Moldavia

This article is about the medieval principality. For the modern state, see Moldova. For other uses, see Moldova (disambiguation).

Principality of Moldavia Moldova (Ţara Moldovei) (ro)
Vassal of the Ottoman Empire (1514-1859)
1346–1859 →   →   →
Flag Coat of arms
Moldavia under Stephen the Great, 1483
Capital	Baia, Siret 1343-1388 Suceava 1388-1564 Iaşi 1564-1859
Language(s)	Romanian (commonly used, later official), Church Slavonic (in early official use)
Government	Absolute monarchy
Princes of Moldavia (Voivodes, Hospodars)
- 1346-1353 (first)	Dragoş
- 1859-1862 (last)	Alexander John Cuza
History
- Foundation of the Moldavian mark	1346
- De Jure Union with Wallachia	1859
Currency	Taler

History of Moldova
This article is part of a series
Antiquity
Chernyakhov culture
Dacia, Free Dacians
Bastarnae
Early Middle Ages
Origin of the Romanians
Tivertsi
Brodnici
Golden Horde
Principality of Moldavia
Foundation
Stephen the Great
Early Modern Era
Phanariots
United Principalities
Bessarabia Governorate
Treaty of Bucharest
Moldavian Democratic Republic
Sfatul Ţării
Greater Romania
Union of Bessarabia with Romania
The Holocaust in Romanian-controlled territories
Moldavian ASSR
Moldovenism
Moldavian SSR
Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina
Soviet deportations
Republic of Moldova
Independence of Moldova
War of Transnistria
History of independent Moldova
Moldova Portal v · d · e

History of Romania
This article is part of a series
Prehistory
Dacia
Dacian Wars
Roman Dacia
Thraco-Roman syncretism
Early Middle Ages
Middle Ages
History of Transylvania
Foundation of Wallachia
Foundation of Moldavia
Early Modern Times
Principality of Transylvania
Phanariotes
Danubian Principalities
National awakening
Organic Statute
1848 Moldavian Revolution
1848 Wallachian Revolution
United Principalities
War of Independence
Kingdom of Romania
World War I
Union with Transylvania
Union with Bessarabia
Greater Romania
Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina
World War II
Communist Romania
Soviet occupation
1989 Revolution
Romania since 1989
Topic
Timeline
Military history
Christianity
Ethnogenesis
Romania Portal v · d · e

Moldavia (Romanian: Moldova pronounced [molˈdova]) is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, 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 as the basis of the modern Romanian state; at various times, the state included the regions of Bessarabia (with the Budjak), all of Bukovina and (under Stephen the Great) Pokuttya. The western part of Moldavia is now part of Romania and the eastern part belongs to the Republic of Moldova, while the northern and south-eastern parts are territories of Ukraine.

Name and etymology

Main article: Etymology of Moldova

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:^[1][2]

• a legend mentioned in Descriptio Moldaviae by Dimitrie Cantemir links it to an aurochs hunting trip of the Maramureş voivode Dragoş, and the latter's chase of a star-marked bull. Dragoş was accompanied by his female hound called Molda; when they reached 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 old German Molde, meaning "open-pit mine"
• the Gothic Mulda (Gothic: