Blackwell Reference Online

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(1820–73), Prince of romania (1862–6). In 1859 this liberal nationalist was elected by the separate assemblies of moldavia and Wallachia to be the ruler of these two danubian principalities . Cuza then continued to exploit the support of napoleon iii so as to overcome Austrian and Turkish opposition to a fuller integration between the territories than one based simply on a form of personal union under him. Though the whole area in question would remain under nominal Ottoman suzerainty until 1878, he achieved its effective unification and independence (as Romania) in 1862. Cuza was forced to abdicate four years later in favor of a foreign prince drawn from the house of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, and spent the rest of his life exiled in Germany. ... log in or subscribe to read full text