List of rulers of Wallachia

This is a List of rulers of Wallachia, from the first mention of a medieval polity situated between the Southern Carpathians and the Danube until the union with Moldavia in 1862, leading to the creation of Romania.

Notes

Dynastic rule is hard to ascribe, given the loose traditional definition of the ruling family (on principle, princes were chosen from any family branch, including a previous ruler's bastard sons - being defined as os de domn - "of Voivode marrow", or as having heregie - "heredity" (from the Latin hereditas); the institutions charged with the election, dominated by the boyars, had fluctuating degrees of influence). The system itself was challenged by usurpers, and became obsolete with the Phanariote epoch, when rulers were appointed by the Ottoman Sultans; between 1821 and 1878 (the date of Romania's independence), various systems combining election and appointment were put in practice. Wallachian rulers, like the Moldavian rulers, bore the titles of Voivode or/and Hospodar.

Most rulers did not use the form of the name they are cited with, and several used more than one form of their own name; in some cases, the ruler was only mentioned in foreign sources. The full names are either modern versions or ones based on mentions in various chronicles.

List

Ruler	Portrait	Years	Family	Notes
1. Seneslau		c. 1247		Voivode on the eastern side of the Olt River (around the Argeş).
2. Litovoi		1247–1277		Voivode on the western side of the Olt River.
3. Bărbat		c. 1277 – 1290		brother of Litovoi
4. Thocomerius		c. 1290 – 1310		some propose Tihomir as a more accurate rendition
5. Radu Negru		c. 1300		legendary voivode of Wallachia; some historians consider it to be just a nickname of Thocomerius or Basarab I
Wallachian principality attested in the early 14th century.
1. Basarab I		c. 1310 – 1352	Basarab	son of Thocomerius; first non-legendary ruler of Wallachia; later also called Basarab Întemeietorul (Basarab the Founder);
2. Nicolae Alexandru		1352–1364	Basarab	son of Basarab I
3. Vladislav I		c. 1364 – 1377	Basarab	son of Nicolae Alexandru; also known as Vlaicu-Vodă
4. Radu I		c. 1377 – 1383	Basarab	son of Nicolae Alexandru
5. Dan I		c. 1383 – 1386	Dăneşti	son of Radu I
6. Mircea I cel Bătrân (Mircea I the Elder)		1386–1394	Basarab	son of Radu I. 1st rule.
7. Vlad I Uzurpatorul (Vlad I the Usurper)		1394–1397
6. Mircea I cel Bătrân (Mircea I the Elder)		1397–1418	Basarab	2nd rule
8. Mihail I		1418–1420	Basarab	son of Mircea cel Bătrân
9. Dan II		1420–1421	Dăneşti	son of Dan I, member of the Order of the Dragon; 1st rule
10. Radu II Chelul (Radu II the Bald)		1421	Basarab	son of Mircea cel Bătrân; 1st rule
9. Dan II		1421–1423	Dăneşti	2nd rule
10. Radu II Chelul		1423	Basarab	2nd rule
9. Dan II		1423–1424	Dăneşti	3rd rule
10. Radu II Chelul		1424–1426	Basarab	3rd rule
9. Dan II		1426–1427	Dăneşti	4th rule
10. Radu II Chelul		1427	Basarab	4th rule
9. Dan II		1427–1431	Dăneşti	5th rule
