GREGORY GUIXA hospodai of Moldavia, b. at Botochani, in Moldavia, August 25, 1807; was appointed ltetman, or commander-in-chiefof the mibtia. in 1826, secretary of state in 1842, and minister of finance in 1843, under the hospedarat of Michael Stourdza. But as the system of the government became more and were Russian in its character, he resigned his functions, and passed into the ranks of the liberal opposition, of which lie soon becameone of the chiefs. In 1849, the sultan appointed him hospo dar, in order to counteract the influence then exercised by Russia in the adjoining princi pality. His tenure of office may be divided into three distinct periods. Fri the first, his efforts at reform were crippled by the presence of Russian troops in the principalities, in violation of the convention of Balta-Liman. The second, commencing with the depar ture of the Russians in 1851, was marked by many excellent measures; he organized a good police system, augmented the effective force of the militia, founded schools for superior and secondary instruction at Niarntzo, Houch, Galatz, etc., promulgated an administrative code—the first great step toward's the reform of abuses,—increased muni cipal resources, and at his own expense built aqueducts, and printed important histori cal MSS. The re-occupation of the principalities by Russia in 1853 suspended his
labors, and resigning the hospodarat provisionally, he-withdrew to Vienna, but resumed his functions in the end of the following year. The third period of Gregory's rule Was initiated by the formation of a liberal ministry, by the support of which he effected, among other thing, a radical reform of the penitentiary system, the abolition of serfdom (1855), and of the censorship of public journals (1856), and the establishment of foreign merchant companies for the navigation of the Pruth and' the Sereth (1856); while lie also encouraged the growth of a union feeling among the Roumanian party in both prin cipalities. His tenure of office expiring in 1856, Gregory, whose private fortune had been rather diminished than increased by his dignity, quitted Moldavia, and went to reside in France. His death occurred in July, 1857.