116-675: The Vergu-Mănăilă house is the oldest surviving building in Buzău , Romania . An 18th century boyar 's mansion, renovated between 1971 and 1974, it hosts a museum of ethnography and folk art . 45°8′56.818″N 26°49′22.922″E / 45.14911611°N 26.82303389°E / 45.14911611; 26.82303389 This article related to a museum in Romania is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Buz%C4%83u The city of Buzău (formerly spelled Buzeu or Buzĕu ; Romanian pronunciation: [buˈzəw] )
232-488: A unifier towards the middle of the 19th century. Such an interpretation is completely lacking in the historiography of the 17th-century chroniclers, and even in that of the Transylvanian School around 1800. What they emphasized, apart from the exceptional personality of Michael himself, were the idea of Christendom and his close relations with Emperor Rudolf. The conqueror's ambition is likewise frequently cited as
348-459: A 2016 survey of the World Bank, made it more attractive to the labor force of lower qualification (at best with a high school degree). The same survey showed that most of the labor force in the city came from within the county, as Buzău is the center of a highly rural, compact and densely populated area. The city was found to be in competition with larger cities for the labor force from other counties,
464-475: A feature it shares with Alexandria . The proximity of Bucharest makes Buzău itself a source of internal migration, thus orbiting the capital city. Buzău is the second city (closely after Ploiești , a city with almost double the population), by the number of employees in Bucharest coming from other cities between 1991 and 2011; the survey points out that this has been a disadvantage, but might become an opportunity in
580-464: A flat area, with a height difference of just 10 meters along a 4-kilometer line. Buzău river is the northern limit of the city. This river has created an underground basin that it permanently fuels with water. These underground waters are a main source of drinking water, and their excess overflows to a marshy wetland south of the city, in the neighboring communes Costești , Stâlpu , and Țintești , with small but steady springs , that ultimately form
696-476: A full-scale war against the remaining Ottoman forces. He subsequently joined forces with Sigismund Báthory's 40,000-man army (led by Stephen Bocskai ) and counterattacked the Ottomans, freeing the towns of Târgoviște (8 October), Bucharest (12 October) and Brăila , temporarily removing Wallachia from Ottoman suzerainty. The fight against the Ottomans continued in 1596 when Michael made several incursions south of
812-537: A generic term for South-Slavs. The new immigrants soon started developing vegetable gardens as their houses were in the vicinity of the river that provided them with plenty of water, while local farmers were focusing more on raising livestock and growing cereals. Although the Bulgarian community was in time assimilated by the Romanians, to this day locals use the word "Serb" as a synonym to "one who grows vegetables". Buzău
928-549: A large estate and a mansion near the city, became prominent. Germanofile, Marghiloman was prime minister around the end of World War I , when Romania was compelled to sign the Treaty of Bucharest of 1918 and began the process of integrating Bessarabia , which had proclaimed its union with Romania in mid-April of that year. Another known contemporary politician from Buzău is Cătălin Predoiu ; initially, an independent Minister of Justice in
1044-693: A member of the Greek noble family Kantakouzenoi , present in Wallachia and Moldavia, and allegedly descended from the Byzantine Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos . She was born in the Greek region of Epirus and she may have been the sister of the famous Greek magnate Michael Kantakouzenos Şeytanoğlu , as well as the cousin of Iane Cantacuzino [ ro ] . Michael could probably speak Greek too, besides Romanian. Michael's political rise
1160-572: A motivation for his action, occupying in the interpretative schema the place that was later to be occupied by the Romanian idea . In the writings of the Moldavian chronicler Miron Costin , Michael the Brave appears in the role of conqueror of Transylvania and Moldavia, "the cause of much spilling of blood among Christians", and not even highly appreciated by his own Wallachians : "The Wallachians became tired of
1276-646: A princely burial in the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Gyulafehérvár . With his enemy dead, Michael entered the Transylvanian capital at Gyulafehérvár and received the keys to the fortress from Bishop Demeter Naprágyi , later depicted as a seminal event in Romanian historiography . Historian István Szamosközy , keeper of the Archives at the time, recorded the event in great detail. He also wrote that two days before
SECTION 10
#17328838102901392-460: A remainder of the ancient Codrii Vlăsiei . The Crâng park itself takes up 10 hectares of this forest and makes up the main green area of Buzău. It is not designated as a protected area itself, but a few species of plants are protected inside it, such as the fritillaria meleagris and iris brandzae . In the neighboring communes of Țintești and Costești there are other remainders of Codrii Vlăsiei— Frasinu and Spătaru forests, respectively. In
1508-461: A road along which it helps connect Buzău to Slobozia . In the Buzău city area, the only functional road bridge over Buzău River is the one crossing with DN2 to Mărăcineni . There is another road bridge, connecting the city to Vadu Pașii , near the railway bridge. It was however closed after it was destroyed by a flash flood in 2005, and repairs kept being postponed, which had an impact on the economy of
1624-554: A starch factory in Țăndărei and a juice facility in Vaslui . Milling is still present on the local market: the largest local producer is Boromir Prod , controlled by businessman Constantin Boromiz, owner of the Boromir group, who also owns Boromir Ind Vâlcea, Panmed Mediaș and Comcereal Sibiu . The economy is still more oriented towards industry rather than services, which, according to
1740-521: A strategical document of the mayor's office, the following districts of Buzău were identified: Center, Micro 12/Indepenedenței, Marghiloman, Dorobanți, Nicolae Bălcescu, Simileasca, Micro 14, Poștă, Mihai Viteazul, Pod Horticolei, Luceafărul, Broșteni and the Industrial Zone. Buzău takes on the administrative role of capital of Buzău County , therefore almost all county-level public services are headquartered there. Additionally, at national level, Buzău
