| Added by |
 Raisenauer Ovidiu
, with updated images by  Alain Martineau
|
| General Description : | Circular bronze medal with loop for ribbon suspension. Worn normally with a ribbon in the national colours of Romania. Moldavia and Wallachia had been united briefly in the late 16th Century but had since been subject states of the Ottoman Empire. They became increasingly restive as Ottoman power declined and after the Crimean War of 1853-1856, came under the collective guarantee of the Great Powers, largely to prevent further Russian advance southwards towards Constantinople (Istanbul). Cuza, a prominent member of the Romanian boyar (noble) class, was elected Prince of Moldavia on 17 January 1859. The Great Powers opposed union with Wallachia but when Cuza was elected Prince of Wallachia on 24 January 1859, de facto union was achieved. Cuza’s rule proved ineffective and he was forced to abdicate in 1866, dying in exile in Heidelberg, Germany, in 1873. He was replaced by Fürst Karl von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen who reigned successfully as King Carol I until his death in 1914. |
| Front Description : | Standing female figure offering a laurel wreath to two seated female figures holding hands, each holding a shield, that to the left bearing the arms of Moldavia, that to the right the arms of Wallachia, a radiant rising sun beyond, inscribed ‘IUBIRE PACE SI UNIRE’ (Love of Peace and Union) and circumscribed ‘IN AMINTIREA A 50ª ANIVERSĂRI DE LA UNIREA PRINCIPATELOR’ (In commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the union of the principalities) and dated ‘1859.5.24 IANUARIE 1909’ (1859.5.24 January 1909) |
| Back Description : | Portrait of Alexandru Ioan Cuza facing left, a laurel branch to the right, inscribed ‘CUZA VODĂ’ (Cuza Prince) and dated ‘*1820+1873’ |
| Diameter | 39.00 mm |
| Material | Bronze |
| Catalog prices | No catalog prices set yet |
