Good neighborhood confirmed by an indigenate – three cases of moldavian hospodars in the 17th century

Moldavia in modern age – especially in 16th and 17th centuries – being a tributary to the Ottoman Empire – still caught Polish attention. Both Poles and Turks considered Moldavia as a buffer which needed their attention. Such a situation allowed more ambitious hospodars to balance and keep as large an autonomy as it possibly could. Although Moldavian hospodars had to obey to the Porte, they often kept close diplomatic and even military relationships with Poland. Giving Polish indigenous to hospodars was a good way to keep them in obedience to Poland. This honour was given – among the others – to Miron Barnovski, Vasile Lupu and Gheorghe Ştefan. All these hospodars – although they fought against each other – saw in Poland a guarantor of their power. This article discusses the policy of these hospodars toward Poland and focuses on the circumstances of giving Polish indigenous to these rulers. The article also signals some historical principles ruling the actions of Poles, Moldavian and Turks in this difficult period.