Orastie
Encyclopedia
Orăștie is a city in Hunedoara County
, south-western Transylvania
, Romania.
, built using a wave of earth and wood stockade
.
11th–12th century – The first Christian religious edifice was raised: The Orăștie Rotunda
. It is a circular chapel, with an age estimated at 1000 years. Perhaps it was used only by aristocratic families that dominated the Orăștie area and surroundings in the 11th century. Nearby there is a similar construction from the same period – The Geoagiu
Rotunda.
1105 – Together with the first crusade
suite, comes Anselm von Braz ”liber de liberis genitus”, châtelain
of Logne, walloon ministerial count. The historian Karl Kurt Klein implies – without being able to prove – that he moved with all the sons and descendants in the region where Orăștie City is located today.
1200 – according to the Transylvanian chronicles, this is the year that began construction of the city walls. Subsequently the action was abandoned because of unfavorable conditions.
1206 – King of Hungary
, Andrew II
, mentioned Romos, a village near Orăștie, as one of the first three villages in Transylvania comprising Saxon
colonists. The other two villages are Ighiu and Cricău.
1224 – King of Hungary
Andrew II
confirmed the privileges of the Saxon colonists and mentioned the existence of Romanian (Blachi
) and Pecheneg (Bisseni) populations who lived in the forests surrounding the town. The settlement has a number of privileges recognized by the Hungarian Royalty. The town was ruled by a royal judge (iudex regium), helped by 12 jurors which are chosen from local craftsmen and rich traders.
1239 – Probable this is the founding year of the convent of the Orăștie Franciscan church.
1241 – Orăştie was devastated during the Mongol invasion
. A Mongolian tumen
under the leadership of Büri entered in Transylvania
on the Olt
Valley, near Făgăraş
, in the direction of Sibiu
which is conquered on 11 April. One after another were devastated the Seats of Miercurea Sibiului
(Ruzmargt), Sebeş
(Mühlbach) and Orăştie (Broos). The Mongolian army will reach Cenad
on 25 April. Orăştie was probably destroyed between 11 and 25 April. The image of the settlements and cities destroyed by Mongolian invasion can be easily understood in the dramatic description of Alba-Iulia written by the Franciscan monk Rogerius of Apulia
:
In the future, King Béla IV will populate the region with new Saxon colonists and settlers.
1309 – Orăștie had approx. 1,600 inhabitants.
Franciscan Order of monks has been established in the city, and they built a church on the site of the current Franciscan monastery.
1324 – Hungarian King Charles I Robert
announced that the settlement will be awarded to the rank of town.
1334 – The priest John ( Johannes Sacerdos ), the tax collector in the Orăștie region, makes a census counting the chimneys. 344 houses are numbered, a public bath, 4 houses belonging to 4 nuns and the priest Nicholas (Nikolaus). This is the first time when the presence of Saxons in the Pricaz village is mentioned.
The documents indicate two public schools belonging to the Saxons in the Orăştie area.
1344 – The oldest mention of the patron “Saint Nicolas” for the Catholic Church from Orăștie.
1349 – In a document issued at Sibiu, the Seat of Orăștie (de sede Waras) is mentioned for the first time.
1364 – Saxons are colonized, near Orăștie, in the Căstău village.
1367 – The oldest evidence of the royal judge function of Orăştie Seat, being a record of a letter from the archdeacon Ladislau of Ugocsa, sent to the comes Christian of Orăştie (de Warasyo).
1372 – It is recorded in documents of the time comes Stephanus of Warasyo (Ştefan de Orăştie), as representative of the Seven Saxon Seats in Transylvania
.
1374 – There are mentioned in chronicles count Mihai de Orăştie (de Warasio) and the ruler of the region Mihai Blas de Orăştie (Michael Blas von Broos).
1376 – 19 guild
s (fraternitas) are mentioned as active in the town.
1420 – The county is raided by the Ottomans
. On 24 September 1420, a Turkish army invades the south-east of Transylvania
defeating, near Haţeg
County, an armed militia under the command of Transylvanian voivode Miklós Csáki. After two days the Turkish army will loot and burn Orăștie and surroundings. Then they will retreat leading several thousands slaves with them.
1425 – Saxons from Orăștie became suppliers of the Turks. Town is mentioned under its German name, Bros or Broos.
