Moldova, officially known as the Republic of Moldova, is situated between Romania and Ukraine in Eastern Europe, bordered to the north by Belarus. Its capital is Chisinau, and despite Moldovan being the official language, the true language is Romanian. Russian is also spoken and holds significance among the native languages. Moldova is renowned for its wines and picturesque landscapes, and its currency is the Moldovan Leu. The country is intersected by the Dniester and Prut rivers, with the self-proclaimed independent region of Transnistria within its borders. Moldova and Romania share a close cultural and linguistic connection, with both being predominantly Romanian-speaking nations. The predominant religion in Moldova is Orthodox Christianity.
Historical Background of Moldova
The history of Moldova dates back to ancient times, hosting various ancient civilizations such as the Hungarians, Tatars, and Goths. The ancient name for Moldova's territory was Besarabia. The Ottoman Empire referred to these lands as "Bogdan," which today corresponds to the northern region of present-day Romania. This signifies the shared historical traits between Romania and Moldova.
The earliest establishment in Moldova's history can be traced back to around 1st millennium BC when the Thracians settled in the region, founding the Kingdom of Dacia under the leadership of King Burebista. In the 2nd century AD, the Roman armies conquered these territories, making them a province of the Roman Empire. After the Romans withdrew due to the Gothic invasions in the 3rd century, the Moldova region was repeatedly invaded by various tribes, including the Avars, Huns, and Slavs.
Ottoman Rule and Moldova's History
The first state established by Moldovans in history was the Principality of Moldavia, founded in 1352, with DragoÈ™ as its founder. The most significant figure in Moldovan history is Stephen the Great, also known as Stephen III of Moldavia. During the reign of Sultan Bayezid II, the Ottoman army captured the strategically important Akkerman fortress and the thriving trade city of Kilia. Although Stephen the Great resisted the Ottomans, he ultimately accepted paying annual tribute, remaining under Ottoman suzerainty. Due to his courage in facing the Ottoman armies, Stephen the Great was revered as the knight of Christianity by European states. On his deathbed in 1517, he is said to have advised his children to remain under the protection of the Turks, as they were just and merciful. Stephen the Great's sword is now displayed in the Topkapi Palace Museum.
In the 16th century, when Moldavian Prince Petru Rareș refused to pay tribute to the Ottomans, Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent launched a campaign into Moldavia. Rareș managed to escape to the Transylvanian forests. By the 16th century, Moldavia had fully entered Ottoman dominion, becoming a buffer zone. The Ottoman Empire never completely conquered Wallachia and Moldavia; they were merely placed under its protection. Wallachia and Moldavia paid annual taxes to the Ottoman Empire, their leaders were appointed and approved by the Ottoman Emperor, and, when necessary, Ottoman troops provided assistance. Due to the Ottomans never fully settling in these regions, Ottoman traces in Moldova are not as prominent as in the Balkan cities to the south. Therefore, Ottoman structures in Moldova are not as defined and grandiose as those in the Balkan countries.
The Strengthening of Russia under Peter the Great and its expansionist ambitions towards the Balkans turned Moldova and the Romanian region into an area of power struggle between the Ottoman Empire and Russia. In 1711, when Moldavian Prince Cantemir reached an agreement with Peter the Great and rebelled, the Ottoman state lost its trust in the Romanians, and from then on, the rulers of Moldavia and Wallachia were selected and appointed from among the Ottoman citizens of Fener Greeks. This situation continued until the Greek uprising in 1821. After the Greek uprising, the Ottomans also began to distrust the Greek leaders.
In 1812, as a result of the Russo-Turkish War, the Bucharest Treaty, which ended with the loss of the Ottoman Empire, ceded Bessarabia to Russia. The separation of Bessarabia, situated to the east of the Prut River, forms one of the fundamental historical reasons for the division between present-day Romania and Moldova. Later, during the Crimean War, when the Ottomans won (1856), they regained Southern Bessarabia. However, in 1878, as a result of the Russo-Turkish War, when the Russians emerged victorious, according to the Berlin Conference, Wallachia and Moldavia became independent by detaching from the Ottoman Empire.
In the Last Century of Moldova's History
Following the First World War, in 1924, the eastern part of Moldova, which corresponds to the Dniester, came under the auspices of Soviet Russia, and in 1918, Bessarabia united with Romania. This situation continued until the Second World War.
