Charles-Adolphe Cantacuzène

Early life and education

Born in Bucharest to the magistrate Adolf Cantacuzino and his wife Ecaterina (née Iarca), he was a scion of the Cantacuzino family, which had an old tradition of political and cultural activity beginning with citations from Roman Imperium, affirming in Byzantine Imperium, European countries and primarily in Romania, with almost continuous citations after 1094. After attending primary school in his native city, he went to high school in Paris, followed by the law faculty of the University of Paris.

Career

Successively an attaché, secretary and adviser at the Romanian embassies in Paris, Brussels, and The Hague, Cantacuzino was Romania's chargé d'affaires in Paris in 1918, at the close of World War I. He returned to Bucharest in 1922, working as a minister plenipotentiary at the Foreign Ministry, while continuing to correspond with other writers.

On an August morning in 1949, during the early Communist regime, he was told he had several hours to vacate his beloved, book-filled house. Toward evening, a little suitcase in hand, the hat-wearing, cane-carrying elderly gentleman made his way to the modest basement room he had rented and lay down. He was found dead the following day.

Family

Cantacuzino married Julietta, the daughter of Basile M. Missir, in 1912. The following year, he dedicated the volume Amour de Juliette to her. Their daughter Armanda was born in Paris on September 1, 1913, and she married Constantin Roco in 1945. She is followed by two children, Mihaela and Mihail, and two grandchildren, Constance Armanda Roco and Charles Roco.

Poetry and essays

A French-language poet who wrote under the name Charles-Adolphe Cantacuzène, he published numerous volumes of poems, essays and studies of literary and art history. He was particularly interested in several important 18th century figures, such as Frederick the Great, the 7th Prince of Ligne and Antoine de Rivarol. His work appeared in Mercure de France, Journal des Débats, Le Figaro and Le Manuscrit Autographe. Attracted by the verses of Stéphane Mallarmé, who became his friend, he published his first volume, Les sourires glacés, at the age of 22 in 1896, upon the latter's recommendation. This and all his subsequent forty-five books were written in French. His poetry, Symbolist in style, was praised by Mallarmé, Paul Valéry and Remy de Gourmont. It shows erudition and delicacy at the same time, as well as a remarkable grasp of the French language's subtleties. The poetic and diplomatic contributions of Charles-Adolphe Cantacuzène have European dimensions.

Publications

Les sourires glacés, Librairie Académique Perrin, Paris, 1896

Les douleurs cadettes, Librairie Académique Perrin, Paris, 1897

Les chimères en danger, Librairie Académique Perrin, Paris 1898

Cinglons les souvenirs et cinglons les rêves!..., Librairie Académique Perrin, Paris, 1900

Sonnets en petit deuil, Librairie Académique Perrin, Paris, 1901

Litanies et petits états d'âme, Librairie Académique Perrin, Paris, 1902

Remember, Librairie Académique Perrin, Paris, 1903

Les Grâces inemployées, Librairie Académique Perrin, Paris, 1904

L'âme de Monsieur de Nion, C.L.G. Veldt, Amsterdam, 1905

Poussières et falbales, Librairie Académique Perrin, Paris, 1905

Synthèse attristée de Paris, Librairie Académique Perrin, Paris, 1906

Les Retrouvailles, Librairie Académique Perrin, Paris, 1908

Bétises pour Phébé, C.L.G. Veldt, Amsterdam, 1908 (essais)

Esprit de Charles-Adolphe Cantacuzène, Amsterdam, 1909

Larmes fouettées, Librairie Académique Perrin, Paris, 1911

Awards

He was awarded the Order of the Star of Romania (1922), the Legion of Honour (1908) from France, Order of Crown (1913) and the Order of Leopold (1922) from Belgium, Order of Crown (1913) from Luxemburg, Order Nichrani-Ifticar (1914) from Turkey, Order of Lion and Sun (1922) from Iran, Order of Santi Maurizio (1931) from Italy, orders from Greece and Benin.