Gheorghe Manu

Gheorghe Manu (26 July 1833, Bucharest, Wallachia – 16 May 1911, Bucharest, Kingdom of Romania) was a Romanian Army general, artillery inspector and statesman. He served as Prime Minister (1889–1891), Minister of War, Minister of the Interior, President of the Assembly of Deputies, and Mayor of Bucharest.

Gheorghe Manu
Prime Minister of Romania
In office
5 November 1889 – 15 February 1891
MonarchCarol I
Preceded byLascăr Catargiu
Succeeded byIon Emanuel Florescu
Minister of War of Kingdom of Romania
In office
14 July 1869 – 17 December 1870
Prime MinisterDimitrie Ghica
Alexandru G. Golescu
Manolache Costache Epureanu
Preceded byIoan Alexandru Duca
Succeeded byEustațiu Pencovici
Minister of War of Kingdom of Romania
In office
12 November 1888 – 4 November 1889
Prime MinisterTheodor Rosetti
Lascăr Catargiu
Preceded byConstantin Barozzi
Succeeded byMatei Vlădescu
Minister of War of Kingdom of Romania
In office
22 December 1904 – 11 March 1906
Prime MinisterDimitrie Sturdza
Gheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino
Preceded byDimitrie Sturdza
Succeeded byAlexandru Averescu
Mayor of Bucharest
In office
October 1873 – April 1877
Preceded byN. C. Brăiloiu
Succeeded byC. A. Rosetti
Romanian Minister of the Interior
In office
5 November 1889 – 15 February 1891
Prime MinisterHimself
Preceded byLascăr Catargiu
Succeeded byLascăr Catargiu
President of the Assembly of Deputies
In office
26 February 1892 – 24 October 1895
MonarchCarol I
Preceded byGheorghe Rosnovanu
Succeeded byPetre S. Aurelian
Romanian Minister of the Interior
In office
9 January 1900 – 7 July 1900
Prime MinisterGheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino
Preceded byGheorghe Grigore Cantacuzino
Succeeded byConstantin Olănescu
Personal details
Born(1833-07-26)July 26, 1833
Bucharest, Wallachia
DiedMay 16, 1911(1911-05-16) (aged 77)
Bucharest, Kingdom of Romania
NationalityRomanian
Political partyConservative Party (PC)
AwardsMilitary Virtue Medal
Military service
Branch/serviceRomanian Land Forces
Rankdivisional general
Battles/warsRomanian War of Independence

Biography

After he finished his high school studies in Romania, he went to Prussia in 1847 to study in the German military academies and in 1853, with the approval of the Romanian government, he joined the Prussian Army as a sub-lieutenant.[1]

Returning to his country in 1858, he joined the Romanian Army, being charged with the organization of the Romanian artillery. He was in charge of this task until he resigned in 1884. From 1869 to 1870, Manu, a colonel, was part of the cabinets of Dimitrie Ghica and Manolache Costache Epureanu, heading the War Ministry.[1] In 1874, he was chosen Mayor of Bucharest, keeping this function until 1877. During his tenure, he initiated the creation of a modern water supply network for the city; the works were interrupted between 1877 and 1878, but by 1879 over ten kilometers of pipes were installed.[2]

As the Romanian War of Independence began in 1877, General Manu was the commander of the 4th division, in charge of defending Romania in Oltenița, Corabia, Bechet, Islaz and Turnu Măgurele, but following the offensive, his division took part in the campaign on the plains of Bulgaria, in Pleven and Vidin. He was the first Romanian decorated with the Military Virtue Medal, in May 1877.[1]

After the war, he was artillery inspector until 1888, when he resigned. He was War Minister in the Theodor Rosetti and Lascăr Catargiu governments, between 12 November 1888 and 5 November 1889 (Old Style). He was also Prime Minister between 5 November 1889 and 15 February 1891. On 27 November 1891, in the Lascăr Catargiu cabinet, he became the Minister of State Property, but quit to become the President of the Chamber of Deputies, a post he held until 1895, when he retired.[1]

Publications
  • Gheorghe Manu; B. Mangâru (1906). Discursurile, 1871–1906. Adunate și colecționate de B. Mangâru. Pentru a servi la cunoașterea istoriei moderne a României (in Romanian). Bucarești: F. Göbl. OCLC 890948983.

References
  1. Dimitrie R. Rosetti (1897). Dicționarul contimporanilor (PDF) (in Romanian). București: Editura Lito-Tipografiei "Populara". p. 122. OCLC 744717044.
  2. Emilia Sava (April 21, 2011). "Primari de Legendă. Generalul din timpul molimei de febră tifoidă din București. Vezi cum s-a luptat cu epidemia!" [Legendary Mayors. The general during the typhoid fever plague in Bucharest. See how he fought the epidemic!]. Adevărul (in Romanian). Retrieved July 5, 2020.

Drawn by Nicolae Petrescu-Găină
  • Gheorghe Manu
  • Minister of Interior
  • Prefect of police
  • Civilian

From Adevărul, 1899
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