Annales d’Université Valahia Targoviste, Section d’Archeologie et d’Histoire, Tome XV, Numéro 1, 2013, p. 83-88 ISSN: 1584-1855; ISSN (online): 2285–3669 The Reign of Teodosie and the 1521 Fights for the Wallachian Throne Short Considerations Radu Cârciumaru * *Valahia University Târgovi şte, Faculty of Humanities, Str. Locotenent Stancu Ion, nr. 34-36, Târgovi şte, 130018, Dâmbovi ţa County, e-mail: [email protected] Abstract : The Reign of Teodosie and the 1521 Fights for the Wallachian Throne. Short Considerations. The period which covers the death of voivode Neagoe Basarab and the accession to the throne of Radu of Afuma ți, limited at historical scale, proved a moment of maximum tension in the sinuous development of the Wallachian state during the first decades of the 14th century. It was the beginning of a strained time in the evolution of the Wallachian state which was concluded by the instauration of a direct regime of domination of the Ottoman Empire. Naturally, when events reach us through chronicles or other subjective sources, the interval groups unclear aspects that cannot be supported by precious documentary evidence. Although historiography does not lack for interests in Teodosie’s rule, a number of uncertainties regarding the age of the royal offspring, his relationship with the influential boyar family of the Craiove ști and particularly his connections with the Ottoman power, represented by the Pasha of Nikopol, still linger on. Thus, the present study aims to highlight and complete earlier or more recent theories and assumptions formulated in the specialty literature and, therefore, to make a contribution to comprehending a controversial time of the Romanian Middle Ages. Key-words: voivode, succession, trusteeship, boyars, Ottoman Empire “Din mila lui Dumnezeu, Io Radul voievod şi Naturally, when events reach us through domn a toat ă ţara Ungrovlahiei, fiul marelui şi chronicles only, the interval generates bunului Radul voievod ” (meaning “By God’s controversies caused by the lack of absolutely mercy, I, voivode Radu, prince of all country of necessary documentary evidence. An episode Ungro-Wallachia, son of the good and great which best illustrates the turmoil of events shows Radu voivode”)*. This is how the new Prince of us the ephemeral reign of Teodosie and the Wallachia, Radu, illegitimate son of Prince Radu attempts to recover the throne that hastened his the Great, generally remembered as Radu of untimely end. Afuma ți, a village located in the Ilfov area where The death of Prince Neagoe Basarab on 15 his properties were, would call himself in the September 1521 meant, according to the document issued on 3 February 1522 at the hereditary principle, that the power would pass to Princely Court of Târgovi şte. his son, Teodosie, who, being very young, was It was an official document that came out under the protection of the powerful Craiovescu seven months after the last document issued by family and his mother, Princess Despina Mili ţa. the chancellery of the great Voivode Neagoe Dangers would threaten at every step the Basarab (I. Bidian, 1978). The period, which is royal seat and, as the Ottoman Empire reached its short at historical scale, marked a moment of acme, the status of Wallachia became more fierce political and military conflict that would fragile. Boyars from Buz ău, that had been have an impact on the development of the banished to Moldavia by the late prince, had Wallachian state during the first part of the 14 th found support at the court of Bogdan III and were century. expecting to assume the power by bringing to the 83 Radu Cârciumaru throne the illegitimate son of the former voivode, voivode and could have represented an efficient Vlad cel Tân ăr (“the Young”), who had ruled the source of information for Michael Bocignoli. country from 1510 to 1512. In conclusion, all these negotiations could The first unclear aspect, which is worth easily become known to the author of the epistle mentioning and analysing, is the age of the royal (especially since his writing is almost offspring who was entitled to reign, in autumn contemporary with the events) who thus 1521. The writing of the Ragusan Michael considered the change of the rule in a negative Bocignoli, dated 29 June, 1524, mentioned that way. Neagoe Basarab left an heir who had not yet The information regarding Teodosie’s age come of age: ” …Basarab, domnul Ţă rii may also contain a mere error of interpretation. Române şti (pe care l-am cunoscut înainte de a fi Bocignoli said he had met Neagoe Basarab domn, pe când m ă aflam la români), moare before the latter’s ascension to the throne and the lăsând dup ă el un fiu de 7 ani ” ( “…Basarab, the references to Teodosie’s age might allude to