The House of Keșco (Cheșco/Keșcu/Cheșcu) (Russian: Кешко; English: Keshko, Romanian; Moldavian; Moldovan: Cheșcu), was the name of an ancient Moldavian Boyar noble family whose members held significant positions in Moldavia and later in the Russian Empire and Romania. Most notable member was Natalia Keshko, who became first modern Queen of Serbia.
According to historian Johann Svoboda, the family had its roots in Russia, where members of the family appeared in 1097 as Knyazen in the Principality of Kiev. According to him, the family has descended from the Rurik dynasty, in particular from the Wassilko, Prince of Rostov (1209–1238).[1]
Historically, the family was established even before the Principality of Moldova was founded in 1350. They owned the forest on the left bank of the Sereth river, Panka region, Mihodra river valley and founded Lucavăţ, which was all owned by Luca, member of the family. The family is said to be, along with the House of Dragoș, the oldest in this region. Luca's sons Stan and Șerbco were knights at the court of Prince Alexander I of Moldavia. He officially confirmed their family possessions of Lucavăţ, Panka with Mihodra with hereditary rights for their descendants by the document of February 16, 1428.
The church of Lucavăţ became first seat of Bishopric of Rădăuți, with its pastor, by proclamation of Prince Stephen the Great of Moldavia became its first Bishop on March 15, 1490. Prince Alexandru Lăpușneanu of Moldavia, grandson of Prince Alexander "the Good", not only confirmed the legality of the certificate issued by his grandfather on May 7, 1565, but also subsequently transferred to the family the co-ownership of a large number of villages in northern Moldova which expanded the land they owned. Later, during 17th century, brothers Vasile, Nicolae and Constantin Căzăcescul were again officially confirmed ownership of all their expanded possessions by Prince Illias III of Moldavia on March 12, 1667.[2]
Vasile (Basilius) (1631–1701), the eldest of the above mentioned brothers, married in 1654 Candachia Cocoranul (1635–1688), the daughter of the Boyar Isac Cocoranul. He was, as historian Teodor Bălan wrote, the ancestor of the Counts Wassilko von Serecki, who were later one of the largest landowners in Austro-Hungarian Empire and the only family of ethnic Romanian origin to acquire the title of Count throughout the Empire.[3]
It was first mentioned as such in the 17th century. Constantin the Căzăcescul, younger brother of the above mentioned Vasile (Basilius) (1631–1701) and Nicolae, got confirmed in 1667 his noble status and his possessions in the Principality of Moldova by ruling Prince Illias III. His descendants kept using his nickname as their family name, making him an ancestor of the Keshko (Keșco/Keșcu/Cheșco/Cheșcu) family, which in turn made them collateral branch of Counts Wassilko von Serecki.
Members of the Keshko family served the Russian Empire. As such, they were granted the title of Marshals of Nobility of the Bessarabia Governorate (1812–1917) where they held large properties. Throughout the years they were also incorporated into the Russian nobility, apart from already belonging to Romanian and Moldavian nobility.