Prince Carol, who had served as an officer in the Prussian Army and experienced combat in Denmark in 1864, has continued the military development initiated by Cuza; the army built by Cuza and Carol will play a decisive role in achieving full independence and sovereignty for Romania.

In 1869, Karl marries the princess Elizabeth of Wied (who will later gain fame as the poetess Carmen Sylva).

The Bucharest–Giurgiu line, on which construction had begun in September 1965 by the English company John Trevor-Barkley, is opened to traffic on August 26, 1869.

Commissioned by the King of Romania, it is the first railway built on Romanian territory.