Petru Cercel

Petru II Cercel
Voivode of Wallachia
Petru Cercel at the Căluiu Monastery
Reign	29 August 1583 – 16 April 1585
Predecessor	Mihnea Turcitul
Successor	Mihnea Turcitul
Died	March 1590
House	Drăculești
Father	Pătrașcu cel Bun

Petru II Cercel (Peter Earring or Earring Peter) (died 1590) was a Voivode (Prince) of Wallachia from 1583 to 1585, bastard son to Pătrașcu cel Bun and alleged half-brother of Mihai Viteazul. A polyglot and a minor figure as a poet, Petru is noted for having written his verses in Tuscan.

Petru spent his early years constantly traveling, trying to win support in his bid for the Wallachian throne. The fact that, as of 1579, he received unconditional support in France, coupled with the jewellery-wearing that attracted his moniker have led to speculations that Cercel belonged to the group of mignons of Henry III. It is even stated that Henry interceded with the Porte to award Petru the crown because of his affection for him.

Petru traveled to Istanbul in 1581, as constant backing by the French ambassador had influenced the Porte to look into matters; he arrived there in May, after being welcomed and spending time in Venice and Ragusa. His stay in the Ottoman capital was marked by a competition in bribing and intrigue, carried out against Ecaterina Salvaresso, mother to the child-voivode Mihnea (who was to be known as Mihnea Turcitul). Petru was to emerge the winner, with Mihnea and Ecaterina heading for a brief exile in Tripoli.