Kingdoms of Eastern Europe - Wallachia Principality of Wallachia The name 'Wallachia' derives from the same Germanic base word as the English name for the Romano- Britons : 'Wealas'. Situated to the mountainous region immediate south of the Carpathian Mountains, Wallachia is effectively the 'land of the foreigners'. In this instance, the word arrived via the Goths who ventured down toward the Balkans. A local derivative, or evolution, of the word is the Slavic 'Vlach'. The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia were the first Vlach (Romance-language) states that formed north of the Danube. They appeared once the incursions by nomadic Steppe people (the Huns , the Mongols ) ceased. They were never subject to the Byzantine emperors in Constantinople, and they occupied territories that had only been partially occupied and then swiftly abandoned by the Roman empire in the third century. During the fourteenth century, while Byzantium was steadily weakening, the principalities of Wallachia (about the size of Luxembourg ) and Moldavia gained a degree of self-rule which ended with the Ottoman occupation and rule of the Balkans.

Edward Dawson is of the opinion that 'Wealas' and its cognates in Germanic languages probably derives from an earlier form of the name that the Celts used for themselves. The ancient Greeks recorded that the northern barbarians were Keltoi, and Julius Caesar reported that the Gauls called themselves Celtae in their own language. Recorded tribal names of Galati and Galaci existed. So how did 'Celt' become 'Wal'? The Celtic habit was to take a 'w' sound and stick a 'g' in front of it (G and K are usually interchangeable). This occurred before the first century AD at least once with another word, that for forest (wood in English, coed in Welsh ). This first shift apparently placed a 'k' instead of a 'g'; possibly due to regional dialects. If one postulates that the original name of the Celts was 'Walt', then the Celts placed a 'k' in front of it to produce 'Kwalt', which was shortened to 'Kelt'. The Germans would have continued using the original Walt, softening the 't' to a 'th', then dropping it entirely to produce 'Wal'.

If so the Wallachians were not 'foreigners' as such but were remnant Celtic tribes in Wallachia who were gradually absorbed by Germans and Slavs. (Additional information by Edward Dawson, and Aurel Vilcu, historian at the Institute for Cultural Memory, Bucharest, Romania. Sources include: Istoria Romaniei, Bucharest, 1971; Istoria Romaniei, Bucharest, 1962; and Din istoria Transilvaniei, Bucharest, 1963. External Link: Institute for Cultural Memory .) 1299 - 1300 The power struggle between Toqta of the Golden Horde and Nogai Khan of the Nogai Horde flares up into open conflict, and Toqta is the eventual victor. With the threat of a break-away khanate ended, the Golden Horde is fully under the control of one khan again. Nogai's territories, which reach from the Crimea and the southern Rus principalities to parts of Wallachia, are divided by Toqta between Nogai's brother, Sareibugha, and his sons.

1310 - 1354 Basarab I 1330 Lithuania defeats the boyars of the Rus and occupies Kiev and its surrounding territory. The loss of this vassal state by the Golden Horde removes not only it from their control, but also cuts off Wallachia. Basarab I effectively becomes an independent ruler, although this has increasingly been the case for five or six years. However, despite this setback, Ozbeg Khan is still able to threaten the Bulgars , Byzantium , and the Lithuanians themselves. 1354 - 1364 Phanaroits (Tax Farmer Princes) in Wallachia AD 1711 - 1821 In occupied Wallachia and Moldavia , the Ottomans began the destructive practice of appointing Greek tax farmers, known as the Phanariots (from the Phanar section of Istanbul), as princes. They were placed in power simply to get as much money out of the land as possible.

(Additional information from Security Dynamics in the Former Soviet Bloc, Graeme P Herd & Jennifer D P Moroney (2003), Democratic Consolidation in Eastern Europe, Jan Zielonka (2001), Russia - Continuity and Change, Gerald Hinteregger & Hans-Georg Heinrich (Eds), European Yearbook 2000, Francis Rosenstiel, Edith Lejard, Jean Boutsavath & Jacques Martz, De Facto States: The Quest for Sovereignty, Barry Bartmann, T Bahcheli (2004), and from External Link: BBC Country Profiles .) 1716 - 1717 Tax Farmer of Moldavia (1711-1714). 1719 - 1730 Russia occupies both principalities again, but is preoccupied by fighting the Crimean War (1853-1856). 1854 - 1857 Russia is weakened after losing the Crimean War. Austria occupies the principalities. 1859 Effectively united with Moldavia as a single principality, the country is now under autonomous rule.

1859 - 1866 Alexander John Cuza of Moldavia Ruled both Moldavia and Wallachia. Abdicated. 1862 The personal union of the two Danubian principalities is consolidated into a new state which is called Rumania. Prince Cuza (known by the local form of his name, Alexandru Ioan Cuza) launches an ambitious policy of economic, political, military, educational and social reform, encompassing a parliament, land reform and the adoption of a civil code. 1866 Landed interests and disgruntled liberal politicians force the increasingly authoritarian Prince Cuza to abdicate. Parliament invites the Prussian Prince Karl (Charles) Eitel Frederick of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen to succeed him. 1866 - 1881 Wallachia | Military Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia For other uses, see Wallachia (disambiguation) . Wallachia or Walachia [1] is a historical and geographical region of Romania . It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians .

Wallachia is traditionally divided into two sections, Muntenia (Greater Wallachia) and Oltenia (Lesser Wallachia). Wallachia as a whole is sometimes referred to as Muntenia through identification with the larger of the two traditional sections. Wallachia was founded as a principality in the early 14th century by Basarab I , after a rebellion against Charles I of Hungary , although the first mention of the territory of Wallachia west of the river Olt dates to a charter given to the voievod Seneslau in 1246 by Béla IV of Hungary . In 1417, Wallachia accepted the suzerainty of the Ottoman Empire ; [2] this lasted until the 19th century, albeit with brief periods of Russian occupation between 1768 and 1854. In 1859, Wallachia united with Moldavia (as United Principalities ), to form the basis of the modern state of Romania, with Transylvania joining 59 years later (1918) to form the new Kingdom of Romania which was first established 1881.