11. Alexandru I Aldea		1431–1436	Drăculeşti	son of Mircea cel Bătrân; 1st rule
12. Vlad II Dracul		1436–1442	Drăculeşti	illegitimate son of Mircea cel Bătrân; member of the Order of the Dragon (thus Dracul); 1st rule
13. Mircea II		1442	Drăculeşti	son of Vlad II Dracul
14. Basarab II		1442–1443	Dăneşti	son of Dan II
12. Vlad II Dracul		1443–1447	Drăculeşti	2nd rule
15. Vladislav II		1447–1448	Dăneşti	son of Dan II; supported by John Hunyadi, Regent of Hungary; 1st rule
16. Vlad III Ţepeş (Vlad the Impaler)		1448	Drăculeşti	son of Vlad II Dracul; 1st rule
15. Vladislav II		1448–1456	Dăneşti	son of Dan II; supported by John Hunyadi, Regent of Hungary; 2nd rule
16. Vlad III Ţepeş		1456–1462	Drăculeşti	2nd rule
17. Radu III cel Frumos (Radu III the Fair)		1462–1473	Drăculeşti	son of Vlad II Dracul; 1st rule
18. Basarab III Laiotă cel Bătrân (Basarab III Laiotă the Elder)		1473	Dăneşti	son of Dan II; 1st rule
17. Radu III cel Frumos		1473–1474	Drăculeşti	2nd rule
18. Basarab III Laiotă cel Bătrân		1474	Dăneşti	2nd rule
17. Radu III cel Frumos		1474	Drăculeşti	3rd rule
18. Basarab III Laiotă cel Bătrân		1474	Dăneşti	3rd rule
17. Radu III cel Frumos		1474–1475	Drăculeşti	4th rule
18. Basarab III Laiotă cel Bătrân		1475–1476	Dăneşti	4th rule
16. Vlad III Ţepeş		1476	Drăculeşti	3rd rule
18. Basarab III Laiotă cel Bătrân		1476–1477	Dăneşti	5th rule
19. Basarab IV Ţepeluş cel Tânăr (Basarab IV Ţepeluş the Younger)		1477–1481	Dăneşti	son of Basarab II; 1st rule
20. Mircea (III)		1481
21. Vlad IV Călugărul (Vlad IV the Monk)		1481	Drăculeşti	son of Vlad II Dracul; 1st rule
19. Basarab IV Ţepeluş cel Tânăr		1481–1482	Dăneşti	2nd rule
21. Vlad IV Călugărul		1482–1495	Drăculeşti	2nd rule
22. Radu IV cel Mare (Radu IV the Great)		1495–1508	Drăculeşti	son of Vlad Călugărul
23. Mihnea I cel Rău (Mihnea the Mean)		1508–1509	Drăculeşti	son of Vlad III Ţepeş
24. Mircea III		1509–1510	Drăculeşti	son of Mihnea cel Rău
25. Vlad V cel Tânăr (Vlad V the Younger)		1510–1512	Drăculeşti	nephew of son Radu cel Mare; also known as Vlăduţ
26. Neagoe Basarab V		1512–1521	Craioveşti
27. Teodosie		1521–1522
28. Radu V		1522–1523	Drăculeşti	illegitimate son of Radu cel Mare; allied with Craioveşti; 1st rule
29. Vladislav III		1523	Dăneşti	nephew of Vladislav II; 1st rule
30. Radu VI Bădica		1523–1524
28. Radu V		1524	Craioveşti	2nd rule
29. Vladislav III		1524	Dăneşti	2nd rule
28. Radu V		1524–1525	Craioveşti	3rd rule
29. Vladislav III		1525	Dăneşti	3rd rule
28. Radu V		1525–1529	Craioveşti	4th rule
31. Basarab VI		1529
32. Moise		1529–1530
33. Vlad VI Înecatul (Vlad VI the Drowned)		1530–1532	Drăculeşti	son of Vlad cel Tânăr
34. Vlad VII Vintilă de la Slatina		1532–1535	Drăculeşti	son of Radu cel Mare
35. Radu VII Paisie		1535–1545	Drăculeşti	son of Vlad Vintilă de la Slatina
36. Mircea IV Ciobanul (Mircea IV the Shepherd)		1545–1552	Drăculeşti	son of Radu cel Mare; 1st rule
37. Radu VIII Ilie Haidăul (Radu VIII Ilie the Cowherd)		1552–1553	Drăculeşti	son of Radu de la Afumaţi
