George Barbu Știrbei or ȘtirbeiÅ, also known as Gheorghe, Georgie,
or Iorgu Știrbei (Francized Georges Stirbey; April 1, 1828 â€" August
15, 1925), was a Wallachian-born Romanian aristocrat and politician
who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from July 15, 1866 until
February 21, 1867. He was the eldest son of Barbu Dimitrie Știrbei,
Prince of Wallachia, and the nephew of his rival, Gheorghe Bibescu;
his younger siblings included the landowner and industrialist
Alexandru B. Știrbei. Educated in France, he returned to Wallachia
during his father's princely mandate, as a Beizadea and aspiring
politician. Fleeing his country during the Crimean War, he served the
French Empire before returning home to become Wallachian Minister of
War and Spatharios. He is remembered for reforming the Wallachian
militia during the remainder of Prince Barbu's term.Știrbei remained
a legislator of Wallachia and then of the United Principalities. He
was however strongly opposed to the Principalities' first Domnitor,
Alexandru Ioan Cuza, reemerging by 1860 as a charismatic leader of the
conservative opposition. His involvement in political scandals and
electoral intrigues led to his brief arrest that same year, but Cuza
was ultimately toppled in 1866. Following this, Știrbei abandoned his
own bid for the throne to serve Domnitor Carol of Hohenzollern. As
Foreign Minister, he helped secure recognition for the United
Principalities, and made diplomatic overtures toward Austria-Hungary.
Failing in his attempt to become Prime Minister of Romania, he was
disappointed with the Domnitor, leaving politics altogether.Știrbei
divided the second half of his life between homes in Paris and
Bécon-les-Bruyères, and was naturalized French. In this period, he
was a collector and patron of the arts, noted as Jean-Baptiste
Carpeaux's last-ever sponsor. He was also married to the actress and
sculptor Valérie Simonin, adopting her daughters Consuelo and Georges
Achille Fouldâ€"whom he educated artistically. His parallel work was
as a cultural journalist, and, late in his life, as the posthumous
editor of Jean-Jacques Weiss and as a memoirist. His controversial
dealings with Carpeaux, the status of his inheritance, and his
paternity disputes remained at the center of public attention long
after his death.Știrbei was born in Bucharest, the Wallachian
capital, on April 1, 1828, a date he himself gave against records
which have 1834;[1] other sources claim 1832.[2][3] His paternal
origins were in the Bibescu family, which had its roots in the petty
boyar nobility of Oltenia: a yeoman Bibul, living before 1700, was the
family patriarch.[4] The clan went through a rapid social climb after
the fall of the Phanariotes and the foundation of a Regulamentul
Organic regime. As a protege of Prince Grigore IV Ghica in the 1820s,
George's grandfather Dumitrachi married Ecaterina, a member of the
Văcărescu family, and made friends with her tutor, Vornic Barbu C.
Știrbei. He was a godfather to Dumitrachi's first-born, Barbu
Bibescu, whom he adopted, before dying in 1813; Barbu was therefore
the only one known as Știrbei among the three Bibescu brothers.[5][6]
On his mother Elisabeta's side, George descended from the Cantacuzino
family, specifically its branch in Moldavia.[6][7]
or Iorgu Știrbei (Francized Georges Stirbey; April 1, 1828 â€" August
15, 1925), was a Wallachian-born Romanian aristocrat and politician
who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from July 15, 1866 until
February 21, 1867. He was the eldest son of Barbu Dimitrie Știrbei,
Prince of Wallachia, and the nephew of his rival, Gheorghe Bibescu;
his younger siblings included the landowner and industrialist
Alexandru B. Știrbei. Educated in France, he returned to Wallachia
during his father's princely mandate, as a Beizadea and aspiring
politician. Fleeing his country during the Crimean War, he served the
French Empire before returning home to become Wallachian Minister of
War and Spatharios. He is remembered for reforming the Wallachian
militia during the remainder of Prince Barbu's term.Știrbei remained
a legislator of Wallachia and then of the United Principalities. He
was however strongly opposed to the Principalities' first Domnitor,
Alexandru Ioan Cuza, reemerging by 1860 as a charismatic leader of the
conservative opposition. His involvement in political scandals and
electoral intrigues led to his brief arrest that same year, but Cuza
was ultimately toppled in 1866. Following this, Știrbei abandoned his
own bid for the throne to serve Domnitor Carol of Hohenzollern. As
Foreign Minister, he helped secure recognition for the United
Principalities, and made diplomatic overtures toward Austria-Hungary.
Failing in his attempt to become Prime Minister of Romania, he was
disappointed with the Domnitor, leaving politics altogether.Știrbei
divided the second half of his life between homes in Paris and
Bécon-les-Bruyères, and was naturalized French. In this period, he
was a collector and patron of the arts, noted as Jean-Baptiste
Carpeaux's last-ever sponsor. He was also married to the actress and
sculptor Valérie Simonin, adopting her daughters Consuelo and Georges
Achille Fouldâ€"whom he educated artistically. His parallel work was
as a cultural journalist, and, late in his life, as the posthumous
editor of Jean-Jacques Weiss and as a memoirist. His controversial
dealings with Carpeaux, the status of his inheritance, and his
paternity disputes remained at the center of public attention long
after his death.Știrbei was born in Bucharest, the Wallachian
capital, on April 1, 1828, a date he himself gave against records
which have 1834;[1] other sources claim 1832.[2][3] His paternal
origins were in the Bibescu family, which had its roots in the petty
boyar nobility of Oltenia: a yeoman Bibul, living before 1700, was the
family patriarch.[4] The clan went through a rapid social climb after
the fall of the Phanariotes and the foundation of a Regulamentul
Organic regime. As a protege of Prince Grigore IV Ghica in the 1820s,
George's grandfather Dumitrachi married Ecaterina, a member of the
Văcărescu family, and made friends with her tutor, Vornic Barbu C.
Știrbei. He was a godfather to Dumitrachi's first-born, Barbu
Bibescu, whom he adopted, before dying in 1813; Barbu was therefore
the only one known as Știrbei among the three Bibescu brothers.[5][6]
On his mother Elisabeta's side, George descended from the Cantacuzino
family, specifically its branch in Moldavia.[6][7]
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