Map of Romania with Oltenia highlighted

Oltenia (Romanian pronunciation: [olˈteni.a], also called Lesser Wallachia in antiquated versions, with the alternate Latin names Wallachia Minor, Wallachia Alutana, Wallachia Caesarea between 1718 and 1739) is a historical province and geographical region of Romania, in western Wallachia. It is situated between the Danube, the Southern Carpathians and the Olt river (although counties in the east extend beyond the river in Muntenia in some areas).

History[link]

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Ancient times[link]

Sucidava - ancient Roman citadel at Corabia

Initially inhabited by Dacians, Oltenia was incorpored in the Roman Empire (106, at the end of the Dacian Wars; see Roman Dacia). In 129, during Hadrian's rule, it formed Dacia Inferior, one of the two divisions of the province (together with Dacia Superior, in today's Transylvania); Marcus Aurelius' administrative reform made Oltenia one of the three new divisions (tres Daciae) as Dacia Malvensis, its capital and chief city being named Romula. It was colonized with veterans of the Roman legions. The Romans withdrew their administration south of the Danube at the end of the 3rd century and Oltenia was ruled by the foederati Germanic Goths. In the late 4th century Oltenia came under the rule of the Taifals before invasion by the Huns.

Middle Ages[link]

Horezu Monastery - UNESCO World Heritage

From 681, with some interruptions, it was part of the Bulgarian Empire (see Bulgarian lands across the Danube).

Around 1247 a polity emerged in Oltenia under the rule of Litovoi, which would later included in Muntenia (the mediaeval state of Wallachia). From an unknown moment and up until 1831, the voivode (Prince of Wallachia) was represented in Oltenia by a ban ("the great ban of Craiova", after the seat was moved from Strehaia), considered the greatest office in Wallachian hierarchy, and one that was held most by members of the Craioveşti family (from the late 15th century to about 1550).

During the 15th century, Wallachia had to accept the Ottoman suzerainty and to pay an annual tribute to keep its autonomy as vasal. From the Craioveşti-family, many bans cooperated with the Turks. However, many rulers, including the Oltenian-born Michael the Brave, fought against the Ottomans, giving Wallachia brief periods of independence.

Modern times[link]

After 1716, the Ottomans decided to cease choosing the voivodes from among the Wallachian boyars, and to appoint foreign governors. As the governors were Orthodox Greeks living in Phanar, Constantinople, his period is known as the Phanariote regime.

Two years later, in 1718 under the terms of the Treaty of Passarowitz, Oltenia was split from Wallachia and annexed by the Habsburg Monarchy (de facto, it was under Austrian occupation by 1716); in 1737, it was returned to Wallachia under Prince Constantine Mavrocordatos (see Austro-Turkish War of 1716-18 and Austro-Turkish War, 1737-1739). Under the occupation, Oltenia was the only part of the Danubian Principalities (with the later exception of Bukovina) to experience Enlightened absolutism and Austrian administration, although these were met by considerable and mounting opposition from conservative boyars. While welcomed at first as liberators, the Austrians quickly disenchanted the inhabitants by imposing rigid administrative, fiscal, judicial and political reforms which were meant to centralize and integrate the territory (antagonizing both ends of the social spectrum: withdrawing privileges from the nobility and enforcing taxes for peasants).

In 1761, the residence of Bans was moved to Bucharest, in a move towards centralism (a kaymakam represented the boyars in Craiova). It remained there until the death of the last Ban, Barbu Văcărescu, in 1832.

In 1821, Oltenia and the county of Gorj were at the center of Tudor Vladimirescu's uprising (see Wallachian uprising of 1821). Tudor initially gathered his Pandurs in Padeş and relied on a grid of fortified monasteries such as Tismana and Strehaia.

Symbol[link]

The traditional heraldic symbol of Oltenia, also understood as representing Banat, is nowadays present in the Coat of Arms of Romania (lower dexter): on gules field, an or lion rampant, facing dexter, holding a sword, and standing over an or bridge (Apolodor of Damascus Bridge at Drobeta Turnu Severin) and stylised waves.

Geography[link]

The counties comprised by Oltenia

The river Olt separates Oltenia from Muntenia

Suspended bridge in Craiova's Park

Oltenia entirely includes the counties:

• Gorj
• Dolj

and parts of the counties:

• Mehedinţi (mainly in Oltenia, but the western part belongs to Banat)
• Vâlcea (mainly in Oltenia, but the eastern part belongs to Muntenia)
• Olt (the western half, the former Romanaţi county)
• Teleorman (only the village Islaz)

Nowadays, Oltenia's main city and its seat for a long period of the late Middle Ages is Craiova. The first medieval seat of Oltenia was Turnu Severin of Banat of Severin, the ancient Drobeta, near the former Roman bridge, built by Apollodorus of Damascus for Emperor Trajan conquest purposes.

Towns[link]

References[link]

• Vlad Georgescu, Istoria ideilor politice româneşti (1369-1878), Munich, 1987
• Neagu Djuvara, Între Orient şi Occident. Ţările române la începutul epocii moderne, Humanitas, Bucharest, 1995
• Constantin C. Giurescu, Istoria Bucureştilor. Din cele mai vechi timpuri pînă în zilele noastre, Ed. Pentru Literatură, Bucharest, 1966, p. 93
• Şerban Papacostea, Oltenia sub stăpânirea austriacă (1718–1739), Bucharest, 1971, p. 59

v t e Historical regions in Romania Banat (1918–)a Dobruja (Northern Dobruja (1878–) Southern Dobruja (1913–40) Moldavia (1866–) Bessarabia (1918–40; 1941–44)b Bukovinac Hertza (1866–1940; 1941–44) Transylvania (1918–)ad Crişanae Maramureş Wallachia (1866-) Muntenia Oltenia) aDe jure since 1920 bCahul, Ismail and Bolgrad in Romania, 1866–78 cSouthern Bukovina in Romania 1918–; Northern Bukovina, 1918–40; 1941–44 dNorthern Transylvania in Hungary, 1940–44. eOnly the eastern part.

Cristian Popescu (1959–1995) was one of the most important Romanian poets of the 1990s.^[1]

References[link]

This article about a Romanian poet is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

For other uses of this and similar names, see Ion Popa (disambiguation).

Ion Popa is a Moldovan politician.

Biography[link]

He served as member of the Parliament of Moldova.

External links[link]

• Cine au fost şi ce fac deputaţii primului Parlament din R. Moldova (1990-1994)?
• Declaraţia deputaţilor din primul Parlament
• Site-ul Parlamentului Republicii Moldova

References[link]

This article about a Moldovan politician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (May 2011)

Tudor Gheorghe (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈtudor ˈɡe̯orɡe]; born August 1, 1945) is a Romanian musician,^[1] actor and poet known primarily for his politically charged musical career and his collaborations with well known figures of late 20th century Romanian poetry. Tudor's recording work is often associated with anti communist activism and has received much critical acclaim during the years. The son of an Iron Guard member, he was forced to take a 4 year break from music by communist authorities after a series of concerts in which he performed songs with politically charged content by renowned Romanian author Ion Luca Caragiale.

He was listed as number 76 on the 2006 100 Greatest Romanians of All Time. Born on August 1, 1945 in Podari, Dolj County, Tudor Gheorghe had a rough childhood as his father was arrested on political grounds and sent to prison in Aiud. His own concerts were banned during the last years of communism.

"Every time I listen to him - and this happens often - Tudor Gheorghe confirms my hunch that Romanian poetry can move mountains" (Marin Sorescu)

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

References[link]

This article on a Romanian singer is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e