36. Mircea IV Ciobanul		1553–1554	Drăculeşti	2nd rule
38. Pătraşcu cel Bun (Pătraşcu the Kind)		1554–1558	Drăculeşti	son of Radu Paisie; 3rd rule
36. Mircea IV Ciobanul		1558–1559	Drăculeşti	3rd rule
39. Petru I cel Tânăr (Peter I the Younger)		1559–1568	Drăculeşti	son of Mircea Ciobanul
40. Alexandru II Mircea		1568–1574	Drăculeşti	son of Mircea II; popularly called Oaie Seacă (Barren Sheep); 1st rule
41. Vintilă		1574	Drăculeşti	son of Petru Pătraşcu cel Bun
40. Alexandru II Mircea		1574–1577	Drăculeşti	2nd rule
42. Mihnea II Turcitul (Mihnea the Turned-Turk)		1577–1583	Drăculeşti	son of Alexandru II Mircea; 1st rule
43. Petru II Cercel (Peter II Earring)		1583–1585	Drăculeşti	son of Petru Pătraşcu cel Bun
42. Mihnea II Turcitul		1585–1591	Drăculeşti	2nd rule
44. Ştefan I Surdul (Stephen the Deaf)		1591–1592
45. Alexandru III cel Rău (Alexander III the Mean)		1592–1593		also ruled Moldavia (1592)
46. Mihail II Viteazul (Michael the Brave)		1593–1600	Drăculeşti	illegitimate son of Petru Pătraşcu cel Bun; also ruled Transylvania (1599-1600) and Moldavia (1600), briefly uniting the three principalities.
47. Simion Movilă		1600–1601	Movileşti	1st rule
48. Radu IX Mihnea		1601–1602	Drăculeşti	son of Minhea II Turcitul; 1st rule
47. Simion Movilă		1602	Movileşti	2nd rule
49. Radu X Şerban		1602–1610		1st rule
50. Gabriel I Báthory		1611	Báthory	also Prince of Transylvania
48. Radu IX Mihnea		1611	Drăculeşti	2nd rule
49. Radu X Şerban		1611		2nd rule
48. Radu IX Mihnea		1611–1616	Drăculeşti	3rd rule
51. Gabriel II Movilă		1616	Movileşti	son of Simion Movilă; 1st rule
52. Alexandru IV Iliaş		1616–1618		1st rule
51. Gabriel II Movilă		1618–1620	Movileşti	2nd rule
48. Radu IX Mihnea		1620–1623	Drăculeşti	4th rule
53. Alexandru V Coconul (Alexander the Child-Prince)		1623–1627	Drăculeşti	son of Radu Mihnea
52. Alexandru IV Iliaş		1627–1629		2nd rule
54. Leon Tomşa		1629–1632
55. Radu XI Iliaş		1632
56. Matei Basarab		1632–1654	Brâncoveneşti
57. Constantin I Şerban		1654–1658		illegitimate son of Radu Şerban
58. Mihnea III		1658–1659
59. Gheorghe I Ghica		1659–1660	Ghica
60. Grigore I Ghica		1660–1664	Ghica	1st rule
61. Radu XII Leon		1664–1669
62. Antonie Vodă din Popeşti		1669–1672
60. Grigore I Ghica		1672–1673	Ghica	2nd rule
63. Gheorghe II Ducas		1673–1678
64. Şerban Cantacuzino		1678–1688	Cantacuzene
65. Constantin II Brâncoveanu		1688–1714	Brâncoveneşti
66. Ştefan II Cantacuzino		1714–1715	Cantacuzene
Phanariote rule (1715–1821)
1. Nicolae Mavrocordat		1715–1716	Mavrocordato	1st rule
- Habsburg occupation		1716
2. Ioan Mavrocordat		1716–1719	Mavrocordato
1. Nicolae Mavrocordat		1719–1730	Mavrocordato	2nd rule
3. Constantin Mavrocordat		1730	Mavrocordato	1st rule
4. Mihai Racoviţă		1730–1731	Racoviţă	1st rule
3. Constantin Mavrocordat		1731–1733	Mavrocordato	2nd rule
5. Grigore II Ghica		1733–1735	Ghica	1st rule
3. Constantin Mavrocordat		1735–1741	Mavrocordato	3rd rule
