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
Cultural life and printed books during the reign of Matei Basarab
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VII [XXII], nr. 2, Istorie. Muzeologie
In the first half of the 17th century, the crucial time for Romanian culture, the Wallachian throne was occupied by Matei Basarab (1632-1654), a descendant of the brilliant Basarab dynasty, who played an important role in the political development of Muntenia and is associated with some illustrious names in the religious and cultural life of the country. He inherited from his ancestors the zeal for religion and culture and was going to establish churches, schools, and in the first place - printing houses. With the assistance of the Metropolitan of Kiev Peter Mohyla, who had made Ukraine the center of Orthodox culture, he renewed the beautiful tradition of distribution of religious books that originated in the sixteenth century. An important role in the culture of the time of Matei Basarab played the famous scribe Udriște Năsturel and his sister Princess Elina. The printing activity at this time known as the „golden age" of Romanian culture was flourishing.
In printing centers of Câmpulung Muscel, Govora, the Dealu Monastery, and the Archdiocese of Târgoviște there had been printing 10 titles of books in Slavonic as well as translated books in Romanian. The first Romanian book printed under the reign of Matei Basarab was Pravila de la Govora (1640). Four years later, at the Dealu Monastery there was printed the book Evanghelia învătățoare, the text of which is slightly different from Cazania lui Varlaam. At the printing house of Târgoviște there were printed: Pogribania preotilor (1650), Mistyrio or Sacrament (1651), Târnosanie, and Îndreptarea legii (1652). The last book has a special significance in the history of the old Romanian literature and is also known as Pravila cea Mare a lui Matei Basarab (The Great Code of Matei Basarab) - a collection of civil and ecclesiastical laws, more complete than the Code of Vasile Lupu. Pravila cea Mare was widely spread all over the Romanian territories, especially in Transylvania, being demanded until the early nineteenth century. Circulation of printed book led to the unity of language and consciousness of the Romanian people.
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
