Poland's ties with Romania date back to the Middle Ages. Władysław Jagiełło, looking for allies in the fight and the Teutonic Knights, concluded an agreement with the hospodar of Moldova, Petru Musat. In return for considerable financial aid, the Moldovans attacked the Hungarians, of the then Teutonic allies. As a result, there were no Hungarian troops near Grunwald.
For the next four centuries, the history of Poland and Romanian principalities – Moldova, Multan (mountaineers) and Transylvania (Transylvania) – they intertwined with each other again and again. In all the wars waged at that time with Turkey, Romanian troops stood at the side of the Polish, starting with the memorable journey of 1444 year, ended with a tragic defeat at Varna.
Except for the Viennese relief and the intervention trip to Hungary, all the battlefields of Poles against Turks are located in Romanian lands, including the memorable Cecorg (Tutor under Jassami), The cause of military expeditions was often due to economic reasons. It passes through the territory of the Danubian principalities) we used to have all our trade with the Middle East, and through ports, like for example. A gala, also trade with Mediterranean countries. Especially for the Jagiellonian Commonwealth, Genoese merchants kept trading posts by the Black Sea and in the lower reaches of the Danube. It is to defend these trading towers that King Jan Olbracht will set off! for a fateful expedition against Turkey for himself and the Polish nobility.
Constant contacts led to mutual cultural influences and connections. For example, the mother of Jeremy Wiśniowiecki was Wołoszka. Young Wallachian boyars were often educated at our universities, and many Wallachian and Moldavian boyars sought Polish nobility. Eastern type weapons in the former Polish army, Eastern costumes of our nobility and taste for splendor are to a certain extent due to Romanian merchants and craftsmen. Wallachians also served at your courts in Poland. The bravery of Wallachian fast driving was known as well as the culinary skills of Wallachian cooks (hence the peppery and thickness of our kitchen). On the other hand, in Romanian monuments one can discover an echo of Polish models, traces of Polish bricklayers and stonemasons who were once brought here.
National, stolica Oltenii (in the old chronicles of Kraljow, meaning "royal"), It was founded by the king of Poland and the Czech Republic, Kazimierz Jagiellończyk, during one of the wars, which he was waging with the then prince of Transylvania, Maciej Korwin. It doesn't mean that, that the Republic of Poland only fought against Transylvania. Our meritorious election king Stefan Batory was after all the prince of Transylvania.
There were no fixed borders between Poland and the Romanian principalities, and who wanted it anyway, crossed them freely. Wallachian shepherds, moving with their sheep from hall to pasture farther west, they wandered as far as our Beskids and Podhale. They settled here, they acquired the Polish language and mixed with the people coming from Podkarpacie, from the lowlands and from Mazovia, This is how the folk culture of our Highlanders was created, very similar to the culture of Romanian highlanders, especially in costumes, music, decorating equipment, rites and pastoral nomenclature.
W XVI i XVII w. Romanian writers modeled themselves on Polish literature, and even some of their works were written in Polish.
Later, the common paths of Poland and Romania diverged for some time. After the defeat of the November Uprising, many Polish emigrants took refuge in Romanian lands. In a revolution 1848 During the year, Poles also fought alongside Romanians. Józef Kamiński found himself in the leadership of the uprising in Oltenia, and General Józef Bem also recruited troops in Transylvania. Colonel Zabłocki came to Bucharest at the head of the Polish military mission. The most prominent of the Poles who settled in Suceava at that time was Cyprian Gołębiowski, who under the pseudonym Ciprian Porumbescu became famous as an outstanding composer (in Suceava, he was honored with a monument and a section in the collection of the regional museum was devoted to him). Romanian patriots collected contributions to help the Polish January Uprising, and after its fall, they welcomed Polish emigrants. Among the emigrants there were, among others. the writer Zygmunt Milkowski (Teodor Tomasz Jeż) and the anthropologist Izydor Kopernicki. However, when at the end of the 19th century. in Romania, industry began to collapse, Numerous specialists and workers from Polish Galicia arrived in the newly emerging oil fields.
After the September defeat 1939 Many Polish civilian refugees and soldiers found shelter in Romania. Romanian authorities, although related to the deal with fascist Germany, they remained loyal to Poles and made it possible to evacuate Polish gold and the saved treasures of national culture, and the gradual transfer of officers and soldiers to France and the Middle East. However, some of the refugees had to stay in Romania until the end of the war.
After the war, Poland and Romania had economic and cultural ties within the framework of the Warsaw Pact. Black Sea resorts and other attractive places attracted crowds of Polish tourists every year. Everything broke off after the revolution 1989 year, but – seems – we are on the right path, to renew recently neglected tourist contacts.