The unification of Moldavia and Wallachia ( ro, Unirea Moldovei și Țării Românești), also known as the unification of the Romanian Principalities ( ro, Unirea Principatelor Române, link=no) or as the Little Union ( ro, Mica Unire, link=no), happened on 1859 following the election of Alexandru Ioan Cuza as prince of both the Principality of Moldavia and the

Principality of Wallachia Wallachia or Walachia (; ro, Țara Românească, lit=The Romanian Land' or 'The Romanian Country, ; archaic: ', Romanian Cyrillic alphabet: ) is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Lower Danube and so ...

. A potential unification between the two principalities, which shared a common Romanian ethnicity, language and culture, had been attempted to be avoided by the great powers for a long time, although it was allowed at the moment it happened. The unification of these two states began a political struggle in

the new country ''The New Country'' ( sv, Det nya landet) is a Swedish mini TV-series and feature film from 2000, directed by Geir Hansteen Jörgensen and written by Peter Birro and Lukas Moodysson Karl Fredrik Lukas Moodysson (; born 17 January 1969) is a S ...

to find out which of the two regions would obtain "supremacy" and met some opposition in Moldavia by the so-called "separatists". Nowadays, in Romania, the unification of Moldavia and Wallachia is regarded as a prelude to the Great Union, a name used in

Romanian historiography Note: Names that cannot be confirmed in Wikipedia database nor through given sources are subject to removal. If you would like to add a new name please consider writing about the person first. If a notable Romanian is missing and without article, ...

to refer to the unifications of Romania with the regions of

Bessarabia Bessarabia (; Gagauz: ''Besarabiya''; Romanian: ''Basarabia''; Ukrainian: ''Бессара́бія'') is a historical region in Eastern Europe, bounded by the Dniester river on the east and the Prut river on the west. About two thirds of Be ...

Bukovina Bukovinagerman: Bukowina or ; hu, Bukovina; pl, Bukowina; ro, Bucovina; uk, Буковина, ; see also other languages. is a historical region, variously described as part of either Central or Eastern Europe (or both).Klaus Peter BergerT ...

and Transylvania in 1918 during or following the end of World War I. It is also commemorated every 24 January through the

Day of the Unification of the Romanian Principalities The Day of the Unification of the Romanian Principalities ( ro, Ziua Unirii Principatelor Române) or, unofficially, the Little Union Day ( ro, Ziua Micii Uniri, link=no), is a public holiday of Romania celebrated every 24 January to commemorat ...

in both Romania and Moldova.

References

{{Romanian nationalism 1859 in Romania January 1859 events in Europe Politics of Romania History of Romania History of Moldavia (1822–1859) History of Wallachia (1821–1859) Great Union (Romania) Romanian nationalism Romania Territorial evolution of Romania History of Eastern Europe 19th century in Europe 19th century in politics History of the Ottoman Empire Politics of the Ottoman Empire

See also

References