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514 BC |
The
Persian emperor Darius I attacks and defeats the Getic-Dacian tribes living
on the present Romanian territory, the ancient Greek historian Herodotus
reported. According to Herodotus, the Getic-Dacians are "the bravest and
most noble of the Thracians."
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|
| 82 BC |
The Getic-Dacian
tribes are reunited under the leadership of Dacian King Burebista. The king
fights and plots against the looming danger coming from the Roman Empire.
Over the next 38 years Dacia expands herself over a vast territory – the
present Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria and parts of Serbia. However,
in 44 BC Burebista's archenemy, Caesar, is assassinated. The Roman threat
apparently gone for good, the need for a strong leader vanishes and
Burebista is assassinated himself several months later.
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| 87-106
AC |
A series of wars
against the Roman emperors Domitianus and Trajan end by Dacia's
transformation into a Roman province. As in any other province, Roman
colonists settle into Dacia and mix with locals.
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|
Centuries IV-IX |
The so-called
"dark millenium." Migratory tribes coming from Central Asia cross former
Dacia in all directions. Visigoths are followed by Ostrogoths, Huns, Avars,
Gepidae, Slavs, Bulgarians and Hungarians. Some of these tribes settle south
of Danube (Slavs and Bulgarians), others in the Panonian Plain (Hungarians),
while a sizable amount of Slavs mix with the locals, who are already
speaking a Romance language. Hungarians fight against the first Romanian
Statelets in Transylvania.
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|
Centuries X-XII |
The present
eastern and southern Romanian provinces – Valacchia and Moldova – develop
into mediaeval principalities under the religious and cultural influence of
the Byzantine Empire. Locals speak a Romance language – the archaic Romanian
– and become Orthodox Christians. In Transylvania the Byzantine influence is
weaker and combines with some Slavic and increasing Hungarian influence.
Germanic colonists settle in some regions of Transylvania. The inhabitants
are either Orthodox or Catholic Christians
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| XIII-th
century |
The Transylvanian
principality develops under nominal Hungarian rule. However, the
principality preserves over the next half millenium extensive autonomy from
Budapest, at times even fighting against the Hungarian kingdom.
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| 1330 |
The Hungarian
King Carol Robert of Anjou fails to conquer Valacchia. The Hungarian army is
defeated at Posada, and the king escapes wounded. Hungary's domination south
of the Carpathian Mountains is over. The battle is considered the act of
birth of the mediaeval principality of Valacchia.
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|
1364-1365 |
The Hungarian
armies of Louis of Anjou are defeated in a series of battles throughout
Moldova. The last of the three largest Romanian mediaeval principalities,
Moldova, is born.
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October 10,
1394 |
The first major
battle against the rising Ottoman Empire. At Rovine, the army of the
Valacchian Prince Mircea defeats the Turk troops. Mircea passes away in
1418. For the centuries to come the Ottoman Empire is set to become a lethal
threat not just for the Romanian principalities, but for half of the
Christian Europe, today's Hungary, Poland and Austria included.
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|
1456-1462 |
Crowned with the
help of prince John as prince of Valacchia weeks before the Belgrade battle,
Vlad the Impaler (the son of Vlad "the Dragon" and the archetype of Dracula)
fights against the Ottoman empire in a series of clashes that culminate in a
night attack at Targoviste, on June 16, 1462, which jeopardizes the life of
Sultan Mohammed II "the Conqueror" of Constantinople (1453). Vlad the
Impaler "Dracula" is later betrayed by the local aristocracy and imprisoned
for 14 years by the Hungarian king Matthew, prince John's son.
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| April
12, 1457 |
With the support
of Vlad the Impaler, the very young prince Stephen wins the Moldavian
throne. Over the next nearly half century, Stephen, nicknamed "the Great"
(despite his very low stature), becomes arguably the most famous Romanian
historical character ever.
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December 14-15,
1467 |
Stephen the Great
defeats at Baia the Hungarian army that was trying to conquer Moldova. The
Hungarian king Matthew is wounded. It is the last attempt of the Hungarian
Kingdom to conquer Moldova.
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|
January 10, 1475 |
The battle from
Podu Inalt (the High Bridge). Likely the worst defeat ever suffered by an
Ottoman army from a Moldovan one.
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| 1476 |
During the fall
of this year the coalition of the three Romanian principalities is once
again rebuilt, with Vlad the Impaler taking the throne of Valacchia with
Stephen the Great's support. Months later, Vlad "Dracula" is assasinated by
local aristocracy.
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| July
2, 1504 |
After a reign of
47 years and 34 victories in 37 battles, Stephen the Great dies peacefully.
He had made of Moldova a prosperous country, on equal footing with the
greatest powerhouses of the time, the Ottoman empire, Poland and Hungary.
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|
1593-1601 |
After more than
60 years of increasing Turk dominance over the Romanian principalities –
with short bursts of opposition – the flag of the anti-ottoman wars is taken
over by the Valacchian prince Michael. After the grand victory against Turks
at Calugareni, at August 13, 1595, Michael, nicknamed "the Brave," conquers
Transylvania (the battle of Selimbar, October 18, 1599). In May 1600 he
conquers Moldova, reuniting for the first time all three Romanian
principalities under a unique rule. However, the union is ill-fated and on
August 9, 1601, Michael the Brave is assassinated.
