ia in the thirteenth century--The
clans Liteanu and Bassarab--Mircea the Old--His history--The First
Capitulation (1393)--Character of Mircea--- Verses in his memory by
Bolentineanu (1826-1872)--John Corvin von Hunniad, Prince of
Transylvania--His history, character, and exploits--Vlad 'the
Impaler'--His cruelties--Capitulates to the Turks (1460
A.D.)--Moldavia--Its founders--Obscurity of
records--Stephen the Great--His history--His flight to
Niamtz--Verses by Bolentineanu--Recommends his son to capitulate to
the Turks--His character--Neagu Bassarab, founder of the Cathedral
of Curtea d'Ardges--His peaceful reign and works--- Radul
d'Affumati completes the cathedral--His death--Turkish
encroachments--Michael the Brave.

I.

When the title of barbarian immigration was ebbing in the Danubian
Principalities, it is natural to suppose that there must have remained a
very mixed population; and that, owing to the necessity for defence
against such ruthless invaders as we have described in our last chapter,
the inhabitants would congregate in various places under their ablest
leaders, and would fortify themselves in the best manner possible. This
was indeed the case, but until recently the historians of Roumania have
had little to guide them concerning the events of the period beyond
traditions which, though very interesting, are now gradually giving
place to recorded and authenticated facts.

Almost any history of the country which it is possible to find to-day,
narrates the rise of the Principalities after the following fashion: The
Daco-Roman colonists, historians say, fled into the Carpathian mountains
before the Goths and Huns, and for nearly a thousand years they retained
their nationality, from time to time making descents into the plains
from one or other colony which they had established, always, however, to
find new hordes of barbarians in possession. At length, when the great
wave of barbarism had subsided, one Radu Negru, whose name is translated
Rudolph the Black, the chief of the Daco-Roman colony of Fogaras in the
Carpathians, descended into the plains with his followers, according to
some writers in 1240 A.D., whilst others say in 1290, and,
first fixing his capital at Campu-Lung, and then moving it to Curtea
d'Ardges, where he built a beautiful cathedral, drove out the barbarians
who remained in Wallachia, and became the first Voivode of that
pro