Stephen III of Moldavia

Stephen III, better known as Stephen the Great (Romanian: Ștefan cel Mare; [ˈʃtefan tʃel ˈmare]; died 2 July 1504), was Voivode of Moldavia from 1457 until his death. He was one of the most prominent rulers of late medieval Eastern Europe, noted for his long reign, military leadership and astute diplomacy. His efforts to preserve Moldavian autonomy from more powerful neighboring states such as the Ottoman Empire, Poland and Hungary, as well as his aptitude for nation-building and repute as a protector of the Christian faith, made him into a national hero in both Romania and Moldova. He is canonised by the Romanian Orthodox Church.

In 1450, Stephen with his father, Bogdan II, repulsed the Polish invasion of Moldavia. However, his father was assassinated in 1451, with Stephen taking refuge in Transylvania. Following a period of internal strife, Stephen took the Moldavian throne in 1457, after his victory at the Battle of Orbic, with his cousin Vlad the Impaler's support. Peter Aaron, the murderer of Stephen's father, was deposed and sought refuge in Poland. Stephen attacked Polish territory and prevented Casimir IV Jagiellon, King of Poland, from supporting Peter, but eventually acknowledged Casimir's suzerainty in 1459. Stephen decided to recapture Chilia (now Kiliia in Ukraine), an important port on the Danube, which brought him into conflict with Hungary and Wallachia. He besieged the town during the Ottoman invasion of Wallachia in 1462, but was seriously wounded during the siege. Two years later, he captured the town. He promised support to the leaders of the Three Nations of Transylvania against Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary, in 1467. Corvinus invaded Moldavia, which led to Battle of Baia, but Stephen repulsed him. Peter Aaron attacked Moldavia with Hungarian support in December 1470, but he was defeated by Stephen and executed, alongside the Moldavian boyars who still endorsed him.