that Prince of Wallachia, whom I had met before he particular time. If we start from the theory that became voivode, while being among the Teodosie’s age is correctly mentioned by the Romanians, dies leaving behind a 7-year-old Venetian ambassadors, then he might have been, son )**. This information was questioned by the in early 1512, before Neagoe Basarab’s Romanian historiography (Constantin assumption of power, 7 years old. Therefore, the Rezachevici, 2001) which brought up the data contained in Michael Bocignoli’s epistle document of 30 October 1521 by which the would refer to Teodosie’s age during his stay in Venetian ambassadors from Buda announced the Wallachia, especially since the exact moment and appointment of 16-year-old Teodosie to the circumstances of the sojourn remain unknown. throne of Wallachia (“ …Io Illustrissimo Vayvoda The lack of official internal documents di Transalpina et li Valachi haveano electo il fiol makes it impossible to precisely date the reign of suo chiamato Theodosio de anni 16… ”)***. young Teodosie. It can be partially reconstituted The writing of the Ragusan Bocignoli, which based on several letters sent to Bra şov and Sibiu contains a comprehensive description of and on reports commissioned by the Hungarian Wallachia, should be considered within the Kingdom which record some of the political context of his rich diplomatic activity dedicated turmoil across the Carpathians. to stopping the expansion of the empire of the First, we shall focus on the controversial crescent moon. He completely disregards the two tutelage exerted by his uncle, the great boyar extra-Carpathian Romanian states that were Preda Craiovescu. The Letopise ţul Cantacuzinesc under the Ottoman domination and enhances accurately describes the course of events: “Iar Transylvania’s role appealing to the great dup ă moartea lui B ăsărab vod ă s-au în ălţat Christian powers to support the fight against the domn Preda, fratele lui B ăsărab voevod, ca s ă ţie Turks. domniia lui Theodosie, nepot ă-său” (“after From this perspective, it is likely that the Basarab voda’s death, prince Preda, brother of manuscript should have been ordered by the Basarab voivode, assumed the trusteeship of the influential voivode of Transylvania, John reign of his nephew Teodosie”)*****. The oldest Zapolya, in order to use it as an instrument of version of the chronicle of Wallachia provides an propaganda, possibly to raise a Christian even clearer picture: ”În anul 7029 al lumii, dupa coalition that would include the Romanian moartea lui, domnul Preda, fratele lui, s-a ridicat countries as well. ca s ă fac ă pe Theodosie, fiul fratelui sau The negotiations carried out by Neagoe Basarab, vioevod în locul tat ălui sau. ” or in Basarab and the Pasha of Nikopol, Mehmed, translation “In the year of the world 7029, during the first months of 1521, established the following his death, his brother prince Preda dispatch of Wallachian military support. Due to raised to make Theodosie, the son of his brother the voivode’s poor health, it was probably placed Basarab, voivode in his father’s place” (V. under Teodosie’s command****. Cândea, 1970). Youth and inexperience of the royal offspring Radu Popescu’s chronicle brings a different in military actions finally led to the suspension of view on this moment, questioning the beginnings the Wallachian operations. At the same time it of Teodosie’s reign: “ Iar, când au fost leat 7029, should be noted that Neagoe Basarab’s doctor, s-au prist ăvit şi Neagoe-vod ă, domnul rumânilor. Ieronim Matievich, a Ragusan as well, was in Şi în urma lui au fost mult ă gâlceav ă pentru Wallachia during the last year of life of the domnie, c ă feciorii lui Neagoe-vod ă, Theodosie şi Tome XV, Numéro 1, 2013 84 The Reign of Teodosie and the 1521 Fights for the Wallachian Throne Short Considerations altul, au fost mici, r ăma şi cu muma lor Dospina. by the pretender Vlad C ălug ărul (S. Dragomir, Ci o seam ă de boiari au r ădicat domnu p ă Preda, 1925-1926). The messenger sent to the court of ce zic s ă fie fost frate lui Neagoe-vod ă” (“and the king of Hungary was stopped in Bra şov on when it was the year 7029, Neagoe-vod ă, the the grounds that it was not recognized: “ …a ţi prince of the Romanians, passed away. Much oprit Gra ţiositatea voastr ă acolo în Bra şov pe quarrel for the throne did he leave behind for sluga noastr ă Andriia ş fiindc ă n-aţi crezut c ă Neagoe-vod ă’s sons, Theodosie and another one, este trimis de la domnia noastr ă. Drept aceea, were young and remained with their mother Gra ţiozitatea voastr ă, s ă şti ţi şi s ă crede ţi, c ă l- Dospina. Some boyars put Preda, Neagoe-vod ă’s am trimis noi c ătre în ălţimea craiul cu vorbele brother, on the throne”)******.