Despot Voda

Jacob Heraclides
Prince of Moldavia
Reign	1561–1563

Ioan Iacob Heraclid (or Eraclid) (1511–1563), also known as Jacob Heraclides, was a Greek soldier and ruler of Moldavia from November 1561 to November 1563, most notable for being the first officially Protestant monarch in Eastern Europe.

Born either on Crete or Samos. He was educated at the Academy of Janus Lascaris, where he befriended Dimitrije Ljubavić, who became a well-known Serbian and Romanian printer. Heraclid travelled over much of Europe. He fought as a mercenary in the Holy Roman Empire armies of Charles V, in his war against Henry II of France (the Italian War of 1551).

After their defeat in the Battle of Renty (1554), he passed through Brussels on his way to Wittenberg. He had already adhered to Protestantism, and was an acquaintance of Philipp Melanchthon and other religious leaders.

He came to Moldavia in 1556, in service to Voivode Alexandru Lăpușneanu, pretending to be a relative of Ruxandra's, Lăpușneanu's wife. Heraclid befriended the usurper Moțoc and was forced to flee, first to Brașov, and then to the Transylvanian estate of Albert Laski. Laski was soon convinced to aid Heraclid in his bid for the throne, and even to pawn his lands as a loan to Heraclid.

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