Costache Conachi

Costache Conachi (; b. September 14/25, 1778, Țigănești, Tecuci County, Moldavia – d. February 4/16, 1849, Țigănești, Tecuci County, Moldavia, actually Galați County, Romania) was a Romanian boyar, politician, poet and writer noted for emphasizing reason and improving the craft of Romanian writing. Biography Born as a member of the Conachi family, he was an affluent boyar from Moldavia. If the Paharnicul Constantin Sion writes that the "Konaki family" is of Greek origin, "but for more than 160 years they came and have been related to many of the big [local] families", Paul Păltănea brought documents "which implies that the Conachi family descends from a family of "răzeși" from the village of Știoborăni, with documentary attestation from the time of Ștefăniță Vodă (1517-1527) or even of Stephen the Great (1457-1504). The female line of the family is also of 'răzeși'." As a child, Costache Conachi's education was the object of the most enlightened care. He was initiated into the finer points of Greek by a Greek archimandrite who lived in his father's house. A Turkish schoolmaster taught him his language and he learned French alongside a refugee revolutionary - Mr. Fleury. At the Princely Academy of Iași, he studied modern Greek, Slavonic, philosophy, mathematics and law. He had undeniable aptitude for the profession of engineer and his in-depth knowledge of Moldavian law was to make him an indispensable man at a time when problems of organization and legislation were brought to the fore. He participated in the drafting of the Callimachi code which he had translated into Romanian when he became Logothete and, later, he was part of the commission in charge of drafting the "Regulamentul Organic". Great boyar and great landowner, a contradictory figure at the time because he pleaded for the illumination of the people, he proposed a project to reform the education in Moldavia on the principle "The study must have a moral purpose".