Turks of Romania
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Turkish Romanian
|
|---|
| Total population |
|
32,596 (census 2002) |
| Regions with significant populations |
| Northern Dobruja · Constanţa County · Tulcea · Medgidia · Mangalia |
| Languages |
| Turkish |
| Religions |
| Cultural Muslim |
Contents |
[edit] History
As the entire Balkan Peninsula become an integral part of the emerging Ottoman Empire (a process which concluded with the fall of Constantinople to Sultan Mehmed II in 1453), Wallachia became engaged in frequent confrontations and, in the final years of Mircea the Elder's reign, became an Ottoman subject. Mircea (reigned 1386-1418), initially defeated the Ottomans in several battles (including that of Rovine in 1394), driving them away from Dobruja and briefly extending his rule to the Danube Delta, Dobruja and Silistra (ca.1400-1404).[2] He oscillated between alliances with Sigismund of Hungary and Jagiellon Poland (taking part in the Battle of Nicopolis),[3] and accepted Ottoman suzerainty in 1415, after Mehmed I took control of Turnu and Giurgiu — the two ports remained part of the Ottoman state, with brief interruptions, until 1829. In 1418-1420, Mihail I defeated the Ottomans in Severin, only to be killed in battle by the counter-offensive; in 1422, the danger was averted for a short while when Dan II inflicted a defeat on Murad II with the help of Pippo Spano.[4]
[edit] Modern era
The Turks (Turkish: Türkler, Romanian: Turci) are an ethnic minority in Romania, numbering 32,596 people according to the 2002 census and hence making up 0.2% of the total population. The majority of Turks live in the historical region of Northern Dobruja (Turkish: Dobruca), particularly in Constanţa County, where they number 24,602 and make up 3.4% of the population.
As an officially-recognised ethnic minority, Turks have one seat reserved for them in the Romanian Chamber of Deputies.
Because of the large Turkish population, Islam in Romania also has a historically significant Muslim minority concentrated in Dobrogea, who are mostly of Turkish ethnicity. An important turkish community lived also in the island Ada Kaleh.
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[edit] References
- ^ Turks living in Romania
- ^ Ştefănescu, p.139[unreliable source?]
- ^ Ştefănescu, p.97
- ^ Ştefănescu, p.105
[edit] See also
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