1433 – In the registers of the Vatican
are mentioned few pilgrims from Transylvania
, Banat
and Wallachia
. Among them is mentioned Petru son of Blasius of Orăștie (de Orastiia). States that Peter belongs previously to the Orthodox faith (grecorum), and at the Holy Trinity holiday was baptized in the Catholic Church of Saint Peter in Rome in the presence of John Sigismund king of Hungary. It is written that Peter, as a soldier of his king, took part in several military actions against the Turks
and Bohemians.
1436 – Hungarians are mentioned as living in the center of the town.
1438 – A Turkish army led by the sultan Murad II together with a wallachian army led by Vlad Dracula enters in Transylvania where they will loot and spoil Orăștie and the Romos village. On this occasion the Franciscan monastery was burned. Later it was rebuilt by the members of the Franciscan order.
1442 – Another Turkish invasion in Transylvania. Battle takes place at Sântimbru (18 March 1442) which ended with victory of the Turks led by Mezid (Mezet) Bey of Vidin. In March the town was looted and burned.
1449 – Comes Bartholomew of Orăștie, is mentioned in chronicles, at a meeting of the Seven Seats.
1479 – A Turkish army entered Transylvania
on 9 October, near Câlnic, led by Ali Kodsha and Skender, or Ali Michaloglu
and Skander according to other sources. A probable number for the Ottoman forces was 20000 soldiers, and 1000–2000 Wallachians infantryman led by Basarab cel Tânăr-Țepeluș. On 13 October Kodsha bey set up his camp in the Breadfield
, a place between Șibot and Orăștie.
The Hungarian army was led by Pál Kinizsi
, István Báthory
, Vuk Branković, and Basarab Laiotă cel Bătrân. All forces combined totaled 12 or 15,000 men.
Battle of Breadfield
took place in a location between Orăștie and Șibot.
The Turkish casualties were high, with several thousand men killed and a thousand of their Wallachian allies. The few Turks who survived the massacre fled into the mountains, where the majority were killed by the local population.
In memory of the victory against the Turks, Stephen Bathory raised a chapel near the village Aurel Vlaicu.
When the city was looted by the Turks, they destroyed a large part of cultivated land and the church inside the castle is damaged. Later, the church is rebuilt and taken into possession by the Hungarians. That explains why the city that was a Saxon fortress, the church became the property of reforming Hungarians and Saxons received only a room beside the church, which was used as a place of worship until 1823 when a new church was built by Saxons.
1486 – Because of disagreements between the Seat of Orăștie and Hunyad County, the Saxon University of Sibiu calls the Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus to regulate the borders between the two territories.
1488 – Takes place a population census of the Saxon Seats. Were counted and recorded population, mills, devastated properties, Catholics and Orthodox priests, and impoverished households in some case. In Orăștie (oppidi Brosz) are recorded: 158 Saxons, 2 poor inhabitants, 4 shepherds, 1 miller and 10 abandoned households.
1491 – An agreement takes place between the Saxons and Hungarians: the royal judge function should be held alternately, a Saxon then followed by a Hungarian, and in senate each of the two nations should be represented in equal number of members.
1500 – The annual fair on Saint Nicholas
Day was held for the first time in history.
1504 – Was appointed by the king as a judge of Orăștie, Stephen Olahus, father of the great humanist Nicolaus Olahus
, was appointed by the king as a judge of Orăștie.
1509 – The first mention of Gypsies in Orăştie: "The ledger of Sibiu city, registres a payment made in favor of two employers sent to Orăștie to escort some Gypsies held and accused of violent crimes in the market place in Orăştie."
Voivode János Szapolyai moves population from Banat to Orăștie and Turdaş to complete the regions decreasing demographic growth.
1514 – During the war led by Gheorghe Doja, János Szapolyai’s army have passed through the region. János Szapolyai notes that the town is not sufficiently protected, and does not have enough equipment for war.
1520 – 25 April, Buda. Louis II, king of Hungary, asked Mayor of Sibiu to undertake the necessary to investment the noble Matia Olah of Orăștie (de Zazwaras) as the royal judge of town, rank which is currently owned by his elderly father, Stefan Olah. The sovereign is conferring this at the same time with the new job, all revenue collected fron taxes, products, and other common benefits.
1529 – Orăștie should make oath of allegiance to the new King János Szapolyai.
1533 – Following the expansion of the Lutheran dogma in Orăștie, the Order of Franciscan monks were cast out of town.
1536 – On 4 June 1536 Matthew Olah dies, brother of Nicolaus Olahus, archbishop of Strigoniu.
1544 – Orastie fortress is mentioned in chronicles by Sebastian Münster.