Contents Edit The name Wallachia, generally not used by Romanians themselves (but present in some contexts as Valahia or Vlahia), is derived from the word " walha " used by Germanic peoples to describe Celts, and later romanized Celts and all Romance-speaking people. In northwest Europe this gave rise to Wales, Cornwall, Wallonia , among others, while in Southeast Europe it evolved into the ethnonym Valach , used to designate Germanic speakers' Romance -speaking neighbours, and subsequently taken over by Slavic-speakers to refer to Romanians, with variants such as Vlach, Blach, Bloc, Bloh, Boloh etc.—see also: Vlachs . In the early Middle Ages, in Slavonic texts, the name of Zemli Ungro-Vlahiskoi (Земли Унгро-Влахискои or "Hungaro-Wallachian Land") was also used as a designation for its location.

The term, translated in Romanian as "Ungrovalahia", remained in use up to the modern era in a religious context, referring to the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan seat of Hungaro-Wallachia , in contrast to Thessalian Wallachia, or Great Wallachia in Macedonia, a medieval state, or Small Wallachia (Mala Vlaška) in Serbia. [3] Official designations of the state were Muntenia (The Land of Mountains) and Țara Românească (Terra Romana, or The Romanian Country). For long periods after the 14th century, Wallachia was referred to as Vlaško (Влашко) by Bulgarian sources, Vlaška by Serbian sources and Walachei or Walachey by German-speaking ( Transylvanian Saxon ) sources. The traditional Hungarian name for Wallachia is "Havasalföld", or literally "Snowy Lowlands" (the older form is "Havaselve", which means "Land beyond the snowy mountains", its transliteration to latin - Transalpina - was used in the official royal documents of Kingdom of Hungary).

In Ottoman Turkish and Turkish, "Eflâk" (which also means "sky" or "skies"), افلاق, a word derived from "Vlach", is used. Black Wallachia Edit Mavrovlachia, Black-Valachia, is another name of Moldavia. Mavrovlachi is another name of the Balkanic Vlachs or Arumanians. Both names could come from a confusion : Kara Iflak, the Turkish name of Vallachia, means ”land of Vallachians” ; but later kara ”land” was mistranslated as kara - black. Later, the Turks renamed Moldavia and Vallachia as Kara-Iflak (Moldavia) and Ak Iflak (Vallachia) according to the Turkish cardinal points symbolism : north is symbolized by black, and west is symbolized by white.

History Main articles: Getae , Dacians , Dacia , Trajan's Dacian Wars , Domitian's Dacian War , and Roman Dacia In the Second Dacian War (105 AD) western Oltenia became part of the Roman province of Dacia , with parts of Wallachia included in the Moesia Inferior province. The Roman limes was initially built along the Olt River (119), before being moved slightly to the east in the 2nd century—during which time it stretched from the Danube up to Rucăr in the Carpathians. The Roman line fell back to the Olt in 245 and, in 271, the Romans pulled out of the region. The area was subject to Romanization also during the Migration Period , when most of present-day Romania was also invaded by Goths and Sarmatian peoples known as the Mureș-Cerneahov culture , followed by waves of other nomadic peoples. In 328, the Romans built a bridge between Sucidava and Oescus (near Gigen ) which indicates that there was a significant trade with the peoples north of the Danube.

A short period of Roman rule in the area is attested under Emperor Constantine I , [4] after he attacked the Goths (who had settled north of the Danube) in 332. The period of Goth rule ended when the Huns arrived in the Pannonian Plain and, under Attila , attacked and destroyed some 170 settlements on both sides of the Danube. Early Middle Ages Main articles: Origin of the Romanians and Romania in the Early Middle Ages Byzantine influence is evident during the 5th to 6th century, such as the site at Ipoteşti-Cândeşti , but from the second half of the 6th century and in the 7th century Slavic peoples crossed the territory of Wallachia and settled in it, on their way to Byzantium, occupying the southern bank of the Danube.

[5] In 593, the Byzantine commander-in-chief Priscus defeated Slavs, Avars and Gepids on future Wallachian territory, and, in 602, Slavs suffered a crucial defeat in the area; Flavius Mauricius Tiberius , who ordered his army to be deployed north of the Danube, encountered his troops' strong opposition. [6] Wallachia was under the control of the First Bulgarian Empire from its establishment in 681, until approximately the Magyar conquest of Transylvania at the end of the 10th century. With the decline and subsequent fall of the Bulgarian state to Byzantium (in the second half of the 10th century up to 1018), Wallachia came under the control of the Pechenegs (a Turkic people) who extended their rule west through the 10th and 11th century, until defeated around 1091, when the Cumans of southern Russia took control of the lands of Wallachia.

[7] Beginning with the 10th century, Byzantine, Bulgarian, Hungarian, and later Western sources mention the existence of small polities, possibly peopled by, among others, Vlachs /Romanians led by knyazes and voivodes . In 1241, during the Mongol invasion of Europe , Cuman domination was ended—a direct Mongol rule over Wallachia was not attested, but it remains probable. [8] Part of Wallachia was probably briefly disputed by the Hungarian Kingdom and Bulgarians in the following period, [8] but it appears that the severe weakening of Hungarian authority during the Mongol attacks contributed to the establishment of the new and stronger polities attested in Wallachia for the following decades. [9] Creation Main article: Foundation of Wallachia Wallachia in the late 14th century One of the first written pieces of evidence of local voivodes is in connection with Litovoi (1272), who ruled over land each side of the Carpathians (including Hațeg Country in Transylvania), and refused to pay tribute to the Hungarian King Ladislaus IV .

His successor was his brother Bărbat (1285–1288). The continuing weakening of the Hungarian state by further Mongol invasions (1285–1319) and the fall of the Árpád dynasty opened the way for the unification of Wallachian polities, and to independence from Hungarian rule. The Battle of Posada in the Chronicon Pictum The seal of Voivode Mircea the Elder from 1390, depicting the coat of arms of Wallachia Wallachia's creation, held by local traditions to have been the work of one Radu Negru (Black Radu), is historically connected with Basarab I (1310–1352), who rebelled against Charles I of Hungary and took up rule on either side of the Olt River, establishing his residence in Câmpulung as the first ruler in the House of Basarab .

Basarab refused to grant Hungary the lands of Făgăraş , Almaş and the Banat of Severin , defeated Charles in the Battle of Posada (1330), and extended his lands to the east, to comprise lands as far as Kilia (in the Bujak ), as the origin of Bessarabia ); [10] Rule over the latter was not preserved by the princes that followed, as Kilia fell to the Nogais ca.1334. [11] Basarab was succeeded by Nicolae Alexandru , followed by Vladislav I . Vladislav attacked Transylvania after Louis I occupied lands south of the Danube, conceded to recognize him as overlord in 1368, but rebelled again in the same year; his rule also witnessed the first confrontation between Wallachia and the Ottoman Turks (a battle in which Vladislav was allied with Ivan Shishman of Bulgaria ). [12] Under Radu I and his successor Dan I , the realms in Transylvania and Severin continued to be disputed with Hungary.

