MATTHEW BASARAB

Romanian Matei Basarab died April 1654 enlightened prince of Walachia (in present Romania) whose reign (163254) was marked by cultural development and advances in government. A last scion of the ancient Basarab dynasty, Matthew spent much of his reign combating the designs of the rival prince of Moldavia, Basil the Wolf, on the Walachian throne. He successfully repulsed invasions by Basil in 1637 and 1639, and in 1653 decisively defeated his rival. He was, however, unable to reassert Walachian independence against the Turks and remained throughout his reign a vassal of the Ottoman Empire. Concerned with the welfare of his subjects, he accomplished economic, cultural, and legislative reforms and improvements, including the introduction of the printing press (1634), the first codification of Walachian law (1652), and the liberal endowment of art and religion.