Central Europe . f any link with the far past. The Turkishpower has had far less influence upon the fate of thesouthern and eastern foreland of the two states, Wallachia and Moldavia, grew up in theMiddle Ages, peopled by Roumanian inhabitants of theGreek faith, and standing in dependent relations to Hun-gary which gradually weakened. Both became subjectto Turkey but retained their Christian Boyars—a nativearistocracy holding great landed possessions, and theirHospodars, chosen from among this aristocracy and theheads of the Church, and no caste of Turkish lords succeededin s
Central Europe . f any link with the far past. The Turkishpower has had far less influence upon the fate of thesouthern and eastern foreland of the two states, Wallachia and Moldavia, grew up in theMiddle Ages, peopled by Roumanian inhabitants of theGreek faith, and standing in dependent relations to Hun-gary which gradually weakened. Both became subjectto Turkey but retained their Christian Boyars—a nativearistocracy holding great landed possessions, and theirHospodars, chosen from among this aristocracy and theheads of the Church, and no caste of Turkish lords succeededin settling within their domain. Not until the eighteenth 156 CENTRAL EUROPE century, when the influence of Russia became threatening,did the Porte adopt the plan of giving the Hospodarsoffice to Phanariot Greeks—who paid well for it—and ofchanging these rulers often. The Congress of Paris in 1856accorded to the Danubian principalities the fullest measureof internal independence ; the payment of tribute and the. Cft$ 9 gaha Rurn« Fig. 26.—Diagram to show Area of States. denial of independent foreign relations were almost theonly real signs left of the suzerainty of Turkey. In 1857the two principalities demanded the formation of a singleRoumanian state under a prince of foreign aim, which was opposed by the private interests ofadjacent Powers, was reached by progressive steps. A THE STATES *57 Moldavian Boyar, Alexander Kusa, chosen to be Hospodarby the diets of both the countries, was the first Prince ofall Roumania. After he was dethroned, Charles the First,a prince of the Catholic line of the Hohenzollerns, waselected to the throne. By the share he took in the
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