At Europe's borders : medieval towns in the Romanian principalities
by Laurenƫiu Rǎdvan ; translated by Valentin Cîrdei
This ambitious work focuses on the emergence and the development of medieval towns in the two Romanian principalities of South-Eastern Europe, Wallachia and Moldavia, from their earliest days, in the 13th century, up to the 16th. It is the only work of its kind in English, but at the same time the first in the field seeking to identify and substantiate common elements between towns in this area of Europe. It also covers Poland, Hungary and the lands south of the Danube. By relying both on various written sources, and on archeological finds, the author addresses several controversial issues, starting from the particulars of urbanization, through an analysis of local institutions, of urban society and economy, and concluding with thorough case studies. The result is a book which shows that medieval towns in the Romanian Principalities, despite being on the outskirts of Europe, were nevertheless part of it.
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[目次]
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments ... xi
Abbreviations ... xiii
List of rulers until c. 1550 ... xv
List of illustrations and maps ... xvii
Introduction ... 1
PART ONE: MEDIEVAL TOWNS IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE
Chapter One. Towns in the Kingdom of Poland ... 27
Emergence and organization ... 27
Population, society and economy ... 39
Topography ... 46
Case studies: Wroclaw and Krakow ... 47
Chapter Two. Towns in the Kingdom of Hungary ... 53
Emergence and organization ... 53
Population, society and economy ... 61
Toponymy and topography ... 65
Case studies ... 67
Chapter Three. Towns South of the Danube ... 87
Towns in Serbia, Bosnia and on the Dalmatian coast ... 87
Towns in Bulgaria ... 104
PART TWO: TOWNS IN WALLACHIA
Chapter One. Urbanization ... 115
Background ... 115
The emergence of towns ... 133
Terminology ... 143
Main residences of the prince ... 170
The targs ... 171
Chapter Two. Institutional, social, ethnic and economic
structures ... 183
Administration, law, and relations with the ruler ... 183