The contribution of intellectual movements in wallachia and Moldavia to Romania's independence in the Tanzimat Period (1831-1878)

Wallachia and Moldavia have an important strategic location in the Balkan geography. Throughout history, they have been under the sovereignty of various states and battled variously until they gained independence. Efforts of competing foreign powers to legitimize their authority turned Wallachia and Moldavia lands into a political struggle area. The indigenous people, worn-out by this competition, initiated various activities in order to ensure the prosperity of their lands. Intellectual groups emerged under the influence of the currents of thought brought by the French Revolution and achieved independence by undertaking reform movements with the effect of national identity consciousness. In this study, the contribution of the Intellectual Movements in Wallachia and Moldavia to the independence of Romania was examined. At this stage, the activities of the French Revolution, the Transylvanian United Church, the reform attempts of the Fenerian families and Wallachian and Moldavian revolutionaries were handeled. The intellectuals' appeal to cultural elements such as language, religion and history in their effort to construct a national identity building, made it necessary to mention the geographical, historical origin and socio-cultural structure of Wallachian and Moldavian people. In addition, it has revealed the necessity of evaluating the diplomatic relations with the Ottoman Empire and European States. In this study, the effect of intellectual movements in Wallachia and Moldavia on the independence of Romania has examined in the light of Turkish, English and Romanian sources. Accordingly, it is concluded that, not only the political developments, but also the socio-cultural activities of the intellectual groups had contributed significantly to the independence of Romania.