RRI Live!

Listen to Radio Romania International Live

Statesman Nicolae Sutu

The son of the last Phanariot ruler of Moldavia, born in Constantinople in 1789, Nicole Sutu was also meant to rule over the Romanian Principalities.

Statesman Nicolae Sutu
Statesman Nicolae Sutu

, 08.02.2014, 12:01

The upheaval that began in 1821 and the western path embraced by the Romanian Principalities prevented this from happening. Nicolae Sutu became instead a highly competent public servant in the Romanian state, which was just beginning to modernise in the first half of the 19th century.



The Humanitas Publishers in Bucharest has recently brought out the memoirs of Nicolae Sutu in a book coordinated by Georgeta Filitti, who tells us more about this great figure: “He had an exemplary career. He even served as chamberlain, a position which in the 19th century was similar to that of foreign affairs minister. He also held many other positions, so he was actively involved in the running of the country. He also contributed to the drafting of the Organic Statutes, an early model of a constitution for the Romanian Principalities, which was intensely criticised at the time. However, these Organic Statutes established a number of principles in all areas. Although the country was under Russian administration at the time and the Russians approved and issued this document, this piece of legislation is in its essence Romanian, and Nicolae Sutu is one of the people who drafted it.“



Nicolae Sutu started to write his memoirs in French, in 1853, almost 20 years before his death, in 1871. Apart from good knowledge of the political life of his time, you can also tell their author has genuine literary talent.



Georgeta Filitti explains: ”Nicolae Sutu was an educated man and in his charming memoirs he highlights his efforts to broaden his knowledge constantly. He thus gradually realises that the only way for the country to go forward was to adopt this new legislation. His memoirs provide an extensive record of the incredible number of laws he drafted and his deep involvement in the good things achieved in Moldavia. He also provides compelling descriptions of the political climate of his day, creating some extraordinary portraits of two Moldavian rulers, Mihai Sturdza and Grigore Ghica.”



Between 1831 and 1832 Nicolae Sutu contributed to the drafting of the Organic Statutes, and later participated in the events that led to the union of the principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia in 1859. He took an active part in the transformations that began at that time, despite not always agreeing with the changes being initiated or the politicians of the day. Sutu was also interested in economics and is even considered the first Romanian economist and statistician, thanks to his two works, “A Short Review of Moldavia’s Economic Situation”, published in 1838, and “Statistical Notes on Moldavia”, published in 1849.



Georgeta Filitti told us more about this aspect of Nicolae Sutu’s career: “He is the first Romanian economist with statistical notions about Moldavia. His book is fundamental as he had access to a series of documents, which are now lost. The book was also well received internationally. We get a clear picture of Moldavia in mid 19th century, as it comprises figures about its output, population, consumption, export etc. The book is very valuable and the author depicted the political figures of his time in a very interesting manner. When he didn’t like a certain person, he knew how to put it into words. A politician he didn’t like, for example, was Mihail Kogalniceanu, the advisor to ruling prince Cuza and a man who accomplished most of what he set out to do. Sutu, however, did not hold these accomplishments in high esteem. For someone who wants to see how life was in the Romanian principalities at the time, reading Sutu’s memoirs is a pleasure.”



“The Memoirs of Prince Nicolae Sutu”, translated and coordinated by Georgeta Filitti for Humanitas publishing house are now available to the wide public, not only to experts.

Titu Maiorescu (1840-1917)
RRI Encyclopaedia Saturday, 23 November 2024

Titu Maiorescu (1840-1917)

The literary society “Junimea”, founded in Iași in 1863, was one of the most important literary, philosophical and political trends in...

Titu Maiorescu (1840-1917)
The Royal Train
RRI Encyclopaedia Saturday, 16 November 2024

The Royal Train

In October of this year, the volume “The Story of the Royal Train” by Tudor Vișan-Miu and Andrei Berinde was released. A literary foray...

The Royal Train
Photographer Franz Xaver Koroschetz
RRI Encyclopaedia Saturday, 09 November 2024

Photographer Franz Xaver Koroschetz

Romanian towns had their photographers. One such photographer was Franz Xaver Koroschtz. He was the photographer of the town of Focsani, the county...

Photographer Franz Xaver Koroschetz
Theodor Aman – Founder of the Romanian Fine Arts School
RRI Encyclopaedia Saturday, 02 November 2024

Theodor Aman – Founder of the Romanian Fine Arts School

Theodor Aman (1831-1891), the first great Romanian classical artist, was a Romanian painter, graphic designer, sculptor, pedagogue, and academician,...

Theodor Aman – Founder of the Romanian Fine Arts School
RRI Encyclopaedia Sunday, 27 October 2024

Colțea Street

Over 1703-1707, Mihai Cantacuzino, a member of a famous noble family, built a hospital and a school on the estate of Colțea Doicescu. The first name...

Colțea Street
RRI Encyclopaedia Saturday, 12 October 2024

The Cerchez family of architects

We’re more likely to come across the name of Cerchez, in the history of Romanian architecture, than other names of architects. The name of Cerchez...

The Cerchez family of architects
RRI Encyclopaedia Saturday, 05 October 2024

The Ratiu family, an important Romanian family in Transylvania

The Rațiu family (Rațiu of Noșlac in Turda) is one of the oldest and most respectable aristocratic families in Transylvania with a history...

The Ratiu family, an important Romanian family in Transylvania
RRI Encyclopaedia Sunday, 29 September 2024

Axiopolis

Dobrogea is considered the densest and most varied province of Romania from the point of view of the civilizations that inhabited it. On a territory...

Axiopolis

Partners

Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român Muzeul Național al Țăranului Român
Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS Liga Studentilor Romani din Strainatate - LSRS
Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online Modernism | The Leading Romanian Art Magazine Online
Institului European din România Institului European din România
Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti Institutul Francez din România – Bucureşti
Muzeul Național de Artă al României Muzeul Național de Artă al României
Le petit Journal Le petit Journal
Radio Prague International Radio Prague International
Muzeul Național de Istorie a României Muzeul Național de Istorie a României
ARCUB ARCUB
Radio Canada International Radio Canada International
Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti” Muzeul Național al Satului „Dimitrie Gusti”
SWI swissinfo.ch SWI swissinfo.ch
UBB Radio ONLINE UBB Radio ONLINE
Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl Strona główna - English Section - polskieradio.pl
creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti creart - Centrul de Creație Artă și Tradiție al Municipiului Bucuresti
italradio italradio
Institutul Confucius Institutul Confucius
BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți BUCPRESS - știri din Cernăuți

Affiliates

Euranet Plus Euranet Plus
AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters AIB | the trade association for international broadcasters
Digital Radio Mondiale Digital Radio Mondiale
News and current affairs from Germany and around the world News and current affairs from Germany and around the world
Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona Comunità radiotelevisiva italofona

Providers

RADIOCOM RADIOCOM
Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company Zeno Media - The Everything Audio Company