Byzantine emperor John VI Kantakouzenos,^[6][b] and through him a descendant of other Byzantine imperial dynasties, such as the Angeloi, Komnenoi, and even the ancient Constantinian dynasty.^[1] In his own words, he was a "legitimate descendant of the great Constantine, and other emperors". Radu also proclaimed himself as the head of a non-existent chivalric order, the "Holy Angelic Illustrious Imperial Order of the Great Holy Martyr St. George". In order to emphasize his supposed imperial origins, he assumed several former imperial names, styling himself as Ioannes Rodulphus, princeps Contacuzenus Angelus Flavius Comnenus.^[1][12] Radu gathered a group of supporters, which included other Romanian exiles, such as his advisor Radu Golescu, as well as adventurers, such as the Italian Giambattista Tedeschi.^[1] Unlike many previous and later "Byzantine pretenders", Radu's aristocratic and noble status was not imaginary, only exaggerated and embellished.^[13]

In 1735, Radu's status and dignity experienced a massive increase. An imperial decree issued on 1 February 1735 recognized Radu as the grand master of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, a chivalric order with invented Byzantine connections, in favour of the up until then imperially recognized claimant to that position, Gian Antonio Lazier,^[7][14] whom Radu had clearly been inspired by.^[15] Lazier was unconcerned with Radu's attempt at usurpation and continued to claim the position until his death in 1738.^[7] The actual incumbent legitimate grand master of the order, Francesco Farnese, did not give up his claim or recognize either Lazier or Cantacuzino.^[16]

In addition to bestowing the grand mastership upon him, the 1735 document also formally recognized Radu as a prince, and as a "descendant of the Roman emperors of the East and West".^[17] In addition to claiming imperial dignity, the Wallachian princely position and various titles in Romania, Radu also claimed the titles Despot of the Peloponnese and Prince of Thessaly and Macedonia, otherwise used by Lazier.^[18][c] It is not entirely clear whether the imperial decree was an authentic document issued by Emperor Charles VI,^[7][19] or if it was a fake.^[14][17] As supposed grand master, Radu had the power to grant titles and privileges. His earliest known "beneficiary" was his long-time acquaintance Inocențiu Micu-Klein, who was granted a diploma on 26 October 1735.^[14][15] The imperial pretensions of Radu increased the standing of the Cantacuzino brothers. At some point, Constantin married Ana Șeremeteva, a Russian noblewoman,^[20] and Radu himself married Elisabeth d'Estival,^[21] a woman of the House of Hesse, though she was of illegitimate birth and poor reputation.^[21][22]

The Habsburg Monarchy expanded into the Balkans through wars with the Ottoman Empire. In 1718, parts of Serbia had come under Habsburg control and in 1736, Radu was entrusted with a "Illyrian regiment" of soldiers there upon his own request.^[23] The Habsburg government accepted Radu's request due to fear that he might otherwise offer his services elsewhere, given that the Cantacuzino name was influential in the Balkans and that his departure from the empire could cause "unwanted mischief".^[24] Radu led his assigned troops into battle for the Habsburgs in Italy during the War of the Polish Succession, before returning with them to Serbia.^[25] The banners of Radu's regiment displayed religious figures, such as John the Baptist and Saint Nicholas, as well as animals, such as lions or eagles.^[26] Using his troops, and accompanied by his brother Constantin, Radu attempted to carry out a dubious and suspicious scheme to secure Wallachia for himself, and Serbia for his brother. The brothers may have been involved in an uprising by the local Serbs against the Habsburg government, from which the Cantacuzino hoped to gain. Radu was recalled in 1740 after being accused of mismanaging the large military unit.^[23]

By 1744, the aristocracy of Vienna had begun to doubt Radu's claims. If Charles VI had recognized Radu, he in any case no longer enjoyed the emperor's protection given that Charles had died in 1740.^[23] Through living a "disorderly life", Radu had also incurred large debts.^[21] Viewing Radu as morally and politically suspect on account of his activities in Serbia and the complaints levied against him by debt collectors,^[5][27] Charles' successors, Maria Theresa and Francis I, cancelled all rights extended to Radu and forbade him from issuing decrees and diplomas as "grand master".^[23] In addition to the other factors, Radu was also viewed as an inappropriate grand master given that he had given out knighthoods not only to nobles, but also to commoners and rich merchants in exchange for money.^[27] All titles and privileges granted by Radu were rendered invalid by Maria Theresa and Francis.^[23] Radu's requests for his rights and privileges to be restored were rejected.^[28] Radu's mother Păuna also died in Vienna in 1744.^[25] His reputation destroyed and being faced with considerable debt, Radu fled Vienna early in 1745,^[23] narrowly escaping being put on trial for high treason.^[28] In 1746, Radu's brother Constantin and his followers, including the nobleman Vlad Boțulescu, were arrested on charges of conspiracy against the state and were sentenced to life in prison. Constantin's arrest probably stemmed from Radu's and Constantin's suspicious earlier activities in Serbia.^[23] Constantin spent almost forty years nearly forgotten in prison, only being released in 1781 after many petitions from some of his surviving relatives in Russia. He died in that same year while on his way to Russia.^[27][25]

