Mihail Kogălniceanu (1817–1891), the son of Ilie and Catinca, was a leading figure in 19th-century politics, credited as one of the founders of modern Romania and of its modern liberal movement. Educated abroad, with a wide range of intellectual contributions (historiography, education, political journalism, works for the stage etc.), he openly demanded modernization and the unification of all Romanians within and without Moldavia. In youth, Kogălniceanu was doctrinaire of the 1848 Moldavian Revolution, an abortive rising against the conservative establishment of Prince Sturdza, and became a fugitive; he returned later as aide to the liberal Prince Grigore Alexandru Ghica, and engineered some of the major reforms of the 1850s, including the abolition of slavery (1855). In 1859, as an activist of the National Party, he helped bring about the Moldo-Wallachian union of 1859, and thereafter served "Domnitor" Alexander John Cuza as government minister. He was one of the statesmen directly involved in drafting and imposing the land reforms of the 1860s, then, as Prime Minister of Romania, helped proclaim Romanian independence (1877). He is also remembered for leading the moderate, liberal conservative, wing of the National Liberal Party, which he helped establish in 1875.