Romania

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

ROMANIA· (Book Romania) ROMANIA is next to Bulgaria, which was so called from the chiefe Citty Constantinople, which was called also Roma ••va, or new Rome. It was heretofore called Thrace, either from Thra•es the Sonne of Mars, or from the Nimph Thrara, or rather, a feritate seu temeritate, from their wildnesse or rashnesse. It is parted from Macedon by the River Strymon; on the North is the River Haemus, on the other sides the Sea washeth it. This Country hath neither good ayre, nor soyle: and except it bee that part which lyeth toward the Sea, it is cold and unfruitfull. But by the •ea it hath fruit, and Corne. It hath few Apple trees, and but few Vines, which unlesse they be defended from the cold, the Grapes of them doe seldome come to maturity or ripenesse. It hath these Citties Abdera where Democritus was borne▪ also Nicopolis, Philippop•lis, Hadrianopolis, Trajanopolis, Selymbria, Perinthus, and many others. The Metropolis or Mother Citty is Bizantium, which was built by Pausanias, now they call it Constantin•ple, from Constantine, who made it the seate of his Empire. The Turkes call it Stampolda, as it were a large Citty. It is seated by an arme of the Sea, and it hath Pera over against it, which they call Galata, which was an ancient Colony of the Genuensians. There are divers Monuments of Antiquity in this Citty, some of which were brought thither from Rome. The chiefe are the Church of Sophia, which was built by the Emperour Iustinian. The Palace of Constantine. St. Lukes Church. A new Castle, a Colossus, a place to ride Horses, and many old Steeples. Two Rivers doe water it Cydrus, commonly called Machl•vam, and Barbises, also Chartaricon. The compasse of this Citty is 13. miles. And there are in it 700. thousand Inhabitants. This Country hath but few Rivers but those very famous, as Hebrus, Melanes, 〈◊〉, Arsas, B•••n••, and N•sla. It hath these Mountaines, Haemus, Rhodope, Orbelus, Pa•geus, and Messapus, these Countries are now subject to the Turke, who hath a Palace at Constantinople. Of whose power, and government I will speake briefly. There are about 200. whom the Turke every 4. yeeres doth command to gather thorow Greece, Walachia, Bosnia, and Anatolia, and his other Territories all the Christian Male Children, out of every Family, as a tenth due unto him, which they bring to Constantinopolis, Pera, and Adrianopolis, and deliver them to Citizens to bring them up, and the lesse hopefull they put forth to Country people in Bursia, and Caramania. All these are called Azamogla, or Iamogla, that is, innocent Infants, that know nothing, and when they are 8. yeeres old, 50. of the handsomest and hopefullest of them are placed in the Emperours Palace at Constantinople, which is called Saray, and there they are instructed in learning and rudiments of warre, untill they have attained to 20. yeeres of age. Out of these beside other Officers of the Court the Janitzaries are chosen, of whom there are 12000. who are the Turkes Garde. Out of the Janitzaries 3000. Spachoglani are chosen, who goe on the Princes right hand, and doe every one keepe 4. or 5. Horses for service. Hemus is a very high wood, so that from the top thereof you may behold the Euxine and Adrian Sea. The Inhabitants of this Country are yellow of complexion, long hayrd, couragious, fierce, and cruell: they are great drinkers, and doe love Wine.