[13] 1400–1600 Edit Territories held by Wallachian prince Mircea the Elder, ca. 1390 [14] As the entire Balkan Peninsula became an integral part of the emerging Ottoman Empire (a process which concluded with the fall of Constantinople to Sultan Mehmed II in 1453), Wallachia became engaged in frequent confrontations and, in the final years of Mircea the Elder 's reign, became an Ottoman tributary state. Mircea (reigned 1386–1418), initially defeated the Ottomans in several battles (including that of Rovine in 1394), driving them away from Dobruja and briefly extending his rule to the Danube Delta , Dobruja and Silistra (ca.1400–1404). [15] He swung between alliances with Sigismund of Hungary and Jagiellon Poland (taking part in the Battle of Nicopolis ), [16] and accepted a peace treaty with the Ottomans in 1417, after Mehmed I took control of Turnu Măgurele and Giurgiu .

[17] The two ports remained part of the Ottoman state, with brief interruptions, until 1829. In 1418–1420, Mihail I defeated the Ottomans in Severin, only to be killed in battle by the counter-offensive; in 1422, the danger was averted for a short while when Dan II inflicted a defeat on Murad II with the help of Pippo Spano . [18] Wallachia as pictured in the 1493 Nuremberg Chronicle The peace signed in 1428 inaugurated a period of internal crisis, as Dan had to defend himself against Radu Prasnaglava , who led the first in a series of boyar coalitions against established princes (in time, these became overtly pro-Ottoman in answer to repression).

[19] Victorious in 1431 (the year when the boyar-backed Alexandru I Aldea took the throne), boyars were dealt successive blows by Vlad II Dracul (1436–1442; 1443–1447), who nevertheless attempted to compromise between the Porte and the Holy Roman Empire . [20] The following decade was marked by the conflict between the rival houses of Dăneşti and Drăculeşti , the influence of John Hunyadi , Regent of the Kingdom of Hungary, and, after the neutral reign of Vladislav II , [21] by the rise of Vlad III Dracula, better known as Vlad the Impaler . Vlad, during whose rule Bucharest was first mentioned as a princely residence, exercised terror on rebellious boyars, cut off all links with the Ottomans, and, in 1462, defeated Mehmed II 's offensive during The Night Attack before being forced to retreat to Târgovişte and accepting to pay an increased tribute.

[22] His parallel conflicts with his Muslim brother Radu III the Fair and Laiotă Basarab led to the conquest of Wallachia by Radu III who would rule it for 11 years until his death. [23] Radu the Great (1495–1508) reached several compromises with the boyars, ensuring a period of internal stability that contrasted his clash with Bogdan the Blind of Moldavia. [24] Mihnea cel Rău to Petru Cercel Edit The late 15th century saw the ascension of the powerful Craioveşti family, virtually independent rulers of the Oltenian banat, who sought Ottoman support in their rivalry with Mihnea cel Rău (1508–1510) and replaced him with Vlăduţ ; after the latter proved to be hostile to the bans, the House of Basarab formally ended with the rise of Neagoe Basarab , a Craioveşti.

[25] Neagoe's peaceful rule (1512–1521), noted for its cultural aspects (the building of the Curtea de Argeş Cathedral and Renaissance influences), also saw an increase in influence for the Saxon merchants in Braşov and Sibiu, and Wallachia's alliance with Louis II of Hungary . [26] Under Teodosie , the country was again under a four-month-long Ottoman occupation, a military administration which seemed to be an attempt to create a Wallachian Pashaluk . [27] This danger rallied all boyars in support of Radu de la Afumaţi (four rules between 1522 and 1529), who lost the battle after an agreement between the Craioveşti and Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent ; Prince Radu eventually confirmed Süleyman's position as suzerain, and agreed to pay an even higher tribute. [27] Wallachia (highlighted in green) towards the end of the 16th century Ottoman suzerainty remained virtually unchallenged throughout the following 90 years.

Radu Paisie , who was deposed by Süleyman in 1545, ceded the port of Brăila to Ottoman administration in the same year; his successor Mircea Ciobanul (1545–1554; 1558–1559), a prince without any claim to noble heritage, was imposed on the throne and consequently agreed to a decrease in autonomy (increasing taxes and carrying out an armed intervention in Transylvania—supporting the pro-Turkish John Zápolya ). [28] Conflicts between boyar families became stringent after the rule of Pătraşcu cel Bun , and boyar ascendancy over rulers was obvious under Petru the Younger (1559–1568; a reign dominated by Doamna Chiajna and marked by huge increases in taxes), Mihnea Turcitul , and Petru Cercel . [29] The Ottoman Empire increasingly relied on Wallachia and Moldavia for the supply and maintenance of its military forces ; the local army , however, soon disappeared due to the increased costs and the much more obvious efficiency of mercenary troops.

[30] 17th century Main article: Early Modern Romania Fighting between Michael the Brave and the Ottomans in Giurgiu , 1595 Initially profiting from Ottoman support, Michael the Brave ascended to the throne in 1593, and attacked the troops of Murad III north and south of the Danube in an alliance with Transylvania's Sigismund Báthory and Moldavia's Aron Vodă (see Battle of Călugăreni ). He soon placed himself under the suzerainty of Rudolf II , the Holy Roman Emperor, and, in 1599–1600, intervened in Transylvania against Poland's king Sigismund III Vasa, placing the region under his authority; his brief rule also extended to Moldavia later in the following year. [31] For a brief period, Michael the Brave unified all the territories where Romanians lived, rebuilding the mainland of the ancient Kingdom of Dacia.

[32] Following Michael's downfall, Wallachia was occupied by the Polish-Moldavian army of Simion Movilă (see Moldavian Magnate Wars ), who held the region until 1602, and was subject to Nogai attacks in the same year. [33] The last stage in the Growth of the Ottoman Empire brought increased pressures on Wallachia: political control was accompanied by Ottoman economical hegemony, the discarding of the capital in Târgovişte in favour of Bucharest (closer to the Ottoman border, and a rapidly-growing trade center), the establishment of serfdom under Michael the Brave as a measure to increase manorial revenues, and the decrease in importance of low-ranking boyars (threatened with extinction, they took part in the seimeni rebellion of 1655). [34] Furthermore, the growing importance of appointment to high office in front of land ownership brought about an influx of Greek and Levantine families, a process already resented by locals during the rules of Radu Mihnea in the early 17th century.

