Anonymous [(attributed to) Constantin Cantacuzino († 1716) (also attributed to) Teodosie Veștemeanul († 1708) / Ioan Frâncul (alias Ion Romanul; alias Giovanni Candido Romano)]
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Description
History of Wallachia, from its “beginnings” – the Roman conquest of Dacia under Emperor Traianus († 117) – until the rise of Attila the Hun († 453). The anonymous author tries to cover events ignored by the local chronicles, which start with a 13th century prince called Radu Negru (Radu “the Black”), who allegedly “descended” from Transylvania and founded the principality of Wallachia. The History stresses the Latin origin of the Romanians and insists on the continuity of the romanic population North of the Danube. Its point of view is clearly stated from the very start: the title speaks of the “Romanian Land”. The paternity of the text is highly contested, the controversy being fuelled by the fact that all surviving manuscripts date from the 18th century. The text was attributed to Nicolae “Milescu” Spătarul; to the Metropolitan of Wallachia Teodosie Veștemeanul; to Hrizea vistier, Ivașcu Băleanu or Staicu Merișanu; to Daniil Panonianul... The common opinion, first formulated by N. Iorga, is that the author was the learned stolnic Constantin Cantacuzino; however, N.A. Ursu believes that all credit should go to a logofăt of Constantine Brâncoveanu by name Ion Frâncul, who also signed as Ion Frâncul.