Stroe Leurdeanu

Stroe Leurdeanu
Watercolor reproduction of Leurdeanu's votive portrait
Caimacam (Regent of Wallachia)
Reign	August 1645
Predecessor	Matei Basarab
Successor	Matei Basarab
Reign	1663, 1664
Predecessor	Grigore I Ghica
Successor	Grigore I Ghica
Reign	1672, 1673
Predecessor	Grigore I Ghica
Successor	Grigore I Ghica
Reign	May 11, 1675 – September 1677
Predecessor	George Ducas
Successor	George Ducas
Born	ca. 1600
Died	1678 or 1679
Burial	Sfântul Ioan-Grecesc Church, Bucharest
Spouse	1. Unknown woman 2. Vișa Goleasca 3. Elina of Prooroci (d. 1655)
Issue	Istratie Leurdeanu Elina Cantacuzino Necula Leurdeanu Nedelco Leurdeanu Costea Leurdeanu Matei Golescu Stroe II Leurdeanu Ghenadie Leurdeanu Axinia Leurdeanca
House	Leurdeanu (Golescu)
Father	Fiera Leudeanu
Mother	Tudora?
Religion	Orthodox
Signature

Stroe Leurdeanu, also known as Stroe (sin) Fiera, Stroie Leurdeanu, Stroe Leordeanu, or Stroe Golescu (ca. 1600 – 1678 or 1679), was a Wallachian statesman and political intriguer, son of Logothete Fiera Leudeanu. He began his career with the Wallachian military forces, serving as Spatharios and seeing action in the Polish–Ottoman War of 1633. Related by marriage to the Craiovești dynasty, he emerged as one of the country's most important officials under Prince Matei Basarab: as Vistier, he was in charge of the princely treasury, and also became a regent (or Caimacam) in 1645. Matei also adopted Stroe's son, Istratie Leurdeanu, but in 1651 turned against the family, and found Stroe guilty of embezzlement. He returned to high favor under a new Prince, Constantin Șerban, who made him his Logothete.

Chased out of the country by the Seimeni rebellion and again during Constantin Șerban's downfall, the Leurdeanus remained at the center of political life into the 1660s. Although he ordered Istratie's execution, Prince Mihnea III used Stroe as his diplomat, causing the latter to be detained as a hostage by the Ottoman Empire. From 1660, he enjoyed the favors of Mihnea's replacement, George Ghica, who kept him as Logothete. Grigore I Ghica appointed Leurdeanu as regent during the Austro–Turkish War. This moment saw the eruption of a conflict between Leurdeanu and the Cantacuzino family. In 1663, he engineered an intrigue which led to the execution of Postelnic Constantin I Cantacuzino.

Sidelined under Radu Leon, Leurdeanu was brought to justice by Antonie Vodă in 1669. Sentenced to death but then pardoned, he was forced to take orders at Snagov Monastery. He escaped and fled abroad, returning to Wallachia as Grigore Ghica retook the throne, and again served as regent during the Polish–Ottoman War of 1672. Befriending Ghica's successor, George Ducas, he was kept by the latter as Logothete, Vornic, and occasional Ispravnic of the throne. He was victorious over the Cantacuzinos in his final years, overseeing the arrest and torture of Constantin II.

Leurdeanu probably died as a monk, at some point before December 1679. He had many sons, but only two are known to have survived him. One was Stroe II, who maintained leading positions at the court of Constantin Brâncoveanu, together with his nephew Radu Golescu. The Leurdeanu line was nevertheless extinguished, and survived into modernity through a collateral branch, the Golescu family.