4. Mihai Racoviţă		1741–1744	Racoviţă	2nd rule
3. Constantin Mavrocordat		1744–1748	Mavrocordato	4th rule
5. Grigore II Ghica		1748–1752	Ghica	2nd rule
6. Matei Ghica		1752–1753	Ghica
7. Constantin Racoviţă		1753–1756		1st rule
3. Constantin Mavrocordat		1756–1758		5th rule
8. Scarlat Ghica		1758–1761	Ghica	1st rule
3. Constantin Mavrocordat		1761–1763		6th rule
7. Constantin Racoviţă		1763–1764	Racoviţă	2nd rule
9. Ştefan Racoviţă		1764–1765	Racoviţă
8. Scarlat Ghica		1765–1766	Ghica	2nd rule
10. Alexandru Ghica		1766–1768	Ghica
- Russian occupation		1768
11. Grigore III Ghica		1768–1769	Ghica
- Russian occupation		1769–1770
12. Emanuel Giani Ruset		1770-1771	Rosetti	also called Manole or Manolache
13. Alexander Ypsilantis		1774–1782	Ypsilanti	1st rule
14. Nicolae Caragea		1782–1783	Caradja
15. Mihail Suţu		1783–1786	Soutzos	1st rule
16. Nicolae Mavrogheni		1786–1789
- Habsburg occupation		1789–1790		military commander: Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg
15. Mihail Suţu		1791–1793	Soutzos	2nd rule
17. Alexandru Moruzi		1793–1796	Mourousi	1st rule
13. Alexander Ypsilantis		1796–1797	Ypsilanti	2nd rule
18. Constantin Hangerli		1797–1799
17. Alexandru Moruzi		1799–1801	Mourousi	2nd rule
15. Mihail Suţu		1801–1802	Soutzos	3rd rule
19. Alexandru Suţu		1802	Soutzos
20. Constantin Ypsilanti		1802-1806	Ypsilanti
- Russian occupation		1806–1812
21. Ioan Gheorghe Caragea		1812–1818	Caradja
22. Caimacam Grigore Brâncovenu		1818		assisted by Vornic Barbu Văcărescu, Vistier Grigore Ghica and Logofăt Samurcaş
19. Alexandru Suţu		1818–1821	Soutzos
22. Caimacam Grigore Brâncoveanu		1821
23. Tudor Vladimirescu		1821		leader of the anti-Phanariote uprising
24. Scarlat Callimachi		1821	Callimachi
25. Grigore IV Ghica		1822–1828	Ghica
- Russian occupation		1828–1834		military commanders: Fyodor Pahlen, Pyotr Zheltukhin, and Pavel Kiseleff
Organic Statute government (1832–1856)
1. Alexandru II Ghica		1834–1842	Ghica
2. Gheorghe Bibescu		1842–1848	Bibescu
- Provisional Government		1848		Metropolitan Neofit II, assisted by Christian Tell, Ion Heliade Rădulescu, Ştefan Golescu, Gheorghe Magheru, Gheorghe Scurti
- Locotenenţa domnească (Regency of three)		1848		Christian Tell, Ion Heliade Rădulescu, Nicolae Golescu
- Joint Ottoman and Russian occupation		1848–1851		military commanders: Omar Pasha and Alexander von Lüders
3. Caimacam Constantin Cantacuzino		1848
4. Barbu Ştirbei		1848–1853	Ştirbei	1st rule
- Russian occupation		1853–1854
- Ottoman occupation		1854
- Austrian occupation		1854–1856		military commander: Johann Coronini-Cronberg
4. Barbu Ştirbei		1854–1856	Ştirbei	2nd rule
Protectorate established by the Treaty of Paris (1856–1859)
1. Caimacam Alexandru II Ghica		1856–1858
- Caimacam of three		1858–1859		Ioan Manu, Emanoil Băleanu, Ioan A. Filipide
2. Alexander John Cuza		1859–1862		also ruled Moldavia in personal union
Formal union of Wallachia and Moldavia since 1862. For later rulers, see Domnitor and Kings of Romania.