Gheorghe Argeșanu

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| image = Argeseanu Gheorghe2.jpg

| caption = Gheorghe Argeșanu in the 1930s

| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1883|02|28}}

| birth_place = Caracal, Kingdom of Romania

| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1940|11|26|1883|02|28}}

| death_place = Jilava Prison, Kingdom of Romania

| death_cause = Assassination by execution

| body_discovered =

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| nationality = Romanian

| alma_mater = University of Bucharest

| occupation = Soldier, politician

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| spouse = Manya Botez

| children =

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| awards = Order of the Star of Romania, 1st Class

| office = Minister of National Defence

| term_start = 30 March 1938

| term_end = 13 October 1938

| office2 = Prime Minister of Romania

| term_start2 = 21 September 1939

| term_end2 = 28 September 1939

| monarch2 = Carol II

| successor2 = Constantin Argetoianu

| predecessor2 = Armand Călinescu

| nickname =

| allegiance = Kingdom of Romania

| branch = Cavalry, Romanian Land Forces

| serviceyears = 1903 – 1940{{cite magazine|url=http://www.memoriaoltului.ro/reviste/revista_10.pdf|title=Personalități Romanațene - Gheorghe Argeșanu|magazine=Memoria Oltului|volume=1|issue=4|date=June 2012|pages=10–16|access-date=16 September 2017|archive-date=23 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160623094633/http://memoriaoltului.ro/reviste/revista_10.pdf|url-status=dead}}

| rank = General de divizie

| unit = 3rd Regiment Roșiori, 2nd Regiment Călărași, 2nd Infantry Division, 4th Infantry Division, 2nd Cavalry Division

| commands = 2nd Regiment Călărași, Guards Division

| battles =

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Gheorghe Argeșanu (28 February 1883 – 26/27 November 1940) was a Romanian cavalry general and politician who served as a Prime Minister of Romania for about a week in September 1939.{{Cite web|url=http://www.generals.dk/general/Arge%C5%9Fanu/Gheorghe/Romania.html|title=Generals of World War II - Gheorghe Argeșanu|website=www.generals.dk|language=en|access-date=2017-06-22}}

Biography

Born in Caracal, he was promoted to a leadership position in the Romanian Army during World War I, and served as the first Romanian military attaché to Japan (1921–1922) and as Minister of Defense in the second Miron Cristea cabinet (March–October 1938).

Argeșanu was appointed as premier by King Carol II after the assassination of his predecessor Armand Călinescu by the nationalist Iron Guard, and promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General. His first noted measures included the public display of the bodies of Călinescu's assassins (who had been killed by orders from Horia Sima) and the arbitrary arrest and execution without trial of at least three Iron Guard members in each county. Over 300 legionnaires were summarily executed in reprisal for Călinescu's assassination. He was replaced as premier by Constantin Argetoianu. In June 1940, he was awarded the Order of the Star of Romania, 1st Class.Decretul Regal nr. 1.905 din 8 iunie 1940 pentru numiri de membri ai ordinului "Steaua României", publicat în Monitorul Oficial, anul CVIII, nr. 131 din 8 iunie 1940, partea I-a, p. 2.783.

Death

Immediately after the establishment of the Iron Guard's National Legionary State in September 1940, Argeșanu himself was imprisoned without trial in the Jilava Prison, and ultimately killed there during the Jilava massacre by members of the Iron Guard on the same night together with 63 other political prisoners, in retaliation for the violence he had endorsed.

Argeșanu was married to the pianist Manya Botez.