Grigore II Ghica

He was helped to gain the throne in Iaşi by previous Prince Nicolae Mavrocordat, upon Mihai Racoviţă's deposition by the Ottoman overlord. He decreased taxes, but chose to continue the established policy of awarding offices to Greeks and Levantines instead of local boyars. Thus, he faced mounting opposition from Dimitrie Racoviţă, who tried to remove Scarlat by enlisting Budjak Tatars' help - he was however rejected after clashing with Ghica and his Wallachian and Ottoman allies. With the outbreak of the Russo-Turkish War came Imperial Russian occupation, forcing Grigore II Ghica to leave the Moldavia briefly, in September–October 1739.

Although he tried to counter Constantin Mavrocordat's intrigue at the Porte, Ghica was deposed and exiled in 1741, gaining the throne for a final, brief time in 1747–1748. He effectively purchased the throne in Bucharest — the exorbitant payment made him rely on further increased taxation.[3]

He repaired several monasteries and built the Frumoasa one in Iaşi,[4][5] and the one at Pantelimon[6] - the church's patron saint, Panteleimon, is the eponym for both the commune Pantelimon, Ilfov, on the edge of Bucharest, and the Pantelimon Quarter of the capital; Ghica also built and furnished the area's hospital (staffed with Eastern Orthodox monks), the basis for the modern one.

He had two sons:

• Scarlat Ghica and
• Matei Ghica.