Start Date

4-27-2020 9:00 AM

End Date

4-27-2020 10:00 AM

Disciplines

Labor History | Political History

Subjects

Antislavery movements -- Wallachia -- History, Antislavery movements -- Moldavia -- History, Antislavery movements -- Political aspects, Romanies -- Moldavia -- History, Romanies -- Wallachia -- History

Abstract

In the Danubian Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia, now a section of present-day Romania, evidence of Roma slavery dates back to the 13th century C.E. A vast majority of these slaves were of Roma ethnicity (commonly known by the pejorative term Gypsy); the principalities had enslaved the Roma for such an extended period of time that the Romanian word for “slave” (rob) and for “Gypsy” (rom) became interchangeable. Yet, in the mid 1800s, Wallachian and Moldavian society slowly but surely began to transition into a period of abolitionism. Why, after five hundred years of slavery, did the Wallachian and Moldavian governments become receptive to the idea of emancipation? This paper will dive into the facets of the abolitionist movement, focusing on its liberal ideals, political implications, and the influential influx of young, intellectual activists and authors from the West.

Rights

© Copyright the author(s)

IN COPYRIGHT:
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

DISCLAIMER:
The purpose of this statement is to help the public understand how this Item may be used. When there is a (non-standard) License or contract that governs re-use of the associated Item, this statement only summarizes the effects of some of its terms. It is not a License, and should not be used to license your Work. To license your own Work, use a License offered at https://creativecommons.org/

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/32889

Share

COinS
 
Apr 27th, 9:00 AM Apr 27th, 10:00 AM

Abolitionism in the Danubian Principalities

In the Danubian Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia, now a section of present-day Romania, evidence of Roma slavery dates back to the 13th century C.E. A vast majority of these slaves were of Roma ethnicity (commonly known by the pejorative term Gypsy); the principalities had enslaved the Roma for such an extended period of time that the Romanian word for “slave” (rob) and for “Gypsy” (rom) became interchangeable. Yet, in the mid 1800s, Wallachian and Moldavian society slowly but surely began to transition into a period of abolitionism. Why, after five hundred years of slavery, did the Wallachian and Moldavian governments become receptive to the idea of emancipation? This paper will dive into the facets of the abolitionist movement, focusing on its liberal ideals, political implications, and the influential influx of young, intellectual activists and authors from the West.