CANTACUZINO or CANTACUZENE, the name of a family which traces its origin to the Byzantine emperors and writers of the same name (see under JoHN V., Cantacuzene). The founder of the family, Andronik, migrated to Rumania in 1633, and from his two sons Constantine and Gheorge sprang the two principal lines which afterwards branched into numerous fam ilies of nobles and high dignitaries.
(I) SHERBAN CANTACUZINO (164o-1688), appointed hospodar of Walachia in 1679, served under the Turks in the siege of Vienna, and after their defeat is said to have planned a march on Con stantinople to drive the Turks out of Europe. In the midst of his preparations he died suddenly, poisoned, it is said, by the boyars who were afraid of his vast plans. He introduced the maize plant into Rumania ; maize is now one of the staple foods of the coun try. He founded the first Rumanian school in Bucharest ; and under his auspices the famous Rumanian Bible appeared in Bucharest in 1688. Through his influence also the Rumanian was substituted for the Slavonic language in the liturgy. (2) STEFAN CANTACUZINO, son of Constantine, was prince of Walachia, 1714 I 716. (3) DEMETRIUS CANTACUZINO, was prince of Moldavia, 1674-1676.
Descendants of Demetrius and Sherban emigrated to Russia, and held high positions there as governors of Bessarabia and in other responsible posts. (4) Of the Moldavian Cantacuzinos, THEODORE is well known as a chronicler of his times (c. (5) GHEORGE CANTACUZINO (b. 1837), son of GREGORI (1800 1849), was appointed in 187o minister of public instruction in Rumania; in 1889, president of the chamber; in 1892, president of the senate; from 1899 he was head of the Conservative party, and from 1905 to 1907 prime minister (see also RUMANIA: History).