During the Wallachian Revolution of 1848 (July - September 1848), he was invited by the Revolutionary Committee to become Chairman of the Provisional Government, which he accepted on July 12. He fiercely opposed the reform plans of radicals within the government, such as Nicolae Bălcescu. He eventually turned against the Provisional Government, but his coup d'état failed and he was replaced on August 9, 1848 by a radical triumvirate consisting of Ion Heliade Rădulescu, Nicolae Golescu and Christian Tell.