After leaving Vienna, Radu first travelled to Prussia, offering his services to Frederick the Great, but he was refused on the basis of his past history. Radu even went as far as begging to Frederick's mother, Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, to be allowed to stay, and tried to convince the Prussians to let him serve them on the basis of his ability to gather Romanians and other Balkan exiles under his leadership. Radu and his wife Elisabeth spent the rest of their lives wandering around Europe in poverty, avoiding hostile imperial authorities. After the unsuccessful Prussian venture, they first stayed in Erfurt,^[22] where Radu is recorded in 1746,^[25] and then travelled to Paris in 1749.^[22][29] Thereafter, they travelled to Venice, Dresden, Leipzig, Frankfurt, and possibly thereafter to Rome. After Frankfurt or Rome, Radu and Elisabeth travelled to Poland.^[22] Throughout his time on the run, Radu continued to claim the position of grand master: documents in support of his claim to the Constantinian Order were published in Hamburg as late as 1755.^[28] Radu died in Kamianets-Podilskyi,^[22] Poland (today Ukraine) in 1761.^[7] He was buried at Kamianets-Podilskyi, where his tomb was rediscovered in the early 20th century by the Romanian folklorist and ethnographer Teodor Burada.^[22] Radu was survived by five children: the four daughters Leopoldina, Cecilia, Maria and Elisabeta, all married to noblemen, and the son George, born in 1738 and dead in 1771, who served in the Habsburg military.^[30]

Assessments of Radu by historians have not been favorable. Nicolae Iorga wrote in 1933 that Radu was a "restless and vicious man, eager for all begging and all betrayals, greedy for honors and especially money, who so cruelly compromised the fame of a family with such brilliant origins and such a purpose".^[22] In 2014, Ovidiu Olar wrote that Radu was "constrained by his circumstances, but also constantly sabotaged by [his own] immeasurable pride".^[31]

• Chindriș, Ioan; Iacob, Niculina (2015). O diplomă privilegială inedită a episcopului Inochentie Micu-Klein [An unprecedented privileged diploma of Bishop Inochentie Micu-Klein] (PDF) (in Romanian). Bucharest: National Library of Romania. ISBN 978-6066903264. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-09-02. Retrieved 2021-09-05.
• Gastgeber, Christian (2018). "Wien und das neu begründete imperium Romano-Byzantinum (1720–1738). Der selbst ernannte Großmeister des Konstantinischen Ritterordens des Heiligen GeorgIohannes IX. Antonius I. Flavius, Angelus, Comnenus, (Ducas), Lascaris, Paleologus" [Vienna and the re-founded imperium Romano-Byzantium (1720–1738). The self-proclaimed grand master of the Constantinian Order of knights of Saint George Iohannes IX Antonius I Flavius, Angelus, Comnenus, (Ducas), Lascaris, Paleologus]. In Daim, Falko; Gastgeber, Christian; Heher, Dominik; Rapp, Claudia (eds.). Menschen, Bilder, Sprache, Dinge: Wege der Kommunikation zwischen Byzanz und dem Westen 2: Menschen und Worte. Mainz: Verlag des Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseums. ISBN 978-3795433161.
• Iorga, N. (1933), "Radu Cantacuzino. Ședința dela 10 Iunie 1932" [Radu Cantacuzino. Meeting of June 10, 1932] (PDF), Memoriile Secțiunii Istorice a Academiei Române, Seria III (in Romanian), Tom XIII: 149–158
• Olar, Ovidiu (2013). "Un aventurier al Luminilor. Prințul Radu Cantacuzino (1699–1761) și Ordinul constantinian al Sfântului Gheorghe" [An adventurer of the Lights. Prince Radu Cantacuzino (1699–1761) and the Constantinian Order of Saint George]. Istoria: utopie, amintire și proiect de viitor. Studii de istorie oferite Profesorului Andrei Pippidi (in Romanian). Iași: EUAIC. ISBN 978-9737038692.
• Olar, Ovidiu (2014). "Intrigi politice, strategii de ascensiune socială și genealogii fabuloase. Episcopul Inochentie Micu, Cavaler și Prefect Suprem pentru Dacia al Ordinului "Constantinian" al Sf. Gheorghe" [Political Intrigues, Strategies to Achieving a Higher Social Status and Fabulous Genealogies. Bishop Inochentie Micu, Knight and Supreme Prefect for Dacia of the "Constantinian" Order of St. George]. Apulum (in Romanian). 51 (2): 129–161. ISSN 1013-428X.
• Opaschi, Cătălina (2006–2007). "O genealogie inedită a familiei Cantacuzino și herburi Cantacuzine" [New genealogy of Cantacuzino family and Cantacuzian herbs] (PDF). Cercetari Numismatice. 12/13: 535–565.
• Sainty, Guy Stair (2018). The Constantinian Order of Saint George: and the Angeli, Farnese and Bourbon families which governed it. Boletín Oficial del Estado. ISBN 978-8434025066.

• "Cantacuzino". Ghyka. 2009. Retrieved 2021-09-04.