The principality of wallachia under the reign of Gheorghe Bibescu (1843-1848)

This study explores the political and socioeconomic dynamics of the Principality of Wallachia in the first half of the nineteenth century, as well as its increasing importance in international diplomacy through the reign of Gheorghe Bibescu. Focusing on a relatively short period and a limited geographical region but aiming to understand the layers of historical phenomena and complex relationship networks, this research tries to deeply revise the existing narrative with the historical documents it references and its comparative and argumentative structure. In doing so, it also questions the regulative principles of the arguments already in the literature, which have been caught in the vicious circle of one-sided, overloaded, and deterministic expositions, control, and help conceal. For this purpose, it tests the possibility of presenting an alternative view on the relations between the phenomena discussed by using different historical approaches and theoretical frameworks. The study, however, does not promise to clarify them in all their aspects or to find comprehensive solutions to the period's political, ideological, or economic issues. Instead, it proposes to grasp the nature of historical phenomena such as political intrigues, diplomatic conventions, intellectual formations, and legal regulations. By focusing on the process rather than the results, the study hopes to narrate the principles of a more inclusive approach that is detached from the paradigms of national revival, collapse, or transformation. It tries to comprehend the Ottoman and Romanian histories in the context of the nature of relations, which results-oriented approaches tend to miss. Keywords: Ottoman Empire, Principality of Wallachia, Gheorghe Bibescu, Reform.