1550 – The first mention of the denomination Saxopolis.
Georg Reicherstorffer in "Chorographia Transilvaniae", printed in Vienna in 1550 writes:
1560 – Orăştie fortress is mentioned in chronicles by Giovanandrea Gromo.
1560 is about the year that the ethnic Hungarian community has been converted to Protestantism and Romanian Catholic Church becomes Reformed Calvinist.
1599 – Michael the Brave asked the town for a loan of 1,000 florins
.
1582 – The Old Testament of Orăștie, one of the first Romanian-language translations of the Bible was printed here.
1602 – General Giorgio Basta
garrison
ed 400 Imperial
soldiers in the town. Their actions persuaded the townsfolk to flee or otherwise barricade themselves in the church's castle. Later, in the same year, general Gabriel Bethlen
, with an army of Tatars
, Turks, Hungarians and Serbs
besieged the town. The Imperial soldiers were denied access to the church's castel and all but 11 were killed. In August, Basta retook Transylvania and hanged the Mayor of Orăştie and two other prominent burghers
.
1604 – 1,500 of Basta's soldiers were garrisoned in the town. Because of extreme famine
, there cannibalism
extended.
1605 – A large part of the town was destroyed.
1661 – An Ottoman army in pursuit of János Kemény
, set on fire Orăștie and Sebeș
.
1663 – The reformed college of the town was established by Michael I Apafi
1697 – The first pharmacy
of the town, "Graffius", was established.
1733 – The tax registry mentioned 2,800 inhabitants in 568 families: 240 Romanian families, 170 Hungarian, 100 Saxon, 50 Gypsy and 8 Greek
.
1738 – The plague
caused the deaths of 156 people.
1749 – The Roman Catholic church was built in the shape that it still has: in 1880 a tower was added.
1752–1756 – 144 colonists from Upper Austria
settle the town.
1757–1758 – Another 222 colonists from the same region.
1784 – The peasants' rebellion of Horea, Cloșca and Crișan
.
1786 – A census under Emperor Joseph II
counted 3,190 people in the town.
1820–1823 – The Lutheran
church was build, with a tower being added in 1841.
1828 – A large fire destroys 127 houses.
1848 – Fighting between forces of Hungarian Revolutionary forces under general Józef Bem
, and the Austrian armies.
1853 – Transylvania was reorganised in 10 counties. The third one was centered on Orăştie. The county has 134,77 square miles/348,90 square km and 214,165 inhabitants. According to etnical criteria, its population comprised: 192,995 Romanians, 7,809 Hungarians, 1,063 Germans (and 12,297 of other categories). The religious divisions: 160,603 Eastern Orthodox, 38,550 Eastern Rite Catholics, 8,565 Lutherans, 4,283 Roman Catholic, 2,141 Calvinists
and 23 of other religions.
1854 – Orăştie had 4,207 inhabitants.
1857 – Census counted 5,029 inhabitants: 1,850 Eastern Orthodox, 1,136 Roman Catholic, 884 Lutheran, 688 Calvinist, 486 Eastern Rite, 24 Jewish, 19 Unitarian
and 5 Armenian
.
1867 – The synagogue was built.
1869 – First bank was established: "Brooser Vorschuss-verein".
1877 – Orăştie had 5,661 inhabitants.
1880 – Orăştie had 1,086 houses and 5,451 inhabitants: 2,312 Romanians, 1,427 Germans, 1,227 Hungarians, 16 Slovaks
, 8 Serbs, 176 other nationalities, 138 foreigners and 147 of unknown maternal language (a category that included Gypsies); 2,030 Eastern Orthodox, 1,002 Roman Catholic, 964 Lutheran, 769 Calvinist, 523 Eastern Rite, 163 Jewish.
1900 – Orăştie had 6,238 inhabitants. Electrical street lighting was introduced.
1910 – 6,937 inhabitants (of which 3,276 Romanians).
1930 – 7,377 inhabitants.
1941 – 9,751 inhabitants.
1948 – 8,819 inhabitants.
1956 – 10,488 inhabitants.
1960 – 11,726 inhabitants.
1966 – 12,822 inhabitants.
1973 – 14,994 inhabitants.
2002 – 21,213 inhabitants.
Hunedoara County
Hunedoara is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, with its capital city at Deva.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 485,712 and the population density was 69/km².*Romanians - 92%*Hungarians - 5%*Romas - 2%*Germans under 1%....
, south-western Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
, Romania.