1856-542: A year (16 with temperatures below −10 °C), but also with 92 days of hot summer. and 25.8 days with snow depth over 1 cm (0.39 in). Local winds include the Crivăț , a cold north-easterly and sometimes easterly wind in winter, and the Austru , a south-westerly wind that brings dry air in summer and leads to warmer days in winter. The flora of Buzău is more diverse in the western forest of Crâng, 189 ha of oak forest,
1972-509: Is a Greek misspelling of the Thracian word Bouzeos (by losing a π from the Μπ group, which is pronounced like a Latin B ). He suggested that the name comes from the Thracian root Buzes , with the addition of the -eu suffix, a form of the Greek-Latin suffix -aios . The written history of the city begins with that of Wallachia . It was certified as a market town and customs point during
2088-557: Is administered by a mayor and a local council consisting of 23 councillors. The mayor, Constantin Toma, of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), has been in office since 2016. After the 2020 local elections , the local council has the following political makeup: Buzău is not subdivided into any lower units, but local authorities guide their projects and strategies according to an informal division by districts. In Strategia 2014–2020 ,
2204-409: Is entirely placed on the right bank of Buzău river , which forms its northern limit. The shape of the city is oblong, longer along the river and shorter across. It reaches altitudes of 101 meters in the north-west, near the foothills, going down to 88 meters on the riverbank, while the average altitude of 95 meters is the same as the altitude of Dacia square, in the city center. Thus, Buzău is placed in
2320-599: Is the county seat of Buzău County , Romania, in the historical region of Muntenia . It lies near the right bank of the Buzău River , between the south-eastern curvature of the Carpathian Mountains and the lowlands of Bărăgan Plain . Buzău is a railway hub in south-eastern Romania, where railways that link Bucharest to Moldavia and Transylvania to the Black Sea coast meet. DN2 , a segment of European route E85 crosses
2436-546: Is the headquarters of the 2nd Infantry Division ( Getica ; former 2nd Romanian Army), one of the three divisions that make up the Romanian Land Forces , as well as three battalions under its command— one of engineers, one of signals, and one of logistics. Near the city, in the village of Boboc , there is a military aviation school. The highest court functioning in the city is the Buzău Tribunal, with authority over
SECTION 20
#17328838102902552-574: Is unknown for 6.69% of the population. Most inhabitants practice Orthodox Christianity (91.98%). Religious affiliation is unknown for 6.75% of the population. The main ethnic minority in the city are the Roma . Throughout history, other communities have existed in Buzău, but nowadays they are nearly extinct. Those that left their mark the most on the city were the Jewish people and the Bulgarians . Settled after
2668-644: The Banate of Buzău and Brăila in July 1598 and the new ban was charged of keeping an alert eye on Moldavian, Tatar , and Cossack moves, although Michael had been planning a Moldavian campaign for several years. On 28 February 1600 Michael met with Polish envoys in Brassó. He was willing to recognise the Polish King as his sovereign in exchange for the crown of Moldavia and the recognition of his male heirs' hereditary right over
2784-475: The Battle of Șelimbăr against Andrew Báthory and soon entered Gyulafehérvár (today Alba Iulia, Romania), becoming the imperial governor (i.e. de facto ruler) of Transylvania, under Habsburg suzerainty. A few months later, Michael's troops invaded Moldavia and reached its capital, Iași . The Moldavian leader Ieremia Movilă fled to Poland and Michael was declared Prince of Moldavia . During this period, Michael
2900-471: The Călmățui river . Annual rainfall is circa 500 mm and in winter the snow cover can be as high as 30 cm. The Buzău River has a fluctuating flow. Especially in spring, when it collects melted snow from the mountain area, its level rises. The city was, however, built away from its deep and wide valley, so the river never floods the city. Even at the major floods of 2005, the waters caused no problem in
3016-558: The Kantakouzenos – Asen branch of Asen dinasty : two meeting, standing lions supporting a sword, treading on seven mountains. The Moldavian shield is held by two crowned figures. There are two inscriptions on the seal. First, circular, in Slavonic using Romanian Cyrillic alphabet " IO MIHAILI UGROVLAHISCOI VOEVOD ARDEALSCOI MOLD ZEMLI ", meaning " Io Michael Wallachian Voivode of Transylvanian and Moldavian Lands ". Second, placed along
3132-481: The Mihai Viteazul National College (Ploiești) [ ro ] , the Mihai Viteazul National College (Slobozia) and Mihai Viteazul National College (Galați) The seal comprises the coats of arms of Moldavia, Wallachia, and Transylvania: in the middle, on a shield the Moldavian urus , above Wallachian eagle between sun and moon holding cross in beak, below Byzantine coat of arms, belonging to
3248-595: The Partium region. Michael was, nevertheless, willing to acknowledge Habsburg overlordship. The Moldavian Prince Ieremia Movilă had been an old enemy of Michael, having incited Andrew Báthory to send Michael the ultimatum demanding his abdication. His brother, Simion Movilă , claimed the Wallachian throne for himself and had used the title of Voivode since 1595. Aware of the threat the Movilăs represented, Michael had created
3364-564: The Polish chancellor and hetman Jan Zamoyski and placed Transylvania under the influence of the King of Poland , Sigismund III Vasa . He was also a trusted ally of the new Moldavian Prince Ieremia Movilă , one of Michael's greatest enemies. Movilă had deposed Ștefan Răzvan with the help of Polish hetman Jan Zamoyski in August 1595. Having to face this new threat, Michael asked Emperor Rudolf to become
3480-608: The Turks in Iași and other parts of Moldavia. Mihai continued his attacks deep within the Ottoman Empire, taking the forts of Nicopolis , Ribnic, and Chilia and even reaching as far as Adrianople . In 1595, Sigismund Báthory staged an elaborate plot and had Aaron the Tyrant, voivode of Moldavia, removed from power. István Jósika (Báthory's chancellor and an ethnic Romanian) masterminded
