Dimitrie Sturdza

Demetrius (Dimitrie) Sturdza (1833-1914), Romanian statesman, was born in 1833 at Jassy, and educated there at the Academia Michaileana. He continued his studies in Germany, took part in the political movements of the time, and was private secretary to Prince Cuza. Demetrius afterwards turned against Cuza, joined John Bratianu, and became a member of the so-called Liberal government. In 1899 he was elected leader of the party in succession to Bratianu and was four times prime minister. Though a man of great capacity for work, he represented the narrowest nationalism, and through his enmity to all that was "alien" did more than any other man to retard the political and industrial development of the country. He was appointed permanent secretary of the Romanian Academy, and became a recognized authority on Romanian numismatics. As secretary of the academy he was instrumental in assisting the publication of the collections of historic documents made by Hurmuzaki (30 vols., Bucharest, 1876-1897), and other acts and documents besides a number of minor political pamphlets of transitory value.

-- (from 1911 encyclopedia)