Mihai Viteazul, (Michael the Brave) (Mihai II of Wallachia) was born in 1558 and died on 9 August 1601. He was the Prince of Wallachia (1593–1601), Prince of Moldavia (1600) and de facto ruler of Transylvania (1599–1600). His main goal was to establish Wallachia's independent position against the neighbouring states, since, in the previous decades, it had been weakened and had fallen under the Ottoman sphere of influence, having to pay tribute. He is considered one of Romania's national heroes, being the author of the first unity of the Romanian people, which had been divided into three countries during the Medieval period (and will be divided again, after Michael's death, until 1859).