Thocomerius of Wallachia
Encyclopedia
Thocomerius, also Tihomir, was the father of Basarab
who would become the first independent voivode of Wallachia
. Many Romanian
historians (e.g., Vlad Georgescu
, Marcel Popa) think that Thocomerius was a voivode in Wallachia who followed Bărbat
(a voivode around 1278); others (e.g., Tudor Sălăgean) refer to him as a local potentate whose status cannot be specified.
The name of Basarab’s father is only known from a diploma issued by King Charles I of Hungary
on 26 November 1332. The diploma refers to ‘the schismatic
Basarab, son of Thocomerius.’
The Hungarian László Rásonyi derives the name from a well-known Cuman
and Tatar name, Toq-tämir (‘hardened steel’), and refers to a Chingisid
prince, Toktomer, mentioned in the Russian annals in 1295 as abiding in the Crimea
. According to the Hungarian István Vásáry, even if Basarab’s father bore a Turkic
name, his person can by no means identified with a Chingisid prince, because being a descent of Genghis Khan
was a matter of such significance that no one could, or would have wanted to conceal it.
Basarab I of Wallachia
Basarab I the Founder was voivode or prince of Wallachia . His rise seems to have taken place in the context of the war between the Kingdom of Hungary and the Orthodox states in the north of the Balkan Peninsula...
who would become the first independent voivode of Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
. Many Romanian
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
historians (e.g., Vlad Georgescu
Vlad Georgescu
Vlad Georgescu , Romanian historian, was the director of the Romanian-language department of Radio Free Europe between 1983 and 1988.-Biography:...
, Marcel Popa) think that Thocomerius was a voivode in Wallachia who followed Bărbat
Barbat
Bărbat was the brother and successor of voivode Litovoi whose territory had comprised northern Oltenia .In 1277 , Litovoi renounced fealty to king Ladislaus IV of Hungary when the king claimed lands for the crown, but Litovoi refused to pay tribute for them...
(a voivode around 1278); others (e.g., Tudor Sălăgean) refer to him as a local potentate whose status cannot be specified.
The name of Basarab’s father is only known from a diploma issued by King Charles I of Hungary
Charles I of Hungary
Charles I , also known as Charles Robert , was the first King of Hungary and Croatia of the House of Anjou. He was also descended from the old Hungarian Árpád dynasty. His claim to the throne of Hungary was contested by several pretenders...
on 26 November 1332. The diploma refers to ‘the schismatic
Schismatic
Depending on the context, schismatic may mean:* a member of a schism, or, as an adjective, of or pertaining to a schism* pertaining to the schisma in music* Schismatic temperament...
Basarab, son of Thocomerius.’
The Hungarian László Rásonyi derives the name from a well-known Cuman
Cumans
The Cumans were Turkic nomadic people comprising the western branch of the Cuman-Kipchak confederation. After Mongol invasion , they decided to seek asylum in Hungary, and subsequently to Bulgaria...
and Tatar name, Toq-tämir (‘hardened steel’), and refers to a Chingisid
Descent from Genghis Khan
Descent from Genghis Khan is traceable primarily in Central Asia. His four sons and other immediate descendants are famous by names and by deeds. Later Asian potentates attempted to claim descent from the House of Borjigin even on flimsy grounds. In the 14th century, valid sources all but dried...
prince, Toktomer, mentioned in the Russian annals in 1295 as abiding in the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
. According to the Hungarian István Vásáry, even if Basarab’s father bore a Turkic
Turkic languages
The Turkic languages constitute a language family of at least thirty five languages, spoken by Turkic peoples across a vast area from Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean to Siberia and Western China, and are considered to be part of the proposed Altaic language family.Turkic languages are spoken...
name, his person can by no means identified with a Chingisid prince, because being a descent of Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
was a matter of such significance that no one could, or would have wanted to conceal it.
Sources
- Djuvara, Neagu: Thocomerius – Negru Vodă. Un voivod de origine cumană la începuturile Tării Româneşti /Thocomerius – Negru Vodă: A Voivode of Cuman Origin at the Beginnings of Wallachia/, Humanitas, 2007
- Georgescu, Vlad (Author) – Calinescu, Matei (Editor) – Bley-Vroman, Alexandra (Translator): The Romanians – A History; Ohio State University Press, 1991, Columbus; ISBN 0-8142-0511-9
- Sălăgean, Tudor: Romanian Society in the Early Middle Ages (9th-10th Centuries); in: Ioan-Aurel Pop – Ioan Bolovan (Editors): History of Romania: Compendium; Romanian Cultural Institute (Center for Transylvanian Studies), 2006, Cluj-Napoca; ISBN 978-973-7784-12-4
- Treptow, Kurt W. – Popa, Marcel: Historical Dictionary of Romania (table ‘Rulers of Romania - Wallachia’); The Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1996, Lanham (Maryland, USA) & Folkestone (UK); ISBN 0-8108-3179-1
- Vásáry, István: Cumans and Tatars: Oriental Military in the Pre-Ottoman Balkans, 1185-1365; Cambridge University Press, 2005, Cambridge; ISBN 0-521-83756-1