History
7th–9th century – on the site of an old swamp , which today is the old center of town, it was a human settlement whose traces have been scattered into the X-th century by the construction of the first fortificationFortification
Fortifications are military constructions and buildings designed for defence in warfare and military bases. Humans have constructed defensive works for many thousands of years, in a variety of increasingly complex designs...
, built using a wave of earth and wood stockade
Stockade
A stockade is an enclosure of palisades and tall walls made of logs placed side by side vertically with the tops sharpened to provide security.-Stockade as a security fence:...
.
11th–12th century – The first Christian religious edifice was raised: The Orăștie Rotunda
Rotunda (architecture)
A rotunda is any building with a circular ground plan, sometimes covered by a dome. It can also refer to a round room within a building . The Pantheon in Rome is a famous rotunda. A Band Rotunda is a circular bandstand, usually with a dome...
. It is a circular chapel, with an age estimated at 1000 years. Perhaps it was used only by aristocratic families that dominated the Orăștie area and surroundings in the 11th century. Nearby there is a similar construction from the same period – The Geoagiu
Geoagiu
Geoagiu is a town in Hunedoara County, Romania, located on the Mureş river at an altitude of 217 meters over the sea level. The river with the same name flows in this place into the Mureş. The town has a population of about 6,500...
Rotunda.
1105 – Together with the first crusade
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
suite, comes Anselm von Braz ”liber de liberis genitus”, châtelain
Châtelain
Châtelain was originally merely the French equivalent of the English castellan, i.e. the commander of a castle....
of Logne, walloon ministerial count. The historian Karl Kurt Klein implies – without being able to prove – that he moved with all the sons and descendants in the region where Orăștie City is located today.
1200 – according to the Transylvanian chronicles, this is the year that began construction of the city walls. Subsequently the action was abandoned because of unfavorable conditions.
1206 – King of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
, Andrew II
Andrew II of Hungary
Andrew II the Jerosolimitan was King of Hungary and Croatia . He was the younger son of King Béla III of Hungary, who invested him with the government of the Principality of Halych...
, mentioned Romos, a village near Orăștie, as one of the first three villages in Transylvania comprising Saxon
Transylvanian Saxons
The Transylvanian Saxons are a people of German ethnicity who settled in Transylvania from the 12th century onwards.The colonization of Transylvania by Germans was begun by King Géza II of Hungary . For decades, the main task of the German settlers was to defend the southeastern border of the...
colonists. The other two villages are Ighiu and Cricău.
1224 – King of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
Andrew II
Andrew II of Hungary
Andrew II the Jerosolimitan was King of Hungary and Croatia . He was the younger son of King Béla III of Hungary, who invested him with the government of the Principality of Halych...
confirmed the privileges of the Saxon colonists and mentioned the existence of Romanian (Blachi
Vlachs
Vlach is a blanket term covering several modern Latin peoples descending from the Latinised population in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. English variations on the name include: Walla, Wlachs, Wallachs, Vlahs, Olahs or Ulahs...
) and Pecheneg (Bisseni) populations who lived in the forests surrounding the town. The settlement has a number of privileges recognized by the Hungarian Royalty. The town was ruled by a royal judge (iudex regium), helped by 12 jurors which are chosen from local craftsmen and rich traders.
1239 – Probable this is the founding year of the convent of the Orăștie Franciscan church.
1241 – Orăştie was devastated during the Mongol invasion
Mongol invasion of Europe
The resumption of the Mongol invasion of Europe, during which the Mongols attacked medieval Rus' principalities and the powers of Poland and Hungary, was marked by the Mongol invasion of Rus starting in 21 December 1237...
. A Mongolian tumen
Tumen
Tumen or Tümen was a part of the decimal system used by Turkic and Mongol peoples to organize their armies. Tumen is an army unit of 10,000 soldiers...
under the leadership of Büri entered in Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
on the Olt
Olt
Olt may refer to:* Olt Online Taxes, a tax website for USA Taxpayers* Olt County, a county of Romania* Olt Defile, a defile that has been cut into the Transyvanian Alps in south-central Romania by the Olt River* Olt River, a river in Romnia...
Valley, near Făgăraş
Fagaras
Făgăraș is a city in central Romania, located in Braşov County . Another source of the name is alleged to derive from the Hungarian language word for "partridge" . A more plausible explanation is that the name is given by Fogaras river coming from the Pecheneg "Fagar šu", which means ash water...
