Constantin Alexandru Rosetti (; 2 June 1816 – 8 April 1885) was a
Romanian literary and political leader, born in
Bucharest into the princely
Rosetti family
The House of Rosetti (also spelled ''Ruset'', ''Rosset, Rossetti'') was a Moldavian boyar princely family of Byzantine Greek and Italian (from Genoa) origins. There are several branches of the family named after their estates: Roznovanu, Solescu, ...
.
Biography
Before 1848
Constantin Alexandru Rosetti was born in Bucharest, the son of the ruler Alexandru Rosetti and Elena, maiden name Obedeanu.
He studied at the
Saint Sava National College in Bucharest, where his teachers included
Eftimie Murgu
Eftimie Murgu (28 December 1805 – 12 May 1870) was a Romanian philosopher and politician who took part in the 1848 Revolutions.
Biography
He was born in Rudăria (today Eftimie Murgu, Caraș-Severin County) to Samu Murgu, an officer in the I ...
and Jean Alexandre Vaillant. In 1832 (or 1833) he joined the army, and served until August 1836, when he resigned. "He started literature, then entered the administration, being the chief of police in Pitesti in 1842, and then in the magistracy, being a prosecutor at the Civil Court of Bucharest. He resigned in 1845."
In 1844 he left for
Paris for the first time: "Then I hoped that working 3-4 years, I would return to my homeland, I would shine full of science and virtues, I would one day made happy at least my mam, I would raise my homeland a little and would die with the thoughts that I have fulfilled my mission beautifully." It is related to other friends and companions:
Ion C. Brătianu
Ion Constantin Brătianu (; June 2, 1821 – May 16, 1891) was one of the major political figures of 19th-century Romania. He was the son of Dincă Brătianu and the younger brother of Dimitrie, as well as the father of Ionel, Dinu, and Vinti ...
, painter
Constantin Daniel Rosenthal, Vasile Mălinescu, Andronescu, Scarlat Vîrnav. By the end of September (beginning of October) he left the country, because he learned that his mother was sick.
After the death of his mother (December 1844), in mid-1845 he left again for Paris, where he attended the courses of historians and thinkers
Jules Michelet
Jules Michelet (; 21 August 1798 – 9 February 1874) was a French historian and an author on other topics whose major work was a history of France and its culture. His aphoristic style emphasized his anti-clerical republicanism.
In Michelet's ...
,
Edgar Quinet
Edgar Quinet (; 17 February 180327 March 1875) was a French historian and intellectual.
Biography
Early years
Quinet was born at Bourg-en-Bresse, in the ''département'' of Ain. His father, Jérôme Quinet, had been a commissary in the army, b ...
, and other representatives of the French revolutionary spirit of that time. Here, together with Moldovan Scarlat Vârnav, he tried to rally
Wallachian and
Moldavian students around new ideas of national self-determination and social justice. In this atmosphere, in December 1845, the Society of Romanian students in Paris was founded, whose first purpose was to help the poorer, but gifted, young people to study in Paris. The chairman became
Ion Ghica, the secretary C. A. Rosetti, and cashier Scarlat Vârnav.
In 1845, Rosetti went to Paris, where he met
Alphonse de Lamartine, the patron of the Society of Romanian Students in Paris. In 1847, he married
Mary Grant, the sister of the British consul to Bucharest,
Effingham Grant
Effingham Grant (1820–1892) was an English diplomat, businessman, and philanthropist who settled in Romania.
Biography
He was born on the island of Guernsey, the first child and only son of Lieutenant Edward Effingham Grant (born in Markyate ...
. The consul was married to Zoia Racoviță, the daughter of
Alexandru Racoviță
Alexandru is the Romanian form of the name Alexander. Common diminutives are Alecu, Alex, and Sandu.
Origin
Etymologically, the name is derived from the Greek "Αλέξανδρος" (Aléxandros), meaning "defending men" or "protector of men", ...
; the ''Grant Bridge'' (''
Podul Grant
Podul Grant (''Grant Bridge'') is a bridge for motorway and lightrail in Bucharest, Romania. It is named after Effingham Grant, the British consul in Bucharest in the mid-19th century. Initially, the bridge was made of steel, and opened in 1910 ...
'') near
Gara de Nord in Bucharest is named after him.
