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ut also “French language, grammar, reading, writing, letter writing, basics of history and
mythology.” 10
In 1822, a traveller of Greek origin named Kosmeli described the daily life of the women from high
society. He wrote that “boyar women have nothing else to do but waste their time… and they
sometimes leaf through French novels.” 11
Learned princesses and Boyar Ladies
A ruler’s wife usually had separate rooms at the court, located in a space that was different from
her husband’s. She had her own court with personal employees. During the reign of Alexander the
Good (15th century) there was a scribe (Ro. diac) at the lady’s court. The existence of these scribes
was mentioned throughout the medieval times. But beginning with the 17th century, more and more
women became literate. 12
Differently than the boyar ladies, princesses and their daughters had a signet ring, engraved with
the emblem of the country, which they applied on their documents and correspondence. As well as
the princes, the princesses used red sealing wax or cinnabar. After their reign ended, they used the
same seals, but their colour was black.
Princess Elena Basarab who was postelnic Radu Năsturel’s daughter, scholar Udriște Năsturel’s
sister and Prince Matei Basarab’s wife, received excellent education and distinguished herself as an
erudite. She could read and write in Slavic, Latin and Greek and was keen on art, history and
literature. Princess Elena was very much involved in the cultural activity of the time. Together with
her brother, she initiated the adoption of printing in Wallachia. She worked with her brother to print
many books and to translate De Imitatione Christi by Thomas Kempis into Romanian. In the preface,
she demonstrated the similitude between Latin and Romanian languages. 13 In 1649, she sponsored
the printing of a Triodion‐Pentecostarion and wrote its preface, which proves her erudition, because
she made reference to Homer, Simondes, Strabo, Titus and Plutarh. Her letters constitute further
evidence of her multiple preoccupations. She sent friendly letters to Hungarian Princess Susanna
Lorántffi, wrote worried letters when she asked for a doctor from Sibiu (town from Transilvania) to
help the wounded boyars at Finta, Wallachia, and was energic and tactful in exchanging messages
with the Turkish pasha from Silistra. 14 Historian Nicolae Iorga recorded two letters sent by Princess
Elena Basarab to the Transylvanian king Rákóczy, while her husband was at Constantinople, fighting
for his reign against denunciations and perjury. 15
Princess Maria, together with her husband Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu, offered support to the
Princely Academy from Saint Sava Monastery and to the schools of Old Saint George Monastery and
Colțea Monastery, all located in Bucharest. In order to raise the cultural level of the principality,
libraries such as those from Hurezi Monastery and Mărgineni Monastery were founded and endowed
with books brought from Western academic centers or printed on the princely family’s expense. Her
signature can be found on documents preserved in these libraries. 16
Princess Maria Cantemir, who was the elder daughter of the Moldavian Prince Dimitrie Cantemir,
received excellent education and was considered the most cultivated woman in Russia at the time.
She spoke French, Italian and Russian, played spinet and was keen on reading. She read history,
literature and Italian works that put over scientific discoveries, sent by her brother, Antiokh
Cantemir, who was an ambassador to Paris and London. Her correspondence with her younger
brother shows that she had read books of universal history, books by Saint Justin the Martyr, Flavius
Josephus, Guicciardini (Storia d’Italia), Tasso or Boccaccio, and preferred those books that reflected
life in a more realistic and authentic way. Beginning with 1731, she hosted a literary circle in Saint
Petersburg. 17
Princess Ralu, the youngest daughter of Prince John George Caradja, who spoke Greek, French,
German and Turkish, was familiarized with European literature and music, played the piano and
loved theatre. She contributed to the installation of a stage in a big hall of the princely palace from
Bucharest, where she organized shows in Greek, such as Orestes by Euripides or Daphnis and Chloe
by Longus. Later she established a theatre in a building located near the Red Drinking Fountain
(Cișmeaua Roșie). The first shows of the theatre took place in August and September 1818: The
Robbers by F. Schiller and The Italian Girl in Algiers by G. A. Rossini. 18