: This landmark document established Romania as a constitutional monarchy and provided a legal framework for modern political institutions, modeled after Western European systems.
This report covers the transformative period of modern Romanian history between 1866 and 1947, a timeframe largely defined by the reign of the and the nation’s pursuit of independence, territorial expansion, and modernization before the onset of Communist rule. 1. The Foundation of Modern Romania (1866–1881) RomГўnia, 1866–1947
: The collapse of the Austro-Hungarian and Russian Empires allowed for the "Great Union" of 1918. Territories including Transylvania, Bessarabia, and Bukovina were unified with the Old Kingdom, nearly doubling the country's size and population—a state known as Greater Romania ( România Mare ). : This landmark document established Romania as a
Under King Carol I, Romania entered a period of relative stability and rapid economic development focused on infrastructure, such as the national railway system. The Foundation of Modern Romania (1866–1881) : The
: In 1881, Romania was elevated to a Kingdom, with Carol I crowned as its first King, signaling its arrival as a significant regional power. 2. The Kingdom and the Road to War (1881–1914)
: In 1938, King Carol II abolished the parliamentary system and established a personal dictatorship to counter growing political extremism.