YPSILANTI FAMILY

Greek family prominent in the 19th century.

Early members were Greek Phanariots (residents of the Greek quarter of Constantinople) distinguished in the Ottoman imperial service. Constantine Ypsilanti (1760–1816) was governor of Moldavia (1799–1801) and Walachia (1802–6) when he encouraged Serbians to rebel against Turkey. He was forced to flee to Russia, where his son Alexander Ypsilanti (1792–1828) became an officer in the Russian imperial guard. As the leader of the secret Greek organization Philikí Etaireía (1820), he promoted the cause of Greek freedom and led an unsuccessful attack on the Turks at Dragasani (1821). His brother, Demetrios Ypsilanti (1793–1832), carried on the cause in the War of Greek Independence and served as commander of the Greek forces 1828–30.