Editing Vasile Alecsandri (section)

==Early life==
===Origins and childhood===
Alecsandri was born in the [[Moldavia]]n town of [[Bacău]] and he was of [[Greeks|Greek]] origin. His parents were Vasile Alecsandri, a middle-ranking [[Nobility|nobleman]],<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Murray |first=Christopher John |url= |title=Encyclopedia of the Romantic Era, 1760–1850 |date=2013 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-135-45578-1 |pages=9 |language=en}}</ref> from the noble [[Greeks|Greek]] family of Alecsandri,<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Pruteanu-Isăcescu |first=Iulian |date=2021 |title=Familia Alecsandri. Figuri feminine (I) |url=https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=1022178 |journal=Anuarul Muzeului Naţional al Literaturii Române laşi |language=Romanian |volume=XIV |issue=XIV |pages=47–57 |issn=2066-7469}}</ref> and Elena Cozoni, a [[Romanianization|Romanianized]] [[Greeks|Greek]] woman.<ref name=":0" /> They had seven children, of which three survived: one daughter, Catinca, and two sons, Iancu — a future army [[colonel]] – and Vasile.

The family prospered in the lucrative business of [[salt]] and [[cereals]] [[trade]]. In 1828, they purchased a large estate in [[Mircești]], a village near [[Siret River]]. The young Vasile spent time there studying with a devout [[monk]] from [[Maramureș]], Gherman Vida, and playing with Vasile Porojan, a [[Romani people|Gypsy]] boy who became a dear friend. Both characters would later appear in his work.
[[File:Vasile Alecsandri 2014 Romanian stamp.jpg|thumb|right|Vasile Alecsandri on a 2014 Romanian stamp]]

===Adolescence and youth===
Between 1828 and 1834, he studied at the Victor Cuenim "pensionnat", an elite boarding school for boys in [[Iași]]. He moved to [[Paris]] in 1834, where he dabbled in [[chemistry]], [[medicine]], and [[law]], but soon abandoned all in favor of what he called his "lifelong passion", [[literature]]. He penned his first literary essays in 1838 in [[French language|French]], which he had mastered to perfection during his stay in Paris. After a brief return home, he left for [[Western Europe]] again, visiting [[Italy]], [[Spain]], and southern [[France]].

===Romantic interest===
A year later, Alecsandri attended a party celebrating the name day of Costache Negri, a family friend. He there fell in love with Negri's sister. The 21-year-old and not long divorced Elena Negri responded enthusiastically to the 24-year-old youngster's love declarations. Alecsandri began writing love poems until a sudden illness forced Elena to head abroad to [[Venice]]. He met her there, where they shared two torrid months.

They cruised to [[Austria]], [[Germany]], and to Alecsandri's former romping grounds, France. Elena's chest illness aggravated in Paris, and after a brief stint in Italy, they both boarded a French ship to return home 25 April 1847. Tragedy struck on the ship, when Elena died in her lover's arms. Alecsandri channeled his mourning into a poem, "Steluța" (''Little Star''). Later, he dedicated his "Lăcrimioare" (''Little Tears'') collection of poems to her.