Peter IV Rareș (Romanian: Petru Rareș pronounced [ˈpetru ˈrareʃ] or Petru al IV-lea Rareș; ca. 1487 – 3 September 1546) was twice voievod of Moldavia: 20 January 1527 to 18 September 1538 and 19 February 1541 to 3 September 1546. He was an illegitimate child born (probably at Hârlău) to Ștefan cel Mare. His mother was Maria Răreșoaia of Hârlău, whose existence is not historically documented but who is said to have been the wife of a wealthy boyar fish-merchant nicknamed Rareș "rare-haired" (i.e., bald). Rareș thus was not Petru’s actual name but a nickname of his mother’s husband.
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