1. Barbu Catargiu was the first Prime Minister of Romania, in 1862, until he was assassinated on 20 June that year.
17 Facts About Barbu Catargiu
1. 2.
Barbu Catargiu was a staunch defender of the great estates of the boyars, and notably originated the conservative doctrine that "feudalism in Romania had never existed".
3.
Barbu Catargiu was born on 26 October 1807 to Stefan Catargiu, a political activist and Tita Vacarescu.
4.
Barbu Catargiu lived abroad in Paris from 1825 to 1834, where he studied law, history, and philosophy.
5.
Barbu Catargiu returned to Wallachia for a short time and was a member of the Obsteasca Assembly of Wallachia.
6.
Barbu Catargiu believed that evolution, rather than violent revolution was the best way to modernize the Government, and would give the fledgling Romania the best chance at unity.
7.
Barbu Catargiu advocated an aristocratic republic as the best form of governance, clearly believing in guarding the power of the boyars.
8.
Barbu Catargiu was appointed to the position of minister of finances by Alexandru Ioan Cuza.
9.
Barbu Catargiu quickly gained acclaim for his oratorical skills and became the focal point of the Conservative Party.
10.
Barbu Catargiu did very little to actually organize the party, instead depending on his own charisma and ideals to give the party focus.
11.
On 15 February 1862, Barbu Catargiu was sworn in as the first prime minister of Romania, ruling from Bucharest.
12.
Barbu Catargiu formed four administrative divisions, two in what had been Wallachia and two in Moldavia.
13.
Barbu Catargiu placed the four divisions under the supervision of a minister of the interior and unified the financial and judicial departments under the central government.
14.
Barbu Catargiu continued his support for the "old order" and claimed that large estates were historically sanctioned and were solely the property of the boyars.
15.
Barbu Catargiu clamped down on rioting in the cities, censored the press, and refused to allow large assemblies to meet.
16.
Barbu Catargiu denied the right of the people to meet on the Bucharest "Field of Liberty" to commemorate the Revolution of 1848, an act which garnered him much animosity.
17.
One week after the "Field of Liberty" Incident, on 20 June 1862, Barbu Catargiu was shot and killed at close range when leaving a parliamentary meeting.