Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-05-09
RUMANIA AND THE BALKAN BLOC

there; the rest OF the wave passed be.
yond. crossed the Danube and spread
to the Balkanic peninsula. throwing
back the transdanubian Rumaniane.
who gave way before the inundation.
The latter in turn retired to the noun
tains Of the peninsula. then again the
mountains saved the nationality and
preserved the Latin individuality. Thus
the Rumanian primitive group found
itself definitely dislocated by the slav
fnfltration and divided into fragments
and distinct sections. Three principal
groups were thus formed: the Ruman-
ians north Of the Danube and occupy
ing the Carpathisn or Daco- Rumanian
region. the Rumanians Of Macedonia
who found refuge in the mountains or
Pindar and Albania: the Rumanians OF
Istria.
What was the fate of the Daco-Ru-
manians?
there was in invasion OF the Magyars or
Eungarians. successors to the Huns. On
their arrival the Runla nians inha bfted, as
today, the territories which since became
sylvania: they were there divided into
series of small states or duchies. having
at their head some Of them Rumaniau
chiefs. the others Bulgar chiefs. II was
rians came. Soon after race conflicts be-
gan which have existed until the pres
emit time. The conflict. which during
the first centuries was economic and re-
Iigious. has now become a national perse-
cution.
The history Of Transyivania is in
great part that OF the peasant revolts
against the despotism Of Magyar mobiles
to which In time were added the most Of
the local aristocracy: this latter element
was. In fact. Magyarized by its econom-
ical interests. which were merged with
those Of the oppressors. The people. on
the contrary. chung to their language and
habits with almost fanatical zeal, and
this tenacity nurtured the sense Of their
hereditary rights.
Between the end Of the thirteenth and
the beginning Of the fourteenth century
partial exodus began. pushed to that
point by the Hungarian religious perse-
cution (the Hungarian is Catholic: the
Rumanian is ORTHODOXY; great numbers OF
Transylva mans crossed the Carpathians
and. descending into the plains OF the
Danube. founded there the principalities
Of Valachia and Moldavia.
Thus from the middle Of the fourteenth
century the Franco Rumanian group was
politically separat-
Separated Into ed into three sec
Thr.. c.,4;. tions. which guarded
Soe' their present geo
ian Crransylvania, Banat. Crishana. Mar
amuresh) remains submitted to Hungar-
ian hegemony: the Moldavian and vala-
chan constituted independent principali
ties and did not realize their political
and national union until 1853.
The fifteenth and sixteenth centuries
were for the municipalities of valachia
and Moldavia period of epic strug
giles fertile in heroic episodes. War
was chronic condition. 1t was neces-
sary to fight without truce and defend
Pole. Tartar and Turk. Energetic
warrior princes. animated by a national.
irreducible spirit. succeeded many
times in breaking the dash Of the
Turk toward the occident and thus
preserved Europe from frequent inva-
sion. 1t was 'Mircea the Ancient"
who. after the disaster of Nicopoli.
stopped the victorious march Of tho
Turks led by Bajazet, defeated them
in a bloody battle and drove them be-
who beat the Turkish army commanded
by Mahon1et II. the conqueror of Con-
stantinople. 1t was "Etienne the
Great of Moldavia who in series Of
armies Of Soliman and of Mahomet H.
II was finally Michel the Brave OF
Valachia who, in the celebrated battle
of Calguareni. destroyed the Turkish
army commanded by sinan Pasha a
battle in the course of which the green
standard Of the Prophet fell into the
hands Of the Rumanians An in
slant at the close OF the sixteenth
century Moldavia. Valachia and Tram
sylvania were united under the scepter
of Michel the Brave. The union was
OF short duration. Traneylvania fell
again under the Hungarian yoke: VAL
achia and Moldavia continued to H.e
separately under the government Of
n
In IT'S. following the Turko- Russian
war. the Turks repaid the aid OF Aus
tria by cedinE to Austria Bukovina. in
tegraI part of Moldavia and site Of
| the Russians obtained from the Turks
the cession of Bessarabia, oriental
province Of MoIdavia. after having in
vain attempted to obtain Moldavia en-
| tire. portion of Bessarabia was re-
stored to Moldavia by the treaty OF
Paris 1S5s), but was retaken by the
Russians from their brothers in arms
following the campaign of 1877. The
Rumanians, however. were given az
compensation a part of Doubroudja.
From the nineteenth century a powerful
awakening of the clinical conscience
of Rumania resulted in an
National irresistible tendency to the
rr,;+r reconstruction of national
unity. This awakening, ac-
complished under conditions particu-
larly difficult and complex. constitutes
certainly one OF the most emotional
episodes of modern history, or partial
realization OF the union dreamed of had
place in 1857 Moldavia and valachis
sustained in their patriotic effort by
the beneficent genius of France, united
themselves under the name of the
principality of Ruma MIA and confided
the government to Prince Couza, who
had been one of the best artisans of
that historic act. II was under the
reign of Charles ! in 1881 that the
country was raised to the rank OF
kingdom.
The evolution OF the Rumanian nation
constitutes one of the most curious
chronological problems and the most
fertile in instruction that history pre-
sents. The organizing and educational
power Of the Rumanians reveals it
self with Incompatible force. The &C.
cupation of Trajan Dacia by the Roman
colonists lasted less than two centuries
G06-270); 1t was maintained longer it
is true, south of the Danube in Mesia
This short space of time sufficed, never
theless, to impress upon native popu-