, in the direction of Sibiu
Sibiu
Sibiu is a city in Transylvania, Romania with a population of 154,548. Located some 282 km north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the river Olt...
which is conquered on 11 April. One after another were devastated the Seats of Miercurea Sibiului
Miercurea Sibiului
Miercurea Sibiului is a town in the west of Sibiu County, in southern Transylvania, central Romania, 34 km to the west of the county capital Sibiu.-Administration:...
(Ruzmargt), Sebeş
Sebes
Sebeș is a city in Alba County, central Romania, southern Transylvania.-Geography:The city lies on the Mureș River valley and it straddles the Sebeș river...
(Mühlbach) and Orăştie (Broos). The Mongolian army will reach Cenad
Cenad
Cenad is a commune in Timiş County, Banat, Romania. It is composed of a single village, Cenad.-Demography:...
on 25 April. Orăştie was probably destroyed between 11 and 25 April. The image of the settlements and cities destroyed by Mongolian invasion can be easily understood in the dramatic description of Alba-Iulia written by the Franciscan monk Rogerius of Apulia
Rogerius of Apulia
Rogerius of Apulia was a medieval Roman Catholic monk and chronicler, born in Torremaggiore, Apulia...
:
“ … I could not find anything than bones and skulls of those who were killed, scattered and broken walls of churches and palaces, which have been sprinkled by the blood of Christians.”
In the future, King Béla IV will populate the region with new Saxon colonists and settlers.
1309 – Orăștie had approx. 1,600 inhabitants.
Franciscan Order of monks has been established in the city, and they built a church on the site of the current Franciscan monastery.
1324 – Hungarian King Charles I Robert
Charles I of Hungary
Charles I , also known as Charles Robert , was the first King of Hungary and Croatia of the House of Anjou. He was also descended from the old Hungarian Árpád dynasty. His claim to the throne of Hungary was contested by several pretenders...
announced that the settlement will be awarded to the rank of town.
1334 – The priest John ( Johannes Sacerdos ), the tax collector in the Orăștie region, makes a census counting the chimneys. 344 houses are numbered, a public bath, 4 houses belonging to 4 nuns and the priest Nicholas (Nikolaus). This is the first time when the presence of Saxons in the Pricaz village is mentioned.
The documents indicate two public schools belonging to the Saxons in the Orăştie area.
1344 – The oldest mention of the patron “Saint Nicolas” for the Catholic Church from Orăștie.
1349 – In a document issued at Sibiu, the Seat of Orăștie (de sede Waras) is mentioned for the first time.
1364 – Saxons are colonized, near Orăștie, in the Căstău village.
1367 – The oldest evidence of the royal judge function of Orăştie Seat, being a record of a letter from the archdeacon Ladislau of Ugocsa, sent to the comes Christian of Orăştie (de Warasyo).
1372 – It is recorded in documents of the time comes Stephanus of Warasyo (Ştefan de Orăştie), as representative of the Seven Saxon Seats in Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
.
1374 – There are mentioned in chronicles count Mihai de Orăştie (de Warasio) and the ruler of the region Mihai Blas de Orăştie (Michael Blas von Broos).
1376 – 19 guild
Guild
A guild is an association of craftsmen in a particular trade. The earliest types of guild were formed as confraternities of workers. They were organized in a manner something between a trade union, a cartel, and a secret society...
s (fraternitas) are mentioned as active in the town.
1420 – The county is raided by the Ottomans
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. On 24 September 1420, a Turkish army invades the south-east of Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
defeating, near Haţeg
Hateg
Hațeg is a town in Hunedoara County, Romania with a population of 12,507. Three villages are administered by the town: Nălațvad, Silvașu de Jos and Silvașu de Sus.Țara Hațegului is the region around Hațeg town...
County, an armed militia under the command of Transylvanian voivode Miklós Csáki. After two days the Turkish army will loot and burn Orăștie and surroundings. Then they will retreat leading several thousands slaves with them.
1425 – Saxons from Orăștie became suppliers of the Turks. Town is mentioned under its German name, Bros or Broos.
1433 – In the registers of the Vatican
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
are mentioned few pilgrims from Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
, Banat
Banat
The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
and Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
. Among them is mentioned Petru son of Blasius of Orăștie (de Orastiia). States that Peter belongs previously to the Orthodox faith (grecorum), and at the Holy Trinity holiday was baptized in the Catholic Church of Saint Peter in Rome in the presence of John Sigismund king of Hungary. It is written that Peter, as a soldier of his king, took part in several military actions against the Turks
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
and Bohemians.
1436 – Hungarians are mentioned as living in the center of the town.
