Iacob Lahovary

Iacob Lahovary
Minister of War of Kingdom of Romania
In office
21 February 1891 – 22 February 1894
MonarchCarol I of Romania
Preceded byMatei Vlădescu
Succeeded byLascăr Catargiu
In office
11 April 1899 – 13 February 1901
Preceded byAnton Berindei
Succeeded byDimitrie Sturdza
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania
In office
22 December 1904 – 7 February 1907
Preceded byIon I. C. Brătianu
Succeeded byIoan Lahovary
Chief of the Romanian General Staff
In office
1 October 1894 – 1 October 1895
Prime MinisterLascăr Catargiu
Preceded byȘtefan Fălcoianu
Succeeded byConstantin Barozzi [ro]
Personal details
Born(1846-01-16)16 January 1846
Bucharest, Wallachia
Died7 February 1907(1907-02-07) (aged 61)
Paris, France
Resting placeBellu Cemetery, Bucharest, Romania (1907–2008)
Spouses
Elena Kretzulescu
​
(div. 1883)​
Alexandrina Cantacuzino
​
​
(m. 1883⁠–⁠1907)​
ChildrenElena, Iacob, Leon
Relatives
Alma materÉcole Polytechnique
Sorbonne University
AwardsMilitary Virtue Medal
Order of the Star of Romania
Order of Carol I
Military service
Branch/serviceArmy
RankGeneral
Battles/wars

Iacob N. Lahovary (Romanian: Iacob N. Lahovari; 16 January 1846 – 7 February 1907) was a member of the Romanian aristocracy, a general, politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of War and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Romania.[1]

Life and career

Iacob Lahovary was the brother of Alexandru Lahovary and Ioan Lahovary both of whom served as foreign ministers. He attended the Bucharest School of Officers in 1859–1864, École Polytechnique in Paris in 1864–1870. He also graduated from Sorbonne University with a degree in mathematics in 1870. As soon as Lahovary entered military service, he quickly rose in the ranks of the Romanian Army: he became second lieutenant in 1864, lieutenant in 1870, captain in 1871, major in 1874, lieutenant colonel in 1877, colonel in 1883, brigadier general in 1891, and general in 1900.

During the Romanian War of Independence of 1877–1878, Lahovary fought at the battle of Vidin and at the Siege of Plevna.[2] His awards include the War Medal of Military Virtue; the Order of the Star of Romania, Commander class; and the Order of Carol I, Grand Officer class.[3]

His first wife was Elena Kretzulescu, with whom he had a daughter, Elena. Divorced in 1883, he remarried Alexandrina Cantacuzino, with whom he had two sons, Iacob and Leon.[4]

He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs for a little more than two years before he died in February 1907 and was replaced by his brother Ioan Lahovary.[5] Lahovary died in Paris of colon cancer.[2] He was buried at Bellu Cemetery in Bucharest,[6] in a tomb designed in 1905 by renowned architect Ion Mincu.[3][7]

Legacy

The Lahovary House in Bucharest

His resting place was vandalized in 1993, when his bust (the work of sculptor Oscar Späthe [ro]) was stolen. In 2008, Marian Vanghelie, the then-Mayor of Sector 5 of Bucharest had Lahovary's remains removed, and his grandfather was buried there, instead.[3][7]

A street in Galați is named after General Iacob Lahovary.

The Lahovary House [ro] was built by Ion Mincu between 1884 and 1886, at his request. Registered now as a monument istoric, the house is considered to be one of the first significant Romanian Revival style buildings in the history of Romanian architecture.[4]

References

  1. ^ Appletons' annual cyclopaedia and register of important events of the year 1899. United States: D. Appleton & Company. 1900. p. 755. Retrieved 2010-09-08.
  2. ^ a b "Generalul Iacob Lahovary". Historia (in Romanian). Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "Vanghelie și-a băgat morții în cavoul familiei Lahovary". Adevărul (in Romanian). June 9, 2010. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Bujor, Oana (October 15, 2018). "Casa lui Iacob Lahovary, generalul vizionar pasionat de dueluri la priveghiul căruia au venit inclusiv viitorul rege Ferdinand şi ambasadorul otoman". www.descopera.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  5. ^ "Iacob Lahovary: de la Enciclopedia României" [Iacob Lahovary: from the Romanian Encyclopedia]. Retrieved 2010-09-07.
  6. ^ "Cimitirul Bellu București – Harta Interactivă" (in Romanian). Retrieved July 16, 2020.
  7. ^ a b Miron, Adelina (July 15, 2021). "Marian Vanghelie, la 13 ani după ce și-a îngropat bunicul în cavoul de unde au fost scoase osemintele generalului Lahovary: "Acolo odihnește tataia. De unde să știu cine a fost Iacob Lahovary"". www.antena3.ro (in Romanian). Antena3. Retrieved January 3, 2022.