Editing Alexandru Ioan Cuza (section)

===Diplomatic efforts===
Thus Cuza achieved a [[de facto]] union of the two principalities. The Powers backtracked, with [[Napoleon III|Napoleon III of France]] remaining supportive, while the [[Austrian Empire|Austrian]] ministry withheld approval of such a union at the [[Congress of Paris]] (18 October 1858); partly as a consequence, Cuza's authority was not recognized by his nominal [[suzerain]], [[Abdülaziz of the Ottoman Empire|Abdülaziz]], the [[Ottoman Dynasty|Sultan]] of the [[Ottoman Empire]], until 23 December 1861.<ref name="EB1911"/> Even then, the union was only accepted for the duration of Cuza's rule.

The union was formally declared three years later, on 5 February 1862, (24 January Julian), the new country bearing the name of Romania, with Bucharest as its capital city.

Cuza invested his diplomatic actions in gaining further concessions from the Powers: the sultan's assent to a [[Parliament of Romania|single unified parliament]] and [[Prime Minister of Romania|cabinet]] for Cuza's lifetime, in recognition of the complexity of the task. Thus, he was regarded as the political embodiment of a unified Romania.