Brâncoveanu

Brâncoveanu was canonized for his and his sons' martyrdom, just like the Christians martyrdom in ancient Rome, killed for their faith in Christ. And just like other Christian martyrs, Brâncoveanu had to choice between his and his sons' death and the denial of Christ, (in their case, by converting to Islam). His character, the nature of his relations with the others, the unexpected events of life brought, against his will, in this strange, even shocking situation for the year 1714."  

 

On 15 August 1714, Saint Mary Feast, when Constantin Brâncoveanu also celebrated his 60th birthday he and his four sons among with counselor Ianache were brought in front of Sultan Ahmed The Third of Turkey. Diplomatical representatives of Austria, Russia, France and England were also present. Here is what history remembers: After all of his fortunes were taken, in change of the life of his family he was asked to renounce at the orthodox-christian fate. He reportedly said: ″Behold, all my fortunes and all I had, I have lost! Let us not lose our souls. Be brave and manly, my beloved! Ignore death. Look at Christ, our Savior, how much has endured for us and with what shamefull death has died. Strongly believe in this and do not move, nor do you leave your faith for this life and this world.″ After this, his four sons, Constantin, Ștefan, Radu and Matei and counselor Ianache were beheaded in front of their father.  

 

History records also that the smallest child, Matei (12 years old) he was so scared after seeing all the bloodbath and heads of his three brothers that he started crying asking his father to let him renounce christianity and convert to islam as sultan Ahmed the Third asked in front of all the great powers represented there. At this moment, Constantin Brâncoveanu said: "From our kind nobody lost his faith. It is better to die a thousand times than to leave your ancient faith just to live few more years on earth." Matei listened and offered his head. After Brâncoveanu was also decapitated, their heads were stabbed with a javelin and shown in a procession. Their bodies were left in the front of the gate and later on thrown in the waters of the Bosphorus.