He was initiated in masonry in 1844, in the
Masonic lodge "The Rose of the Perfect Silence" in Paris, receiving all grades, up to the 18th degree in 1847, also in this lodge. In 1848 he took part in the establishment of the Bucharest Light House. In 1923,by his name was called a workshop in Bucharest and was one of the few Romanian masons presented in the "Franc-Masonry Dictionary" performed under the coordination of Daniel Ligou.
He returned to Bucharest in July–August 1846, launched into business: he opened with two foreign friends lived in the Romania, the Austrian economist Erik Winterhalder and the British Effingham Grant (his future brother-in-law) a bookstore, and in November 1846 he bought the printing press the literary association that covered the activity of the secret society Brotherhood: "The literary association of Romania". In these years he became very proactive in the management of the Bucharest trade.
In 1847 he married Mary Grant, who became
Maria Rosetti
Maria Rosetti (born Marie Grant; 1819 – ) was a Guernsey born Wallachian and Romanian political activist, journalist, essayist, philanthropist and socialite. The sister of British diplomat Effingham Grant and wife of radical leader C. A. Ros ...
, a Scottish-French woman, who was the model of the revolutionary painting "Revolutionary Romania" done by C.D. Rosenthal, Rosetti's friend. Mary Grant was the sister of the English consul in Bucharest,
Effingham Grant
Effingham Grant (1820–1892) was an English diplomat, businessman, and philanthropist who settled in Romania.
Biography
He was born on the island of Guernsey, the first child and only son of Lieutenant Edward Effingham Grant (born in Markyate ...
, who was married to a Romanian, Zoia Racoviță, the daughter of Alexandru Racoviță.
The revolution of 1848 and exile
During the revolution of 1848 he was one of the leaders of the radical current of the revolutionaries; he was secretary of the provisional Government, prefect of police (agă) in Bucharest and editor of the newspaper "Pruncul român" ("Romanian baby").
After the defeat of the revolutionary government, he took part in the first batch of exiles, ascended by Turks with two rafts up the Danube, to the border with Austria. From here it left for France through Hungary, Croatia and Austria. He arrived in Paris in December 1848. In the years of exile (1848–1857) he contributed to the publication of the magazine "Future Romania" and especially of the magazine "The Romanian Republic", in which he campaigned for the unification of the principalities in a democratic state.
Rosetti took part in the
Wallachian Revolution of 1848
The Wallachian Revolution of 1848 was a Romanian liberal and nationalist uprising in the Principality of Wallachia. Part of the Revolutions of 1848, and closely connected with the unsuccessful revolt in the Principality of Moldavia, it sought t ...
. He was among the first arrested by Prince
Gheorghe Bibescu, who accused Rosetti of plotting to kill him. After the provisional government came to power on 11 June 1848, he held the post of chief of
police. He was also the editor of the first newspaper of the Muntenian revolution, ''Pruncul Român''. He served with
Nicolae Bălcescu
Nicolae Bălcescu () (29 June 181929 November 1852) was a Romanian Wallachian soldier, historian, journalist, and leader of the 1848 Wallachian Revolution.
Early life
Born in Bucharest to a family of low-ranking nobility, he used his mother's ...
,
Alexandru G. Golescu
Alexandru G. Golescu (1819 – 15 August 1881) was a Romanian politician who served as a Prime Minister of Romania in 1870.
Life
Early life
Born in the Golescu family of boyars in Bucharest, Wallachia, he was the cousin of the brothers Ștef ...
and
Ion C. Brătianu
Ion Constantin Brătianu (; June 2, 1821 – May 16, 1891) was one of the major political figures of 19th-century Romania. He was the son of Dincă Brătianu and the younger brother of Dimitrie, as well as the father of Ionel, Dinu, and Vinti ...
as a secretary of the Provisional Government until the end of June. In August, he was appointed director of the Ministry of the Interior.
After the bloody crushing of the revolution on 13 September 1848, Rosetti was arrested along with the other leaders of the revolution. His wife's intervention was crucial in their release. Rosetti, along with the Brătianu brothers, Bălcescu, and others, went into exile in France. While in France, he published a review favouring the creation of a national unitary state.
Activity after his return to country (1857)
In May 1857, he returned to the country. On this occasion, the Romanian Israeli newspaper published the edition no. 7/19 June 1857, under the title ''Rusciuk'', ''11/25 May 1857'', a letter from C. A. Rosetti, from which it turns out that on his return from this exile entered the country with an
Ottoman embassy
passport
A passport is an official travel document issued by a government that contains a person's identity. A person with a passport can travel to and from foreign countries more easily and access consular assistance. A passport certifies the personal ...
and with the help of
Jews circles.
