Moldavia

**Moldavia** (,  or , literally "The Country of Moldavia"; in Romanian Cyrillic:  or ; ; ) is a historical region and old principality in Central and Eastern Europe. It is the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the river Dniester. It used to be an independent state. It existed from the 14th century to 1859, when it united with Wallachia () as the beginning of modern Romania. Sometimes the regions of Bessarabia (with Budjak), all of Bukovina and Hertsa were part of Moldavia. The region of Pokuttya was also part of it for some time.

The western half of Moldavia is now part of Romania, the eastern part is in the Republic of Moldova, and the northern and southeastern parts are in Ukraine.

## References

- Gheorghe I. Brătianu, _Sfatul domnesc și Adunarea Stărilor în Principatele Române_, Bucharest, 1995
- Vlad Georgescu, _Istoria ideilor politice românești (1369-1878)_, Munich, 1987
- Ștefan Ștefănescu, _Istoria medie a României_, Bucharest, 1991

## Other websites

- Dimitrie Cantemir-Descrierea Moldovei
- The Princely Court in Bacău - images, layouts (at the Romanian Group for an Alternative History Website)
- Original Documents concerning both Moldavia and other Romania Principalities during the Middle Ages (at the Romanian Group for an Alternative History Website)
- Pilgrimage and Cultural Heritage Tourism in Moldavia
- Painted Churches in Bukovina
- Medieval Coins of Moldavia and Wallachia

## Infobox (country)

- **native name**:

- **conventional long name**: Principality of Moldavia
- **common name**: Moldova
- **government type**: Principality: Elective monarchy, elective absolute monarchy with Hereditary, hereditary lines
- **status**: Vassal
- **empire**: Ottoman Empire
- **status text**: * Vassal and tributary states of the Ottoman Empire, Ottoman vassal <small>(1514–1572; 1574–1600; 1618–1859)</small>
* Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, Polish fiefdom <small>(1601–1618)</small>
* Protectorate#Russian protectorates, Russian protectorate <small>(1829–1856)</small>
* International protectorate <small>(1856–1859)</small>
- **year start**: 1346
- **year end**: 1859
- **event start**: Foundation of the Moldavian march (territory), mark
- **event end**: Unification of Moldavia and Wallachia, Union with Wallachia
- **p1**: Kingdom of Hungary (1301–1526)Kingdom of Hungary
- **image p1**:
- **p2**: Golden Horde
- **image p2**:
- **s1**: United Principalities of Moldavia and WallachiaUnited Principalities
- **flag s1**: Flag of the United Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia (1859 - 1862).svg
- **s2**: Bukovina District
- **flag s2**: Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy.svg
- **s3**: Bessarabia Governorate
- **flag s3**: Flag of Russia.svg
- **image flag**: Flag of Moldavia.svg
- **flag type**: Flag and coat of arms of Moldavia, Flag (14th–15th cent.)
- **image coat**: Coat of arms of Moldavia.svg
- **coa size**: 75px
- **symbol type**: Flag and coat of arms of Moldavia, Coat of arms
(14th–15th cent.)
- **image map**: Voivodeship of Moldavia (1789).svg
- **image map2**: Moldova 1483 EnglishPNG.png
- **image map caption**: Location of the Principality of Moldavia, 1789
- **image map2 caption**: Moldavia under Stephen III of Moldavia, Stephen the Great, 1483
- **capital**: Baia/Siret (1343–1388)
Suceava (1388–1564)
Iași (1564–1859)
- **common languages**: * Romanian language, Romanian
* Church Slavonic
* Greek language, Greek
- **religion**: Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox
- **title leader**: List of rulers of Moldavia, Princes of Moldavia (Voivodes, Hospodars)
- **leader1**: Dragoș, Voivode of Moldavia, Dragoș
- **year leader1**: 1346–1353 (first)
- **leader2**: Alexandru Ioan Cuza
- **year leader2**: 1859–1862 (last)
- **currency**:
Thaler, Taler
- **demonym**: Moldavian