United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia

This article is about the specific polity United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia and therefore only includes events related to its territory and not to its possessions or colonies. If you are interested in the possession, this is the link to the article about the nation which includes all possessions as well as all the different incarnations of the nation.

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The United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia was the personal union of the Principality of Moldavia and the Principality of Wallachia, formed on 5 February 1859. It was a predecessor of modern-day Romania but still an Ottoman Vassal.

Summary

In 1859, the principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, which had been under Ottoman suzerainty, united to form the United Principalities. This union was facilitated by the Treaty of Paris in 1856, which allowed the principalities to choose their own prince. The first prince elected was Alexandru Ioan Cuza, who aimed to modernize and centralize the new state.

Cuza undertook a series of reforms, including the secularization of monasteries, the emancipation of the peasants, and the reorganization of the army and education system. He also attempted to give the United Principalities more autonomy from the Ottoman Empire. However, his reform efforts faced opposition from the conservative boyar class, who eventually forced him to abdicate in 1866.

The United Principalities period was marked by the struggle to assert the country's independence and establish a strong, centralized state. Cuza's reforms laid the groundwork for future developments, but the country remained in a fragile position, still subject to Ottoman and great power influence.

Establishment

February 1859: The United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia was the personal union of the Principality of Moldavia and the Principality of Wallachia, formed on 5 February 1859.