The History of Baia – The First Capital of Moldavia
Baia (previously known in Romanian as Târgul Moldovei, i.e. the market of Moldavia, and in Latin as Civitas Moldaviensis), nowadays a commune in Suceava County, Western Moldavia, northeastern Romania, was the first capital of the Principality of Moldavia, one of the Romanian principalities during the Middle Ages. It was founded by Transylvanian Saxons, a predominantly ethnic German group (with roots from the Rhine-Moselle river region in Western Europe) who has been living on the territory of Romania since the High Middle Ages onwards (more specifically since the mid 12th century onwards). In the Middle Ages, Baia was a thriving commercial town, being known in German as Moldenmarkt (the last part of its name being a clear reference towards its commercial status as a market town). Romanian chronicler Grigore Ureche claimed this former medieval town was founded by German potters. During the early part of the 14th century (namely in 1339), it was mentioned in a medieval document as ‘the biggest town east of the Carpathians’.
The 13th century seal of the town of Baia, the first capital of the Principality of Moldavia during the Middle Ages (namely throughout the 14th century), nowadays situated in Suceava County, northeastern Romania. Image source: Wikimedia Commons
The town of Baia was founded in 1209 by Transylvanian Saxons according to a Latin inscription. The 13th century seal of Baia includes a stag which evokes the legend of Saint Hubertus (i.e. Hubertus von Lüttich), the patron saint of hunters. According to the official website of the commune, its history page states that the settlement was founded by either Transylvanian Saxons or Germans from neighbouring Galicia. Therefore, I cannot claim 100% that it was founded by Transylvanian Saxons, but it is very likely indeed, as per my extended personal research on the internet throughout the passage of time. In this regard, please also see the following relevant historical meme below.
Well… it could’ve been either Transylvanian Saxons or Galician Germans who contributed to the foundation of the first capital of Moldavia, namely Baia, nowadays situated in Suceava County, northeastern Romania, back in the Middle Ages. Frankly speaking, I don’t know for certain (100%), but it is very likely that they were Transylvanian Saxons rather than Galician Germans (to me, geographically it makes more sense that they were Saxons from Transylvania because the aforementioned historical region is closer to Suceava County and Moldavia to the west than Galicia to the northwest; also other Saxons settled in other urban centres of the Principality of Moldavia back in medieval times, so here’s an additional argument). Image source: www.imgflip.com
The Transylvanian Saxons in Baia were led by a local graff or groff (i.e. count). The ruins of a Catholic cathedral can still be seen in Baia to this day. After Baia, the second capital of Moldavia was Siret and then the third one was Suceava, both two aforementioned cities being located in the historical regions of Bukovina and Western Moldavia and in the same county, more specifically Suceava County situated in northeastern Romania. Below you can watch an aerial footage depicting the ruins of the Catholic cathedral of Baia (which belonged to the bygone Catholic community of the settlement back in the Middle Ages, a community consisting of both Transylvanian Saxons and Hungarians) which was constructed in Gothic style.
- Baia on www.wikipedia.org (in English)
- Baia Romania – Churches of Baia on www.paintedmonasteries.ro (in English)
- 600 years since the enthronement of Alexander the Good on www.romaniacoins.org (in English)
- Oraşele din Ţările Române în Evul Mediu: sfârşitul secolului al XIII-lea – începutul secolului al XVI-lea by Laurențiu Rădvan (on Academia.edu in Romanian), page 413
- Festivalul „Baia file de istorie”, a historical festival held in the commune which includes medieval reenactment on www.comunabaia.ro (in Romanian)