3596-525: The World Bank . Apcarom S.A. , the only Romanian producer of railway equipments, was acquired by the Austrian company VAE, and in 2008 had a capital of 7.38 million lei. Ductil S.A. , one of the largest companies in the city, was privatised in 1999 and divided subsequently, during 1999–2000 by the new majority shareholder, FRO Spa, who only kept the electrodes and welding equipment facilities, and sold out
Vergu-Mănăilă House - Misplaced Pages Continue
3712-575: The "Greeks' church" or the "Merchants' church") along with its belfry; the courthouse (20th century); the church of the Annunciation from the former Banu monastery (16th century); the church of the Dormition in Broșteni district, (1709, along with the belfry erected in 1914); the headquarters of the orthodox bishopric with the church of the Dormition (1649), the chapel (1841), the episcopal palace (17th century),
3828-513: The 16th century by the Orthodox bishopric on its estate located north-west of the market town of Buzău, in Simileasca and Iorguleasca villages, Roma people have lived as slaves who worked on the bishopric's land. After they were freed in the 19th century and, with the union between Wallachia and Moldavia, the new country got a new territorial division, Simileasca became a commune. In 1968, this commune
3944-513: The 17th century, an era of war and foreign invasions began, that affected the town and its surroundings. They began with Michael the Brave 's participation in the Long Turkish War and ended with the Wallachian uprising of 1821 . Natural disasters (epidemics, earthquakes) also took their toll, leading to destruction and depopulation of Buzău. However, the inhabitants always returned and rebuilt
4060-482: The 19th century, after the end of that era, the city began to recover. The economy underwent industrialization, Buzău became a railway hub, and public education became available. At this time, the Communal Palace, the city's landmark building, and Crâng Park, the main recreational area, were built. The communist regime after World War II brought forced industrialization and the tripling of the city's population. Some of
4176-594: The B. P. Hasdeu high school in 1867, and theatre plays were produced (starting 1852): the "Moldavia" theatre house was built in 1898 and used throughout the first half of the 20th century as the main concert and theatre hall, where artists such as George Enescu , C. I. Nottara and Nicolae Leonard performed. For short periods of time, Ion Luca Caragiale and Constantin Brâncuși have lived and worked here. During World War I , Buzău came under German occupation after mid-December 1916, and many inhabitants took refuge in
4292-416: The Brave , Romania's highest military decoration , was named after Michael. Mihai Viteazul's name and portrait appear on at least two Romanian coins: 5 Lei 1991 (only 3 pieces of this type were minted and the coin was not entered into circulation), and on 100 Lei, which circulated through the 1990s. At least four major high schools in Romania bear his name: the Mihai Viteazul National College (Bucharest)
4408-738: The Brave changed his seal to represent his personal union of Wallachia, Moldavia, and Transylvania. The interests of the three neighbouring great powers – the Habsburg monarchy , the Ottoman Empire , and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth – were damaged by Michael the Brave's achievements. Although he acknowledged the suzerainty of Rudolf II, Michael the Brave continued to negotiate his official position in Transylvania, pleading for direct rule instead of being imperial governor. Michael kept
4524-549: The Brave's audience and providing him with 100,000 florins to rebuild his army. Meanwhile, forces loyal to Michael in Wallachia led by his son, Nicolae Pătrașcu, drove Simion Movilă out of Moldavia and prepared to reenter Transylvania. Michael the Brave, allied with Giorgio Basta, defeated the Hungarian army at the Battle of Guruslău . A few days later Basta, who sought to control Transylvania himself, assassinated Michael by order of
4640-404: The Bulgarian gardeners to rent in 1897 și 1898 some land acquired by the state from the bishopric. The developed a distribution network for their produce both in Buzău, and in other nearby cities such as Brașov , Ploiești , or Râmnicu Sărat . Their activity became even more lucrative after the land reform of 1921. After the period of repeated invasions and destruction ended in the 19th century,
4756-506: The Communist government, who also began a program of forced industrialization, even though some of the industries that were being developed were unfit to the region. In 1965, the 318 ha Buzău South industrial platform began to be built around the old location of the Saturn refinery, blown up during the war. It was the location of the city's most important factories that were developed at the time:
Vergu-Mănăilă House - Misplaced Pages Continue
4872-620: The Danube at Vidin , Pleven , Nicopolis , and Babadag , where he was assisted by the local Bulgarians during the First Tarnovo Uprising . During late 1596, Michael was faced with an unexpected attack from the Tatars , who had destroyed the towns of Bucharest and Buzău . By the time Michael gathered his army to counterattack, the Tatars had speedily retreated and so no battle was fought. Michael
4988-584: The Danube on 4 August 1595. As his army was outnumbered, Michael avoided carrying the battle in open field, and decided to give battle on a marshy field located near the village of Călugăreni on the Neajlov river. The Battle of Călugăreni started on 13 August and Michael defeated the Ottoman army led by Sinan Pasha . Despite the victory, he retreated to his winter camp in Stoienești because he had too few troops to mount
5104-535: The Diet met on 10 October, Transylvanian nobles elected Michael the voivode as Prince of Transylvania . As the Diet was assembled, Michael demanded that the estates swear loyalty to Emperor Rudolf, then to himself and thirdly to his son. Even if he was recognized by the Transylvanian diet as only imperial governor subject to the Holy Roman Emperor, he was nonetheless ruler of Transylvania. In Transylvania Michael used
