Ștefan cel Mare

Stephen III, known as Ștefan cel Mare (Stephen the Great) and, after his canonisation, as Ștefan cel Mare și Sfânt (Stephen the Great and Holy), was ruling prince of Moldavia between 1457 and 1504. Son of Bogdan II, he reigned for 47 years — the longest reign of the medieval era in the Romanian Principalities — and is considered one of the greatest figures in Romanian history.

The ruler and military leader

Endowed with remarkable qualities as a statesman, diplomat and military commander, Ștefan cel Mare managed to preserve Moldavia's independence and prestige in the face of the great neighbouring powers — the Ottoman Empire, Hungary, Poland and the Tatar Khanate. He fought dozens of battles, of which, according to tradition, he lost only a few, although he often had armies far smaller than those of his adversaries.

His greatest military success was the crushing victory at Vaslui (Podul Înalt) on 10 January 1475 against a powerful Ottoman army. Other memorable triumphs were the victory at Baia (1467) against Matthias Corvinus, that at Lipnic (1469) against the Tatars and the victory at Codrii Cosminului (1497) against the king of Poland, John Albert.

Founder and legacy

Ștefan cel Mare is also known as a great founder of places of worship: according to tradition, he raised a church after each battle. The documents of the time attest him as the certain founder of a considerable number of churches and monasteries, among them Putna (1469), Voroneț (1488), Pătrăuți (1487), Saint Elijah of Suceava, Neamț (1497) and Dobrovăț (1504), monuments that today stand at the foundation of Moldavian medieval art.

For his merits and his piety, the voivode was canonised by the Romanian Orthodox Church on 20 June 1992, being venerated as Ștefan cel Mare și Sfânt. He remains in the national consciousness the symbol of Moldavia's dignity, faith and independence.

National symbol

The figure of Ștefan cel Mare has outgrown its historical frame, becoming a symbol of Romanian identity and continuity on both banks of the Prut. The chronicles and popular tradition ascribed legendary qualities to him, and his image has been used over the centuries as a model of national dignity. Statues, institutions, state orders and banknotes bear his likeness in the Republic of Moldova, where the central boulevard of the capital, Chișinău, carries his name. His reign of nearly half a century remains the golden age of medieval Moldavia.