[35] Matei Basarab , a boyar appointee, brought a long period of relative peace (1632–1654), with the noted exception of the 1653 Battle of Finta , fought between Wallachians and the troops of Moldavian prince Vasile Lupu —ending in disaster for the latter, who was replaced with Prince Matei's favourite, Gheorghe Ştefan , on the throne in Iaşi. A close alliance between Gheorghe Ştefan and Matei's successor Constantin Şerban was maintained by Transylvania's George II Rákóczi , but their designs for independence from Ottoman rule were crushed by the troops of Mehmed IV in 1658–1659. [36] The reigns of Gheorghe Ghica and Grigore I Ghica , the sultan's favourites, signified attempts to prevent such incidents; however, they were also the onset of a violent clash between the Băleanu and Cantacuzino boyar families, which was to mark Wallachia's history until the 1680s.

[37] The Cantacuzinos, threatened by the alliance between the Băleanus and the Ghicas , backed their own choice of princes ( Antonie Vodă din Popeşti and George Ducas ) [38] before promoting themselves—with the ascension of Şerban Cantacuzino (1678–1688). Russo-Turkish Wars and the Phanariotes The Balkans in 1699 Map of Wallachia by the Stolnic Constantin Cantacuzino The Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia in 1786, Italian map by G. Pittori, since the geographer Giovanni Antonio Rizzi Zannoni. Wallachia became a target for Habsburg incursions during the last stages of the Great Turkish War ca.1690, when the ruler Constantin Brâncoveanu secretly and unsuccessfully negotatied an anti-Ottoman coalition.

Brâncoveanu's reign (1688–1714), noted for its late Renaissance cultural achievements (see Brâncovenesc style ), also coincided with the rise of Imperial Russia under Tsar Peter the Great —he was approached by the latter during the Russo-Turkish War of 1710–1711 , and lost his throne and life sometime after sultan Ahmed III caught news of the negotiations. [39] Despite his denunciation of Brâncoveanu's policies, Ştefan Cantacuzino attached himself to Habsburg projects and opened the country to the armies of Prince Eugene of Savoy ; he was himself deposed and executed in 1716. [40] Immediately following the deposition of Prince Ştefan, the Ottomans renounced the purely nominal elective system (which had by then already witnessed the decrease in importance of the Boyar Divan over the sultan's decision), and princes of the two Danubian Principalities were appointed from the Phanariotes of Constantinople.

Inaugurated by Nicholas Mavrocordatos in Moldavia after Dimitrie Cantemir , Phanariote rule was brought to Wallachia in 1715 by the very same ruler. [41] The tense relations between boyars and princes brought a decrease in the number of taxed people (as a privilege gained by the former), a subsequent increase in total taxes, [42] and the enlarged powers of a boyar circle in the Divan. [43] In parallel, Wallachia became the battleground in a succession of wars between the Ottomans on one side and Russia or the Habsburg Monarchy on the other. Mavrocordatos himself was deposed by a boyar rebellion, and arrested by Habsburg troops during the Austro-Turkish War of 1716-18 , as the Ottomans had to concede Oltenia to Charles VI of Austria (the Treaty of Passarowitz ).

[44] The region, subject to an enlightened absolutist rule that soon disenchanted local boyars, was returned to Wallachia in 1739 (the Treaty of Belgrade , upon the close of the Austro-Turkish War of 1737-39 ). Prince Constantine Mavrocordatos , who oversaw the new change in borders, was also responsible for the effective abolition of serfdom in 1746 (which put a stop to the exodus of peasants into Transylvania); [45] during this period, the ban of Oltenia moved his residence from Craiova to Bucharest, signalling, alongside Mavrocordatos' order to merge his personal treasury with that of the country, a move towards centralism . [46] The troops of Prince Josias of Coburg in Bucharest, 1789 Principality of Wallachia, 1793–1812, highlighted in green In 1768, during the Fifth Russo-Turkish War , Wallachia was placed under its first Russian occupation (helped along by the rebellion of Pârvu Cantacuzino ).

[47] The Treaty of Kucuk Kaynarca (1774) allowed Russia to intervene in favour of Eastern Orthodox Ottoman subjects, curtailing Ottoman pressures—including the decrease in sums owed as tribute [48] —and, in time, relatively increasing internal stability while opening Wallachia to more Russian interventions. [49] Habsburg troops, under Prince Josias of Coburg , again entered the country during the Russo-Turkish-Austrian War , deposing Nicholas Mavrogenis in 1789. [50] A period of crisis followed the Ottoman recovery: Oltenia was devastated by the expeditions of Osman Pazvantoğlu , a powerful rebellious pasha whose raids even caused prince Constantine Hangerli to lose his life on suspicion of treason (1799), and Alexander Mourousis to renounce his throne (1801).

[51] In 1806, the Russo-Turkish War of 1806–1812 was partly instigated by the Porte's deposition of Constantine Ypsilantis in Bucharest—in tune with the Napoleonic Wars , it was instigated by the French Empire , and also showed the impact of the Treaty of Kucuk Kaynarca (with its permissive attitude towards Russian political influence in the Danubian Principalities ); the war brought the invasion of Mikhail Andreyevich Miloradovich . [52] After the Peace of Bucharest , the rule of Jean Georges Caradja , although remembered for a major plague epidemic , was notable for its cultural and industrial ventures. [53] During the period, Wallachia increased its strategic importance for most European states interested in supervising Russian expansion; consulates were opened in Bucharest, having an indirect but major impact on Wallachian economy through the protection they extended to sudiţi traders (who soon competed successfully against local guilds).

[54] From Wallachia to Romania The Legislative Assembly of Wallachia in 1837 Early 19th century Edit The death of prince Alexander Soutzos in 1821, coinciding with the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence , established a boyar regency which attempted to block the arrival of Scarlat Callimachi to his throne in Bucharest. The parallel uprising in Oltenia , carried out by the Pandur leader Tudor Vladimirescu , although aimed at overthrowing the ascendancy of Greeks , [55] compromised with the Greek revolutionaries in the Filiki Eteria and allied itself with the regents, [56] while seeking Russian support [57] (see also: Rise of nationalism under the Ottoman Empire ). On March 21, 1821, Vladimirescu entered Bucharest.