1438 – A Turkish army led by the sultan Murad II together with a wallachian army led by Vlad Dracula enters in Transylvania where they will loot and spoil Orăștie and the Romos village. On this occasion the Franciscan monastery was burned. Later it was rebuilt by the members of the Franciscan order.
1442 – Another Turkish invasion in Transylvania. Battle takes place at Sântimbru (18 March 1442) which ended with victory of the Turks led by Mezid (Mezet) Bey of Vidin. In March the town was looted and burned.
1449 – Comes Bartholomew of Orăștie, is mentioned in chronicles, at a meeting of the Seven Seats.
1479 – A Turkish army entered Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
on 9 October, near Câlnic, led by Ali Kodsha and Skender, or Ali Michaloglu
Ali Bey Mihaloğlu
Ali Bey Mihaloğlu or Gazı Alauddin Ali Bey Mihaloğlu, was an Ottoman military commander in 15th century and the first sanjakbey of the Sanjak of Smederevo. He was one of the descendants of Köse Mihal, a Byzantine governor of Chirmenkia and battle companion of Osman Gazi...
and Skander according to other sources. A probable number for the Ottoman forces was 20000 soldiers, and 1000–2000 Wallachians infantryman led by Basarab cel Tânăr-Țepeluș. On 13 October Kodsha bey set up his camp in the Breadfield
Breadfield
The Breadfield is a region in southwest Transylvania , between Orăştie and Sebeş in the Transylvanian Saxon land, near the Mureş River. The central settlement is Cugir ....
, a place between Șibot and Orăștie.
The Hungarian army was led by Pál Kinizsi
Pál Kinizsi
Pál Kinizsi was a Hungarian general, legendary commoner commander in the army of king Matthias Corvinus. He was Comes of Temes since 1484 and Captain General of the Lower Parts of the Kingdom of Hungary...
, István Báthory
István Báthory
Stephen VIII Báthory was a Hungarian noble.He was a son of Nicholas Báthory of the Somlyó branch of the Báthory family.In 1521, he was appointed deputy voivode of Transylvania, serving under the Voivoid John Zápolya...
, Vuk Branković, and Basarab Laiotă cel Bătrân. All forces combined totaled 12 or 15,000 men.
Battle of Breadfield
Battle of Breadfield
The Battle of Breadfield was the most tremendous conflict fought in Transylvania up to that time in the Hungarian-Turkish Wars taking place on October 13, 1479, on the Breadfield Zsibód near the Maros River...
took place in a location between Orăștie and Șibot.
The Turkish casualties were high, with several thousand men killed and a thousand of their Wallachian allies. The few Turks who survived the massacre fled into the mountains, where the majority were killed by the local population.
In memory of the victory against the Turks, Stephen Bathory raised a chapel near the village Aurel Vlaicu.
When the city was looted by the Turks, they destroyed a large part of cultivated land and the church inside the castle is damaged. Later, the church is rebuilt and taken into possession by the Hungarians. That explains why the city that was a Saxon fortress, the church became the property of reforming Hungarians and Saxons received only a room beside the church, which was used as a place of worship until 1823 when a new church was built by Saxons.
1486 – Because of disagreements between the Seat of Orăștie and Hunyad County, the Saxon University of Sibiu calls the Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus to regulate the borders between the two territories.
1488 – Takes place a population census of the Saxon Seats. Were counted and recorded population, mills, devastated properties, Catholics and Orthodox priests, and impoverished households in some case. In Orăștie (oppidi Brosz) are recorded: 158 Saxons, 2 poor inhabitants, 4 shepherds, 1 miller and 10 abandoned households.
1491 – An agreement takes place between the Saxons and Hungarians: the royal judge function should be held alternately, a Saxon then followed by a Hungarian, and in senate each of the two nations should be represented in equal number of members.
1500 – The annual fair on Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas
Saint Nicholas , also called Nikolaos of Myra, was a historic 4th-century saint and Greek Bishop of Myra . Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker...
Day was held for the first time in history.
1504 – Was appointed by the king as a judge of Orăștie, Stephen Olahus, father of the great humanist Nicolaus Olahus
Nicolaus Olahus
Nicolaus Olahus ; January 10, 1493, Sibiu-January 15, 1568, Trnava/Nagyszombat) was the Archbishop of Esztergom, Primate of Hungary, and a distinguished Roman Catholic prelate.-Early life:...
, was appointed by the king as a judge of Orăștie.
