Les Turcs dans Ţiganiada de Ion Budai-Deleanu

Ţiganiada of Ion Budai-Deleanu, one of the fathers of the modern Romanian language, is an epic placed in the 15th century Muntenia and structured on two plans: one a comical plan created by the picturesque quality of the "Gypsy" camp, mobilized by the prince Vlad the Impaler, named Dracula, to fight the Turks, and the other a heroic plan formed by the actions of this prince and his army. The promise of the emancipation of the Roms slaves, with the assignment of territory, in exchange for their alliance in combat is a pure fiction and even an anachronism for the 15th century. But with this idea Budai-Deleanu shows himself to be a visionary supporter of the movement for the abolition of slavery of the Roms which was not concluded until February 20th 1856. Because of his obstinate rebelliousness against Sultan Mahomet II, his courage and his strategic capacity, Vlad the Impaler must stand in Romanian history as a patriot who wanted to defend his country against Ottoman expansion, even if he is better known elsewhere in the caricature of a vampire.The Ţiganiada must be appreciated above all as an allegory in which fictional level often replaces the real one. But the author, driven by a patriotic ideal, also presents the representation of reality with its historical and national peculiarities. The stubborn struggle of the small Romanian army made up of peasants and nobles allowed the Turkish advance towards central Europe to be retarded. It also gave Europe the time required to prepare and to conduct battles at the most favorable time, with armies more powerful and effective than the Turks'. The image of the Turks conforms in all respects to their reputation, largely gained in the Balkans. Cruelty, perfidy, corruption and lack of compassion characterize them from start to finish of the work, the author shows however that these evils could not be exercised without the degradation of the nobles indeed the true brother of Vlad, Radu le Bel, the sultan's man.