The year 2009 marks the anniversary of one and half century si nce the Unification of the Romanian Principalities, occasion on which Romfilateli a introduces into circulation the postage stamps issue "150 YEARS SINCE THE UNIFICATION OF THE ROMANIAN PRINCIPALITIES – JANUARY 24th , 1859". The concept of the Unification has always been present in the hearts and thoughts of the inhabitants of the Carpatho-Danubiano-Pontic (Carpathians M ountains, Danube River, Pontus Black Sea) region in Central Europe. Accordingly, during the reign of King Burebista (82-44 BC), he managed to unify, for the first time in the history of these lands, the Geto-Dacian tribes, thus creating a powerful and expan ded kingdom.
The centuries of history sometimes alternated in an unea rthly cycle, transforming these lands from a Dacian kingdom to a Roman province, then dev astated by the invading hordes, later becoming voivodeship and finally, the three Romanian Principalities.
The idea of the Unification of these territories has however always been present in the hearts and thoughts of the Romanian citizens until the ruler Mihai Viteazul managed, in 1600, to put forth the outmost wish of all the people: the Unification of Transylvania, Moldavia and Walachia under the same royal scepter. However, the time to be united had not yet come. How could it with so many empires surrounding us? It was too early for the Romanian people, for the country and even too early for history...
Almost 150 years had to pass until the coming of „the Spring of the People“ – the 1848 Revolution which spread throughout the whole of Europe and revived the beautiful dream of the Unification of all Romanian people in the Romanian Principalities. Names such as Ion Eliade Radulescu, Mihail Kogalniceanu, Nicolae Balcescu, Simion Barnutiu are just a few of those who played a crucial role in the political evolution of the country at that time, bringing a new breath of renewal of the Romanian society. The conflicts that were to arise between the great European powers after 1850 have revealed the importance of the Romanian Principalities, due to their strategic position at the Danube and the Black Sea.
The Congresses in Vienna in 1855 and in Paris in 1856 were the first steps taken for the long way of the Unification of the two Romanian Principalities through the acceptance of organizing Ad-hoc Gatherings that would decide the future organization of the two Romanian Principalities. Afterwards, in 1858, during a new Conference held in Paris, the great powers decided a formal union for the Romanian Principalities, ruling a separately elected Ruler for each of the two capitals (Bucharest and Jassy), with different governments and sharing just few common institutions. But the ideal of the Unification was much more powerful in the souls of the Romanianpeople than the decisions taken during the European Congresses and thus, Alexandru Ioan Cuza was designated Ruler of Moldavia on January 5th , and Ruler of Walachia on January 24th , 1859, thus making Europe face the accomplished deed: an unique Ruler bringing a de facto Unification for the two Principalities. After two months from his election, Cuza was officially acknowledged by the Great Powers as sole Ruler of the Principalities, whereas Turkey acknowledged the full Unification in 1861 and only for the time that ruler A.I.Cuza lived. The national Romanian state emerged on January 24th, 1862, its name being Romania and the capital of the country was established in Bucharest.
Through his reforms, Alexandru Ioan Cuza brought his essential and definite contribution to the modernization of the Romanian society and its structures. The document concluded on January 24th , 1859 was the stepping stone not only for Romania’s Independence but also for the complete Unification of the country, a dream that finally became reality on December 1st , 1918.
The postage stamp issue is composed of one souvenir sheet (with a round stamp) and one postage stamp. The background of the souvenir sheet represents the map of the United Romanian Principalities, having the Moldavian and the Walachian coats of arms which date before 1859 Unification .Concurrently, pictured next to the lyrics of the poem "Hora Unirii" (The Unification Round Dance) by V. Alecsandri is the commemorative medal "24th of January 1859 – The First Chamber of the United Principalities", made in 1864 by minting, in Bucharest.
The postage stamps illustrate different coats of arms of the United Romanian Principalities.
Philatelic folder – made into a limited run printing of 1,500 copies, containing the “firstday” cover equipped with the postage stamp of the issue having the illustrated attachment, numbered in red and cancelled with the “first day” post mark, additionally having clearly imprinted in gold foiling the “first day” post mark of the issue and the souvenir sheet if the issue numbered in red, having imprinted in gold foiling the inscriptions: 1859-2009, 24 January 1859, and the monogram of Alexandru Ioan Cuza.
