Down to this period (the middle of the fourteenth century) we have been necessarily compelled to speak loosely of the territories which were overrun and held by the various barbarian races, for there is no clear information concerning the limits of their occupation; but henceforward our record will deal chiefly with Roumania as at present constituted.  The Wallacho-Bulgarian monarchy, whatever may have been its limits, was annihilated by a horde of Tartars about A.D. 1250.  The same race committed great havoc in Hungary, conquered the Kumani, overran Moldavia, Transylvania, &c., and held their ground there until about the middle of the fourteenth century, when they were driven northward by the Hungarian, Saxon, and other settlers in Transylvania; and with their exit we have done with the barbarians.

[Footnote 126:  He calls himself ’Calojohannes Imperator Blacorum et Bulgarorum,’ which Lauriani translates ’Kaiser der Romaenen und Bulgaren,’ Emperor of the Roumanians, &c.  In this and the preceding letter the reader has illustrations of the bias which weakens the evidence of alleged facts in Roumanian history.  Those writers who are unwilling to concede Roman descent to the people make no mention of such expressions as that used by Innocent concerning their ancestry, whilst the patriotic native historians use license in translation in order to improve their position.]

[Footnote 127:  In the Bull they are called ’Imperatores totius Bulgariae,’ which Lauriani (p. 56) unfairly translates ’Die Kaiser von ganz Bulgarien und Romaenien’ (Emperors of all Bulgaria and Roumania!).]

CHAPTER XI.

FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE PRINCIPALITIES, BETWEEN THE MIDDLE OF THE THIRTEENTH AND OF THE FOURTEENTH CENTURIES TO THE ACCESSION OF MICHAEL THE BRAVE, A.D. 1593.

State of the country at, the close of the barbarian era—­Foundation of the Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia—­Traditions of Radu Negru and Bogdan Dragosch—­Historical evidence—­Description of the various rulerships in Wallachia 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.