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| XVII-th
century |
Despite frequent
riots and occasional rebellions against the Ottoman empire, Valacchia and
Moldova lose more and more of their autonomy. Transylvania falls under the
influence of the Austrian empire of the Habsburgs, while Moldova faces
alternative threats from the Turks and the Poles. The new term in the
balance of power is the rising star of Russia.
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| 1711,
1714 |
The alliance of
the Moldavian prince Dimitrie Cantemir with the Russians is broken by the
Turk victory at Stanilesti (July 18-22, 1711). Turks kill the Valacchian
prince Constantin Brancoveanu(1714). For more than one century Valacchian
and Moldovian princes are appointed by the Ottoman Empire. In fact, they are
only governors. Most of them are not even locals, but Greek traders from
Istanbul's Phanar district. The period, ending in 1821, is therefore known
as Phanariot. Yet the two principalities preserve a certain degree of
internal autonomy.
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| 1812 |
For the first
time in the Romanians' history, an event that involved other nations has a
direct and painful effect on a third party. The Bucharest peace that follows
one of the frequent Ottoman-Russian wars of the time splits Moldova. Its
eastern half, Bassarabia, becomes a part of the Russian Tzar Empire.
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| 1821 |
The riot led by
Tudor Vladimirescu in Valacchia – although it finally failed and the leader
assassinated (May 27, 1821) – is the end of the Phanariot period and of the
discretionary power of the Ottoman Empire over Moldova and Valacchia. It is
also the wake of the national spirit and announces the formation of the
Romanian state.
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| 1848 |
Turning into a
bloodshed in Transylvania, quite violent in Valacchia too, less violent in
Moldova, the 1848 revolution has very obvious national features, on top of
economic and social demands. The repressive action mitigates any hostility
between the great powers, the Ottoman, Austrian and Russian empires.
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January 24, 1859 |
Albeit the seven
European powers (France, England, Prussia, Russia, Sardinia, Austria, and
the Ottoman empire) deny Moldova and Valacchia the right to unite, the same
prince (Alexandru Ioan Cuza) is appointed in both principalities by popular
will. The next few years mark the land reform, a single government organized
after the Western model, the creation of a national army, voting rights for
larger categories of people etc.
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February 10,
1866 |
A conspiracy
between several army chieftains and political leaders overthrows Cuza.
|
| May
10, 1866 |
King Carol of
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen replaces Cuza.
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|
1877-1878 |
The war of
independence. The united principalities of Moldova and Valacchia join Russia
in the anti-Ottoman war. Fierce fighting goes on, mostly on Bulgarian
territory, and ends by the victory of the allied forces. On May 9, 1877,
independence is declared.
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|
1912-1913 |
Romania joins the
second Balkan war. It wins the southern half of Dobrodja (Romania's
southeastern province), the so-called "Cadrilater" from Bulgaria.
|
| August
27, 1916 |
Romania enters
the First World War joining the Antante – the alliance between Russia, Great
Britain, Italy and France. By the end of 1916 Romania is in trouble, with
over half of its territory (Dobrodja and Valacchia) under occupation of
German, Turk and Bulgarian troops.
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|
January 1, 1918 |
Transylvania
joins Romania, which reunites for the first time in what most Romanians
would consider its natural borders.
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| June
26, 1940 |
Following an
ultimatum given by the USSR, Bassarabia and northern Bukovine are taken over
by the Soviet Union.
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| June
1940 |
The southern part
of Dobrodja, the Cadrilater, is taken over by Bulgaria, under German
pressure.
|
| August
29, 1940 |
The fascist
Italian and German regimes force Romania to surrender northern Transylvania
to Hungary. In three months Romania's territory halves.
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| June
22, 1941 |
Romania joins the
Axis in the Second World War. Albeit initially aimed at recovering
Bassarabia from the Soviet Union, the participation of the Romanian army
goes far beyond these limits. During the war against the Soviet Union
Romania loses over 200,000 people.
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| August
23, 1944 |
Under the
leadership of the very young King Michael, Romania accepts armistice and
joins the Allies against Germany in an effort that shortened the war by some
six months. By October 25, the entire territory of Romania is freed.
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| May 8,
1945 |
World War II is
over in Europe. Romania, however, is considered a defeated country. It
recovers northern Transylvania from Hungary, but losses Bassarabia to the
Soviet Union. Bassarabia will be further known as the Republic of Moldova,
albeit the Soviet Union makes some territorial swaps with Ukraine.
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| 1945 |
Following the
Yalta secret talks between Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin, Romania falls
under the Soviet Union sphere of influence. For Romania, a 45 year period of
communist dictatorship begins
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December 17-23,
1989
|
Bloody popular
upheaval against the communist dictatorship. Some 1,500 die during the
riots.
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RoDI
ISOC
IWA
ARTT
RTS
WQC 2003
ISAQ 2005