Editing Dragos Ionuț

{{Infobox noble
| name = Dragos Ionuț
| title = Sir Dragos I
| succession = Founder and first head of the [[House of Ionuț]]
| reign = Late 1490s–23 November 1521
| successor = {{ubl|[[Grozav Ionuț]] (disputed)|[[Mihai Ionuț (House of Ionuț head)|Mihai Ionuț]] (restored)}}
| spouse = Maria Ionuț
| issue = {{plainlist|
* [[Grozav Ionuț]]
* [[Mihai Ionuț (House of Ionuț head)|Mihai Ionuț]]
* [[Stefan Ionuț]]
* [[Elena Ionuț]]
* [[Irina Ionuț]]
}}
| full_name = Sir Dragos Ionuț I
| noble_family = [[House of Ionuț]]
| house-type = Self-proclaimed house
| father = [[Mircea Slugerul din Argeș]]
| mother = Elena
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1478|4|12|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Wallachia]], near [[Bucharest]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1521|11|23|1478|4|12|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Wallachia]]
| death_cause = Killed by [[Grozav Ionuț]]
| known_for = Foundation of the [[Bucharest Butchers|Butchers]] and [[House of Ionuț]]
| nationality = Wallachian
| era = [[Early Foundation Era]]
}}

'''Dragos Ionuț''' (12 April 1478 – 23 November 1521) was a Wallachian resistance organizer who founded the [[Bucharest Butchers|Butchers]] in 1496 and the [[House of Ionuț]] during the late 1490s. He recruited artisans and labourers in [[Bucharest]] who opposed noble control. Membership in his House required a personal pledge recorded in its register.<ref name="house-foundation"/>

His eldest son, [[Grozav Ionuț]], killed him on 23 November 1521 and seized the Butchers. Maria Ionuț and their four other children rejected Grozav. They expelled him on 18 December, and [[Mihai Ionuț (House of Ionuț head)|Mihai Ionuț]] restored the House on 12 April 1522.<ref name="succession-crisis"/>

== Early life ==
Dragos was born near [[Bucharest]] on 12 April 1478. His father was [[Mircea Slugerul din Argeș]], a minor Wallachian noble and son of Vicu. His mother, Elena, lived in poverty and worked as a prostitute.

Mircea abandoned Elena after she became pregnant. Elena later brought the infant to Mircea's residence because she could not support him. Mircea refused responsibility and ordered the child removed. The infant was then abandoned on the street.

A church-affiliated monastery took him in and gave him the name Dragos. Clerics and lay caretakers taught him to read and write. He also received religious instruction. After reaching adulthood, he left the monastery and entered urban life in Bucharest. Dragos later re-established contact with Elena, who told him about his birth and Mircea's refusal to acknowledge him.

== Ideology ==
Dragos recruited members in Bucharest workshops. The Butchers collected food and money for households protected by the network. Its crews confronted noble interests that acted against those households.<ref name="stefan-work"/>

In 1496, Dragos gave the network a permanent membership. Each crew retained its own commander.

During the late 1490s, Dragos opened the House register and adopted the title Sir Dragos I. He refused royal and princely titles. The register named members and recorded claims to leadership. Wallachian authorities did not recognize the House.<ref name="house-foundation"/>

== Family ==
Dragos married Maria Ionuț. Grozav was the eldest of their five children and was born on 8 August 1498.

Mihai attended the household meetings where Dragos recorded family decisions. Dragos taught Elena to copy entries in the House register. Stefan worked with the Butchers crews, while Irina accompanied relatives visiting affiliated households. Grozav argued that the family should control elite institutions. Dragos rejected his proposal.<ref name="mihai-household"/><ref name="stefan-work"/><ref name="elena-registers"/><ref name="irina-messages"/>

== Death ==
Grozav demanded control of the House and the Butchers. Dragos rejected the demand. On 23 November 1521, Grozav killed him in Wallachia.

Grozav seized the Butchers after the killing and claimed the House on 24 November 1521. Maria and the other children formally rejected him on 2 December 1521, beginning the [[1521 Ionuț succession crisis]].

Stefan led the loyalist Butchers against Grozav, while Mihai organized the family opposition. Grozav was expelled on 18 December 1521 and fled west. Mihai restored the House on 12 April 1522, the anniversary of Dragos's birth.<ref name="succession-crisis"/>

== Legacy ==
Elena's register retained Dragos as the first head of the House and marked Grozav's claim as rejected. Grozav's descendants formed the German branch of the [[Ionuț family]].

In 1945, [[Oskar Dirlewanger]] claimed descent from Grozav and challenged [[Ilie Ionuț]], the final head of the restored House. Dirlewanger killed Ilie on 16 June and ordered the [[1945 Ionuț purge]] against the members who continued recognizing the House.<ref name="purge"/>

== See also ==
* [[House of Ionuț]]
* [[Grozav Ionuț]]
* [[1521 Ionuț succession crisis]]
* [[Ionuț family]]
* [[Bucharest Butchers]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="house-foundation">"[[House of Ionuț#Foundation|Foundation]]". ''House of Ionuț''. ''Vrienden Universe Wiki''.</ref>
<ref name="mihai-household">"[[Mihai Ionuț (House of Ionuț head)#Place in Dragos's household|Place in Dragos's household]]". ''Mihai Ionuț (House of Ionuț head)''. ''Vrienden Universe Wiki''.</ref>
<ref name="stefan-work">"[[Stefan Ionuț#Work among the Butchers|Work among the Butchers]]". ''Stefan Ionuț''. ''Vrienden Universe Wiki''.</ref>
<ref name="elena-registers">"[[Elena Ionuț#Dragos's registers|Dragos's registers]]". ''Elena Ionuț''. ''Vrienden Universe Wiki''.</ref>
<ref name="irina-messages">"[[Irina Ionuț#Messages during Grozav's takeover|Messages during Grozav's takeover]]". ''Irina Ionuț''. ''Vrienden Universe Wiki''.</ref>
<ref name="succession-crisis">"[[1521 Ionuț succession crisis#Conflict|Conflict]]". ''1521 Ionuț succession crisis''. ''Vrienden Universe Wiki''.</ref>
<ref name="purge">"[[1945 Ionuț purge#Killings|Killings]]". ''1945 Ionuț purge''. ''Vrienden Universe Wiki''.</ref>
}}

[[Category:People]]
[[Category:Ionuț family]]
[[Category:Bucharest Butchers]]
[[Category:Bucharest Butchers members]]
[[Category:1478 births]]
[[Category:1521 deaths]]
[[Category:Early Foundation Era]]