Ruxandra Lupu
Romanian princess
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ruxandra Lupu (also Roksana, Rozanda, Roxanda) (1630–1686) was a Moldavian princess.[1][2]
She was born to Lady Tudosca and Vasile Lupu, the voivode of Moldavia.[3][2][4] In the midst of intense political - and military - manoeuvring, her father was forced to betrothe her to the son of the Cossack hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky, after Bohdan had invaded Moldavia.[5][6] Vasile Lupu tried to prevent the marriage from taking place, as it would damage his Polish alliances. He was appointed a part of the Polish nobility, and in return swore to not allow the marriage to occur.[5]
Even the Polish army became involved, however, after the army suffered defeat to the Cossacks, no intervention was possible.[5] In 1652, Ruxandra married Bohdan Khmelnytsky's son Tymofiy Khmelnytsky.[1] The groom died a year later, from an infected battle-wound.[1]
Ruxandra's eventual fate is unclear. Some tellings purport that, many years later, she was captured and beheaded by Polish forces. [6]
