At Europe's Borders: Medieval Towns in the Romanian Principalities

Laurenţiu Rădvan, Ph.D. (2003) in History, University „Al. I. Cuza” Iaşi, is Associate Professor of medieval history at the Department of History of the same university. He has published several works of medieval urban history, mostly devoted to the urbanization process in the Romanian-inhabited area. Member of the International Commission for the History of Towns (2008). Selected volumes: Oraşele din Ţara Românească până la sfârşitul sec. XVI, Iaşi, 2004; Oraşul din spaţiul românesc între Orient şi Occident. Tranziţia de la medievalitate la modernitate, volume of studies, Iaşi, 2007.

• CONTENTSAcknowledgments ....................................................................... xiAbbreviations .............................................................................. xiiiList of rulers until c. 1550 ......................................................... xvList of illustrations and maps ..................................................... xviiIntroduction ................................................................................ 1PART ONE: MEDIEVAL TOWNS IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEChapter One. Towns in the Kingdom of Poland .................... 27Emergence and organization .................................................. 27Population, society and economy ........................................... 39Topography ............................................................................. 46Case studies: Wrocław and Kraków ...................................... 47Chapter Two. Towns in the Kingdom of Hungary ................. 53Emergence and organization .................................................. 53Population, society and economy ........................................... 61Toponymy and topography .................................................... 65Case studies ............................................................................. 67Chapter Three. Towns South of the Danube .......................... 87Towns in Serbia, Bosnia and on the Dalmatian coast .......... 87Towns in Bulgaria ................................................................... 104PART TWO: TOWNS IN WALLACHIAChapter One. Urbanization ...................................................... 115Background ............................................................................. 115The emergence of towns ........................................................ 133Terminology ............................................................................ 143Main residences of the prince ................................................ 170The târgs .................................................................................. 171Chapter Two. Institutional, social, ethnic and economicstructures ................................................................................. 183Administration, law, and relations with the ruler .................. 183The town domain ................................................................... 202Social and ethnic structures ................................................... 206Economy ................................................................................. 223Chapter Three. Case studies ..................................................... 243Arges 243, Brăila 248, Bucharest 255, Buzău 261,Câmpulung 264, Craiova 271, Floci 275, Gherghita 277,Ocna Mare 280, Pitesti 282, Râmnic 286, Râmnicul Sărat 291,Slatina 293, Târgoviste 295, Târgsor 303, Târgul Jiului 306PART THREE: TOWNS IN MOLDAVIAChapter One. Urbanization ...................................................... 311Background ............................................................................. 311The emergence of towns ........................................................ 323Terminology ............................................................................ 371Main residences of the prince ................................................ 381The târgs .................................................................................. 383Chapter Two. Institutional, social, ethnic and economicstructures ................................................................................. 393Administration, law, and relations with the ruler .................. 393The town domain ................................................................... 418Social and ethnic structures ................................................... 421Economy ................................................................................. 431Chapter Three. Case studies ..................................................... 451Adjud 451, Bacău 453, Baia 458, Bârlad 465, Botosani 469,Cernăuti 471, Cetatea Albă 473, Cotnari 484, Dorohoi 487,Fălciu 489, Galati 490, Hârlău 491, Hotin 495, Husi 497,Iasi 501, Kilia 506, Lăpusna 514, Milcovia and Putna 514,Neamt 517, Orhei 520, Piatra lui Crăciun 522, Roman 525,Siret 529, Soroca 533, Suceava 534, Târgul Frumos 541,Tecuci 542, Tighina 543, Trotus 544, Vaslui 547Conclusions ................................................................................. 551Short Glossary ............................................................................ 557Bibliography ................................................................................ 559Index ........................................................................................... 595

"...le livre de L. Rădvan représente la première synthèse sur la génèse du phenomène urbain dans les pays roumains, une synthèse qui ne manque pas de points de vue nouveaux sur des problèmes difficiles et controversées...”Andrei Timotin, Journal of South-East European Studies, Vol. XLIX, 2011