1509 – The first mention of Gypsies in Orăştie: "The ledger of Sibiu city, registres a payment made in favor of two employers sent to Orăștie to escort some Gypsies held and accused of violent crimes in the market place in Orăştie."
Voivode János Szapolyai moves population from Banat to Orăștie and Turdaş to complete the regions decreasing demographic growth.
1514 – During the war led by Gheorghe Doja, János Szapolyai’s army have passed through the region. János Szapolyai notes that the town is not sufficiently protected, and does not have enough equipment for war.
1520 – 25 April, Buda. Louis II, king of Hungary, asked Mayor of Sibiu to undertake the necessary to investment the noble Matia Olah of Orăștie (de Zazwaras) as the royal judge of town, rank which is currently owned by his elderly father, Stefan Olah. The sovereign is conferring this at the same time with the new job, all revenue collected fron taxes, products, and other common benefits.
1529 – Orăștie should make oath of allegiance to the new King János Szapolyai.
1533 – Following the expansion of the Lutheran dogma in Orăștie, the Order of Franciscan monks were cast out of town.
1536 – On 4 June 1536 Matthew Olah dies, brother of Nicolaus Olahus, archbishop of Strigoniu.
1544 – Orastie fortress is mentioned in chronicles by Sebastian Münster.
“… and there is another strong fortress, below Sebeş, near the town Orăştie …”
1550 – The first mention of the denomination Saxopolis.
Georg Reicherstorffer in "Chorographia Transilvaniae", printed in Vienna in 1550 writes:
„Orastie city which is called Broos by the Saxons, is located a mile away to the south of the Plain bread, is situated on the river Mureş. The soil is unduly fertile, giving liberally wheat, wine and all kinds of fruits; peoples are very obliging, and resemble more – about the way of clothes and food – with the Romanians who are living spreads all over the place on the desolate plains around.”
1560 – Orăştie fortress is mentioned in chronicles by Giovanandrea Gromo.
1560 is about the year that the ethnic Hungarian community has been converted to Protestantism and Romanian Catholic Church becomes Reformed Calvinist.
1599 – Michael the Brave asked the town for a loan of 1,000 florins
Guilder
Guilder is the English translation of the Dutch gulden — from Old Dutch for 'golden'. The guilder originated as a gold coin but has been a common name for a silver or base metal coin for some centuries...
.
1582 – The Old Testament of Orăștie, one of the first Romanian-language translations of the Bible was printed here.
1602 – General Giorgio Basta
Giorgio Basta
Giorgio Basta, Count of Huszt was an Italian general of Arbëreshë descent, employed by the Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II to command Habsburg forces in the Long War of 1591-1606 and later to administer Transylvania as an Imperial vassal to restore Catholicism as a predominant religion in...
garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
ed 400 Imperial
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
soldiers in the town. Their actions persuaded the townsfolk to flee or otherwise barricade themselves in the church's castle. Later, in the same year, general Gabriel Bethlen
Gabriel Bethlen
Gabriel Bethlen was a prince of Transylvania , duke of Opole and leader of an anti-Habsburg insurrection in the Habsburg Royal Hungary. His last armed intervention in 1626 was part of the Thirty Years' War...
, with an army of Tatars
Tatars
Tatars are a Turkic speaking ethnic group , numbering roughly 7 million.The majority of Tatars live in the Russian Federation, with a population of around 5.5 million, about 2 million of which in the republic of Tatarstan.Significant minority populations are found in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,...
, Turks, Hungarians and Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
besieged the town. The Imperial soldiers were denied access to the church's castel and all but 11 were killed. In August, Basta retook Transylvania and hanged the Mayor of Orăştie and two other prominent burghers
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
.
1604 – 1,500 of Basta's soldiers were garrisoned in the town. Because of extreme famine
Famine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure, overpopulation, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Every continent in the world has...
, there cannibalism
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
extended.
1605 – A large part of the town was destroyed.
1661 – An Ottoman army in pursuit of János Kemény
John Kemény (Prince)
János Kemény was a Hungarian aristocrat, writer and prince of Transylvania....
, set on fire Orăștie and Sebeș
Sebes
Sebeș is a city in Alba County, central Romania, southern Transylvania.-Geography:The city lies on the Mureș River valley and it straddles the Sebeș river...
.
1663 – The reformed college of the town was established by Michael I Apafi
Michael I Apafi
Michael Apafi was a Hungarian Prince of Transylvania.He was elected by the nobles of Transylvania on 14 September 1661, with the support of the Ottoman Empire, as a rival to the Habsburg-backed ruler János Kemény...