For the following weeks, relations between him and his allies worsened, especially after he sought an agreement with the Ottomans; [58] Eteria's leader Alexander Ypsilantis , who had established himself in Moldavia and, after May, in northern Wallachia, viewed the alliance as broken—he had Vladimirescu executed, and faced the Ottoman intervention without Pandur or Russian backing, suffering major defeats in Bucharest and Drăgăşani (before retreating to Austrian custody in Transylvania). [59] These violent events, which had seen the majority of Phanariotes siding with Ypsilantis, made Sultan Mahmud II place the Principalities under its occupation (evicted by a request of several European powers), [60] and sanction the end of Phanariote rules: in Wallachia, the first prince to be considered a local one after 1715 was Grigore IV Ghica . Although the new system was confirmed for the rest of Wallachia's existence as a state, Ghica's rule was abruptly ended by the devastating Russo-Turkish War of 1828–1829 .

[61] The 1829 Treaty of Adrianople , without overturning Ottoman suzerainty, placed Wallachia and Moldavia under Russian military rule, awarding them the first common institutions and the semblance of a constitution (see Regulamentul Organic ). Wallachia was returned ownership of Brăila , Giurgiu (both of which soon developed into major trading cities on the Danube), and Turnu Măgurele . [62] The treaty also allowed Moldavia and Wallachia to freely trade with countries other than the Ottoman Empire, which signalled substantial economic and urban growth, as well as improving the peasant situation. [63] Many of the provisions had been specified by the 1826 Akkerman Convention between Russia and the Ottomans (it had never been fully implemented in the three-year interval). [64] The duty of overseeing of the Principalities was left to Russian general Pavel Kiselyov ; this interval was marked by a series of major changes, including the reestablishment of a Wallachian Army (1831), a tax reform (which nonetheless confirmed tax exemptions for the privileged ), as well as major urban works in Bucharest and other cities.

[65] In 1834, Wallachia's throne was occupied by Alexandru II Ghica —a move in contradiction with the Adrianople treaty, as he had not been elected by the new Legislative Assembly ; removed by the suzerains in 1842, he was replaced with an elected prince, Gheorghe Bibescu . [66] 1840s–1850s Wallachia's ad hoc divan in 1857 Opposition to Ghica's arbitrary and highly conservative rule, together with the rise of liberal and radical currents, was first felt with the protests voiced by Ion Câmpineanu (quickly repressed); [67] subsequently, it became increasingly conspiratorial , and centered on those secret societies created by young officers such as Nicolae Bălcescu and Mitică Filipescu . [68] Frăţia, a clandestine movement created in 1843, began planning a revolution to overthrow Bibescu and repeal Regulamentul Organic in 1848 (inspired by the European rebellions of the same year ).

Their pan-Wallachian coup d'état was initially successful only near Turnu Măgurele , where crowds cheered the Islaz Proclamation (June 21); among others, the document called for political freedoms , independence, land reform , and the creation of a national guard. [69] On June 11–12, the movement was successful in deposing Bibescu and establishing a Provisional Government. Although sympathetic to the anti-Russian goals of the revolution, the Ottomans were pressured by Russia into repressing it: Ottoman troops entered Bucharest on September 13. [70] Russian and Turkish troops, present until 1851, brought Barbu Dimitrie Ştirbei to the throne, during which interval most participants in the revolution were sent into exile.

Briefly under renewed Russian occupation during the Crimean War , Wallachia and Moldavia were given a new status with a neutral Austrian administration (1854–1856) and the Treaty of Paris : a tutelage shared by Ottomans and a Congress of Great Powers (Britain, France, the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia , the Austrian Empire, Prussia, and, albeit never again fully, Russia), with a kaymakam -led internal administration. The emerging movement for a union of the Danubian Principalities (a demand first voiced in 1848, and a cause cemented by the return of revolutionary exiles) was advocated by the French and their Sardinian allies, supported by Russia and Prussia, but was rejected or suspicioned by all other overseers. [71] After an intense campaign, a formal union was ultimately granted: nevertheless, elections for the ad hoc divans of 1859 profited from a legal ambiguity (the text of the final agreement specified two thrones, but did not prevent any single person from simultaneously taking part in and winning elections in both Bucharest and Iaşi).

Alexander John Cuza , who ran for the unionist Partida Naţională , won the elections in Moldavia on January 5; Wallachia, which was expected by the unionists to carry the same vote, returned a majority of anti-unionists to its divan. [72] Those elected changed their allegiance after a mass protest of Bucharest crowds, [72] and Cuza was voted prince of Wallachia on February 5 (January 24 Old Style), consequently confirmed as Domnitor of the United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia (of Romania from 1862). Internationally recognized only for the duration of his reign, the union was irreversible after the ascension of Carol I in 1866 (coinciding with the Austro-Prussian War , it came at a time when Austria, the main opponent of the decision, was not in a position to intervene). Slavery Edit Slavery (Romanian language: robie ) was part of the social order from before the founding of the Principality of Wallachia, until it was abolished in stages during the 1840s and 1850s.

Most of the slaves were of Roma (Gypsy) ethnicity. [73] The very first document attesting the presence of Roma people in Wallachia dates back to 1385, and refers to the group as aţigani (from, athiganoi a Greek-language word for "heretics", and the origin of the Romanian term ţigani, which is synonymous with "Gypsy"). [74] The exact origins of slavery are not known. Slavery was a common practice in Europe at the time, and there is some debate over whether the Romani people came to Wallachia as free men or as slaves. In the Byzantine Empire , they were slaves of the state and it seems the situation was the same in Bulgaria and Serbia until their social organization was destroyed by the Ottoman conquest, which would suggest that they came as slaves who had a change of 'ownership'. Historian Nicolae Iorga associated the Roma people's arrival with the 1241 Mongol invasion of Europe and considered their slavery as a vestige of that era, the Romanians taking the Roma from the Mongols as slaves and preserving their status. Other historians consider that they were enslaved while captured during the battles with the Tatars.

The practice of enslaving prisoners may also have been taken from the Mongols. [73] While it is possible that some Romani people were slaves or auxiliary troops of the Mongols or Tatars, the bulk of them came from south of the Danube at the end of the 14th century, some time after the foundation of Wallachia . The arrival of the Roma made slavery a widespread practice. [75] Traditionally, Roma slaves were divided into three categories. The smallest was owned by the hospodars, and went by the Romanian-language name of ţigani domneşti ("Gypsies belonging to the lord"). The two other categories comprised ţigani mănăstireşti ("Gypsies belonging to the monasteries"), who were the property of Romanian Orthodox and Greek Orthodox monasteries, and ţigani boiereşti ("Gypsies belonging to the boyars"), who were enslaved by the category of landowners. [74] [76] The abolition of slavery was carried out following a campaign by young revolutionaries who embraced the liberal ideas of the Enlightenment.

