Stephen the Great

Stephen the Great and Holy 

Stephen the Great is the most famous lord of Moldavia, a part of  Romania. His lordship of almost half of century was noticed by his bravery , diplomacy , military strategy and an unwavering will to defend the country against the empires that threatened it.

In this article we explore some of the defining aspects of the life and legends surrounding the Grand Duke.

Sword- The symbol of power and faith

Although Stephen the Great's sword is in the museum in Turkey, with it he won 34 out of 36 wars against the Ottomans. His sword became the symbol of the fight for freedom. It represented not only physical strength, but also the divine authority that the voivode believed he had in protecting Moldova.

Vaslui 1475 – The pinnacle of military genius

⭐ 1. The chosen place – Bârlad river valley

The area of Vaslui consists of wooded hills and narrow valleys, difficult to reach for a large army.

Stephen chose the exact spot to force the Ottoman troops to advance in a narrow corridor, reducing the numerical advantage. (Ottoman was 100k and Stephen 20-30k soldiers).

⭐ 2. The dense fog of the morning of the battle

Chronicles of the time say that there was a very thick fog.
Stephen used this for:

To mask the real positions of the Moldovans, To create confusion among the OttomansTo amplify the effect of the sounds (trumpets, shouts), giving the impression of an even bigger army

⭐ 3. The marshes of the High Bridge

The Ottomans were drawn into marshy ground where their heavy cavalry and large troops could not deploy.The arrows and guns of the Moldavians wreaked havoc on an army stuck in the mud.

⭐ 4. Ambushes and hidden positions in forests

Stephen placed a large part of the troops behind the hills and in the woods, invisible to the enemy.Used bows (harassment units) to attack from the side.

⭐ 5. The High Bridge – choke point

The place was perfect for: keeping the enemy in range,to prevent it from unfolding and force him to advance through a narrow natural passage

Battles

From his 36 battles, most famous are:

Baia (1467) – victory against the king of Hungary, Matthias Corvinus.

Vaslui (1475) – one of the greatest victories in the history of the Middle Ages.

Codrii Cosminului (1497) – the defeat of the Polish army led by Ioan Albert.

The Battle of Razboieni (1476) – although tactically lost, the battle demonstrated Moldavia's resistance to a new Ottoman invasion.

Mehmed – The dreaded rival

One of Stephen's greatest opponents was Mehmed II himself, the conqueror of Constantinople. Mehmed was one of the most powerful figures of the time, the leader of the expanding Ottoman Empire.

The conflict between the two was not only a military one, but also a strategic one:

Mehmed wanted control over Moldavia for access to the Black Sea.

Stefan defended a vital corridor between Central Europe and the East of the continent.

Their confrontations became legends of Christian resistance to Ottoman expansion.

Although Mehmed put enormous pressure on Moldavia, Stephen resisted him with extraordinary strength, gaining respect throughout Europe.

The legend with the Sultan's mother - "A real man does not run away"

After the huge defeat at Vaslui (1475), Sultan Mehmed II is said to have been overcome with rage and shame. His army, considered invincible, had been crushed by the voivode of Moldavia.

The following scene circulates in popular tradition:

Mehmed, nervous and ashamed, would have arrived at the palace and, in an attempt to hide his defeat, would have told his mother that he was afraid of Stephen, "a dashing man, as if out of a storm".

To which the sultan's mother would have replied:

"Son, don't be ashamed. When you come across such a man, there is no shame in being afraid. Shame is for the small, not for the big. Stephen of Moldavia is not a man, he is a storm."

The builder of monasteries

After every victory he built a church or a monastery, he built a total of 44 churches and monasteries.
In Romania, he is a saint in Orthodox calendar.

Conclusion

Stephen the Great remains a symbol of resistance, courage and national dignity. From his legendary sword, to the epic victory at Vaslui, his glorious battles and confrontation with Mehmed, the Moldavian voivode is a figure that continues to inspire generations.