Basarabia Forum

Stephen III the Great (ca 1433-1504)

Champion of Christian faith


The Ottoman Empire was present in Eastern Europe for a large part of its history. Many fought against the Turks, while others became subordinates of the Sultan. Several leaders changed their minds over the course of time, some only fought in a later part of their life, while others did this in the beginning of their life. An example of those who fought the Ottoman at an early age was Stephen III of Moldavia, also called the Great.

When in the 1450s, the country of Moldavia was trapped in a civil war between members of the ruling family, Stephen fled to Transylvania. Here he lived at the court of Vlad III the Impaler, the same Vlad that was portrayed in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. With the military support of Vlad, Stephen defeated his opponent, but the latter fled to Poland. Two years later, Stephen went to search for his opponent, but met resistance. When a treaty was signed, Moldavia recognised the Polish king as his suzerain, while Stephen’s opponent was barred in Poland.

Moldavia was situated between powerful neighbours, but Stephen was able to stop a Hungarian invasion. Wallachia (a region in southern Romania) was invaded by the Moldavians. At that moment, Wallachia was a vassal of the Ottoman Empire, and Sultan Mehmed II revenged the invasion. In 1475, Stephen halted the Turkish advance in the Balkans. The following year, a plague spread in the Ottoman army, which made them retreat.

In 1484, the Ottomans returned to Moldavia to invade and defeat the commander who had resisted them. At the same time, other neighbouring people also planned new invasions. Two years later, a treaty was concluded between the Ottoman Empire and Stephen. The Ottoman Sultan received an annual tribute, and recognised the self rule of Moldavia. It would stay a vassal to the Ottoman Empire for the next 300 years.

Stephen’s long resistance, and especially the victorious battles, against the Ottomans gained him much fame and respect in the entire European continent. The incredible amount of 34 victorious battles out of 36 has not been seen very often in the history of mankind. During Stephen’s reign, Moldavia changed into a strong state that was able to keep its independence, although many of its neighbours had laid their eyes on it.

He is not only known as a military leader, but he was also a man of religion. Moldavia still has several of the churches and monasteries that were built under Stephen’s patronage.

The combination of the resistance against Ottoman rule and his religiosity, gained him the title of verus christianae fidei athleta (true champion of Christian faith) by Pope Sixtus IV.

The Right-believing Voivod Stephen the Great and the Saint.
(Stephen III’s name in the Romanian Orthodox Church)

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