Moldavia is a historical region and former principality in Central and Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester River. An initially independent and later autonomous state, it existed from the 14th century to 1859, when it united with Wallachia as the basis of the modern Romanian state; at various times, Moldavia included the regions of Bessarabia, all of Bukovina and Hertsa. The region of Pokuttya was also part of it for a period of time.
Stephen III, commonly known as Stephen the Great ; died 2 July 1504), was Voivode of Moldavia from 1457 to 1504. He was the son of and co-ruler with Bogdan II, who was murdered in 1451 in a conspiracy organized by his brother and Stephen's uncle Peter III Aaron, who took the throne. Stephen fled to Hungary, and later to Wallachia; with the support of Vlad III Țepeș, Voivode of Wallachia, he returned to Moldavia, forcing Aaron to seek refuge in Poland in the summer of 1457. Teoctist I, Metropolitan of Moldavia, anointed Stephen prince. He attacked Poland and prevented Casimir IV Jagiellon, King of Poland, from supporting Peter Aaron, but eventually acknowledged Casimir's suzerainty in 1459.
The Battle of Cecora took place during the Polish–Ottoman War (1620–21) between the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and Ottoman forces, fought from 17 September to 7 October 1620 in Moldavia, near the Prut River.
The Moldavian Magnate Wars, or Moldavian Ventures, refer to the period at the end of the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century when the magnates of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth intervened in the affairs of Moldavia, clashing with the Habsburgs and the Ottoman Empire for domination and influence over the principality.
Samuel Korecki nobleman (szlachcic) of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, adventurer and military commander carrying a titular rank of colonel. His coat of arms was Pogonia. He spent his life as a military men, fighting both private and state sponsored wars.
Michael the Brave, born as Mihai Pătrașcu, was the Prince of Wallachia, Prince of Moldavia (1600) and de facto ruler of Transylvania (1599–1600). He is considered one of Romania's greatest national heroes. Since the 19th century, Michael the Brave has been regarded by Romanian nationalists as a symbol of Romanian unity, as his reign marked the first time all principalities inhabited by Romanians were under the same ruler.
The Battle of Vaslui was fought on 10 January 1475, between Stephen III of Moldavia and the Ottoman governor of Rumelia, Hadım Suleiman Pasha. The battle took place at Podul Înalt, near the town of Vaslui, in Moldavia. The Ottoman troops numbered up to 30,000 or 120,000, facing about 40,000 Moldavian troops, plus smaller numbers of allied and mercenary troops.
Ieremia Movilă was a Voivode (Prince) of Moldavia between August 1595 and May 1600, and again between September 1600 and July 10, 1606. At the time, Moldavia was a vassal province of the Polish-Lituania CommonWealth.
The early modern times in Romania started after the death of Michael the Brave, who ruled in a personal union, Wallachia, Transylvania, and Moldavia – three principalities in the lands that now form Romania – for three months, in 1600. The three principalities were subjected to the Ottoman Empire, and paid a yearly tribute to the Ottoman Sultans, but they preserved their internal autonomy. In contrast, Dobruja and the Banat were fully incorporated into the Ottoman Empire.
The House of Movileşti, also Movilă or Moghilă, was a family of boyars in the principality of Moldavia, which became related through marriage with the Mușatin family – the traditional House of Moldavian sovereigns.
Petru Rareș, sometimes known as Petryła or Peter IV ; c. 1483 – 3 September 1546), was twice voivode of Moldavia: 20 January 1527 to 18 September 1538 and 19 February 1541 to 3 September 1546. He was an illegitimate child born to Stephen the Great. His mother was Maria Răreșoaia of Hârlău, whose existence is not historically documented but who is said to have been the wife of a wealthy boyar fish-merchant nicknamed Rareș "rare-haired". Rareș thus was not Petru's actual name but a nickname of his mother's husband.
Ștefan Răzvan was a voivode (prince) of Moldavia as Ștefan VIII Răzvan.
