What to read after A Description of Moldavia?

Written by one of the country's most renowned rulers, A Description of Moldavia provides unique insight into the geography, history, economy, ethnography, culture, and traditions of the principality. Born to a noble family, the author, Dimitrie Cantemir, ruled as Prince of Moldavia on two occasions (March-April 1693 and 1710-1711). He was a famed statesman, philosopher, and scholar. Having sided with Peter the Great and Russia in a war against the Ottoman Empire to free his land from Turkish domination, Cantemir was driven into exile. The end of his reign marked the beginning of the Phanariot regime in the Romanian principalities.

Cantemir wrote his Description of Moldavia (Descriptio Moldaviae) in 1716 at the request of the Royal Academy in Berlin, of which he was a member. Originally composed in Latin, it circulated in manuscript during his lifetime, but was not published as a book until 1771 when a German language edition appeared in print. Cantemir's manuscript also included a map, the first real map of the country, containing geographical detail, as well as information on the administrative organization of the country.

This edition of this classic work marks the first time that A Description of Moldavia has appeared in the English language. This valuable historical resource is enhanced with an introduction and notes by Dr. A.K. Brackob, a noted specialist on the history of Eastern Europe.