Barbu Dimitrie Stirbei
(1799-1869)

Barbu Dimitrie Stirbei (also written as Stirbey) was a boyar of the Bibescu family who twice reigned as Prince of Wallachia [a historical region of modern-day Romania], firstly between 1848 and 1853 and then again from 1854 to 1856.

Born at Craiova [modern-day Romania] in 1799, he studied philosophy and law in Paris. Following the Wallachian Revolution of 1848 and the subsequent overthrow of the revolutionary government, he was awarded the throne of Wallachia for a seven-year term. During his reign as hospodar, he introduced moderate reforms. He lost his throne at the beginning of the Crimean War when Wallachia was once again occupied by Russian troops but briefly regained it in 1854 when Wallachia was under Austrian and Ottoman occupation.

He spent his last years in France, dying at Nice on 13 April 1869.