[după M.Eminescu-opera_completă,volum10 "Mai deunăzi..."] After returning to the country, he edited the liberal-radical newspaper "Romanul" and played an important role in the ad hoc Assembly and in the election of
Alexandru Ioan Cuza as ruler also of the Romanian Country. In the pages of the newspaper "Romanul", which appeared for almost half a century, advocated for democratic reforms, for national unity, for the country's national independence.
He was one of the leaders of the
National Liberal Party, established in 1874–1875, but in 1884, entering into conflict with
Ion Brătianu, he organized a liberal dissent. He enthusiastically supported the proclamation of the country's independence and Romania's participation in the Russian-Turkish war of 1877–1878. In 1858 he founded and chaired the "Association of Printing Workers in Bucharest". In 1863 he founded the House of mutual help of the Romanian printers together with Walter Scarlat, Iosif Romanov, Zisu Popa, Mihalache Gălășescu and Petre Ispirescu.
In 1861, he returned to Romania, and was elected
deputy
Deputy or depute may refer to:
* Steward (office)
* Khalifa, an Arabic title that can signify "deputy"
* Deputy (legislator), a legislator in many countries and regions, including:
** A member of a Chamber of Deputies, for example in Italy, Spai ...
, and in 1866 was minister of public instruction. Between 15 and 16 July 1866, he was the temporary
Prime Minister of Romania.
He was on several occasions a minister and president of the
Chamber of Deputies
The chamber of deputies is the lower house in many bicameral legislatures and the sole house in some unicameral legislatures.
Description
Historically, French Chamber of Deputies was the lower house of the French Parliament during the Bourbon R ...
. He was part of the
Charles I first government and for several months was a minister of "Public Instruction and Religious Affairs". He was twice mayor of the Capital. In the memory of the Romanian revolutionary, in Bucharest there is
Piața Rosetti and C. A. Rosetti Square, where the C. A. Rosetti Monument stands.
His literature promotes romantic adventures, pathetic and vibrant style. In his youth he wrote sentimental and patriotic lyrics, translated from
Byron,
Béranger,
Lamartine
Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat de Lamartine (; 21 October 179028 February 1869), was a French author, poet, and statesman who was instrumental in the foundation of the Second Republic and the continuation of the Tricolore as the flag of France. ...
,
Hugo
Hugo or HUGO may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Hugo'' (film), a 2011 film directed by Martin Scorsese
* Hugo Award, a science fiction and fantasy award named after Hugo Gernsback
* Hugo (franchise), a children's media franchise based on a ...
.
In 1867 C. A. Rosetti was one of the founding members of the Romanian Literary Society, which later became the
Romanian Academy.
He supported the
deposition of
Alexandru Ioan Cuza in 1866. He headed the Chamber of Deputies in 1877, and was Minister of the Interior between 1881 and 1882.
Legacy
A street (''Strada C. A. Rosetti'') and a square (''
Piața Rosetti'') downtown Bucharest are named after him, as well as a high school.
Gallery
File:Constantin Daniel Rosenthal - C. A. Rosetti.jpg, Portrait by Constantin Daniel Rosenthal
File:RosettisculptureBuc.JPG, Sculpture of Rosetti, in the centre of the eponymous square
References
*"Rosetti, Constantin." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. New York: Columbia University Press, 2001–04.
''C.A. Rosetti''James Chastain, Encyclopedia of 1848 Revolutions
Further reading
*Vasile Netea, ''C. A. Rosetti'' (București, 1970).
*Marin Bucur, ''C. A. Rosetti, Mesianism şi Donquijotism revoluţionar'' (București, 1970).
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rosetti, C. A.
1816 births
1885 deaths
Politicians from Bucharest
People of the Principality of Wallachia
Romanian people of Italian descent
Romanian people of Greek descent
National Liberal Party (Romania, 1875) politicians
Prime Ministers of Romania
Romanian Ministers of Culture
Romanian Ministers of Education
Romanian Ministers of Interior
Presidents of the Chamber of Deputies (Romania)
Members of the Chamber of Deputies (Romania)
Members of the Senate of Romania
Romanian Freemasons
People of the Revolutions of 1848
Chairpersons of the National Theatre Bucharest
Founding members of the Romanian Academy
Burials at Bellu Cemetery