Moldavia

Principality of Moldavia Țara Moldovei  (Romanian) Землѧ Молдавскаѧcode: chu promoted to code: cu (Church Slavonic) Ηγεμονία της Μολδαβίας (Greek)
1346–1859
Top: Flaga (14th–15th cent.) Bottom: Flagb (1831–1859)[1][failed verification – see discussion] Coat of armsc (14th–15th cent.) Coat of armsd (mid-19th cent.)
Location of the Principality of Moldavia, 1789
Moldavia under Stephen the Great, 1483
Status	Vassal of the Ottoman Empire[2] (1514–1572; 1574–1600; 1618–1859) Under suzerainty of the Kingdom of Poland[2] (1601–1618) Under a protectorate of the Russian Empire[3] (1829–1856) Under international protection[3] (1856–1859)
Capital	Baia/Siret (1343–1388) Suceava (1388–1564) Iași (Jassy) (1564–1859)
Common languages	Romanian[4][5] (also historically named Moldavian)[6] Old Church Slavonic (as written chancelery language until it was replaced by Romanian starting with the 16th century)[7][8][nb 1] Greek (as chancelery and culture language)[9][nb 2]
Religion	Eastern Orthodox show Minority Roman Catholic Armenian Judaism Old Believers
Government	Principality: elective absolute monarchy with hereditary lines
Princes of Moldavia (Voivodes, Hospodars)
• 1346–1353 (first)	Dragoș
• 1859–1862 (last)	Alexandru Ioan Cuza
History
• Foundation of the Moldavian mark	1346
• De jure union with Wallachia	5 February [O.S. 24 January] 1859 1859
Currency	[ro] Taler
ISO 3166 code	MD
Preceded by Succeeded by Kingdom of Hungary Golden Horde United Principalities Duchy of Bukovina Bessarabia Governorate
Today part of	Moldova Romania Ukraine
^ a. Modern reconstruction of a Moldavian princely standard (attested versions of the number and general aspects of symbols other than the aurochs vary considerably). ^ b. Modern reconstruction of a naval flag of Moldavia after an engraving from 1849. According to contemporary sources this flag was used only as lance pennons by the Moldavian cavalry. ^ c. Modern reconstruction of a Moldavian coat of arms based on the seals of Stephen the Great, Roman I and others (attested versions of the field tincture and number and general aspects of symbols other than the aurochs vary considerably). ^ d. Redraw of the coat of arms after the one represented on a Moldavian passport from the 1850s. [1]

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Moldavia (Romanian: Moldova, pronounced [molˈdova] (listen) or Țara Moldovei, literally "The Moldavian Country"; in Romanian Cyrillic: Молдова or Цара Мѡлдовєй; Church Slavonic: Землѧ Молдавскаѧ; Greek: Ηγεμονία της Μολδαβίας) is a historical region and former principality in Central and Eastern Europe,^[10][11][12] 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 (Țara Românească) as the basis of the modern Romanian state; at various times, Moldavia included the regions of Bessarabia (with the Budjak), all of Bukovina and Hertza. The region of Pokuttya was also part of it for a period of time.

The western half of Moldavia is now part of Romania, the eastern side belongs to the Republic of Moldova, and the northern and southeastern 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:^[13][14]

• a legend mentioned in Descriptio Moldaviae (1714) by Dimitrie Cantemir links it to an aurochs hunting trip of the Maramureș voivode Dragoș and the latter's chase of a star-marked auroch. Dragoș was accompanied by his female hound, called Molda; when they reached the 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 Gothic Mulda (Gothic: