Constantin Alexandru Rosetti (; 2 June 1816 – 8 April 1885) was a Romanian literary and political leader, born in

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...

into the princely Rosetti family.

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 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 Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

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, 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 writer. He is best known for his multivolume work ''Histoire de France'' (History of France). Michelet was influenced by Giambattista Vico; he admired Vico's emphas ...

, Edgar Quinet, and other representatives of the French revolutionary spirit of that time. Here, together with Moldovan Scarlat Vârnav, he tried to rally

Wallachia Wallachia or Walachia (; ; : , : ) is a historical and geographical region of modern-day Romania. It is situated north of the Lower Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians. Wallachia was traditionally divided into two sections, Munteni ...

n and

Moldavia Moldavia (, or ; in Romanian Cyrillic alphabet, Romanian Cyrillic: or ) is a historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester River. An initially in ...

n 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 Ion Ghica (; 12 August 1816 – 7 May 1897) was a Romanian statesman, mathematician, diplomat and politician, who was Prime Minister of Romania five times. He was a full list of members of the Romanian Academy, member of the Romanian Academy an ...

, 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. The consul was married to Zoia Racoviță, the daughter of Alexandru Racoviță; the ''Grant Bridge'' ('' Podul Grant'') near Gara de Nord in Bucharest is named after him. He was initiated in masonry in 1844, in the

Masonic lodge A Masonic lodge (also called Freemasons' lodge, or private lodge or constituent lodge) is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry. It is also a commonly used term for a building where Freemasons meet and hold their meetings. Every new l ...

"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, 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, 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. 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 The police are Law enforcement organization, a constituted body of Law enforcement officer, people empowered by a State (polity), state with the aim of Law enforcement, enforcing the law and protecting the Public order policing, public order ...

. He was also the editor of the first newspaper of the Muntenian revolution, ''Pruncul Român''. He served with Nicolae Bălcescu, Alexandru G. Golescu and Ion C. Brătianu 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 certifies a person's identity and nationality for international travel. A passport allows its bearer to enter and temporarily reside in a foreign country, access local aid ...

and with the help of

Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

circles. 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 Alexandru Ioan Cuza (, or Alexandru Ioan I, also Anglicised as Alexander John Cuza; 20 March 1820 – 15 May 1873) was the first ''domnitor'' (prince) of the Romanian Principalities through his double election as List of monarchs of Moldavia ...

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, and in 1866 was minister of public instruction. Between 15 and 16 July 1866, he was the temporary Prime Minister of the United Principalities 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 Bourb ...

. 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 a C. A. Rosetti Square ( Piața Rosetti), where his monument topped by a bronze statue stands. His literature promotes romantic adventures, pathetic and vibrant style. In his youth he wrote sentimental and patriotic lyrics, translated from

Byron George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824) was an English poet. He is one of the major figures of the Romantic movement, and is regarded as being among the greatest poets of the United Kingdom. Among his best-kno ...

, Béranger,

Lamartine Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat de Lamartine (; 21 October 179028 February 1869) was a French author, poet, and statesman. Initially a moderate royalist, he became one of the leading critics of the July Monarchy of Louis-Philippe, aligning more w ...

, Hugo. In 1867 C. A. Rosetti was one of the founding members of the Romanian Literary Society, which later became the

Romanian Academy The Romanian Academy ( ) is a cultural forum founded in Bucharest, Romania, in 1866. It covers the scientific, artistic and literary domains. The academy has 181 active members who are elected for life. According to its bylaws, the academy's ma ...

. He was also a member of the Macedo-Romanian Cultural Society. He supported the deposition of

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