Alexandru Cernat
Alexandru Cernat (January 17, 1828 – December 8, 1893) was a Moldavian-born Romanian general and politician.
Alexandru Cernat | |
|---|---|
 General Alexandru Cernat | |
| Born | January 17, 1828 Galați, Principality of Moldavia |
| Died | 8 December 1893 (aged 65) Nice, France |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | Principality of Moldavia United Principalities Romania |
| Moldavian Army Romanian Land Forces | |
| Years of service | 1851–1891 |
| Rank | Brigadier general (1873) Major general (1877) |
| Commands held | 4th Territorial Division 2nd Army Corps |
| Battles/wars | Romanian War of Independence |
| Awards | Military Virtue Medal, 1st class Order of the Star of Romania, Grand Officer class Order of St. George, 4th class Order of Saint Anna, 2nd class |
| 16th Minister of War of the United Principalities | |
| In office April 2, 1877 – August 19, 1877 | |
| Prime Minister | Ion Brătianu |
| Preceded by | Gheorghe Slăniceanu |
| Succeeded by | himself |
| In office March 19, 1878 – November 24, 1878 | |
| Prime Minister | Ion Brătianu |
| Succeeded by | Nicolae Dabija |
| Chief of the Romanian General Staff | |
| In office 1881–1882 | |
| Prime Minister | Ion Brătianu |
| Preceded by | Gheorghe Slăniceanu |
| Succeeded by | Gheorghe Slăniceanu |
He was born in either Galați,[1]:47[2] or in nearby Vârlezi according to other sources,[3][4] the son of Eustațiu and Teodosia Cernat. After attending elementary school in Galați, he enrolled in the military school in Iași. Upon graduation he entered the Moldavian Army in 1851 as a cadet, advancing in rank to second lieutenant (1852), lieutenant (1855), captain (1857), and major (1858). After the personal union of Moldavia and Wallachia in 1859 he joined the Romanian Army, being promoted to lieutenant colonel (1863), colonel (1866), and then brigadier general (1873). Also in 1873, Cernat was given command of the 4th Territorial Division, with headquarters in Iași.[1]:47[2]
In April 1877, he was named minister of war,[1]:47 serving until August, when he was made commander of operations during the Romanian War of Independence. In December, Cernat was promoted to major general.[1]:48[2] Following the end of hostilities, he was again minister of war from February to November 1878.[1]:48 He resigned following disagreements with the government of the day and domnitor Carol I, and took command of the 2nd Division. From 1881 to 1882, he was Chief of the Romanian General Staff. From 1882 to 1883 Cernat was the director of the National Military Circle.[5] He commanded the 2nd Army Corps from March 1883 to December 1891, when he retired from the military.[1]:49
During his career, he received numerous awards, including the Military Virtue Medal 1st class (1877), the Order of the Star of Romania Grand Officer class, the Order of St. George 4th class (1877), and the Order of Saint Anna, 2nd class.[1]:48[2]
Cernat worked for the National Liberal Party, being elected as MP and senator in 1864–1888. He was deputy-president of the Senate in several sessions.[3]
Cernat died on 8 December 1893 in Nice, France, and was buried at Bellu Cemetery in Bucharest, fig. 34/7, his headstone being designed by the sculptor Ioan Georgescu.
Streets in Bucharest, Galați, Iași, and Sibiu bear his name.
References
- Nicolae, Ionela (2009), "Despre Generalul de Divizie Alexandru Cernat, Șef al Statului Major General (1881–1882)", Statul Major General în Arhitectura Organismului Militar Românesc, 1859–2009 (PDF) (in Romanian), Bucharest: Centrul Tehnic-Editorial al Armatei, pp. 47–49
- "Alexandru Cernat". enciclopediaromaniei.ro (in Romanian).
- Predescu, D.C. (December 6, 2012). "Gălățeni care au uimit lumea - Alexandru Cernat". Viața Liberă (in Romanian). Retrieved December 26, 2020.
- Gavriliu, Delia (July 16, 2014). "Alexandru Cernat, comandantul oștirii române în Războiul de Independență". presagalati.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved December 26, 2020.
- "Conducere". www.cmn.ro (in Romanian). Cercul Militar Național. Retrieved December 24, 2020.
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