15th Century OverviewDiseases and Epidemics

The 15th century can be characterized as a century of diseases and epidemics, which continued to ravage the entire European continent. Like the earlier pandemic of the Black Death (or Bubonic Plague) in the 1300s, cyclic recurrences continued to appear throughout the 1400s.

Turkish Army Brings Disease

Diseases such as tuberculosis, smallpox, syphilis, and leprosy accompanied the Turkish armies in their conquest of the Balkan Peninsula.

Superstitions Abound

Serious calamities such as these, along with other natural disasters such as earthquakes or floods, fostered a belief in all manner of superstitious behavior, including the burning of "witches" and "warlocks," consultations with fortunetellers and soothsayers, and a belief in harmful spirits.

Low Regard for Human Life

Given the resultant brevity of life, it's understandable that the 15th century was also a period of European cynicism and despair. The population's constant association with death helps to explain the preponderance of cruelty and the low regard for human life during this period.

Wealthy Boyars and Churchmen

Many of the Romanian people in Transylvania gradually became serfs as the Hungarian kings granted more and more land to the boyars, who thereby built ever-larger estates.

In addition, many of the predominantly Catholic churchmen took possession of huge tracts of land on which to build their churches.

Transylvanian Economics

It makes little sense to speak of the existence of a "middle class" in Transylvania of the 15th century. It simply did not exist.

Instead, there existed the upper class comprised of boyars and wealthy Hungarian or German landowners. Then, there was the Romanian peasant class.

The development of certain towns came about because of commercial interests. Much of the commerce remained in the hands of Transylvanians, primarily German merchants from the Saxon communities.

Romanian Economics

The German traders enjoyed a virtual monopoly in several Wallachian trade centers.

In exchange for this monopoly, the German merchants were obligated to pay customs duties or bribes as they passed through the narrow Carpathian passes between Transylvania and Wallachia.

Customs Fees and Bribes

The collection of duties provided a lucrative revenue source for the Wallachian treasuries.

Carpathian Trade Routes

Traditionally there were two commercial routes between Transylvania and Wallachia, which followed the passes carved by rivers through the mountains.

Eastern Route

The eastern route followed the Dmbovia River from Braov (Transylvania) to Rucr (Wallachia).

Western Route

The western route followed the Olt River from Sibiu (Transylvania) to Turnu Rou (Wallachia).

Wallachian Market Towns

Along these popular routes, most of the goods manufactured in Transylvania found their way to such market towns as Trgovite and Trgsor.

Moreover, since most of the goods were bought and sold only in specific towns, considerable numbers of people tended to congregate during the annual trade fair days.

Boosts Wallachian Economy

From the point of view of the Wallachian voivodes, the foreign trade was a good thing. Not only did it provide a source of revenue, but it also represented the embryonic stages of a native mercantile and artisan class. And this ensured that Wallachia remain competitive with the Transylvanian merchants.

Wallachian Peasant Army

Originally, all Romanian peasants were free. During times of peace, the peasants remained free.

War Brings the Draft

However, whenever a war broke out, the voivode naturally appealed to the boyars and other nobles. Generally, the nobles provided their own armies, made up of servants and retainers, who fought under their individual banners.

In addition, the voivode also relied on his own troops, who were composed largely of free peasants.

Thus, the Wallachian army had a definite peasant character. This is in contrast to the professional soldiers serving in the feudal armies of powerful countries such as France and England.

Large Army of Peasants

Even more important in time of war, this meant the Wallachian voivodes could command an army that often reached as many as thirty to forty thousand men in size. As well, out of a total population of only about a half million, that represented a much larger proportion of soldiers than the feudal lords could muster.

In addition, since it was a "volunteer" army, the boyars and voivodes didn't have to pay them a salary. Feudal lords in Western Europe, on the other hand, often had to pay their professional soldiers.

Formidable Foe

As a potential crusading power against the Islamic world of the Ottoman Turks, the Wallachian peasant army had some traits that clearly set it apart from its neighbors.

Unlike Serbia and Bulgaria, where the Turks had faced only weak feudal armies, Wallachia had a large army of peasants and boyars who were determined to defend their fatherland.

All they needed was a ruler capable enough to lead them against the advancing enemy.

Limited Power of Voivodes

When not at war, the voivode (prince) could only rely on a very small contingent of police, personal guards, and the garrison soldiers stationed at the many fortresses.

What this meant was that during times of peace, the absence of a sufficient military force made the struggle against the nobility difficult. In effect, the voivode was always at the mercy of the ruling council. The nobility was pretty much in control during peaceful years.

The voivode could certainly punish disloyal boyars or churchmen by seizing their lands or fortunes, but only in certain, limited cases. The voivode was by no means above the law. At least not until Voivode Dracula came along.

Justification for confiscation of a boyar's property included nonpayment of taxes, treason, or the absence of a legal heir upon the boyar's death. When seizure was justified by law, the voivode-prince often appointed a replacement for the boyar from among his (the voivode's) faithful adherents.