5220-642: The Habsburg Emperor Rudolf II. Michael was born in 1558. He claimed to have been the illegitimate son of Wallachian Prince Pătrașcu cel Bun (Pătrașcu the Good), of the Drăculești branch of the House of Basarab ; some historians believe he merely invented his descent in order to justify his rule. His real father was most likely a Greek merchant. His mother was Theodora Kantakouzene [ ro ] ,
5336-458: The Habsburg Emperor; the killing took place near Câmpia Turzii on 9 August 1601. According to Romanian historian Constantin C. Giurescu : Never in Romanian history was a moment of such highness and glory so closely followed by bitter failure. The rule of Michael the Brave, with its break with Ottoman rule, tense relations with other European powers and the leadership of the three states,
5452-569: The Holocaust , before they were deported to Transnistria . During these persecutions, the Jewish community was defended by captains Stroie and Ionescu, by the Scânteie and Stahu families, and by Anghel Anuțoiu from Vrancea, a man who informed members of the community of upcoming Nazi raids, saving many lives, including that of Rabbi Simon Bercovich, whom he aided to leave the city and go into hiding. After
5568-682: The Middle Ages, Buzău's economy was based on trade, as the market town began as a customs and exchange point, and developed due to its position at the curvature of the Carpathians, in a place where roads that connected Wallachia to Moldavia and Transylvania met. The old market town tradition is still preserved in the Drăgaica fair, held every June around Midsummer , bringing together small producers and merchants from diverse regions of Romania. The agricultural reform during Alexandru Ioan Cuza led some of
5684-553: The Ottomans continued until 26 June 1599, when Michael, lacking the resources and support to continue prosecuting the war, signed a peace treaty. In April 1598, Sigismund resigned as Prince of Transylvania in favor of the Holy Roman Emperor , Rudolf II (who was also the King of Hungary ); reversed his decision in October 1598; and then resigned again in favor of Cardinal Andrew Báthory , his cousin. Báthory had strong ties to
5800-408: The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth entered Moldavia and defeated the forces loyal to Michael the Brave, restoring Ieremia Movilă on the throne. The Polish army led by Jan Zamoyski also advanced in eastern Wallachia and established Simion Movilă as ruler. Forces loyal to Michael remained only in Oltenia . Michael the Brave then left for Prague , seeking audience with Emperor Rudolf II; however,
5916-516: The Romanian inhabitants, who were primarily peasants but, nevertheless, constituted a significant proportion of the population. Michael demonstrated his support by upholding the Union of the Three Nations , which recognized only the traditional rights and privileges of the Hungarians, Székelys and Saxons , but he did not recognize the rights of the Romanians. Indeed, while he brought some of his Wallachian aides to Transylvania, he also invited some Székelys and other Transylvanian Hungarians to assist in
SECTION 50
#17328838102906032-406: The Steel Wire and Steel Wire Products Enterprise (after 1990, Ductil ), the Railway Machinery Enterprise (after 1990, Apcarom ), Metalurgica (the one founded in 1928), the Glass and Windows Factory (after 1991, Gerom S.A. ). Other facilities were located in other parts of the city, such as the Contactors Enterprise, in the north-east, and the Plastic Works (after 1990, Romcarbon S.A. ) in
6148-407: The Turks, and signed treaties with his neighbours: Sigismund Báthory of Transylvania, Aaron the Tyrant of Moldavia and the Holy Roman Emperor, Rudolf II (see Holy League of Pope Clement VIII ). He started a campaign against the Turks in the autumn of 1594, conquering several citadels near the Danube , including Giurgiu , Brăila , Hârșova , and Silistra , while his Moldavian allies defeated
6264-410: The Wallachian ruler. On 9 June 1598 a formal treaty was reached between Michael and Rudolf II. According to the treaty, the Austrian ruler would give Wallachia sufficient money to maintain a 5,000-man army, as well as armaments and supplies. Shortly after the treaty was signed, the war with the Ottomans resumed and Michael besieged Nicopolis on 10 September 1598 and took control of Vidin . The war with
6380-412: The Wallachians from Moldavia and defeated Michael at Năieni , Ceptura , and Bucov ( Battle of the Teleajăn River ). The Polish army also entered eastern Wallachia and established Simion Movilă as ruler. Forces loyal to Michael remained only in Oltenia . Michael asked again for assistance from Emperor Rudolf II during a visit in Prague between 23 February and 5 March 1601, which was granted when
6496-414: The administration of Wallachia, where he wished to transplant Transylvania's far more advanced feudal system. Michael began negotiating with the Emperor over his official position in Transylvania. The latter wanted the principality under direct Imperial rule with Michael acting as governor. The Wallachian voivode , on the other hand, wanted the title of Prince of Transylvania for himself and equally claimed
6612-526: The brunt of the repression by Antonescu's government . Still, during World War II , the Jews had to endure some persecutions: obligated to do compulsory work (authorities abused of the law, and extended the age of the people who had to do this work, as well as the body of the work itself), and to pay 15 million lei (four times the tax) for "The Reunification Loan"; certain types of objects were confiscated from them and special restrictions were imposed. The community had to host orphans whose parents were murdered in
6728-490: The city of Brassó (today Brașov, Romania). Sparing the city, he moved on to Kerc (today Cârța, Romania), where he joined forces with the Székelys . On 18 October Michael won a decisive victory against the army of prince-cardinal Andrew Báthory at the Battle of Șelimbăr , giving him control of Transylvania. As he retreated from the battle, Andrew Báthory was killed by anti-Báthory Székely on 3 November near Csíkszentdomokos (today Sândominic, Romania) and Michael gave him
6844-551: The city proper, but it seriously damaged both bridges across it located in the city, which is also protected by levees, and by the small Cândești dam, north-west of Buzău. The local authorities consider, however, that their strategy of defense against flood does not adequately cover the city's belt road, part of DN2 , which follows the river for a short stretch. The climate is humid continental , classified as Dfa in Köppen climate classification and as Dc in Trewartha climate classification , with an average 92 freezing days
