Portal:Moldova/Selected article
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Stephen III of Moldavia or Stephen Muşat III (1433 – July 2, 1504), also known as Stephen the Great (Romanian: Ştefan cel Mare; Ştefan cel Mare şi Sfânt, "Stephen the Great and Holy" in more modern versions) was Prince of Moldavia between 1457 and 1504.
During his reign, he turned Moldavia into a strong state and maintained her independence against the ambitions of Hungary, Poland, and the Ottoman Empire, which all sought to subdue the land. Stephen achieved fame in Europe for his long resistance against the Ottomans. He was victorious in 34 of his 36 battles, and was the first to inflict a decisive victory against the Ottomans at the Battle of Vaslui, after which Pope Sixtus IV deemed him Athleta Christi (Champion of Christ) — a title previously awarded to Skanderbeg and John Hunyadi. He was a man of religion and displayed his piousness when he paid the debt of Mount Athos to the Porte, ensuring the continuity of Athos as an independent state.