The earliest law which freed a category of slaves was in March 1843, which transferred the control of the state slaves owned by the prison authority to the local authorities, leading to their sedentarizing and becoming peasants. During the Wallachian Revolution of 1848 , the agenda of the Provisional Government included the emancipation (dezrobire) of the Roma as one of the main social demands. By the 1850s the movement gained support from almost the whole of Romanian society, and the law from February 1856 emancipated all slaves to the status of taxpayers (citizens). [73] [74] Geography Edit The present-day counties comprising Wallachia With an area of approximately 77,000 km2 (30,000 sq mi), Wallachia is situated north of the Danube (and of present-day Bulgaria), east of Serbia and south of the Southern Carpathians , and is traditionally divided between Muntenia in the east (as the political center, Muntenia is often understood as being synonymous with Wallachia), and Oltenia (a former banat) in the west.

The division line between the two is the Olt River. Wallachia's traditional border with Moldavia coincided with the Milcov River for most of its length. To the east, over the Danube north-south bend, Wallachia neighbours Dobruja ( Northern Dobruja ). Over the Carpathians, Wallachia shared a border with Transylvania; Wallachian princes have for long held possession of areas north of the line ( Amlaş , Ciceu , Făgăraş , and Haţeg ), which are generally not considered part of Wallachia-proper. The capital city changed over time, from Câmpulung to Curtea de Argeş , then to Târgovişte and, after the late 17th century, to Bucharest. Population Wallachia | Journeys into the nature and culture of Real Romania CONTACT US Wallachia Wallachia is a historical region situated in the south of Romania (where the modern Romania was created). Wallachia contains two regions: Oltenia and Muntenia Oltenia region is bordered by the Carpathian Mountains and the Danube and OltRivers.

It is the most “Romanian” part of the country. Few foreigners settled here during the past. Because it was one of the most rural areas of the country,this region offers some of the most original Romanian folk art. The area is renowned for the famous sculptor Constantin Brancusi who was born here. Muntenia region is twice the size of Oltenia. It was the political and economic centre of Wallachia province and later of Romania. Like Oltenia, Muntenia is sandwiched between the Carpathian Mountains and the DanubeRiver. It contains Bucuresti, which began life as a popular river crossing, and became the third capital of Wallachia before becoming the capital of Romania. The majority population is represented by Romanians, but there are also Jews, Greeks, Hungarians, Germans and Gypsies living in this region. Wallachia - Historical Region of Romania - BookToursRomania btradmin Wallachia – The Romanian Land The land between the Carpathians, the waters of the Danube and Olt river, is as colorful as its name: Wallachia. It refers to land of the Vlachs (an ancient name for Romanians).

The main cities of this historical region are: Bucureşti , Craiova, Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Ploieşti, Târgovişte. The region between the Danube, Olt River and Carpathian Mountains was once covered by the Vlăsiei woods. Today, the area is cleared to make way for large cornfields. Wallachia is as varied as its different names. The region is known as the Romanian Land or Wallachia, named after its inhabitants, the Vlachs. Here the legendary Vlad the Impaler ruled and became infamous (1456-1462). Later he inspired the Irish writer Bram Stoker to create his vampire character, Dracula. Beyond the large plains of Wallachia rise the Carpathian Mountains, with the magnificent gateway to Transylvania, the Prahova Valley and its chain of resorts. Among them, the resort of Sinaia, where you will discover a masterpiece of German neo-Renaissance architecture; Peleş, one of the best preserved royal castles in Europe.

Bucharest’s Princely Court – Vlad the Impaler What to see in Wallachia For enthusiasts in natural phenomena we recommend the Mud Volcanoes of Berca the the Dâmbovicioara caves. Wallachia does not lack in centuries old places of worship. Snagov, Caldaruşani, Cernica are monasteries which well merit attention. Besides the 400 year old Comana Monastery, a monument to silence, culture and faith, is the Natural Park with the same name, where the “secret delta” of Wallachia is found. It reproduces, on a small scale, the biodiversity from the Danube Delta. Comana Marsh is the third largest wetland in Romania, formed by the gathered waters of Neajlov and Argeş rivers. Fortunately for fishermen, it’s only here you can find some rare species of fish. Among these, very rare in Europe is the “glossy” considered a true living fossil of the sweet water fish world. Berca Mud Volcanoes Slănic Prahova spa resort is situated on a salt deposit with a thickness of 600 meters.

After going 200 meters down with a lift-cage, you discover 14 galleries on two levels, real salt cathedrals designed for those with respiratory problems and for leisure. Other attractions are the Cave and the Bride Lake. The last one was formed by the collapse of a mine roof, and the legend says that a bride drowned here, abandoned in her wedding night. Curtea de Argeş – a monastery of myth In the former royal residence city is the monastery where several Wallachian voivodes are buried, along with all the Romanian kings. The monument, built in 16th century is the symbol of the sad legend of Manole, the artisan. It is said that he built his pregnant wife into the building walls, in order to complete it. The deep meaning of the legend is that any creation requires a sacrifices. Curtea de Arges Monastery Poenari Fortress – Dracula’s eagles nest Climb the 1480 steps up to the traces of the citadel, fortified by voivode Vlad the Impaler, on an abrupt rock, over 200 meters above the Argeş Passes. Once you reach the top, your effort is rewarded by an amazing view.

The chronicle legend says that Vlad strengthened the fortress through the forced labor of rebellious boyars. Local folklore named this strategic point of anti-Ottoman resistance “the eagle’s nest of old mighty”. Landscape from Poenari Castle – the real Dracula Castle “Selenar excursion” on Earth A selenar landscape can be found in Pâclele Mari and Pâclele Mici (Buzau County). This is unique in the country and very rare in the world: miniature craters, with gas emanations on a clayey ground. From the soil erupts, at irregular intervals, a gray and viscous paste. The mud that comes out and dries in contact with air to form conical structures, like volcanic craters. Cold mud comes from great depths. If you approach such a volcano, you can hear it bubbling in the deep. Mud volcanoes lie on about 30 hectares. You will be impressed not only by the landscape of this protected area but by the particular plants that have adapted to the salinity around.