The Battle of Cecora took place on October 19–20, 1595, during an expedition of Jan Zamoyski, of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, to Moldavia, as part of the Moldavian Magnate Wars.
Ğazı II Giray was a khan of the Crimean Khanate. Born in 1554, he distinguished himself in the Ottoman–Safavid War (1578–90), gaining the trust of his Ottoman suzerains. He was appointed khan in 1588, after his homeland experienced a period of political turmoil. He failed to capture Moscow during his 1591 campaign against Tsardom of Russia, however he managed to secure a favorable peace treaty two years later. He was then summoned to support his Ottoman allies in the Long Turkish War, taking part in multiple military expeditions centered in Hungary. In late 1596, the Ottoman sultan briefly unseated Ğazı II Giray in favor of Fetih I Giray after heeding the advice of Grand Vizier Cığalazade Yusuf Sinan Pasha. He returned to power three months later, continuing his reign until his death in November 1607.
The Battle of Suceava was fought during the Moldavian Magnate Wars between the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth supported by Moldavian forces and the Principality of Transylvania supported by Ottoman forces on December 12, 1595. Polish-Lithuanian forces under the command of Jan Potocki defeated the Transylvanian forces commanded by Ştefan Răzvan.
The Battle of Cornul lui Sas took place on 9 July 1612 between the forces of Ștefan IX Tomșa, the ruler of Moldavia, and the Budjak Horde led by Khan Temir ), and a private army assembled by Stefan Potocki, voivode of Bratslav in the (Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in order to reinstall his brother in law Constantin Movilă as Moldavian ruler. By tacking this stance, Potocki openly defied the king's order to avoid any conflict with Ottomans. The battle resulted in a clear defeat of the Potocki's army. Both Stefan Potocki and Constantin Movilă's mother, Elisabeta Movilă were captured by Ottomans.
Udrea Băleanu, also known as Băleanul, Banul Udrea, or Udrea of Băleni, was a Wallachian and Moldavian statesman and military commander. He was especially noted as a key supporter, and alleged uncle, of the unifying Prince Michael the Brave, serving under his command in the Long Turkish War. In the early stages of Michael's revolt against the Ottoman Empire, Băleanu drove the Wallachian military forces into Rumelia, relieving Nikopol. He served as Ban of Oltenia, then commanded supporting contingents in the 1599 campaign to annex Transylvania. The following year, Michael employed him as one of his four regents in Moldavia, and also made him commander of the Moldavian army, with the title of Hetman. This assignment made Băleanu a direct enemy of the Movilă dynasty, which claimed the Moldavian throne, and of the Movilăs' backers in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.
Stefan Tomşa IX, of Moldavia was Prince of Moldavia for two reigns, in 1611–1615 and in 1621–1623. His reigns were concurrent with the period of Romanian and Eastern European history known as the Moldavian Magnate Wars, a long conflict in the early modern states of Moldavia, Wallachia, and Transylvania, in which the Moldavian state was alternatively influenced by the Austrian Habsburgs, the Ottoman Empire, and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. He was placed on the throne of Moldavia in 1611 following the deposition of the preceding Prince, Constantin Movila by the Ottomans, in the same year as Radu Mihnea was placed on the throne of neighboring Wallachia.
The House of Soldan was an old noble family in medieval Moldavia. In the 16th and 17th centuries, members of the family assumed important offices within the princely chancellery of the Principality.
Samuel Korecki's expedition to Moldavia in 1615–1616 was an unsuccessful military intervention aimed at placing on the Moldavian throne Alexandru Movila, who was favorable to Samuel Korecki. Korecki, despite initial successes, was defeated by the Ottoman-Tatar-Moldavian army in the Battle of Cornul lui Sas in 1616, after which he was captured and imprisoned in Yedikule prison. However, Korecki managed to escape and return to Poland in the spring of 1618.
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth 
Moldavia 
Ottoman Empire 
Crimean Khanate 
Ștefan Răzvan 
