Breadfield
Encyclopedia
The Breadfield is a region in southwest Transylvania
(Romania
), between Orăştie
(Szászváros) and Sebeş
(Szászsebes) in the Transylvanian Saxon land, near the Mureş River
. The central settlement is Cugir
.
The Cugir Creek's old Magyar name is Kenyér (bread
), which gave rise to the name Breadfield. The region's borders to the south are the Cugir Mountains, to the north the Mureş, to the west Hunedoara County
, and to the east the Sebeş River.
The area is a fertile plain. Formerly, Breadfield's population was largely Saxons
, but today it is chiefly Romanians
. In 1479 the Transylvanians scored a victory over the Ottoman Army in the Breadfield (near Şibot). In remembrance of the victory Stephen V Báthory
built a chapel
.
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
(Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
), between Orăştie
Orastie
Orăștie is a city in Hunedoara County, south-western Transylvania, Romania.-History:7th–9th century – on the site of an old swamp , which today is the old center of town, it was a human settlement whose traces have been scattered into the X-th century by the construction of the first...
(Szászváros) and Sebeş
Sebes
Sebeș is a city in Alba County, central Romania, southern Transylvania.-Geography:The city lies on the Mureș River valley and it straddles the Sebeș river...
(Szászsebes) in the Transylvanian Saxon land, near the Mureş River
Mures River
The Mureș is an approximately 761 km long river in Eastern Europe. It originates in the Hășmașu Mare Range in the Eastern Carpathian Mountains, Romania, and joins the Tisza river at Szeged in southeastern Hungary....
. The central settlement is Cugir
Cugir
Cugir is a town in Alba county, the central settlement of the Breadfield, in Romania. About 45 kilometers south-west of Alba-Iulia, the capital of the county, and 300 meters above sea level at the base of the Surianu Mountains...
.
The Cugir Creek's old Magyar name is Kenyér (bread
Bread
Bread is a staple food prepared by cooking a dough of flour and water and often additional ingredients. Doughs are usually baked, but in some cuisines breads are steamed , fried , or baked on an unoiled frying pan . It may be leavened or unleavened...
), which gave rise to the name Breadfield. The region's borders to the south are the Cugir Mountains, to the north the Mureş, to the west Hunedoara County
Hunedoara County
Hunedoara is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, with its capital city at Deva.-Demographics:In 2002, it had a population of 485,712 and the population density was 69/km².*Romanians - 92%*Hungarians - 5%*Romas - 2%*Germans under 1%....
, and to the east the Sebeş River.
The area is a fertile plain. Formerly, Breadfield's population was largely Saxons
Transylvanian Saxons
The Transylvanian Saxons are a people of German ethnicity who settled in Transylvania from the 12th century onwards.The colonization of Transylvania by Germans was begun by King Géza II of Hungary . For decades, the main task of the German settlers was to defend the southeastern border of the...
, but today it is chiefly Romanians
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
. In 1479 the Transylvanians scored a victory over the Ottoman Army in the Breadfield (near Şibot). In remembrance of the victory Stephen V Báthory
Stephen V Báthory
Stephen Báthory of Ecsed was a Hungarian commander, 'dapiferorum regalium magister' , judge of the Royal Court and voivod of Transylvania...
built a chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
.
- Settlements of Breadfield
- Vinţu de JosVintu de JosVinţu de Jos, also known as Vinţ is a commune located in the centre of Alba County, Romania. It is composed of eighteen villages: Câmpu Goblii , Ciocaşu , Crişeni , Dealu Ferului , Gura Cuţului , Haţegana , Inuri , Laz , Mătăcina , Mereteu...
(hung. Alvinc, ger. Unterwintz or Winzendorf) - Pianul de Jos (hung. Alsópián, Szászpián, Romanian Chian, ger. Deutschpien or Deutschpian)
- Săliştea, Alba (hung. Tartaria, later Alsótatárlaka,, in 1310 Oláhárkos and Szászárkos or -erkes, in 1488 Grebencsin)
- Săliştea (a different town from the above mentioned settlement; sometime Cioara, hung. Alsócsóra)
- Balomiru de Câmp (hung. Balomir)
- Şibot (hung. Alkenyér or Zsibotalkenyér, ger. Unterbrodsdorf)
- Vinerea (hung. Felkenyér, ger. Oberbrodsdorf)
- CugirCugirCugir is a town in Alba county, the central settlement of the Breadfield, in Romania. About 45 kilometers south-west of Alba-Iulia, the capital of the county, and 300 meters above sea level at the base of the Surianu Mountains...
- Aurel Vlaicu (previoisly Binţinţi, hung. Bencenc, ger. Benzendorf. the location of the Breadfield Battle)
- Pişchinţi (hung. Piskinc)
- Vaidei (hung. Vajdej, ger. Weidendorf)
- Romos (hung. Romosz, ger. Rumes)
- Gelmar (hung. Gyalmár)
- Vinţu de Jos