Mavrokordatos
Μαυροκορδάτος
Coat of arms of the Mavrokordatos family
A portrait of the Mavrokordatos family in the 19th century
Country Byzantine Empire
Holy Roman Empire
Ottoman Empire
 Russia
 Greece
Current regionDanubian Principalities
Place of originChios, Byzantine Empire (now Greece)
Founded16th century
FounderNikolaos Mavrokordatos
TitlesImperial Count of the Holy Roman Empire
Prince of Wallachia
Prince of Moldavia
Prince of Russia

The House of Mavrokordatos (also Mavrocordato, Mavrocordatos, Mavrocordat, Mavrogordato or Maurogordato; Greek: Μαυροκορδάτος) is the name of a family of Phanariot Greeks originally from Chios, a branch of which was distinguished in the history of the Ottoman Empire, Wallachia, Moldavia, and modern Greece.[1]

History

The family, whose members given the title of Imperial Count by Leopold I in 1699 later became Hospodars of Wallachia and Moldavia, was founded by the late-Byzantine noble (and merchant) Nikolaos Mavrokordatos (1522–1570) from the island of Chios. In 1875 the Mavrocordatoi were also recognized as Princes of the Russian Empire by the Emperor Alexander II of Russia.

Notable members

  • Nicholas Mavrocordatos (1670–1730), Alexander's son, ruler of Wallachia (two times) and Moldavia (two times)
  • Alexander Mavrokordatos, Nicholas' son
  • Nicholas Mavrokordatos, ban of Wallachia
  • John Mavrokordatos, Nicholas' son, ruler of Moldavia (1743–1747)

References

  1. ^ Chisholm 1911: "MAVROCORDATO, Mavrocordat or Mavrogordato, the name of a family of Phanariot Greeks, distinguished in the history of Turkey, Rumania and modern Greece."


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