The country of nobody
Geographically Transnistria (Pridnestrovie) is bounded by the 800 km bank of Nistru (Dniester), the 600 km bank of Bug and the 150 km of the Black Sea seacoast [1]. By Transnistrian Romanians we understand all people over Nistru, including Podolia, Dnieper and even Don; as well as from Crimea, Caucasus and Siberia.
The origins of the Romanian population on the East of Nistru are to be found in the symbiosis between tirageti (Getae from Tyras and Nistru), that is among the subjects of Burebista that ruled Olbia at the Bug’s mouths and the Romans, whose tracks can be found at every turning.
Since very old times, an obvious process of ethnographic and demographic interpenetration between Romanians and Ruthenians (Ukrainians) started. It continued along the centuries through the colonization and emigration of these two races. The Bolohoveni Knezes ruled the population on the course of Sluchi River and the Upper Bug River. They were also the ones that preceded the Cossacks [2]. The Ukrainian historian V. B. Antonovichi wrote in 1885 that neither the right, nor the left of Nistru “belonged to the Halicien or other Russian princes” [3]. The body to body fight with the Slavic and Turanian tribes did not impede the establishment of the Moldovan state in the 14th century, the Baia principality joining other older Romanian localities, some of them spread as far as Poland and Volhinia [4]. Among the Bolohoveni voievodes, Alexander from Belti and Gleb of Ieremia were some of the most well-known. [5]. Yet, with debut of the 2nd millennium, this Romanianity was quite powerful, a fact proven by Scandinavian sources from the 9th century, pointing out the presence of “Blakumens” over Nistru, and by a Russian old chronicle mentioning the same “volohove” in the region [6]. The Romanian element experienced an excess of vitality and the phenomenon of Diaspora, starting with a Crachiun in 1287 in Crimea, followed by a “Hungarian Marioara” from Caffa in 1280, and in the 15th century - by the “Hungarians” Radu, Stanciu, Stoica in the same colony [7].
In May 25, 1455 the inhabitants of the White Fortress (Cetatea Alba), dissatisfied with the piratical actions of the Genoese from the Lerici castle on the Dnieper river mouths, took possession of the fortress and sent as captives the rulers of the White Fortress (who were Genovezi) to the hospodar Petru Aron [8].
Podolia of the Stefan the Great was viewed by N. Iorga as belonging to “actually nobody”, although it successively nominally belonged to the Tatar Knezes, the Big Principality of Lithuania and Poland. Imperceptibly a “new” Moldova of over Nistru with an increasing number of villages appeared. The Lerici fortress was occupied by Moldova during 1455-1475.
Romanian Cossacks
Stefan Bathory in a letter to the Sublime Porte shows that the territories between Bug and Dnieper were populated by a gathering of Polish Litvans, Moscals and Romanians. Cossacks originated from both Moscals and Romanians [8]. When saying Cossack, the Tartars meant vagabond. Their hetman Dumitru Vishnovietcki was descending from a sister of P. Rares. He claimed the chair of Moldova as well [9]. Following Ioan Voda the Terrible, the Cossacks attacked Moldova several times bringing with them the “Domnisori (young hospodars)” – true or fake sons over Nistru of the former hospodars of Moldova.
Ioan Nicoara Potcoava was the first hetman chosen by the entire Zaporojie Seche. He managed to occupy the throne of Moldova for a short time and the same luck was tried by other Romanians leading Cossacks: Alexandru and Constantin Potcoava [10], Petre Lungu, Petre Cazacu. The supreme rang of Cossacks hetman was hold by Transnistrian Romanians as well, some of which were Ion Grigore Loboda, Tihon Baibuza, Samoila Chisca, Ion Sircu, Opara, Trofim Volosanin (the Romanian), Ion Sarpila, Timotei Sgura, Dumitru Hunu and the legendary hero of Cossacks in the fight for independence of Ukraine - Danila Apostol. During the XVI – XVIII centuries, high ranks among Cossacks were held by the colonel Toader Lobada, (in Pereiaslav), Martin Puscariu (in Poltava), Burla (in Gdansk), Pavel Apostol (in Mirgorod), Eremie Ginju si Dimitrie Bancescu (in Uman), Dumitrascu Raicea (in Pereiaslav), commander Varlam Buhatel, Grigore Gamalie (in Lubensc), Grigore Cristofor, Ion Ursu (in Rascov), Petru Apostol (in Lubensc). Other big commanders of Cossack units out of “Transnistrian Dacians” were:
Topa, Scapa, Taranul, Moldovan, Munteanu, Procopie, Desalaga, Dragan, Gologan, Polubotoc, Cociubei, Turculet, Chigheci, Grigoras, Bogdan, Radul, Focsa, Basarab, Grigorcea, Borcea, etc. Many of them signed the documents of Ukraine’s union with Russia, as of January 18, 1654 [11], while others like the general Ciorba and the colonels Mindra, Ghinea si Brinca entered the service of Russia [12].
The hospodars of Moldova dominated Transnistria
Following 1574, when Ion Voda Armeanul had mentioned about “our country of Moldova over Nistru”, following 1602, when the boyars [13] had referred to their relatives over Nistru, in 1681 Gh. Duca became “the despot of Moldova and Ukraine”, the same period during which documents started to be written in Romanian [16]. If till that year it was only the ethnical border that passed over Nistru, Duca brought the political border in the Transnistrian region, which had under its administration all the territories between the Carpathians and the Dnieper. After him Ukraine was ruled by Stefan Movila, Dimitrie Cantacuzino and Ene Draghici, Simeon Palis and Sandu Coltea also holding high positions [17].
