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Moldavia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Principality of Moldavia
1346–1859
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Flag Coat of arms
Capital Baia, Siret 1343-1388
Suceava 1388-1564
Iaşi 1564-1859
Language(s) Romanian (commonly used, later official), Church Slavonic (in early official use)
Government Principality
Princes of Moldavia (Voivodes, Hospodars)
- 1346-1353 Dragoş - the first
- 1859-1862 Alexander John Cuza - the last
History
- Foundation of the Moldavian mark 1346
- De Jure Union of the Danubian Principalities 1859
Currency Taler
Moldavia (Romanian: Moldova) is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river. An initially independent and later autonomous state, it existed from the 14th century to 1859, when it united with Wallachia as the basis of the modern Romanian state; at various times, the state included the regions of Bessarabia (with the Budjak), all of Bukovina and (under Stephen the Great) Pokuttya. The western part of Moldavia is now part of Romania and the eastern part belongs to the Republic of Moldova, while the northern and south-eastern parts are territories of Ukraine.
Name and etymology
The original and short-lived reference to the region was Bogdania, after Bogdan I, the founding figure of the principality. The names Moldavia and Moldova are derived from the name of the Moldova River; however, the etymology is not known and there are several variants:[1][2]
- a legend mentioned in Descriptio Moldaviae by Dimitrie Cantemir links it to an aurochs hunting trip of the Maramureş voivode Dragoş, and the latter's chase of a star-marked bull. Dragoş was accompanied by his female hound called Molda; when they reached shores of an unfamiliar river, Molda caught up with the animal and was killed by it. The dog's name would have been given to the river, and extended to the country.
- the old German Molde, meaning "open-pit mine"
- the Gothic Mulda (𐌼ᚢ𐌻ᛞᚨ) meaning "dust", "dirt" (cognate with the English mould), referring to the river.
- a Slavic etymology (-ova is a quite common Slavic suffix), marking the end of one Slavic genitive form, denoting ownership, chiefly of feminine nouns (i.e.: "that of Molda").
- a landowner by the name of Alexa Moldaowicz is mentioned in a 1334 document, as a local boyar in service to Yuriy II of Halych; this attests to the use of the name prior to the foundation of the Moldavian state, and could even be the source for the region's name.[citation needed]
In several early references[3], "Moldavia" is rendered under the composite form Moldo-Wallachia (in the same way Wallachia may appear as Hungro-Wallachia). Ottoman Turkish references to Moldavia included Boğdan Iflak (meaning "Bogdan's Wallachia") and Boğdan (and occasionally Kara-Boğdan - "Black Bogdania"). See also: Name in other languages.
The name of the region in other languages: French: Moldavie, German: Moldau, Hungarian: Moldva, Russian: Молдавия, Moldaviya, Turkish: Boğdan Prensliği
History of Romania
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Prehistory
Dacia
Dacian Wars
Roman Dacia
Thraco-Roman
Early Middle Ages
Origin of the Romanians
Middle Ages
History of Transylvania
Principality of Transylvania
Foundation of Wallachia
Foundation of Moldavia
Early Modern Times
Phanariotes
Danubian Principalities
National awakening
Organic Statute
1848 Moldavian Revolution
1848 Wallachian Revolution
United Principalities
War of Independence
Kingdom of Romania
World War I
Greater Romania
World War II
Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina
Communist Romania
Soviet occupation
1989 Revolution
Romania since 1989
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Romania Portal
History of Moldova
This article is part of a series
Prehistory
Antiquity
Dacia
Free Dacians
Bastarnae
Early Middle Ages
Origin of the Romanians
Tivertsi
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Golden Horde
Principality of Moldavia
Foundation
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Early Modern Era
Phanariots
Bessarabia Governorate
Treaty of Bucharest
Moldavian Democratic Republic
Sfatul Ţării
Greater Romania
Union of Bessarabia with Romania
Moldavian ASSR
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Moldavian SSR
Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina
Soviet deportations
Republic of Moldova
Independence of Moldova
War of Transnistria
Politics of Moldova
Moldova Portal
History
Early Middle Ages
In the early 13th century A.D., the Brodniks, a possible Slavic-Vlach vassal state of Halych, were present, alongside the Vlachs, in much of the region's territory (towards 1216, the Brodniks are mentioned as in service of Suzdal). On the border between Halych and the Brodniks, in the 11th century, a Viking by the name of Rodfos was killed in the area by Vlachs who supposedly betrayed him.[1] In 1164, the future Byzantine Emperor Andronicus I Comnenus, was taken prisoner by Vlach shepherds around the same region.