Vasile Lupu

Vasile Lupu
Prince of Moldavia
(1st reign)
ReignApril 1634 – 13 April 1653
PredecessorMoise Movilă
SuccessorGheorghe Ștefan
Prince of Moldavia
(2nd reign)
Reign8 May – 16 July 1653
PredecessorGheorghe Ștefan
SuccessorGheorghe Ștefan
Born1595
Arbanasi
Died1661
Constantinople
IssueȘtefăniță Lupu
Ruxandra Lupu
Maria Lupu
FatherNeculai
ReligionOrthodox

Lupu Coci, known as Vasile Lupu (Romanian pronunciation: [vaˈsile ˈlupu]; 1595 – 1661), was the voivode of Moldavia between 1634 and 1653. He was of Albanian and Greek origin. Lupu had secured the Moldavian throne in 1634 after a series of complicated intrigues and managed to hold it for twenty years. Vasile was a capable administrator and a brilliant financier and was soon almost the richest man in the Christian East. His gifts to Ottoman leaders kept him on good terms with the Ottoman authorities.