As a consequence of Duca Voda’s governance (that established princely courts in Ticanova on Nistru and Nimirov on Bug) Moldova continued till 1765 to administer as well the left bank of Nistru [18].
Transnistria ’s important centers were Movilaul, Dubasari, Silibria, Iampol, Jaruga, Rascov, Vasilcau. In the new region formed by Russians at Ocheakov (at whose construction Petru Schiopu participated with 15000 day laborers and 3000 carts) the following boyars benefited of lands: Cantacuzino, Rosetti, Catargiu, Badiul, Sturza, Manuil, Macaresu, Cucu, Boian, Iliescu, Sabau, Cananau, Craciun, Pascal, Hagila, Sacara, Nicorita, Ghenadie, Dodon, Zurucila etc. The fortress was stirred by Mihai Viteazul in 1600 and appeared starting back then as one of the cities of Moldova). In a census from 1793, between Nistru and Bug there were 67 villages, 49 out of which were Romanian [19].
The Transnistrian church subordinated since the old times to the Romanian Church
The region was gravitating to Moldova from the church viewpoint as well, so that in 1657 the metropolitan bishop of Suceava ordained Layar Branovici as bishop in Cernigov [20]. In an act from Tighina as of 1769 the following specification was made with regards to the church subordination: “the mitropolit of Proilavei (Brailei), of Tamarovei (Reniului), of Hotin, of all the edges of Dunarii and Nistru and the entire Ukraine of the khan” [21]. Several times the region between Nistru and Bug was under the administration of Hushi bishopric. After 1792 (date at which Russians reached Nistru) from the church viewpoint, Transnistria belonged to Ecaterinoslav, in front of which was the Romanian Gavriil Banulescu-Bodoni, who after the annexation of Bassarabia joined under the same metropolitan seat Chisinau, Hotin and Oceacov “because the region of Oceacov, same as Bassarabia, was inhabited by Moldovans, Vlahs, Greek, Bulgarians and colonists of different nationalities, and very few Russians”. In 1837 the diocese of Cherson and Tauridia was established, the residence being in Odessa [22]. On the left bank of Nistru and in some places of Cherson steppe till Bug, there were locations with about 100 Moldovan Churches, while the whole South of Russia till about Kiev was in the stage of colonization only with two decades before Bessarabia’s capture.
In 1717 Mihai Racovita, the hospodar of Moldova, certified through an act an offering of estate made over Nistru to Apostol Leca [24].
(to be continued)
Viorel Dolha *
http://ro.altermedia.info/index.php?p=2111
Translated from Romanian by V. Ursu
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NOTES
[1]. A. Nour, Basarabia, 1/1992 p. 82.
[2]. G. Bratianu, ,,Traditia istorica despre intemeierea statelor romanesti” (The historical tradition about the establishment of Romanian states), Bucuresti 1980, p. 170.
[3]. A. Boldur, Teritoriul Moldovei fata de principatele…(The territory of Moldova in comparison to the principalities…), ,,Patrimoniu” , 4/1991, p. 14.
[4]. S. Mehedinti, Fruntaria Romaniei spre rasarit (The Romania’s borders to the East), ,Neamul Romanesc” (periodical “The Romanian Nation”), Chisinau , 1/1991, p. 6.
[5]. I.S. Nistor, ,,Istoria romanilor din Transnistria ” (The history of Romanians from Transnistria), Bucuresti 1995, p.13.
[6]. E. Lozovan, Romanii orientali de la Nistru la Vladivostok (The Eastern Romanians from Nistru to Vladivostok), ,,Neamul Romanesc, p. 31, 1/1991.
[7]. Ghe. Bratianu, ,,Traditia istorica despre ...”, p.170.
[8]. I. Nistor, ,,Basarabia”, 10/1990, p.159.
[9]. N. Iorga, ,,Istoria romanilor pentru poporul romanesc” (The history of Romanians for the Romanian people), Chisinau 1992, p.103
[10]. A. Boldur, ,,Istoria Basarabiei” (The history of Bessarabia), Bucuresti 1992, p. 177.
[11]. D. Pocitarencu, Cetatea Thighina (The fortress Tighina), ,,Patrimoniu” 2/1991, p.22, Chisinau.
[12]. I.S. Nistor op.cit., p. 16.
[13]. E.St. Holban, Figuri basarabene (Bessarabian figures), ,,Basarabia”, 3/1992, p.89.
[14]. A. Crihan, Bsarabia, 10/1991, p.69.
[15]. XXX ,,Istoria Romaniei in date” (The history of Romanians in data), Chisinau 1992, p. 138.
[16]. N. Iorga, Istoria romanilor prin calatori (The history of Romanians through travelers), Bucuresti 1981, p. 276.
[17]. I.S. Nistor, op.cit., p.19.
[18]. N. Iorga, Romanii de peste Nistru (Romanians over Nistru), ,,Basarabia”, 11/1992, p.87.
[19]. E. Lozovan, Romanii orientali…(Eastern Romanians…), ,,Neamul Romanesc”, 1/1991, p.32.
[20]. I.S. Nistor, op.cit., p.23.
[21]. E.St. Holban, Figuri basarabene (Bessarabian Figures), ,,Basarabia”, 1/1992.
[22]. I.S. Nistor, op.cit., p. 26.
[23]. St. Ciobanu, Cultura romaneasca in Basarabia (The Romanian Culture in Bessarabia), Chisinau 1992, p. 23.
[24]. E.St. Holban, Prin veacurile involburate…(Through the whirling centuries…), ,,Basarabia”, 1/1992.
