One of the great technical achievements that revolutionized the idea of time and space, opening a new era in the history of communication, is telegraphy. It is based on the transmission of electrical signals through a cable over long distances, allowing people to communicate instantly. The telegraph spread very quickly and a network of wires stretched around the world.
In 1837, the American painter and physicist Samuel Morse invented the first electromagnetic device for telegraphy, patented in 1840. To send messages by wire, Morse developed in 1838 a simple code of dots and dashes, which represented the letters of the alphabet, known as "Morse code ".
Both Morse code and the telegraph machine were improved over time, with the telegraph becoming the most widespread system of communication and information transmission for more than a century, until the advent of the Internet. The telegraph system consisted of a series of stations repeaters along the transmission line route. Each station had an operator who received and transmitted messages by telegraph. The Morse machine transmitted about 25 words per minute, which were recorded in code on a paper tape. The operator in charge of transmitting the message would decode it and write it on paper using a special typewriter.
In Bessarabia, the telegraph entered in 1860: on April 8, the Bender telegraph station began its activity, and on April 24, the one in Chisinau, following the construction of the first Odesa-Chisinau-Leova telegraph line. Currently, telegraph services have been discontinued. The only ones who still use coded communication are radio amateurs.
The Morse telegraph machine shown comes from the Osinoostrovsky electrotechnical plant, Soviet Union, and dates back to 1934. The exhibit was restored by Mihail Culașco.
The destiny of woman in the history of Moldavia. Myths and realities about Catherine the Circassian – the second wife of the hospodar Vasile Lupu
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VII [XXII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
In this study the author came to some specific conclusions. In particular, it is safe to say that the marriage between Vasile Lupu and Catherine was far from accidental. As the sources of the era attest, all the details have been well thought out. Almost immediately after the death of his wife, Vasile Lupu sends the ambassadorial cortege to get his second wife, hence not respecting even the basic mourning traditions. One may also assume that perhaps in that situation government and political interests were high above his emotions. Vasile Lupu was an ambitious, far-sighted politician and a brilliant strategist. His plan was to expand the Moldovan boarders. He prepared his only son Ioan as future ruler of Wallachia. However, his plans failed after the son's death, and he was left without an heir. Vasile Lupu was well aware that he had to urgently resolve the dynastic crisis. He needed a young, strong and healthy wife, able to give birth to his heirs. The choice fell on Catherine the Circassian. How and under which circumstances this choice has been made remains an unsolved mystery. Unfortunately, we do not have any sources that could provide a reliable answer to this question. At the same time, we do not deny the well-known and hackneyed opinion in the historical literature that this marriage took place in a certain political context, for the Moldavian-Tatar mutual support in the political, military and economic spheres.
List of illustrations:
Fig. 1. Vasile Lupu, Catherine and their son Ştefan (Hlincea Monastery).
Fig. 2. Lady Catherine Cercheza (the Circassian), the second wife of Vasile Lupu (fresco in the Golia Church) (by Nicolescu 1970, pl. CXCIIIb).
Fig. 3. Maria Radziwiłł (daughter of Vasile Lupu) and Catherine, wife of Vasile Lupu (fresco in the Church of Trei Ierarhi, Iasi) (by Nicolescu 1970, pl. CCIII).
Fig. 4. Ioan, the son of Vasile Lupu (embroidery from the Church of Trei Ierarhi, Iași) (by Nicolescu 1970, pl. CXXXVIII).
Fig. 5. Lady Tudosca, the first wife of Vasile Lupu (fresco in the Church of the Trei Ierarhi, Iași) (by Nicolescu 1970, pl. CLXXIX).
Fig. 6. The Golia Church.
Lilia Zabolotnaia
The conditions of the marriage concluding in the Middle Ages. Comparative study
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. I [XVI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie Chișinău, 2007
Lilia Zabolotnaia
Ştefan Lemny, Dimitrie Cantemir, un principe român în zorile Luminilor europene. A Romanian prince at the dawn of the European enlightenment. Un prince roumain à l’aube des Lumières européennes. Bucureşti: Editura Institutului Cultural Român, 2019, 186 p. + 59 ilustraţii. ISBN 978-973-577-737-1
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XIII [XXVIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Lilia Zabolotnaia
The unknown history of a known family: Secrets of the private life of an illegitimate granddaughter of Dimitrie Cantemir
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XVI [XXXI], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Lilia Zabolotnaia
Regency, reign and power to feminine (centuries XIV-XVII)
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. III [XVIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Lilia Zabolotnaia
Epistolary heritage of women’s texts. Private correspondence of the Cantemir sisters
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XVII [XXXII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
One of the great technical achievements that revolutionized the idea of time and space, opening a new era in the history of communication, is telegraphy. It is based on the transmission of electrical signals through a cable over long distances, allowing people to communicate instantly...
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
