GHICA  , GHIKa or GHYKA, a

family which played a great part in the modern development of Rumania, many of its members being princes of Moldavia and Walachia . According to Rumanian historians the Ghicas were of very humble origin, and came from Kiupru in Albania . 1 . George or Gheorghe (c . 1600-1664), the founder of the family, is said to have been a playmate of another Albanian known in history as Ktipruli Aga, the famous vizier, who re-cognized George while he was selling melons in the streets of Constantinople, and helped him on to high positions . George became prince of Moldavia in 1658 and prince of Walachia in 1659–166o . He moved the capital from Tirgovishtea to Bucharest . From him are derived the numerous branches of the family which became so conspicuous in the history of Moldavia and Walachia . 2 . The Walachian branch starts afresh from the great ban Demetrius or Dumitru Ghica (1718–1803), who was twice married and had fourteen children (see RUMANIA: History) . One of these, Gregory (Grigorie), prince of Walachia 1822–1828, starts a new era of civilization, by breaking with the traditions of the Phanariot (Greek) period and assisting in the development of a truly national Rumanian literature . His brother, Prince Alexander Ghica, appointed jointly by Turkey and Russia (1834–1842) as hospodar of Walachia, died in 1862 .

Under him the so-called reglement organique had been promulgated; an

attempt was made to codify the laws in conformity with the institutions of the country and to secure better administration of justice . Prince Demetrius Ghica, who died as president of the Rumanian senate in 1897, was the son of the Walachian prince Gregory . 3 . Another Gregory Ghica, prince of Moldavia from 1775 to 1777, paid with his life for the opposition he offered when the Turks ceded the province of Bukovina to Austria . 4 . Michael (Michail) (1794–1850) was the father of Elena (1827–1888), a well-known novelist, who wrote under the name of Dora d'Istria . Brought up, as was customary at the time, under Greek influences, she showed premature intelligence and literary power . She continued her education in Germany and married a Russian prince, Koltsov Mazalskiy, in 1849, but the marriage was an unhappy one, and in 18J5 she left St Petersburg for Florence, where she died in 1888 . In that city she developed her literary talent and published a number of works characterized by lightness of touch and brilliance of description, such as Pelerinage au tombeau de Dante, La Vie monastique clans les eglises orientates (1844), La Suisse allemande, &c . One of her last works was devoted to the history of her own family, Gli Albanesi in Roumenia: Storia dei Principi Ghika nei secoli X VII-XJX (Florence, 1873) . Her sister was Sophia, Countess O'Rourke . 5 .

Scarlat Ghica (1750-1802) was twice prince of Walachia . His

grandson John (Ioan) Ghica (1817-1897), a lifelong friend of Turkey, was educated in Bucharest and in the West, and studied engineering and mathematics in Paris from 1837 to 1840; returning to Moldavia he was involved in the conspiracy of 1841, which was intended to bring about the union of Walachia and Moldavia under one native prince (Michael Sturdza) . The conspiracy failed and John Ghica became a lecturer on mathematiq at the university which was founded by Prince Sturdza in Jassy . In 1848 he joined the party of revolution and in the name of a provisional government then established in Bucharest went to Constantinople to approach the Turkish government . Whilst there he was appointed Bey of Samos (1853-1859), where he extirpated piracy, rampant in that island . In 1859 after the union of Moldavia and Walachia had been effected Prince Cuza induced John Ghica to return . He was the first prime minister under Prince (afterwards King) Charles of Hohenzollern . His restless nature made him join the anti-dynastic movement of 1870-1871 . In 1881 he was appointed Rumanian minister in London and retained this office until 1889 . He died on the 7th of May 1897 in Gherghani . Besides his political distinction John Ghica earned a literary reputation by his " Letters to Alexandri " (2nd edition, 1887), his lifelong friend, written from London and describing the ancient state of Rumanian society, fast fading away . He was also the author of Amintiri din pribegie, " Recollections of Exile in 1848 " (Bucharest, 1890) and of Convorbiri Economice, discussions on economic questions (Bucharest, 1866-1873) .

He was the first to

advocate the establishmentof national industry and commerce, and also, to a certain extent, principles of " exclusive dealing." (M .