Aspects of the Imaginary of the Romanian Principalities in the Stories of the British Travelers of the 18th Century

Mihăilă-Lică, Gabriela; Robu, Lucian

doi:10.1515/kbo-2016-0078

Abstract

The present study aims to be a resynthesis of some of the most important pieces of memoir and travel literature of the 18^th century, used as historical source that is essential for the understanding an epoch. Located in a geographical and historical meeting area of the political and economic interests of the European and extra-European empires, Walachia, Moldavia and Transylvania aroused the complex interests of the Great Powers, including, of course, the British Empire. The validity of this fact is supported by the remaining diplomatic reports that can be found in the diplomatic archives, by memoirs (today of an undeniable historical value), and by other memorialistic writings of numerous travelers, including those coming from the Anglo-Saxon space. The information of the utmost importance provided by these writings (the diplomatic reports also being included here) reconstruct not only historical and ethnographic realities, but also anthropological and economic history ones.

References

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[2] Călători străini despre Ţările Române (ed. Maria Holban, M. M. Alexandrescu-Dersca Bulgaru, Paul Cernovodeanu), X/1, Editura Academiei Române, Bucureşti, 2000, p. 666-672; also see N. Iorga, A History of Anglo-Roumanian Relations, Bucureşti, 1931, passim. Iorga’s work proposes an important informational series regarding the English travellers through the Romanian principalities in the 18^th century and the manner in which they “discover” the anthropological and historical space of these states.
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[3]. Chishull, Edmund, Travels in Turkey and back to England, Printed by W. Bowyer, London, MDCCXLVII p. 82, https://books.google.ro/books?id=_7R7RJatIdEC&printsec=frontcover&hl=ro&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=snippet&q=wax&f=false. 31.03.2016
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[4] Idem, p. 82
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[5] Massive boards made of hard wood and used as construction material. The specifications of the author make reference, probably, to an archaic system of ensuring the street pavement in the capital of Wallachia
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[6] Chishull, Edmund, Travels in Turkey and back to England, Printed by W. Bowyer, London, MDCCXLVII p. 82, https://books.google.ro/books?id=_7R7RJatIdEC&printsec=frontcover&hl=ro&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=snippet&q=wax&f=false 31.03.2016 The observations of Chishull are very relevant to the current ethnographic research, as he makes concrete technical indications regarding the urban habitat of the capital of Wallachia, his text being equally suggestive with regard to the specificity of the habitat of the rural areas he passed through during his voyage]
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[7]. Chishull, Edmund, Travels in Turkey and back to England, Printed by W. Bowyer, London, MDCCXLVII p. 84, https://books.google.ro/books?id=_7R7RJatIdEC&printsec=frontcover&hl=ro&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=snippet&q=wax&f=false 31.03.2016
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[8] Lady Elisabeth Berkeley was born in 1750, being the third child of the Earl of Berkeley. At the age of 17, she married William Craven, who later became lord Craven. The two spouses separated in 1780 after 13 years of marriage despite the fact they had six children. After the separation, the authoress continued to have her husband’s name even after she settled at the Court of Ansbach (in 1786) of the a nephew of Frederic II of Prussia, Christian Friedrich Karl-Alexander, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, duke of Prussia and Count of Sayn, stating that she would be considered a sister of his (1786), see Călători străini despre Ţările Române, volumul X, partea I, editor in charge Maria Holban, colab. M.M. Alexandrescu, Dersca Bulgaru, Paul Cernovodeanu (editor in carge), Editura Academiei Române, Bucureşti, 2000, p. 714.
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[9] „The supper was served in a more European manner than I should have imagined; a table upon legs, and chairs to sit on were things I did not expect. The Prince sat at the end of the table, his wife on one side, and I on the other. Mr V - was likewise invited, and sat at my left – Several women sat down to supper with us. The Princess had nine females behind her chair to wait upon her - several silver things, evidently the produce of England, were set upon the table, such as salt-sellers, cruets, etc. etc. but there were four candlesticks that seemed to be made of alabaster, set with flowers composed of small rubies and emeralds, that were very beautiful”. The quotation we have selected depicts in a very relevant manner a sequence of cultural, social sequence of imaginary from the daily life of the boyar elites in the Principalities at the end of the 18^th century. See A Journey Through the Crimea to Constantinople: In a Series of Letters from the Right Honorable Elizabeth Lady Craven Craven to His Serene Highness the Margrave of Bandenbourg, Anspach and Bareith, London, Printed for G.G.J. and J. Robinson, Pater Noster Row, MDCCLXXXIX, p. 311 https://books.google.ro/books?oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=y&q=dinner+was+served&id=YOEGAAAAQAAJ&hl=ro&output=text#v=onepage&q=Mr%20V&f=false 31.03.2016
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[10] These were to be used in the description of her journey, which was meant to confer her a triumphant image the moment she would settle at the Court of Anspach as elective sister of the Margrave Christian Friedrich whom she would marry after the death of her husband and that of his wife, in 1791.
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[11] A Journey Through the Crimea to Constantinople: In a Series of Letters from the Right Honorable Elizabeth Lady Craven Craven to His Serene Highness the Margrave of Bandenbourg, Anspach and Bareith, London, Printed for G.G.J. and J. Robinson, Pater Noster Row, MDCCLXXXIX, p. 311 https://books.google.ro/books?oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=y&q=dinner+was+served&id=YOEGAAAAQAAJ&hl=ro&output=text#v=onepage&q=Mr%20V&f=false 31.03.2016
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[14] William Wilkinson, Relaţiile despre Principatele Ţării Româneşti şi Moldovei, în Călători străini, coord. Maria Holban, I, (1801-1821), pp. 640-641.
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Aspects of the Imaginary of the Romanian Principalities in the Stories of the British Travelers of the 18th Century

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