Ypsilanti

Ypsilanti, a Fanariot family, claiming to be descended from the imperial stock of the Comneni. ALEXANDER (1725-1805), a dragoon at the Porte, was raised to be hospodar of Wallachia, but put to death on suspicion of stirring up Greek ambitions.—His son CONSTANTINE became also hospodar both of Moldavia and of Wallachia. Deposed in 1805, he came back with some thousands of Russian soldiers, stirred up the Servians to rebellion, and made another plan for restoring Greece. But he had to flee to Russia, and died in Kieff in 1816.—His eldest son, ALEXANDER (1783-1828), served with distinction in the Russian army in the campaigns of 1812 and 1813, and was chosen by the 'Hetairists,' a Greek secret society, as their chief in 1820. He headed a Rouman movement, but, defeated by the Turks, he was forced to take refuge in Austria.—His younger brother, DEMETRIUS, who was born 25th December 1793, also commenced his career in the Russian army, and joined his brother in his schemes for emancipating the Christian population of Turkey. In Greece he took part in the capture of Tripolitz (October 1820). His gallant defence of Argos stopped the victorious march of the Turks, and he stubbornly resisted (1825) the victorious Ibrahim at Napoli. In 1828 the grateful Hellenes made him commander-in-chief of their forces. He resigned in 1830, and died at Vienna, January 3, 1832.