Stephen Brâncoveanu

Holy Martyr Stephen Brâncoveanu (born 1685, died 15/26 August 1714 at Constantinople) was the second son of the boyar Constantin Brâncoveanu and his wife Marica. He suffered together with his father, his brothers and the counsellor Ianache Văcărescu. The Romanian Orthodox Church honours them together, under the name Holy Martyrs Brâncoveanu, on 16 August.

He was born at a time when his father had not yet become prince of Wallachia. He married on 27 February 1709 Bălașa, daughter of the Moldavian boyar Ilie Cantacuzino, the marriage being part of Constantin Brâncoveanu's marriage policy. The marriage did not last long, since Bălașa died on 22 November 1712, leaving in her husband's care a daughter, baptized Maria.

As with his elder brother, history records little information about him. Together with Constantine II, Stephen laid on 9 June 1699 (old style) the foundation stone of the great church of the Brâncoveni Monastery, built in memory of their paternal grandmother. He was the only one of the prince's sons who accompanied his father on the journey of 1703 to Adrianople. So he took part in the audiences given by the grand vizier and the sultan, being dressed, as a mark of honour, in costly robes. Another report shows that, together with his elder brother and a retinue of boyars, he went out on 24 April 1704 to meet Lord Paget, the English envoy who was visiting Bucharest.

He was taken by the Turks in April 1714 and led, with the whole family, to Constantinople, after his father's deposition. According to the testimony of the prince's personal secretary, Anton-⁠Maria Del Chiaro, Stephen wished to flee to Transylvania and from there, by way of Vienna, to Italy, but Brâncoveanu convinced him to give up the attempt, because the Turks had given orders at the border that no one be allowed to pass without a passport. He was imprisoned at Edikule, in Istanbul, and Stephen, like his brothers, was tormented before his parents. In the end, on 15 August 1714, he was beheaded (like the three brothers, the boyar Ianache Văcărescu and the deposed prince) before Sultan Ahmed III, and their bodies were thrown into the sea.

On 20 June 1992 he was canonized by the Romanian Orthodox Church, being honoured alongside his brothers and his father as the Holy Martyrs Brâncoveanu. He is shown in the votive painting of the Hurezi Monastery.