Scenery from the mud volcanoes Peleş Castle – the first royal residence In the famous resort, Sinaia you can find the quiet area of the National Museum Peleş including Pelişor and Peleş castles, the watchtower and the park in which they are situated. Peles was the summer residence of the first king of Romania, Charles the first (1883). Peleş is the first electrified castle in Europe , built in neo-renascentist German style. Peles Castle – the royal summer residence Go to top Facts about Wallachia About the name: Land of the Vlachs or Walachs, the ancient population of he area. Location: Southern part of Romania; The Olt River divides Wallachia into Muntenia in the east and Oltenia in the west. Area: 41,000 sq miles. Main cities: Bucuresti , Craiova , Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Ploiesti, Targoviste. Climate: Temperate continental with hot summers and cold winters. Highlights Wallachia's unique mix of historical and natural attractions promises a different experience each day.

Discover heritage buildings and museums in the capital city, enjoy day trips to a royal palace or century-old monastery, hike the mountains or follow Brancusi's art trail - the choice is yours. First documented in 1459 by Vlad Tepes, Bucharest is the main city of the region and the capital of Romania. Whether you are spending most of your travel time here or just using it as a gateway to a discovery journey around Romania, Bucharest and its cultural scene is going to surprise you: 37 museums, 22 theaters, 18 art galleries, opera houses and concert halls await your visit. The best way to explore Bucharest is to take a stroll along Calea Victoriei to Piata Revolutiei, site of the Romanian Athenaeum and the former Royal Palace, now the National Museum of Art. The old city center (near Lispcani) is a must to understand why Bucharest was known as "Little Paris" in the 1920s. Also, don't miss the Palace of Parliament, the second largest building in the world. Beyond Bucharest, the foothills of Wallachia give way to the Carpathian Mountains.

Just an hour and a half north of Bucharest is the beautiful Prahova Valley, where the popular ski resorts of Predeal, Busteni and Sinaia are located. Sinaia is also home to the magnificent Peles Castle - a masterpiece of German new-Renaissance architecture, considered one of the best-preserved royal castles in Europe. In the summer time, these resorts are starting points to hiking trails in the nearby Bucegi Nature Park. A must stop for art lovers is the town of Targu Jiu on the banks of the Jiu River. This former market town is closely associated with Constantin Brancusi, the Romanian artist who is considered to be the founder of modern sculpture. Some of Romania's most tranquil monasteries can be found in this region, including Horezu, a masterpiece of the 'Brancovenesti' architectural style and a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. Horezu is also a renowned pottery center, where travelers can marvel at the colorful pottery created in local workshops by talented artisans. Places to explore Bucharest, Romania's largest city and capital, with its French architectural old center, the Palace of Parliament, The Museum of the Romanian Peasant, the Village Museum and many other attractions.

The magnificent Peles Castle in Sinaia, considered one of the best-preserved royal castles in Europe . The Princely Court and Poenari fortress (the authentic residences of Vlad the Impaler) The beautiful Orthodox monasteries built in a Byzantine style, tucked into the foothills of the Carpathians: Arnota, Bistrita, Cozia, Curtea de Arges, Govora and Horezu. The pottery workshop center at Horezu . The 16th century Princely Court and monastery at Curtea de Arges. The Constantin Brancusi architectural complex in Targu Jiu, with its famous masterpieces: Endless Column, Gate of the Kiss, Table of Silence and Avenue of Chairs. Prahova Valley and the popular ski resorts of Predeal, Busteni and Sinaia. The Unirea salt mine in Slanic Prahova, where 2.9 million tons of salt have been extracted since 1685. Due to the therapeutic microclimate, former mine shafts are used as asthma treatment facilities. Visitors can also enjoy a walk around the mine and the salt-carved sculptures.

Main Museums The National Art Museum in Bucharest – works by Romanian and international artists such as Constantin Brancusi, Theodor Aman, Nicolae Grigorescu, Ioan Andreescu, Stefan Luchian, Rembrandt, Rubens, El Greco, Messina, Titian, Tintoretto, Velasquez, and others. The Museum of the Romanian Peasant in Bucharest – over 90,000 items, such as traditional costumes, textiles, ceramics and icons. The Village Museum in Bucharest – complete traditional houses, workshops, and churches that have been brought here from around the country. The History Museum of the Romanian Jewish Community in Bucharest Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest The Ethnography and History Museum of Oltenia in Craiova; The Art Museum in Craiova – a collection of Brancusi's finest work is on display; The Iron Gates Museum in Drobeta-Turnu Severin; The Museum of Printing & Old Romanian Books in Targoviste – exhibiting the 1521 manuscript believed to be among the earliest texts written in Romanian.

Performing Arts National Opera House and Operetta House in Bucharest National Theater in Bucharest Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest – 19th century concert hall, home of the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra National Theater in Craiova Oltenia Philharmonic Orchestra in Craiova Opera and Operetta Theater in Craiova Outdoor Adventures & Parks Cozia National Park – important bird migration corridor from central Europe to the Aegean Sea on the Olt Valley Bucegi Nature Park – featuring near-vertical cliffs which drop up to 1000m, glacial circle valleys, waterfalls and ski slopes The Small Moor of Braila Nature Park – nesting ground to over 205 species of birds Activities Biking, Camping, Caving, Climbing, Fishing, Hiking, Nature walks, Wildlife and bird watching Food & Wine Traditional Food Muntenia and Oltenia cuisine feature a variety of sour soups with lots of vegetables. It is not unusual to find an earthen oven in the backyards of houses in the Muntenia region. Here knot-shaped bread and pies are baked and delicious vegetable stew is slow cooked in clay jars.

Soup as well as haricot bean stew, potato stew with plenty of onions, braised sauerkraut and scovergi are popular dishes in this area of the country. Other traditional dishes include chicken soup with homemade noodles, giblet sour soup, tripe soup, meatballs soup, meat and/or rice (cabbage or grapeleaf) stuffed rolls, grilled fish in pickle sauce served with polenta. Local lore has it that the famous mititei, one of the most popular Romanian gastronomic specialties, were created by accident in the kitchen of "La Iordache" restaurant, a fin de siècle culinary hotspot in Bucharest. One night, when there were no more of the famous sausages known as patricieni, as the cook had runt short of bowels to stuff with the remaining minced meat, he placed the meat straight on the grill. The emerging sausages were somewhat smaller but the customers highly appreciated them, naming them mititei (meaning "the wee ones"). The owner of the restaurant added thyme, caraway and saltpeter to the local recipe to enhance its flavor.