6960-431: The city's Research and Development Station for Olericulture sometimes attract wild boars from the riverside forests. Ethnic composition of Buzău Religious composition of Buzău According to the 2011 census , the city has 115,494 inhabitants, a decrease from the previous census, in 2002, when 134,227 had been recorded. Most inhabitants are Romanians (88.43%), with a Roma minority (4.73%). Ethnic affiliation
7076-415: The city, which led early 18th century local authorities to use the Phoenix bird on the city seal, as a symbol of rebirth. The 19th century brought a time of cultural and economical development. The Communal Palace , the city's main landmark, was built at the time, after the city developed its industry and became a railway hub in the 1870s. Schools were open, such as the Theological Seminary în 1836, and
SECTION 60
#17328838102907192-404: The city. Buzău's proximity to trade routes helped it develop its role as a commerce hub in older days, and as an industrial centre during the 20th century. During the Middle Ages, Buzău was a market town and Eastern Orthodox episcopal see in Wallachia . It faced a period of repeated destruction during the 17th and 18th centuries, nowadays symbolized on the city seal by the Phoenix bird . In
7308-425: The city. The latter also manages an ethnography exhibit in the city, as well as the Vasile Voiculescu memorial house in Pârscov and the amber exhibit at Colți . The city is named after the nearby river . In turn, the river is mentioned under the name Μουσεος ( Mouseos ) in a document written in Greek and dated 376 AD, recounting the martyrdom of Sabbas the Goth . Historian Vasile Pârvan thought that this name
7424-442: The commune of Țintești . On 26 September 2021, a referendum was done to decide this, but as only 10.03% of the population of Buzău voted, which is below the legal threshold requiring a voter turnout of 30%, the results were considered null and Țintești and Buzău were left separate. Eight historical monuments classified as having national importance exist in Buzău: the church of the Birth of Christ (1649, also known colloquially as
7540-472: The company that operated it had around 100 employees. Another business started at this time was Metalurgica și Turnătorie – S.A. (Metallurgy and Foundry), founded in 1928 with a capital of over 9 million lei. Although it had an initially difficult period, as it was closed during the Great Depression , it was reopened in 1933, only to be closed again in 1940 and 1944, during World War II. After World War II , on 11 June 1948 all factories were requisitioned by
7656-406: The concept of the Romanian nation and the desire for unification did not yet exist. A. D. Xenopol firmly states the absence of any national element in Michael's politics, holding that Michael's lack of desire to join the principalities' administrations proved his actions were not motivated by any such concept. Several Romanian settlements named after him, such as: Michael is also commemorated by
7772-401: The control of all three provinces for less than a year before the Hungarian nobility of Transylvania rose against him in a series of revolts with the support of the Austrian army commanded by the Italian General Giorgio Basta , defeating Michael the Brave at the Battle of Mirăslău , forcing the prince to leave Transylvania and retreat to Wallachia with his remaining troops, while the forces of
7888-450: The countries of Northern Europe. The municipality also runs programs to improve theirs status, and School no. 14, located in Simileasca, is the main focus of these actions. Pupils of this school publish a bilingual school newspaper, in Romani and Romanian , which promotes Roma integration into society. Although mentioned in documents as early as the 16th century, the Jews of Buzău became an especially important community starting with
8004-402: The cultural and economical development period of the 19th century. A large proportion of them were merchants and craftsmen. The Jewish cemetery appeared in 1853 and a temple dates from 1885. Between the two World Wars, 10% of the population of Buzău was Jewish, a large percentage compared to other cities in Wallachia, but significantly smaller than those in Moldavia, which saved the community from
8120-418: The economy began to industrialize as well. Towards the end of that century, the development of a Romanian railway network made Buzău one of its important hubs and pushed the small craftsmen's shops to evolve into industrial installations. The first such facility was the Garoflid mill , open in 1883, that worked also as a cloth factory. În 1894, an oil refinery of the Saturn society was built; this refinery
8236-514: The emperor heard that General Giorgio Basta had lost control of Transylvania to the Hungarian nobility led by Sigismund Báthory , who accepted Ottoman protection. Meanwhile, forces loyal to Michael in Wallachia led by his son, Nicolae Pătrașcu , drove Simion Movilă out of Wallachia and prepared to reenter Transylvania. Michael, allied with Basta, defeated the Hungarian army in Battle of Guruslău . A few days later, Basta, who sought to control Transylvania himself, assassinated Michael by order of
8352-412: The emperor refused to allow him audience. But General Giorgio Basta 's governance of Transylvania faced significant opposition from the Hungarian nobility, leading to the reinstallation of Sigismund Báthory , who turned his back on Emperor Rudolf II and declared submission to the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth after receiving substantial military support. This led to Emperor Rudolf II accepting Michael
8468-639: The entire county. The jurisdiction of the Tribunal covers all the four local courts ( judecătorii ) in the county, of which Buzău Local Court is in the city and takes cases related to Buzău and 34 surrounding communes, the largest jurisdiction of the four. The higher court to all these is the Court of Appeals in Ploiești. In the Romanian Parliament, Buzău elects deputies on the lists associated with Buzău County . Of
