Manoil Grecul, Teodoryk Buczacki şi implicarea lor în relaţiile moldo-poloneze/Manoil Grecul, Teodoryk Buczacki and Their Involvement in Polish-Moldavian Relationships

Abstract

In the following study the main point of discussion represents the roles of Manoil Grecul (the pârcălab of Hotin fortress between 1438-1455) and Teodoryk Buczacki (the castellan and starosta of Kamieniec between 1442-1455 and one of the most influent Polish nobles in Podolia) in the relationships between the Kingdom of Poland and the Moldavian Principality during the middle of 15th century. Both officials would become key-figures in the Polish-Moldavian contacts, because of the internal political struggle in Moldova and of the circumstances of Władysław III Warneńczyk‟s reign (1434-1444) and the following interregnum in Poland.
The roles of the parkalab of Hotin and of the starosta of Kamieniec rose significantly during this phase of Polish-Moldavian relationships. In the case of Manoil Grecul, it happened after 1442, when he sided with Iliaș I and his sons, Roman II and Alexandru II (who secured their refuge in Podolia) and became one of the most important Moldavian officials of his time. He even managed to keep his new rank during the following reigns of Petru Aron and Ștefan cel Mare. In the case of Teodoryk Buczacki, the lowered interest of Polish Royalty towards the situation at the south-eastern borders of the Kingdom allowed the starosta of Kamieniec to become the main intermediary between the princes of Moldova and the Polish central authorities. This moment predetermined all interventions of Teodoryk Buczacki in the political fights for the Moldavian throne in the following years, collaborating with the pro-Polish factions and the pârcălab of Hotin.