Moldavia
From Metapedia
Moldavia (also spelled Moldova in Romanian) is a historical and geographical region of Romania. In Ancient Times, Moldova[1] was a province of Dacia (the old name of Romania). During the Middle Ages, at its peak, Moldavia extended from the Carpathians and Transylvania (West), to the Dniester River (North and East), and from the Northern Carpathians (North) to the Black Sea, the Danube River, the Siret River, the Milcov River, Wallachia's border (South). Its name was taken from the Moldova River. Moldavia united with Wallachia (the other Danubian Principality) in the 19th century, to form the state of Romania[2].
Today Moldavia is divided. The Western part, known as the Moldova Principality, is now a province of Romania. The Eastern part of Moldavia known as Bessarabia was divided by the Soviet Union establishing the Republic of Moldova and giving the Hotin Region (North) and Budjac (South) to Ukraine. Also the half of the Northern part of Moldavia called Bukovina was taken by the Soviets and is now part of Ukraine.
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[edit] Legend
According to legend, a Romanian Voivode named Dragoş from Maramureş was accompanied by a hunting party in the Carpathian Mountains. On their way, they came across a type of bison known by the Moldavians as an auroch. They followed the beast to a river where one of their female hunting dogs, named Molda, attacked the animal. The auroch fled into the river and was killed by the hunters' arrows. Molda pursued the beast into the river where both were swept away by the rushing waters. The Voivode named the river Moldova in remembrance of his dog, Molda. Dragoş and his men decided to settle near the river due to the fertile soil and the beautiful landscape.[3]
[edit] Foundation of the Principality
In 1343, the Hungarian King Louis I sent his army beyond the Carpathian Mountains to stop attacks from the Tatars (the Golden Horde) who were besieging towns and villages in Transylvania and Hungary. A part of King Louis' army was made up of Romanians led by their Voivode Dragoş. They defeated the Tatars and sent them away, beyond the Dniester River, in the North of Black Sea and Crimea.[4]
King Louis I founded a new province called Moldova (1352-1353) led by Romanian Voivode Dragoş as a buffer state to defend against the Tatars. Its capital was Baia. Dragoş ruled for almost two years, being succeeded by his son Sas who ruled for about four years.[4]
In 1359, Moldavia won its independence when Prince Bogdan I defeated Sas’ successors and pushed backed the attacks from King Louis I. The Romanian Voivode Bogdan I also came to Moldavia from Maramureş because his relationship with Hungarian King was very tense.[4] Bogdan I moved Moldavia's seat to Siret. Later Petru Muşat moved it to Suceava (as mentioned in a document from 1388) and in 1564, under Alexandru Lăpuşneanu's reign, it was finally moved to Iaşi until the reunification with Wallachia[5].
[edit] Note
- ^ According to the linguist/ researcher Mr. Ion Pachia Tatomirescu etymologically, Moldova means in Dacian Language: Molda- "molda" (= riverbed/ entrenched valley) + -dava “fortress”; so it means “land-fortress between riverbeds” (Reference: “Ardealul, Historical Study, Toponyms”)
- ^ "Enciclopedia Cugetarea", Lucian Predescu, p.562-563
- ^ "Descrierea Moldovei", Dimitrie Cantemir, p.11
- ^ a b c "Istoria românilor din cele mai vechi timpuri până astăzi", Giurescu & Giurescu, p.209-212
- ^ "Enciclopedia Cugetarea", Lucian Predescu, p.823
[edit] See also
[edit] External Links
Categories: Romania | Romanian | Moldavia | Vlachs