When thinking of traditional food in the Oltenia region, Oltenian sausages come first to mind - finely chopped beef and pork meat mixed with garlic, pepper and salt, and then stuffed into sheep guts and then smoked. Beef ragout, carp stuffed with mushroom, lamb stew with chives are other Oltenian specialties. In this region, onion and garlic are often used, combined with other ingredients. Other local specialties include: Fried or broiled Danube mackerel, Dried prune and meat stew, Cheese or pumpkin pie, "Boeuf" salad Moussaka (of Mid-Eastern origin), "Ciulama" – chicken cooked in sour cream sauce. Vineyards This region produces some of Romania's best red wines including Feteasca Neagra, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. Dealu Mare / Valea Calugareasca Vineyards Dealu Mare, extending from the Prahova Valley along the south-facing hillsides of the Carpathian foothills eastwards to Vrancea County, is considered to be the best area in Romania for the cultivation of red grapes.

Valea Calugareasca (Valley of Monks) - one of a series of vineyards forming the Dealul Mare wine-growing region, owes its name and quality of wines to a hermitage - and perhaps the particular skill of the monks in preparing the wine. The standard-bearer of this vineyard is Cabernet Sauvignon. Dealu Mare Vineyard is very generous with foreign grape varieties - Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, as well as Romanian grape varieties - Feteasca Neagra. Dragasani Vineyard Dragasani has an old history which can be traced back some 3,000 years. Tonic, slightly frothy and having a long-lasting flavor, the wines of Dragasani have become popular outside Romania's borders following world recognition at the Bordeaux wine contest in 1989 and at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900. Today, Sauvignon, Riesling, Feteasca Alba, Feteasca Regala, and Tamaioasa Romaneasca are produced here. Other major vineyards in the region include: Pietroasa, Samburesti, Segarcea, Stefanesti, Urlati.

Winetasting / Wineries Romania Map / Geography of Romania / Map of Romania - Worldatlas.com Print this map Inside the so-called "Cave of Bones" in Romania, the oldest human remains on the continent of Europe were discovered; archeologists dated the some 42,000 years old. In an attempt to expand its territory further north, the Roman Empire reached the Danube River in southeastern Europe in 100 AD, and established the new province of Roman Dacia. As the Roman Empire began its decline in the late 2nd century, Dacia was invaded by the Goths, an East Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin. Over the next five centuries a wide variety of migrating people crossed through. In the 8th century, the Avars, a highly organized nomadic confederacy of mixed origins conquered the land, and ruled the remaining Slavic serfs in the Transylvania region until the 8th century. In the High to Late Middle Ages, from the Black Sea coastal areas through the mountainous central, and to the western borders of what is now modern-day Hungary and Serbia , Romania was occupied by an assortment of nomadic peoples.

By the middle of the 16th century, Hungary , and most of the Balkan Peninsula including Romania's historical regions of Moldavia (northeast), Transylvania (central) and Wallachia (in the south) were under varied levels of Ottoman (Turkish) control. Near the end of the 17th century, a league of factions (including the Hapsburg) organized by Pope Innocent XI, was sent to free Hungary from Ottoman rule and reinstate the Catholic Church. That effort stretched into Romania, and in 1699, Transylvania became a territory of the Habsburgs' Austrian empire. The Habsburgs were one of the most important aristocratic royal houses of Europe , best known for being the origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740. Within a few short years the Hapsburg's occupied other small parts of Moldavia and Wallachia. The European Revolutions of 1848 were a series of political upheavals throughout the continent. They were caused by widespread dissatisfaction with leadership; the demands of the working classes and a growing upsurge of nationalism in individual countries and regions.

It was the first (and only) Europe -wide collapse of traditional authority. During the revolutions tens of thousands of people were killed and many more forced into exile, and within one year, the powerful reactionary forces (of royalty) had won out and the revolutions collapsed. After the failed 1848 Revolution, Romanians wanted to form a single state, but that struggle was squelched by the Austria - Hungary empire, as it kept the Romanians firmly in control, even in parts of Transylvania where Romanians constituted a local majority. During the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 between the Ottoman Empire and the Eastern Orthodox coalition led by the Russian Empire and numerous Balkan countries, Romania fought on the Russian side, and that was a good decision. Within the 1878 Treaty of Berlin between the two warring parties, Romania was recognized as an independent state (principality) by Russia and some other European powers of the day. To make the deal Romania ceded some land along its eastern border to Russia.

Prev Page 1/2 Next Page See Also Wallachia - Wikidata Wallachia historical and geographical region of Romania Valachia, Țara Românească Cite this page This page was last modified on 15 January 2017, at 12:03. All structured data from the main and property namespace is available under the Creative Commons CC0 License ; text in the other namespaces is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wallachia, journey through the history of Romania : The World, Your Home Wallachia, journey through the history of Romania Travel Guide • 20 February, 2013 • 0 Comments Wallachia is a historical region of Romania that is located in the southern part of the country. It is situated in a mountainous area in the south of the Carpathian Mountains and is bordered by the Danube river.

This region is divided into two subregions that are separated by the Olt river: Oltenia (Lesser Wallachia) on the western side and Muntenia (Greater Wallachia) on the eastern side. The capital of this region has changed over the course of time: Curtea de Argeş, Târgovişte and Bucharest, that it was the last capital of the principality. This city was founded by Basarab I in the fourteenth century, although its origins can be traced back further back in time, until the middle of the thirteenth century, but in those times it was linked with the king of Hungary. In 1330 King Charles I of Hungary was defeated by the forces of Basarab. Then the independent principality of Wallachia was born with Prince Basarab I to the head. In 1415, Walachia accepted the sovereignty of the Ottoman Empire and its sovereignty remained until the 19th century. In 1859, Walachia and the principality of Moldova joined together to form the state of Romania .

If you visit Wallachia and you are interested in the architecture, you have to know that the Brâncovenesc style was born here. The most famous of the buildings in this style of Wallachia is the Horezu monastery, which is considered by UNESCO as World Cultural Heritage since 1993. Horezu Monastery The Horezu Monastery was founded by Prince Constantin Brancoveanu in 1690 and it is situated near of the Mountains Capatanii. A curiosity for lovers of vampire tales … Vlad the Impaler, better known as Dracula, ruled the region for several years and is buried in this region. Photo 1 source: alte-landkarten.de

Question: Wallachia is a region of which country?
Answer: Romania