Cioc^ altan, opened the possibility of a strong link with the Pontic centres through the
territories liberated from under the power of the Golden Hoard (Papacostea and
Cioc^ altan 2007: 209). The commercial waterways at the Black Sea through the
decisive contribution of the Genovese coupled in the western direction the way of
Moldavia with the way of Wallachia: Maurocastrum, from the margin of Nistru,
Vicina on the Lower Danube, Licostomo, from the mouth of Chilia, became strong
commercial centres.
More illustrative is the title of the ruler of Wallachia, Mircea cel Ba ˘tr^ an
(1386–1418), “great voivod and only ruler of the entire Wallachia, the areas over
the mountains, the Tatar regions and the herteg of Almaș and Fa ˘ga ˘raș, prince of
Banat, Severin and of both parts of Podunavia up to the Big Sea and unique ruler of
the city of D^ arstor” (in a document from 1406).
The maritime fac ¸ade and the mouth of the Danube boasted ports, such as Chilia,
Lycostomo, Geanavarda, Constanța, Mangalia and Caliacra. As a result of
a campaign of the sultans Mehmed II (1451–1481) and Baized II (1481–1512),
the Ottoman Empire takes over the region of Dobrogea, between the Danube and
the Black Sea. Moldavia continued to maintain its presence at the Black Sea during
the reigns of Alexandru cel Bun (1400–1432), of Petru Aron (three terms in
between 1451 and 1457), when sultan Mehmed II grants Moldavian traders the
right to sail and protection for their ships since June 9, 1456, and especially of
Ștefan cel Mare (1456–1504), who was concerned to change the rapports between
Moldavians and Ottomans in his favour. He included in this policy the fleet formed
by the so called “Moldavian p^ anzar (a ship)” (Ciorbea and Atanasiu 1995: 23–24).
Besides the use of the ships for the defense of the maritime ports, Ștefan cel Mare
was interested in navigation in the area of Mount Athos. An inscription found at
Zografu monastery informs us about the ships tower built in 1475 upon the order of
the ruler (Iorga 1913–1914: 44–47). It is no wonder that the church painting in
Moldavia includes ships, the most representative being those of St. Parascheva in
Roman, St. Nicholas in Ba ˘linești and The Beheading of St. John at Sucevița
(Solcanu 2002: 71–74).
The Ottoman expedition of 1482 resulted in the occupation of Chilia and Cetatea
Alba ˘, major ports in Moldavia, an event which affected the maritime evolution of
the country in the following centuries. The Black Sea becomes “a Turkish lake”, the
Turkish ships doing the trading of most products from the ports at the mouth of the
Danube and Constanța. As far as the Romanian ships are concerned, they were not
entirely absent from the maritime trading, but as specified “they sailed Turkishflagged and they were forced to serve the interests of the ruling power” (Toderașcu
1977: 30).
At the order of the ruler of Wallachia, Neagoe Basarab (1512–1522), a mooring
point was erected at Mount Athos, when two ships were built. There is information
on the two ships from the famous travelers Paul of Alep and Evlia Celebi. The
former crossed the Siret on a ship. A Polish envoy, Iosif Podoski, counted seven
smaller ships on the Prut (Solcanu 2002: 73).
In the context of the 1677–1678 Russian-Turkish conflict over the control of the
Black Sea, which brought the Czarist Empire, through the Treaty of Kuciuk
34 On Romanian Assertiveness in Navigation on the Black Sea. . .
587
territories liberated from under the power of the Golden Hoard (Papacostea and
Cioc^ altan 2007: 209). The commercial waterways at the Black Sea through the
decisive contribution of the Genovese coupled in the western direction the way of
Moldavia with the way of Wallachia: Maurocastrum, from the margin of Nistru,
Vicina on the Lower Danube, Licostomo, from the mouth of Chilia, became strong
commercial centres.
More illustrative is the title of the ruler of Wallachia, Mircea cel Ba ˘tr^ an
(1386–1418), “great voivod and only ruler of the entire Wallachia, the areas over
the mountains, the Tatar regions and the herteg of Almaș and Fa ˘ga ˘raș, prince of
Banat, Severin and of both parts of Podunavia up to the Big Sea and unique ruler of
the city of D^ arstor” (in a document from 1406).
The maritime fac ¸ade and the mouth of the Danube boasted ports, such as Chilia,
Lycostomo, Geanavarda, Constanța, Mangalia and Caliacra. As a result of
a campaign of the sultans Mehmed II (1451–1481) and Baized II (1481–1512),
the Ottoman Empire takes over the region of Dobrogea, between the Danube and
the Black Sea. Moldavia continued to maintain its presence at the Black Sea during
the reigns of Alexandru cel Bun (1400–1432), of Petru Aron (three terms in
between 1451 and 1457), when sultan Mehmed II grants Moldavian traders the
right to sail and protection for their ships since June 9, 1456, and especially of
Ștefan cel Mare (1456–1504), who was concerned to change the rapports between
Moldavians and Ottomans in his favour. He included in this policy the fleet formed
by the so called “Moldavian p^ anzar (a ship)” (Ciorbea and Atanasiu 1995: 23–24).
Besides the use of the ships for the defense of the maritime ports, Ștefan cel Mare
was interested in navigation in the area of Mount Athos. An inscription found at
Zografu monastery informs us about the ships tower built in 1475 upon the order of
the ruler (Iorga 1913–1914: 44–47). It is no wonder that the church painting in
Moldavia includes ships, the most representative being those of St. Parascheva in
Roman, St. Nicholas in Ba ˘linești and The Beheading of St. John at Sucevița
(Solcanu 2002: 71–74).
The Ottoman expedition of 1482 resulted in the occupation of Chilia and Cetatea
Alba ˘, major ports in Moldavia, an event which affected the maritime evolution of
the country in the following centuries. The Black Sea becomes “a Turkish lake”, the
Turkish ships doing the trading of most products from the ports at the mouth of the
Danube and Constanța. As far as the Romanian ships are concerned, they were not
entirely absent from the maritime trading, but as specified “they sailed Turkishflagged and they were forced to serve the interests of the ruling power” (Toderașcu
1977: 30).
At the order of the ruler of Wallachia, Neagoe Basarab (1512–1522), a mooring
point was erected at Mount Athos, when two ships were built. There is information
on the two ships from the famous travelers Paul of Alep and Evlia Celebi. The
former crossed the Siret on a ship. A Polish envoy, Iosif Podoski, counted seven
smaller ships on the Prut (Solcanu 2002: 73).
In the context of the 1677–1678 Russian-Turkish conflict over the control of the
Black Sea, which brought the Czarist Empire, through the Treaty of Kuciuk
34 On Romanian Assertiveness in Navigation on the Black Sea. . .
587