Romanian History

History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon. -Napoleon Bonaparte

I know ... I know ... history can be really boring! Lots of names and dates and all. Plus the history of a small Southeast European country like Romania might seem like a strange choice of subject matter. So, you might ask, why am I taking the time to put this information out on the web? Maybe I can answer that question.

Let me begin by saying that I am not a historian ... nor am I a Romanian. I'm just someone with an interest in Romania and her history. For me, it's a fascinating story, if I do say so myself.

History is not a judge. It does not answer the moral question of what is right and what is wrong. History simply exists. Sometimes it tells of events that make the descendants proud; at other times, it makes them hang their heads in shame as they remember the errors committed by their ancestors. Every history has its share of good and bad.

Whether or not you are a Romanian, some of Romania's history will make your heart sing with joy; some of it will make you weep; and, to be honest, some of it will bore you. No matter what your reaction, history is what once was. It will never change (but it might be rewritten as new information is brought to light). It's the present that will change.

We can appreciate the historically good times ... and we can learn from the mistakes of the past. But first, we must be ready to accept both the good side and the bad side found in the past.

Sometimes when dealing with Romania's history, we have to pause in its discussion in order to travel far afield from events taking place in Romania and to mention what is happening in some far-flung country. That's because whatever happens elsewhere quite often has a domino effect on Romania's neighbors until the rippling effect finally reaches Romania. Thus, pressures from afar often result in dramatic changes within Romania's present-day borders.

Note

Many of the historically ancient people who have lived within Romania's present-day borders were not ethnic Romanians. After all, Romania's present borders did not exist until rather recently. But I have chosen to present the history of the peoples — Romanian or otherwise — who have lived within those boundaries. And in addition, I'll include historical facts about the neighbors who had an effect on the people within Romania's borders.

However, we're getting ahead of our story.

Let's just sit back for a moment and let events unfold as they happened and see where it takes us. There are a number of versions of Romania's history. This is just one of them ... mine. My own personal excursion into the history of a very fascinating country.

There's a lot of information in the History Department. So take your time and browse through this Department in any order you choose. It's arranged by Sections (timeframes). Unlike other Burrows, you'll probably find that it's best to read through the documents in sequence. However, if history isn't your cup of tea, then feel free to jump right into the current time frame (well, as soon as I write it, that is).

Many modern historians begin their lineage of the people of Romania as descendants of the Dacians, an ancient people who fell under Rome's dominance in the first, second, and third century AD. However, people settled on the land that is now Romania at a much earlier date.

Before we get into the "historic" time periods, therefore, we need to spend a little time looking at the characteristics of the very earliest inhabitants.

Note

I'll be releasing these documents of Romanian history as I write them, so you might find that there's an abrupt "end" to the pages available. I'm starting with the earliest time periods and moving through to the present. Eventually, I hope to have Romania's history up through the present day. Then I'll go back and write a more brief version for those who don't have the time to read the long version. Please forgive me if I release the documents too slowly for your taste.

Here's a Table of Contents for your convenience. The grouping of history into the chosen timeframes are my own and do not represent any sort of "official" grouping. See the individual Sections (timeframes) below for a brief description of the documents found within that Section.

Section 1. Introduction. Find out why I'm even writing this history of Romania. Also discover some of the roadblocks that I've encountered while trying to sift through the multiple versions of Romanian history as documented by various historians. As one French historian observed, Romania and her people are both a miracle and an enigma.

Section 2. Geologic Ages. See the backdrop against which the history of Romania (and all of southeastern Europe) is set. This takes us back to the time before humans set foot on the continent and carries us forward to the Stone Age.

Section 3. Stone Age. Take a giant step backward in human history, to the dawn of Romania's history and, in some cases, to the very beginnings of the histories of other countries as well. During most of this time period, only small, widely dispersed groups of humans inhabited the vast European landscape.

Section 4. Bronze Age. Humans finally emerged from the Stone Age and began working with metal. While metropolitan cities sprang up in the Mediterranean and the Near East, most of southeastern Europe remained a rural agricultural and herder region.

Section 5. Colonization Period (900 BC-AD 200). The first millennium B.C. and the few centuries that follow introduce a period between the pre-history and the written history of Romania and its neighbors. This period has been termed the proto-history period. Romania's actual recorded history begins when the Greeks and Romans established colonies on Romanian lands.

Section 6. Migration Period (AD 200-1300). The migration period is a period that is hotly debated between Romanian and Hungarian historians. It's a period that contains few facts that can be scientifically guaranteed as the true history of the region. It's an era when a series of migratory tribes from the Eurasian steppes spread out across the entire European continent, including Romania.

Section 7. Empire Period (AD 1300-1800). During the empire period the Romanian landscape was ruled at various times by large empires. By far the largest influence, especially in Wallachia, was from the Ottoman Empire (Turks) under various sultans, which expanded ever northward from its base at Istanbul (the former Constantinople). Transylvania felt the yoke of Austria and Hungary under the emperors of these two empires. Moldavia had to deal with being subject to Austria, Poland, and later, Russia.

Section 8. Modern History Period (AD 1800-present). After centuries of being ruled by various empires, Romania finally threw off its yoke of oppression. Unfortunately, the bad times for the country weren't over quite yet. After suffering through two world wars, Romania (like most of Eastern Europe) fell under the influence of another enslavement — communism. It took them many years of living under Soviet-style tyrants to rid themselves of this yoke. But eventually, emotionally drained, they emerged triumphant as a modern nation.

Each Section presents an overview of its particular timeframe and includes links to other Section documents, where you can find additional information.