Bogdan the Founder

Bogdan the Founder Bogdan Întemeietorul
Bogdan I(on the far left) in a mural at Bogdana Monastery
Voivode of Moldavia
Reign	1359–1365 – 1365–1367
Predecessor	Sas
Successor	Lațcu
Died	1365–1367
Burial	Rădăuți
Issue	Ștefan Petru I Lațcu
Father	Mikola (debated)

Bogdan I, commonly known as Bogdan the Founder (Romanian: Bogdan Întemeietorul), was the first independent ruler, or voivode, of Moldavia in the 1360s. He had initially been the voivode, or head, of the Vlachs in the Voivodeship of Maramureș in the Kingdom of Hungary. However, when the first certain record was made of him in 1343, he was mentioned as a former voivode who had become disloyal to Louis I of Hungary. He invaded the domains of a Vlach landowner who remained loyal to the king in 1349. Four years later, he was again mentioned as voivode in a charter, which was the last record of his presence in Maramureș.

Bogdan and his retainers left Maramureș for Moldavia between 1359 and 1365. Moldavia had been under the rule of Sas of Moldavia, a vassal of Louis I of Hungary, but the local Vlachs were opposed to the Hungarian suzerainty. Bogdan expelled Sas's son, Balc, by force and seized the throne. In retaliation, Louis I confiscated Bogdan's estates in Maramureș in 1365. Bogdan reigned as the first voivode of Moldavia. He did not accept the overlordship of Louis I of Hungary, transforming Moldavia into the second independent Romanian principality.