Revolution from 1848

The Revolution from 1848, a general, european phenomenon, a continuation on a superior level of the one from 1789, was prepared by the great changes from the structure of society, begining a new stage in the development of modern world.

The great revolutions which produced in the fields: demographical, industrial, ideological, exprimed the general process of development in a capitalist way.

The Revolution from 1848-1849 has causes generally in the degree of development of society, in social acutes contradictions, the necesity of solveing the national problem by formeing a single romanian state in the frame of ex-Dacia and the imposing of a particular, international statute for Romanian Countries, under the conditions of strained tensions which existed between Russia (the protector power) and Turkey (the suzeran power). The causes are reflected more intensively in Transylvania where the national exploitation is particulary great.

An eloquent expression of a permanent tendence of modernization of romanian society, the revolution from 1848-1849 continued on a superior step the ideals of revolution from 1821 ruled by Tudor Vladimirescu.

The modern character of revolution results from the leading way and from political practide, from the content of principal programme documents, a result of action and decision of progresist elements. A specific element of romanian revolution is represented by the organisation of great people’s assemblies with plebiscitary feature. At Revolution it was involved all the people, the essential element being the peasantry presence on a proportion of mase.

The unity of romanian revolution appeared in the similitute of historical conditions of display, similary programms, the permanent colaboration of revolution leaders, the presence of the same social, participant forces, however existeing some aspects with private feature for each province, especially determinated by the nature of political regime and by the relations with great, adiacent empires.

In the Spring of 1848, the social and political tension in Principates raised very much. Because of historical concrete conditions, the programme of romanian revolution evolved between minimum - the reaffirming of particular statute of Romanian Countries on international field and in the relations with Ottoman Porte - and maximum - the formeing of Romanian National State, idea supported by all the leader of Romanian Revolution.

In Moldavia, the position to the politics of prince Mihail Sturdza was effected on 27th March/ 7th April into a People’s Assembly at the hotel Petersburg from Iasi to obtain the sanction of claiming programme which had to be presented to be approved by the prince. This moment represents the begining of romanian revolution.

It was formed a committee to draw up a claiming programme: "The Petition - Proclamation", an important role in its elaborateing had Vasile Alecsandri. The Programme had 35 points and a moderate feature that wanted to keep it in the legal political borders because of the Tzarist Empire. The moderate aspect results from the way it was treated the agrarian problem, being only asked "the urgent improvement of the state of inhabitants of villages". It were also requests with modern, democratic aspects as: the releasing of political prisoners, the reform of education, the sigurance of person, the disolveing of censory. Mihail Sturdza rejected "the petition", he arrested the leaders of revolution who were exiled.

In the Spring of 1848 the situation grew worse in Transylvania, after its annexation to Hungary and after the governor Teleki passed imediatly to severe measures against the romanians. In this situation it decided at 30th April the organising at Blaj on 3rd/15th May of a Great National Assembly.

The Great National Assembly from Blaj was an exceptional demonstration of force and national, romanian solidarity, it pointed out the strong conscience of peasantry which demanded social and national rights.

The leaders of the romanian revolutionars

At this assembly at which participated over 40.000 people, a special place is occupied by the intelectual young men raised from peasants who were in touch with people’s interests. The Assembly was well organised, haveing a national and representative feature. At assembly participated revolutionars from Moldavia as: Alecu Russo, Alexandru Ioan Cuza, Dimitrie Bratianu from Romanian Country and people from Transylvania established in Wallachia: A.T. Laurian, I.Maiorescu, Aaron Florian.

"The National Petition" adopted by Assembly asked: the national independence of romanians from Transylvania, the abolition of serfdom without compensations of peasants, the formeing of a national romanian guard, the freedom of person, of speech, of assemblies.

The place of display of Assembly was named "The Freedom Plain", it was choosed a Permanent National Committee with residence at Sibiu. Those ones present at Assembly showed that "we want to unit the country" and everywhere was confirmed the conviction that "Ardeal is no more Ardeal, but Romania".

Popular assemblies took place also in Banat, under the leading of Eftimie Murgu and in Bucovina, under the leading of Eudoxiu Hurmuzachi. At Brasov, on 24th May 1848, a group of moldavian revolutionars being strongly influenced by the decision of Assembly from Blaj, drew up "Our principles for the reformeing of the country", among the requests being the one regarding the union of Moldavia with Romanian Country "in a single, independent, romanian state".

In Romanian Country, the politics of prince Gheorghe Bibescu leaded to the unleash of revolution in Oltenia, at Islaz, on 9th/21st June 1848 where it formed the first revolutionary govern and where it was learnt and adopted the proclamation and the programme that will be adopted later on.

