The great ruler Stephen the Great, outstanding army commander and diplomat, was also concerned during his life with the economic prosperity of the country, supporting the development of crafts, trade and fairs. During his reign, groși and half groși minted in the dinar system were issued, a monetary system introduced in Moldova during the last reign of Petru Aron (1455-1457).
The coins were minted from silver of superior title, those that reflect stability in the economic life of the country at that time. Their masterful execution at the Suceava mint is among the beautiful artistic achievements during the reign of Stephen the Great.
During his reign, two types of issues were minted, for the two denominations: groși and half groși.
Type I issues have a split shield on the obverse; in the first quarter appears a rose surmounted by a cross and three fascias, in the second quarter. For the epigraph issues (groși), the image is accompanied by the circular legend with the name of the issuer: + STEFANVS VOIEVODA. On the other side appears the bour's head with a star between the horns accompanied by the heraldic furniture - the rose and the contoured crescent, placed to the right and left of the bour's head; circular legend: MOLDAVIE COIN.
On type II coins in the shield on the obverse appears a patriarchal cross (double) and the legend STEFANVSVOIEVOD or abbreviated STEFANVSVOIE. On the reverse, as in type I, the bour's head with heraldic attributes is preserved: rose right/crescent left and crescent right/rose left. A star or rose appears between the ox's horns. The legend accompanying the face with the bour head is MONETAMOLDAVI or abbreviated MONETAMOLDA.
The dating of Stephen the Great's coins is still under discussion. According to one opinion, type I issues were minted between 1457-1476, and type II between 1480/1481-1505 (Octavian Iliescu), and another 1465/1467-1475/1476 for type I and 1476/1479-1497 for type II (Ernest Oberländer-Târnoveanu).
The coins in this showcase were discovered during the archaeological excavations at Orheiul Vechi (Trebujeni, Orhei district) in the 6th and 7th decades of the 20th century:
1. Type I money issues, groși, silver 2. Type II money issues, groși, silver 3. Type II coin issue, half groși, silver
Considerations regarding the catholic dioceses founded by the popes of Avignon outside the Carpathians: the bishopric of Milcova and the bishopric of Siret
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VIII [XXIII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
Between 1309 and 1377 the papacy moved its headquarters from Rome to Avignon. Nevertheless, the interest shown by the French pontiffs towards Eastern Europe did not diminish, but stayed the same. Considering the appreciable distance between the papal residence in the south of France and the outer part of the Carpathians, an engagement from the part of the pontiffs in this area was inconceivable without the support of the secular power. During their stay at Avignon, the French pontiffs created two dioceses outside the Carpathians: the bishopric of Milcovia, the successor of the Cumans' bishopric, and the bishopric of Siret, founded at the initiative of Lațcu, the voivode of Moldavia. As to the bishopric of Milcova, the initiative came from pope Joan XXII in the year 1332. Subsequently, the existence of this bishopric found itself in a close relation with the projects of political control of Louis I of Anjou, the king of Hungary, outside the Carpathians. Even if, practically, it was an "in partibus'' bishopric, the diocese of Milcovia had titulars all through the 14th century. In the case of the Catholic bishopric of Siret, the foundation of this ecclesiastic union (1370-1371) was made at the initiative of voivode Lațcu of Moldavia, whose desire was to ensure the recently gained independence of his state, against the claims of Hungary and Poland, addressing pope Urban V through two Franciscan monks. Lațcu demanded that Andrew, a Polish Franciscan, should be appointed bishop of Siret. The foundation of the bishopric of Siret was to guarantee the independence of Moldavia, assimilated to a "regnum'', granting its leader, Lațcu, an undisputed illegitimacy from the part of any other Catholic prince. In our opinion, these are elements that enable us to state that during the times of Lațcu Moldova was part St.Peter's Patrimony.
The great ruler Stephen the Great, outstanding army commander and diplomat, was also concerned during his life with the economic prosperity of the country, supporting the development of crafts, trade and fairs. During his reign, groși and half groși minted in the dinar system were issued, a monetary system introduced in Moldova during the last reign of Petru Aron (1455-1457)...
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