8584-628: The executive rule of the country. Boyars could no longer be executed without the knowledge and approval of the Transylvanian Prince and, if convicted for treason, their fortunes could no longer be confiscated. Apparently Michael was displeased with the final form of the treaty negotiated by his envoys, but was forced to comply. Prince Michael said in a conversation with the Polish envoy Lubieniecki: ... they did not proceed as stated in their instructions but as their own good required and obtained privileges for themselves. He would try to avoid
8700-709: The expression serves only to confirm the absence of any Romanian idea . Samuil Micu , a member of the Transylvanian School wrote in his work Short Explanation of the History of the Romanians (written in the 1790s): "In the year 1593, Michael, who is called the Brave, succeeded to the lordship of Wallachia. He was a great warrior, who fought the Turks and defeated the Transylvanians. And he took Transylvania and gave it to Emperor Rudolf". Petre P. Panaitescu states that in Mihai's time,
8816-528: The factories open at the time are still functioning within the framework of market economy. There are no universities based in Buzău, and only a few universities from other cities have remote learning facilities here. The main educational institutions here are B.P. Hasdeu high-school (where Nobel laureate George Emil Palade studied) and Mihai Eminescu high-school. The city has a number of other secondary schools, in addition to elementary schools. The Vasile Voiculescu County Library and Buzău County Museum are based in
8932-588: The following signature on official documents: Michael Valachiae Transalpinae Woivoda, Sacrae Caesareae Regiae Majestatis Consiliarius per Transylvaniam Locumtenens, cis transylvaniam partium eius super exercitu Generalis Capitaneus". ("Michael, voivode of Wallachia, the councillor of His Majesty the Emperor and the King, his deputy in Transylvania and General Captain of his troops from Transylvania.") When Michael entered Transylvania, he did not immediately free or grant rights to
9048-521: The future. Buzău is one of the main hubs of Romanian Railways , as it connects Bucharest and Ploiești with Focșani , Galați and Constanța . The city railway station was open in 1872, along with the Bucharest-Galați railway. A branch of this railway, from Buzău to Mărășești was opened a few years later, on 13 June 1881 , and it was the first railway designed by Romanian engineers. The Buzău-Nehoiașu line, open in 1908, connects Buzău to
9164-657: The government of Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu , Predoiu became a member of the National Liberal Party (PNL), after which he quit in 2008 to continue as minister, and in 2013 has attempted to obtain the presidential nomination of the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) for the next year's election; eventually, that party merged with the PNL, who nominated Klaus Iohannis, and Predoiu became shadow prime-minister. During
9280-500: The largest Buzău-based company is Romet, a holding company made up of multiple firms that produse isolation materials for water and gas pipes, water filters, fire extinguishers and other related products. It was successful in the 1990s, with the Aquator home water purifier. In 1999, it also acquired Aromet S.A. , the company that operated the 1928 Metalurgica factory. Other Buzău-based companies were privatised by programs supervised by
9396-536: The monks of the Athonite Simonopetra Monastery for his great contributions in the form of land and money to rebuilding the monastery that had been destroyed by a fire. Mihai Viteazul , a film by Sergiu Nicolaescu , a well-known Romanian film director, is a representation of the life of the Wallachian ruler and his will to unite the three Romanian principalities ( Wallachia , Moldavia , and Transylvania ) as one domain. The Order of Michael
9512-476: The most present small mammals are the wild polecat and the brown rat . Lakes are populated with small fish, such as bitterlings and eel , as well as snails and green lizards . During the migration season, a parliament of short-eared owls has made a habit of spending a few days in some tall fir trees located in the yard of the Forestry Inspector's Office in the city center. Experimental crops from
9628-603: The nearby villages or in Western Moldavia . The city resumed its development after the war. The interbellum brought about the first sport matches (association football and boxing) and the "Metalurgica" factory, a private business that was to be later confiscated by the communists, and continues to this day as part of a joined venture. After World War II , the industrialization of Buzău was forcefully accelerated, and its population tripled in less than 50 years; new inhabitants were brought to work in newly built factories mainly in
9744-416: The neighboring communes in the north-east of the city, as it remains used only by pedestrians and cyclists. Works began in the fall of 2017. The bridge was renovated and opened for cars and buses again in 2021. Mihai Viteazul Michael the Brave ( Romanian : Mihai Viteazul [miˈhaj viˈte̯azul] or Mihai Bravu [ˈbravu] ; 1558 – 9 August 1601), born as Mihai Pătrașcu ,
9860-502: The north of the city, DN10 also branches from DN2. It crosses the Carpathians at their south-eastern curvature through Buzău Pass towards Brașov . The south of Buzău is also crossed by national road DN2B, which branches from DN2 în the neighboring commune of Costești, leading eastward to Galați and Brăila . In Buzău, county road DJ203D branches from DN2B. It leads south to Țintești and Smeeni , where it ends in DN2C [ ro ] ,
9976-452: The north. Despite the forced industrialization, Buzău was spared from becoming dependent on a single industry, and there was no single point of failure for the city's economy. According to the new law of commerce of 1990, that came after the fall of Communism , these factories were organised as state-owned companies, and were privatised. Most of them survived the transition to a market economy , as many of them thus became viable. Currently,
10092-498: The obligations imposed on him for the rest of his reign. During his reign, Michael relied heavily on the loyalty and support of a group of Oltenian lords, the most important of whom were Buzescu Brothers (Romanian: Frații Buzești ) and his own relatives on his mother's side, the Cantacuzinos. He consequently protected their interests throughout his reign; for example, he passed a law binding serfs to lands owned by aristocrats. From
