#Exhibit of the Month

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

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Publications

Library „Tyragetia"

Lilia Zabolotnaia

Maria (Lupu) Radziwiłł’s private life in documents, letters, and images

Biblioteca „Tyragetia” XXXIII, Chişinău, 2020, 231 p. ISBN 978-9975-80-903-0; 978-9975-87-753-4.

The study is based on research conducted in the archives of Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, and Russia, which resulted in the discovery of unique documents and letters related to the private life of Maria (Lupu) Radziwiłł and her family members in Poland (Radziwiłł, Potocki, Movilă) and in Moldova (Vasile Lupu, Catherine the Circassian, Ruxandra, Timuş, Ştefanel). The monograph is part of the series "Women's History" which comprises multifaceted studies of the role of women in world history in the light of new methodological approaches of historical anthropology. For the first time, some documents are introduced into the scientific historical use, showing that the image of Mary (Lupu) Radziwiłł in historical literature was largely underestimated. The publication of the volume in two languages (Romanian and English) will ensure its wide circulation among foreign readers. The study is accompanied by extensive illustrative material from foreign museum collections.

CONTENTS

Introduction
I. PAGES FROM THE PRIVATE LIFE OF MARIA (LUPU) RADZIWIŁŁ

I.1. Origin and family
I.2. Betrothal
I.3. Marriage. Wedding

II. FAMILY LIFE OF MARIA (LUPU) RADZIWIŁŁ IN THE POLISH-LITHUANIAN COMMONWEALTH

II.1. Arrival in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Panegyric in honor of young married people
II.2. Maria (Lupu) Radziwiłł's social and property status
II.3. Familly life. Patronage of churches and monasteries
II.4. Family status of Maria (Lupu) Radziwiłł. Economic and household activities
II.5. Patronage in the field of education

III. YEARS OF WIDOWHOOD OF MARIA (LUPU) RADZIWIŁŁ

III.1. Widowhood
III.2. Struggle for the inheritance

IV. FROM THE HISTORY OF THE LAST WILL OF MARIA (LUPU) RADZIWIŁŁ

IV.1. Last years of her life
IV.2. The will

V. THE IMAGE OF MARIA (LUPU) RADZIWIŁŁ IN FINE ARTS OBJECTS

V.1. The enigma of a portrait: Maria Vladimirovna Staritskaya or Maria (Lupu) Radziwiłł?
V.2. The image of Maria (Lupu) Radziwiłł in art: portraits and engravings

CONCLUSIONS
Bibliography
Annexes