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Wallachia Rarity
This finely engraved 18th-century map shows Wallachia (Valachia), the historical principality situated between the Carpathian Mountains and the Danube River, corresponding to modern-day southern Romania. The map was created by Johann Andreas Pfeffel around 1740.
The map delineates Wallachia's borders with neighboring territories, including Transylvania to the northwest, Moldavia to the northeast, and Bulgaria (then part of the Ottoman Empire) to the south. The Danube River, forming the southern boundary, is prominently marked, indicating key crossing points and settlements. The Carpathian Mountains stretch across the northern section, providing a natural barrier to Transylvania. Major rivers, including the Olt and Argeș, traverse the territory, underscoring the region’s topography and settlement patterns.
Numerous towns and cities are labeled in a dense network, reflecting Wallachia’s administrative and economic hubs. Notable locations include Bucharest (Bucarest), the capital, and Târgoviște (Tergovisco), a former princely seat. The map also marks smaller market towns, villages, and ecclesiastical sites, highlighting the region’s socio-political organization.
The map is embellished with two decorative cartouches. In the upper right corner, a classical figure holds a banner labeled Valachia, alongside a heraldic emblem.. In the upper left, a pastoral vignette depicts a seated female figure observing cherubs engaged in agricultural labor and bee keeping, possibly symbolizing Wallachia’s agrarian economy, known for grain, vineyards, and livestock.
During this period, Wallachia was an autonomous principality under Ottoman suzerainty, governed by native or Phanariote rulers appointed by the Ottoman Sultan. The region’s strategic location made it a contested space between the Habsburg, Ottoman, and Russian Empires, particularly during the wars of the 18th century. This map likely served as both a geographic reference and a political document, reflecting Wallachia’s significance within the broader European and Ottoman world.