10208-629: The old seminary (1838), the chancellery (19th century), gate belfry and the compound wall (18th century); the Vergu-Mănăilă mansion (18th century, which currently hosts the ethnography exhibit of the County Museum); Vasile Voiculescu County Library (1914); and the Communal Palace (city hall, 1899–1903). One public forum monument and twelve memorial monuments are included in the list of historical monuments in Buzău County with local importance, including
10324-459: The operation. Ștefan Răzvan arrested Aron on charges of treason on the night of 24 April (5 May) and sent him to the Transylvanian capital at Gyulafehérvár with his family and treasure. Aron would die poisoned by the end of May in the castle of Vinc . Sigismund was forced to justify his actions before the European powers, since Aron had played an active role in the anti-Ottoman coalition. Later on, in
10440-582: The others. The steel wire, welded metal net, concrete and iron works became Ductil Steel S.A. and passed to the Italian company Sidersipe. The iron powder works became Ductil Iron Powder . In 2007, FRO Spa sold Ductil S.A. to the Russian company Mechel , for 90 million euro. Zahărul S.A. , the town's sugar producer, was acquired by Agrana România , an Austrian-based group that also owned other sugar factories in Roman ,
10556-457: The reign of Dan II . Archeological sites belonging to Gumelnița and Monteoru cultures prove the presence of human inhabitants before the Christian era. During the Middle Ages, there was also a fortress of Buzău, but only a few passing mentions in foreign documents are kept. The market that was already flourishing in 1431, has also become an Orthodox episcopal see in the early 16th century. In
10672-407: The same city of Gyulafehérvár, Wallachian boyars signed a treaty with Sigismund on Michael's behalf. From the point of view of Wallachian internal politics, the Treaty of Gyulafehérvár officialized what could be called a boyar regime , reinforcing the already important political power of the noble elite. According to the treaty, a council of 12 great boyars was to take part alongside the voivode in
10788-567: The same ruler. His rule over Wallachia began in the autumn of 1593. Two years later, war with the Ottomans began, a conflict in which the Prince fought the Battle of Călugăreni , resulting in a victory against an army nearly three times the size of the army of Michael the Brave, considered one of the most important battles of his reign. Although the Wallachians emerged victorious from the battle, Michael
10904-619: The seven deputies elected in 2016 on these lists, six ( social democrats Marcel Ciolacu , Ionela Viorela Dobrică , Sorin Lazăr , Dănuț Păle , Nicolaie-Sebastian-Valentin Radu ; and Adrian Mocanu from the People's Movement Party ) have their office in Buzău, while only the liberal Cristinel Romanescu has his in Râmnicu Sărat . In the late 19th century, local statesman Alexandru Marghiloman , owner of
11020-425: The smaller towns and villages along the Buzău River valley, including Nehoiu and Pătârlagele . Buzău is crossed by national road DN2 (part of European route E85 ), which connects the city to Bucharest to the south and to Râmnicu Sărat and the main cities of Western Moldavia to the north. National road DN1B (European Route E577) branches out of DN2 in Buzău. This road connects the city to Ploiești . In
11136-546: The south of the city. Buzău has profoundly changed its appearance, working class quarters being built instead of the old commercial streets, some historical buildings, such as the Moldavia Theatre, were demolished. Their cultural role was taken over by the Labor Unions' Cultural Center and then by "Dacia" Cinema. In 2021, there was a project, known as "Buzău Mare 2021" ("Greater Buzău 2021"), that aimed to unite Buzău with
11252-539: The sovereign of Wallachia. On 25 September (5 October) Báthory issued an ultimatum demanding that Michael abandon his throne. Michael decided to attack Andrew Cardinal Báthory immediately to prevent invasion. He would later describe the events: I rose with my country, my children, taking my wife and everything I had and with my army [marched into Transylvania] so that the foe should not crush me here. He left Târgoviște on 2 October, and 9 by October he had reached Prejmer in southern Transylvania, where he met envoys from
11368-643: The standpoint of religious jurisdiction, the Treaty of Gyulafehérvár had another important consequence: it placed all the Eastern Orthodox bishops in Transylvania under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Seat of Târgoviște . During this period, the Ottoman army, based in Ruse , was preparing to cross the Danube and undertake a major attack. Michael was quickly forced to retreat and the Ottoman forces started to cross
11484-492: The statue "Prayer" by Constantin Brâncuși (nowadays replaced by a replica). The city is located in the center of the county, 100 km north-east of Bucharest , in the south-east of Romania, taking up a total area of 81.3 km (31.4 sq mi), at the outermost curvature of the Subcarpathian foothills, at the crossroads of the three main Romanian historical provinces: Wallachia , Transylvania , and Moldavia . It
11600-407: The streets in Buzău have trees planted alongside, chestnut on Nicolae Bălcescu boulevard and linden on Unirii boulevard. In their gardens, the locals grow roses , hyacinths , tulips , local peonies , and petunia , as well as grapevines and Virginia creepers for shade. The wild fauna in Buzău is made up of city-dwelling species. The house sparrow and the collared dove are ubiquitous, and
11716-419: The three principalities, Transylvania, Moldavia, and Wallachia. This did not significantly delay his attack, however; on 14 April 1600 Michael's troops entered Moldavia on multiple routes, the Prince himself leading the main thrust to Trotuș and Roman . He reached the capital of Iași on 6 May. The garrison surrendered the citadel the next day and Michael's forces caught up with the fleeing Ieremia Movilă, who
11832-512: The urban area of Cuza Vodă street (19th century) in the old town, Crâng park , the Albatros Villa (that used to belong to Alexandru Marghiloman ) and the park, the Jewish temple, the buildings of B.P. Hasdeu and Mihai Eminescu high-schools, a house where Hortensia Papadat-Bengescu lived for a few years, and some of the tombs in Dumbrava cemetery, such as one that was originally decorated with
