Marele hrisov domnesc conferit de Mihai Racoviţă mănăstirii Cotroceni

This article analyses a charter issued in 1731 by the prince Mihai Racoviţă of Wallachia, confirming to the Cotroceni monastery, one of the most representative monastic settlements in the Romanian space, the possession of villages, estates and serfs that had been initially donated by its founder, prince Şerban Cantacuzino (1678-1688). Moreover, Mihai Racoviţă renewed for the benefit of the monastery the princely revenues provided also by Şerban Cantacuzino. This document is one of the several confirmation charters issued by other Wallachian rulers, like Constantin Brâncoveanu, Ştefan Cantacuzino and Nicolae Mavrocordat, to the Cotroceni monastery. Cotroceni monastery owned one of the most important monastic domains in the country, constituted by donations and acquisitions of land assets, the main contribution being that of the founder. It should be specified that through this charter only the villages and estates donated by Şerban Cantacuzino are confirmed to the monastery, although since then the land domain of the Cotroceni monastery had registered a dimensional growth, through the acquisitions made by the abbots (hegumens) and through donations of the believers.