DOMNII FANARIOȚ GRIGORE AL III-LEA ALEXANDRU GHICA ȘI CONSTANTIN DUMITRIU MORUZI ÎN CONTEXTUL ANEXARII BUCOVINEI (1775)

Abstract

In 1775, the Habsburg Empire annexed the territory of northern Moldavia – Bucovina, with the former seat of Suceava and the cities of Cernăuți, Câmpulung, Baia, Siret. According to Article II of the Convention (in four articles) of territorial cession and demarcation, concluded in Constantinople between Austria and Turkey (April 26 / May 7, 1775), the cession of Bucovina was stipulated, establishing the new territorial limits. In the context of that mutilating partition from 1775, popular memory also remembered the tragic death of Prince Grigore Alexandru Ghica III, who was assassinated by the Turks on October 2, 1777. In the 18th century, Moldova suffered a lot due to the conflict of interests between Russia, Austria, and the Ottoman Empire. The first partition of Poland in 1772 between Austria-Russia-Prussia was far from reconciling the conflicting interests of these European powers and showed the possibility of new territorial conquests at the expense of weaker neighbors even in peacetime. The political activity, followed by the reign of Grigore III Al. Ghica (for 3 years) and of Constantin D. Moruzi (5 years), were marked by the mutual enmity of the two Phanariot princes.