11948-549: The walls and across the Dniester to hetman Stanisław Żółkiewski 's camp. Neighboring states were alarmed by this upsetting of the balance of power, especially the Hungarian nobility in Transylvania, who rose against Michael in rebellion. With the help of Basta, they defeated Michael at the Battle of Mirăslău , forcing the prince to leave Transylvania together with his remaining loyal troops. A Polish army led by Jan Zamoyski drove
12064-545: The war, most Jews of the city moved to Israel, and left behind a Jewish community of only a few tens of people. Some of the personalities of the Jewish community in Buzău were painter Margareta Sterian and philosopher Ludwig Grunberg . In the 18th century, to avoid Ottoman repression against Christians in the Balkans, groups of Bulgarians settled in Wallachia where they enjoyed freedom to practice Christianity; some of these groups came to Buzău. The locals called them "Serbs" as
12180-637: The warful rule of Voivode Mihai". The perspective of the Wallachians themselves is to be found in The History of the Princes of Wallachia , attributed to the chronicler Radu Popescu (1655–1729), which bundles together all Michael's adversaries without distinction. Romanians and foreigners alike: "He subjected the Turks, the Moldavians, and the Hungarians to his rule, as if they were his asses." The picturesque flavor of
12296-596: The yard of the building at the intersection of Crizantemelor and Tudor Vladimirescu streets, across the street from the park in front of B. P. Hasdeu high school and the Banu church, there is a century-old oak , locally protected as a monument of nature. 6% of the Lunca Buzăului protected area, a Natura 2000 site managed by the Ecological University of Bucharest, lies within city limits, in the north and east. Most of
12412-477: Was accompanied by his half-brother Radu Florescu, Radu Buzescu and several other supporters. After spending two weeks at the court of Sigismund Báthory , he left for Constantinople , where with help from his cousin Andronikos Kantakouzenos (the eldest son of Michael "Şeytanoğlu" Kantakouzenos ) and Patriarch Jeremiah II he negotiated Ottoman support for his accession to the Wallachian throne. He
12528-517: Was considered in later periods as the precursor of a modern Romania , a thesis which was argued with noted intensity by Nicolae Bălcescu . This theory became a point of reference for nationalists , as well as a catalyst for various Romanian forces to achieve a single Romanian state. To Romanian Romantic nationalists, he was regarded as one of Romania's greatest national heroes. He is known in Romanian historiography as Mihai Viteazul or, less commonly, Mihai Bravu . The prince began to be perceived as
12644-440: Was determined to continue the war against the Ottomans, but he was prevented because he lacked support from Sigismund Báthory and Rudolf II. On 7 January 1597 Hasan Pasha declared the independence of Wallachia under Michael's rule, but Michael knew that this was only an attempt to divert him from preparing for another future attack. Michael again requested Rudolf II's support and Rudolf finally agreed to send financial assistance to
12760-611: Was dissolved and integrated with Buzău. The Roma community is still located mostly in this part of the city, and it preserves its identity, although its leaders believe that Roma people in other parts of the city, who no longer speak their people's language, accept assimilation by the majority Romanians, and declare themselves Romanian at the census. The community is faced with endemic poverty, high illiteracy, lack of professional qualifications and high school dropout rates, which all expose it to permanently being manipulated by politicians for elections. Many Roma people went abroad, especially in
12876-452: Was forced to retreat with his troops and wait for aid from his allies, Prince Sigismund Báthory of Transylvania and Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II . The war continued until a peace finally emerged in January 1597, but this lasted for only a year and a half. Peace was again reached in late 1599, when Michael was unable to continue the war due to lack of support from his allies. In 1599, Michael won
12992-495: Was quite spectacular, as he became the Ban of Mehedinți in 1588, stolnic at the court of Mihnea Turcitul by the end of 1588, and Ban of Craiova in 1593 – during the rule of Alexandru cel Rău . The latter had him swear before 12 boyars that he was not of princely descent. Still, in May 1593 conflict did break out between Alexandru and Michael, who was forced to flee to Transylvania. He
13108-407: Was saved from being captured only by the sacrifice of his rear-guard. Movilă took refuge in the castle of Hotin together with his family, a handful of faithful boyars and the former Transylvanian Prince, Sigismund Báthory. The Moldavian soldiers in the castle deserted, leaving a small Polish contingent as sole defenders. Under the cover of dark, sometime before 11 June, Movilă managed to sneak out of
13224-588: Was supported by the English ambassador in the Ottoman capital, Edward Barton , and aided by a loan of 200,000 florins. Michael was invested Prince by Sultan Murad III in September 1593 and started his effective rule on 11 October. Not long after Michael became Prince of Wallachia, he turned against the Ottoman Empire. The next year he joined the Christian alliance of European powers formed by Pope Clement VIII against
13340-407: Was the Prince of Wallachia (as Michael II , 1593–1601), Prince of Moldavia (1600) and de facto ruler of Transylvania (1599–1600). He is considered one of Romania's greatest national heroes. Since the 19th century, Michael the Brave has been regarded by Romanian nationalists as a symbol of Romanian unity, as his reign marked the first time all principalities inhabited by Romanians were under
13456-515: Was to function for 50 years. After a dramatic nationwide decrease caused by the First World War (the 1919 output was a quarter of the one in 1913 ), the industrial development picked up steam during the interbellum. One of the main components of the local industry was milling . The first industrial mill in the city, Garoflid , renamed Zangopol after its new owner, had reached a capital of 5 million lei in 1928 and, 30 de million in 1938, while
#289710