(The temporary govern, Islaz , 9th June)

At 11th/23rd June broke out the revolution in Bucharest and it constituted a new, temporary govern of which took part Nicolae Balcescu who pronounced himself firmely to resolve the agrarian problem through the peasants’ land appropriation, in this sence it was formed the Property Committee that in a short time was dissolved without soluted the problems to which it had been constitut.

The romanian revolutionars carried ont diplomatical activities in european capitals (for ex.. Ion Ghica at Constantinopol, Alexandru G.Gloescu at Paris) to avoid the army intervention from Russia and Ottoman Empire. In August 1848, Mihail Kogalniceanu drew up at Cernauti "The wishes of national party in Moldavia" where it supported the unity of the two Principates.

Nicolae Balcescu

In August 1848, Mihail Kogalniceanu drew up at Cernauti "The wishes of national party in Moldavia" where it supported the unity of the two Principates.

Mihail Kogalniceanu

In Transylvania, on the summer of 1848, the social-political conflicts were sharped: to quarrel the romanian and hungarian revolutions, the emperor from Wien penalised them through the anexeing of Transylvania to Hungary, being infringed the national will of romanians. On 21st/2nd June at Mihalt were shooted 12 romanian peasants, which produced a strong revolt of romanian people.

In Romanian Country, under the pression of Russia, the Ottoman Empire intervened with military forces to infringe the revolution. Under the pression of numerous turkish and russian units of soldiers, the revolution was suppressed, although romanians opposed resistence, as it was in Bucharest, on Spirii Hill, where at 13th/25th September a firemen unit gave a strong riposte to invaders, the occupation of Capital ended the revolutionary activity and any armed resistence was vainly before the foreign forces.

(The monument of firemans, Bucharest, on Spirii Hill)

Under the conditions of revolution’s infringement in Moldavia and in Romanian Country, Transylvania became the centre of struggle for romanians’ rights.

Avram Iancu (1824-1872)

In September 1848 at Blaj, occured another People’s Assembly at which participated romanian peasants organisated military by Avram Iancu. The Assembly addopted a Resolution that was against "the fusion of Transylvania with Hungary" and asked the abolition of the regime that followed it.

Transylvania was organisated politicaly and military on new bases it were founded 15 prefect’s offices, to each of them corresponding a legion, it was constituted at Sibiu the National Committee (a real romanian govern). The hungarian gards of nobles were disarmed: at 4th March 1848, the new imperialist Constitution restored the authonomy of Transylvania and admited the national existence of romanians.

Under these terms, the hungarian revolutionary govern called the polish general Josef Bem, who succeded in the Spring of 1849 to conquer a great part of Transylvania, except the Apuseni Mountains zone. The hungarian nobility unleashed a strong repression against romanian peasants, it was established the state of siege and pursued the leaders of romanian revolution.

In Apuseni Mountains, Avram Iancu, called also "the Mountains King" prooved himself to be a brilliant military leader and an important political man. It were organised romanian legions which beated off the hungarian military forces which tried to reach the mountains. The negotiations between the two parts failed. Nicolae Balcescu and Cezar Bolliac supported the necesity to attain to an accord between the leaders of romanian revolution and the leaders of hungarian one, against the common enemy, the Habsburgic Empire.

In the Summer of 1849, the imperial forces of Franz Josef, together with the tzarist troops reached Transylvania. Confronted by that grave danger, at Debretin took place negotiations between Nicolae Balcescu and Lajos Kossuth, and at Seghedin, at 2nd/14th July 1849 was signed by the hungarian govern "the Pacific Project" through which it admitted the right of romanians to use their own language in administration, the independence of Ortodoxe Church, the presence of romanians in administration of state, the formeing of a new romanian legion.

At 16th/28th July 1849 the hungarian parliament voted the law of nationalities through which romanians from Transylvania received political rights. at Nicolae Balcescu’s insistences, Avram Iancu promised not to attac the hungarian army, and Kossuth published the decree regarding the ending of fights between hungarians and romanians. It was too late because at 1st/13th August 1849 the hungarian army capitulated at Siria, and romanians were obliged by the commander of austrian army to lay down the arms. So, the conflict between the oppressed nationalities leaded to the infringement of revolution.

The Romanian Revolution from 1848 represents a result of the development process of romanian society. The claimings from the programme, the active, conscient and heroical participation of the people who legitimated it, who deffended it, against the enemies from inside and outside, confered it a strong, democratical feature.

The international complexe circumstances, the geopolitical situation, the juridical peculiarities of Transylvania and from the two Principates imposed some limits to revolutionary programmes and a certain course of displaying the events, but the national solidarity, the will of romanians to unit in the same state, to reconstitute the old Dacia, represented the pregnant feature which remained deep enscribed in the conscience of contemporaries. In spite of the fact it was infringed, the programme of Revolution from 1848 lie at the basis of all the facts of our modern history.