= Bessarabia = '''Bessarabia''' is a historic region in modern [[Moldova]] and [[Ukraine]]. Rather than a national or ethnic region, Bessarabia very specifically refers to the geographic region along the Black Sea coast north of the Danube delta and southwest of the Dniester. <> ---- == History == A variety of steppe nomadic nations either passed through Bessarabia or settled there. This includes the [[Bulgaria/Monarchs#Old_Great_Bulgaria|Bulgars]], [[Hungary/Monarchs#Kingdom_of_Hungary|Magyars]], [[WorldHistory/HunnicEmpire|Huns]], and [[WorldHistory/GoldenHorde|Tatars]]. By the 1300s, [[Romania/Monarchs#Principality_of_Moldavia|Moldavia]] was dominant in this region. '''Bogdan III''' vassalized Moldavia to the [[WorldHistory/OttomanEmpire|Ottomans]] in 1514, bringing Bessarabia into the empire as well. This region was contested between the Ottomans and [[Russia/Monarchs#Imperial_Russia|Russians]] through the '''Russo-Turkish Wars'''. The portion of Bessarabia east of the Prut was ceded to Russia in 1818; the remainder, which became known as [[WorldHistory/Budjak|Southern Bessarabia]], was also ceded in 1829. Russia reorganized this land into the '''Bessarabia Governorate'''. The remainder of Moldavia and [[Romania/Monarchs#Principality_of_Wallachia|Wallachia]] were subject to Russian military occupation, though it remained an Ottoman vassal. The [[Romania/Democratization#Revolutions_of_1848|revolutions of 1848]] were expressed here as Danubian nationalism, which the Ottomans and Russians jointly suppressed. Southern Bessarabia was ceded back to the Ottomans following the [[WorldHistory/CrimeanWar|Crimean War]]. It was included in the reformed [[WorldHistory/OttomanEmpire/Vilayets#Danube|vilayet of Danube]] and the [[Romania/Monarchs#Ottoman_Vassalization|United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia]], which soon was renamed to '''Romania'''. Russia again seized the Black Sea coast in the '''Russo-Turkish War of 1878'''. Although the [[WorldHistory/CongressOfBerlin|Treaty of Berlin]] confirmed the independence of [[Romania/Monarchs#Kingdom_of_Romania|Romania]], it was compelled to cede Southern Bessarabia to Russia. As a consolation, Russia ceded neighboring Dobruja to Romania and [[Bulgaria/Monarchs#Principality_of_Bulgaria|Bulgaria]]. Bessarabia for the most part became [[Moldova/Democratization#Soviet_Socialist_Republic|Moldova]]. Southern Bessarabia, now known as '''Budjak''', was kept in [[Ukraine/Democratization#Soviet_Socialist_Republic|Ukraine]]. ---- CategoryRicottone