Laţcu of Moldavia

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Laţcu was the son of Bogdan I and Voivode of Moldavia between circa 1365 and 1373. His name is a diminutive form of Vladislav (or Ladislau), often used in that period in Hungary.

During his reign, heavy Roman Catholic propaganda began to surface in Moldavia and, on March 9, 1371, a certain Andrei (Andrew) was appointed Bishop of Siret by the Archbishop of Kraków. On September 3, 1371, Pope Gregory XI appointed a second Bishop over Milcov.

Laţcu became in 1370 a Catholic in order to gain equal religious status with the rival Polish and Hungarian Kings. He has been recognized by the Holy See as a duke of Moldavia, which is mentioned by the act as inhabited by the Vlach (Romanian) nation (dux Moldavie partium seu nationis Wlachie).

He also hoped that the Pope would allow him to divorce his wife, who could not bear him a son, but, in a letter from January 25, 1372, the Pontiff declined his request. He had a daughter from his wife Ana, named Anastasia, who married Roman I, the son of Costea Muşat, the voivode that succeeded him, and the first ruler of the Muşat family.

When Laţcu died, he was interred in the Rădăuţi church alongside his father Bogdan I.

[edit] References

• M. Bărbulescu, D. Deletant, K. Hitchins, Ş. Papacostea, P. Teodor, Istoria României, Ed. Corint, 2004, ISBN 973-653-514-2

Preceded by: Bogdan I

Prince/Voivode of Moldavia 1365 - 1373

Succeeded by: Costea