Miron Costin

For other uses, seeMiron Costin (disambiguation).

Miron Costin

Miron Costin(March 30, 1633 – 1691) was aMoldavian(Romanian) political figure andchronicler.His main work,Letopiseţul Ţărâi Moldovei [de la Aron Vodă încoace](The Chronicles of the land of Moldavia [from the rule ofAron Vodă]) was meant to extendGrigore Ureche's narrative,covering events from 1594 to 1660. The Chronicles were first published in 1675.

He also wroteIstoria în versuri polone despre Ţara Moldovei şi Munteniei(Polishverse history of Moldavia andWallachia), also known under the titlePoema polonă(The Polish poem).

Life

Miron Costin was born as the son of a rich Moldavianboyar(IonorIancu). He spent his earliest years inPoland,where his family had taken refuge fromOttomanviolence in Moldavia. His father had become a Polishmagnate,which gave Miron the right to study at theJesuitCollege inBar,then atKamienec Podolski.

He returned to Moldavia in 1653, and became a trainee of the country'streasury.Valued by the administration, he rose quickly, becomingVornicin 1669 (i.e.: overseer of the Court, with several political responsibilities both inside the state and abroad).

In 1691 his relation withPrinceConstantin Cantemirdeteriorated. He and his brother (HatmanVelicico) were believed to have tried to usurp the throne inIaşi:both were executed inRoman.

Works

• Viiaţa lumii1672
• The translation ofOrigines et occasus Transsylvanorum(Lyon,1667) by Laurențiu Toppeltin ofMediaș
• Letopiseţul Ţărâi Moldovei de la Aron Vodă încoace1675German translation
• Chronika ziem Moldawskich y Multanskich(Cronica țărilor Moldovei și Munteniei)(in Polish)
• Istoria în versuri polone despre Ţara Moldovei şi Munteniei(Poema polonă) 1684
• De neamul moldovenilorapprox. 1687

External links

• Miron Costin: Grausame Zeiten in der Moldau, Styria 1980 Graz&Vienna&CologneLink