Ruler, patriot, man of culture, defender of the ancient faith and martyr, Constantin Brâncoveanu
remains in the History of our Country and of the Orthodox Church as a role model of Christian
living and supreme sacrifi ce for Jesus and for the Romanian people.
This study outlines that the ruler Constantin Brâncoveanu had political and strategic interests
in Transylvania, that is, through the Saxons of Braşov and Sibiu he could maintain good relations
with the Imperials of Vienna, so that they protect him in those hard times for him; that means that
if he had been removed from the throne by the Turks, the ruler Constantin Brâncoveanu would have
escaped to Transylvania; at the same time the Wallachian ruler had economic interests in Transylvania
so that he could benefi t from the commercial exchanges between the people of Wallachia
and Transylvania; and, thirdly, the Wallachian ruler was a defender of the members of the Orthodox
Church of Transylvania in front of the Catholic proselytism, by offering them support, sending
books for the divine service and education so that those should keep their ancient faith.
For the benefi t of the Country and in order to protect his people, he went into a risky politics
by entering in alliance with the three great powers: The Austrian Empire, The Ottoman Empire and
The Russian Empire, which had different interests in the Romanian Counties; each one of them
wanted supremacy over the other and at the same time Constantin Brâncoveanu`s loyalty; this
partisan attitude of the Wallachian ruler was not possible and it led to his death, his martyrdom
and that of his sons and brother-in-law at Istanbul (Constantinople) on August 15 1714; for their
supreme sacrifi ce, in 1992, our Church made them Saints and they are celebrated on August 16
every year.

ALEXANDRU MORARU