By 1939, in the context of the non-aggression pact signed between Stalin and Hitler, Russia, in favorable conditions, reintegrated the Bessarabia region into its territories. When the Nazi regime violated the non-aggression agreement and attacked the USSR, the Russians withdrew to their regions, and the invading Nazis (who made extensive use of the rich oil fields in Romania until the end of the war) restored Bessarabia to Romanian rule in 1941. However, at the end of the Second World War, with the defeat of the Germans by the Russians, Bessarabia was taken from Romania in 1947 and came under the control of the USSR.
With Bessarabia falling under Russian domination, the region was severed from Romania, and rapid Russification efforts began. The Cyrillic alphabet was made compulsory, and a communist regime was implemented in the country. The country became the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic. During Stalin's era, thousands of Romanians in Moldova were forcibly subjected to deportation to Central Asia. In essence, it can be said that Moldova owes its statehood, to some extent, to the Second World War. Because after the Soviet forces captured the Bessarabia region south of the Prut River from the Nazis, they never withdrew from these lands they took from Romania.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Moldova declared its independence in August 1991. Moldova, generally composed of Romanians, also has a significant Russian community due to the Soviet era policy of Russification and separation from Romania. The Moldovan alphabet was transformed into the Cyrillic script. This ethnic issue later evolved into the Transnistrian issue.
When examining Moldova's history, it is evident that it has been a country with constantly changing rulers, lacking an independent administration, and has been under the dominion of neighboring countries. Additionally, Moldova's economy is in a disadvantaged state. This country is one of the poorest in Europe and has experienced significant emigration.
Contrary to popular belief, Moldova shares a cultural and linguistic connection with Romania and declared a declaration in recent years to reunite with Romania.
Transnistrian Republic
The people living in the Transnistrian Republic mostly consist of Russians and Ukrainians who were settled in the region during the Soviet era. The majority of the population in Transnistria is reluctant to speak Romanian, the official language of Moldova. This, along with other ethnic and political separatist sentiments, led to an internal conflict. With the support of Soviet Russia, Transnistria declared independence on September 2, 1990, establishing the Transnistrian Republic. Its capital is Tiraspol. It is the only country with a flag featuring a sickle and hammer. Lenin statues can still be found in front of government buildings. From March 2 to July 21, 1992, a war between Russian-backed Cossack militia forces and Moldovan forces took place. After suffering heavy losses, Moldova requested a ceasefire. In 1992, after becoming a member of the United Nations, Moldova signed an agreement stating that if it were to unite with Romania, Transnistria would have the right to determine its own fate. In 1994, Moldova's constitution recognized the independence of Transnistria and Gagauzia. (The term "de facto state" is used to refer to a situation that exists in reality but is not legally recognized.)
Transnistria is a de facto republic with its eastern border along the Dniester River and Ukraine. It has its own parliament and military (where nearly every young citizen is considered a soldier). Transnistria does not have any foreign companies. Additionally, it is known that people from various parts of the world who hold socialist ideals voluntarily settled in the region. Almost the entire population longs for the communism of the Soviet era.
The conflict between Transnistria and Moldova remains unresolved to this day. Russian military presence is in the region, and their football teams participate in the Moldovan league. Talks between the two countries are still ongoing under the auspices of the OSCE.
Moldova and Gagauz Turks
Today, Gagauzia, officially known as the Gagauz Territorial Unit, is an autonomous region within the Republic of Moldova. Gagauzia, an autonomous Republic, is composed primarily of Gagauz Turks. The language spoken in Gagauzia is Gagauz, and the majority of the population is proficient in Turkish, which is closely related to Turkish in Turkey. The Gagauz people, unlike other Turkish communities, are predominantly Orthodox Christians. However, there are also Muslim Gagauz Turks. The name "Gagauzia" is derived from the word "Gog OÄŸuz," and according to some historians, it may be traced back to Seljuk Sultan II. Ä°zzettin Keykavus. The capital of Gagauzia is Comrat. There are a total of approximately 20,000 Gagauz Turks, including those in neighboring countries. According to Byzantine sources, Gagauz Turks are mentioned as a branch of the Oghuz tribes moving northward in the 11th century. According to most historians, Gagauz Turks are one of the most original Turkish communities within the Turkic world. Since the dissolution of the USSR, Turkey has been providing various investments and aid to Gagauzia through different projects.
The autonomy granted to Gagauzia, also known as Gag Oghuz, was the only ethnic issue resolved through peaceful means after the dissolution of the USSR.
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