Premier Victor Ponta asked Minister of Culture Daniel Barbu to support the actions meant to mark the Constantin Brancoveanu year in 2014, which should be a year of paying homage to a great political and cultural personality of Romania.
The Premier on Tuesday, at the Yedikule Museum of Istanbul, unveiled a commemorative plaque devoted Prince Constantin Brancoveanu and his four sons, during a ceremony held together with the Vice-Governor of Istanbul.
In 1714, as he was considered to be hostile by the High Porte, Prince Constantin Brancoveanu together with his entire family, with his sons, Constantin, Stefan, Radu, Matei, and with his adviser Ianache Vacarescu was caught and taken to Constantinople, nowadays Istanbul, being deprived of all their possessions in their country: estates, houses, money and jewels.
Arriving in Constantinople, the Prince and his sons were put in a prison in the Seven-Tower Castle, today the Yedikule Museum, being tortured to confess where the remaining wealth was hidden. Brancoveanu did not deny his faith and, being sure that he could no longer rule again, did not give in to pressure. Thus, adviser Ianache and the four sons of the Prince were condemned to death and beheaded one by one. In the end Prince Constantin Brancoveanu himself was beheaded on the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God, August 15, 1714, the day when he turned 60.
The Prince's earthly remains were only brought to his country in 1720 by Princess Marica, during the reign of Nicolae Mavrocordat, and buried in the Sfantul Gheorghe Nou Church in Bucharest. For their lives and for the strength with which they defended the Orthodox faith, the Holy Synod declared them martyrs and saints. They are commemorated on August 16 every year.
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