1697 – The first pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
of the town, "Graffius", was established.
1733 – The tax registry mentioned 2,800 inhabitants in 568 families: 240 Romanian families, 170 Hungarian, 100 Saxon, 50 Gypsy and 8 Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
.
1738 – The plague
Bubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
caused the deaths of 156 people.
1749 – The Roman Catholic church was built in the shape that it still has: in 1880 a tower was added.
1752–1756 – 144 colonists from Upper Austria
Upper Austria
Upper Austria is one of the nine states or Bundesländer of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria borders on Germany and the Czech Republic, as well as on the other Austrian states of Lower Austria, Styria, and Salzburg...
settle the town.
1757–1758 – Another 222 colonists from the same region.
1784 – The peasants' rebellion of Horea, Cloșca and Crișan
Revolt of Horea, Closca and Crisan
The Revolt of Horea, Cloșca and Crișan began in Zarand County, Transylvania, but it soon spread all throughout the Apuseni Mountains...
.
1786 – A census under Emperor Joseph II
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
counted 3,190 people in the town.
1820–1823 – The Lutheran
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
church was build, with a tower being added in 1841.
1828 – A large fire destroys 127 houses.
1848 – Fighting between forces of Hungarian Revolutionary forces under general Józef Bem
Józef Bem
Józef Zachariasz Bem was a Polish general, an Ottoman Pasha and a national hero of Poland and Hungary, and a figure intertwined with other European nationalisms...
, and the Austrian armies.
1853 – Transylvania was reorganised in 10 counties. The third one was centered on Orăştie. The county has 134,77 square miles/348,90 square km and 214,165 inhabitants. According to etnical criteria, its population comprised: 192,995 Romanians, 7,809 Hungarians, 1,063 Germans (and 12,297 of other categories). The religious divisions: 160,603 Eastern Orthodox, 38,550 Eastern Rite Catholics, 8,565 Lutherans, 4,283 Roman Catholic, 2,141 Calvinists
Reformed churches
The Reformed churches are a group of Protestant denominations characterized by Calvinist doctrines. They are descended from the Swiss Reformation inaugurated by Huldrych Zwingli but developed more coherently by Martin Bucer, Heinrich Bullinger and especially John Calvin...
and 23 of other religions.
1854 – Orăştie had 4,207 inhabitants.
1857 – Census counted 5,029 inhabitants: 1,850 Eastern Orthodox, 1,136 Roman Catholic, 884 Lutheran, 688 Calvinist, 486 Eastern Rite, 24 Jewish, 19 Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
and 5 Armenian
Armenian Apostolic Church
The Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
.
1867 – The synagogue was built.
1869 – First bank was established: "Brooser Vorschuss-verein".
1877 – Orăştie had 5,661 inhabitants.
1880 – Orăştie had 1,086 houses and 5,451 inhabitants: 2,312 Romanians, 1,427 Germans, 1,227 Hungarians, 16 Slovaks
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
, 8 Serbs, 176 other nationalities, 138 foreigners and 147 of unknown maternal language (a category that included Gypsies); 2,030 Eastern Orthodox, 1,002 Roman Catholic, 964 Lutheran, 769 Calvinist, 523 Eastern Rite, 163 Jewish.
1900 – Orăştie had 6,238 inhabitants. Electrical street lighting was introduced.
1910 – 6,937 inhabitants (of which 3,276 Romanians).
1930 – 7,377 inhabitants.
1941 – 9,751 inhabitants.
1948 – 8,819 inhabitants.
1956 – 10,488 inhabitants.
1960 – 11,726 inhabitants.
1966 – 12,822 inhabitants.
1973 – 14,994 inhabitants.
2002 – 21,213 inhabitants.
See also
- Dacian Fortresses of the Orăștie MountainsDacian Fortresses of the Orastie MountainsBuilt in murus dacicus style, the six Dacian Fortresses of the Orăștie Mountains, in Romania, were created in the 1st centuries BC and AD as protection against Roman conquest....
- Orăştie RiverOrăştie RiverThe Orăştie River is a tributary of the Mureş River in Transylvania, Romania.The upper reach of the river is also known as Godeanu River. The middle reach is locally known as Grădiştea River or Beriu River...
- CSM Dacia Orăştie
- Stadionul Dacia (Orăştie)Stadionul Dacia (Orăştie)Dacia Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Orăştie, Hunedoara County. It is currently the home ground of Dacia Orăştie. It can currently hold 1,000 people....