Ion Constantin Brătianu

Prime Minister of Romania. A member of the Romanian National Liberation Party, he served as prime minister twice. First , from July 24, 1876 to April 9, 1881 and second, from June 9, 1881 to March 20, 1888. Prior to becoming prime minister, he served in the military, studied for a short time in France, and participated in the 1848 Wallachian Revolution. A major figure in Romanian politics, he would help forge the emergence of Romania as a country. He is best remembered for the modern reforms in the administrative, educational, economic, and military arenas of government. His administration celebrated its main success in 1883, when the Liberals managed to have the 1866 Constitution of Romania amended, enlarging the number of electors and establishing a third electoral college, one that gave some representation to peasants and the urban employees. He was also the father of Ionel and Vintilă Brătianu, future Romanian Prime Ministers.