Name of Object:

Order of the Medjidie that belonged to Alexandru Ioan Cuza

Location:

Bucharest, Romania

Holding Institution:

National Museum of Romanian History

 About National Museum of Romanian History, Bucharest

Date of Object:

1860

Description:

In January 1859, Alexandru Ioan Cuza was elected prince of Moldavia and Wallachia despite the fact that in 1858 the suzerain power (the Ottoman Empire) and the Guaranteeing Powers (Russia, Austria, Prussia, France, Great Britain, Sardinia) had decided that the Principalities could unite, but were to have separate parliaments, governments and rulers. The double election was recognized by the Ottoman Empire in September 1859. The following year, Cuza travelled to Istanbul to introduce himself to the sultan. He crossed the Black Sea on an Ottoman ship sent for him. He had three meetings with the sultan, who decorated him with the order of the Medjidie and offered him a sword adorned with diamonds. One evening he was the sultan’s guest to a play performed in his private theatre at the Dolmabahçe palace.

Type of Object

Military and knightly order

Citation of this web page:

"Order of the Medjidie that belonged to Alexandru Ioan Cuza" in "Sharing History", Museum With No Frontiers, 2026.
https://sharinghistory.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;AWE;rm;35;en

MWNF Working Number: RO 035