Influences of the Ottoman chancellery style on the documents issued in the chancelleries of

Wallachia and Moldavia in the 17th and 18th centuries

phd. Alexandra Brutaru

Ovidius University Constanta

History

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore and develop a series of preliminary observations
regarding the influence of the migration of oriental motifs, especially Ottoman, in the princely
chancellery writing of the 17th and 18th centuries in the Romanian principalities: Wallachia and
Moldova . Although the relationship between the Romanian principalities and the Ottoman
Empire, in the form of a villayett 1, involved primarily the payment of tribute and a strong
Ottoman influence on foreign and internal policies including the appointment of rulers extended
to a certain extent regarding influences in social, economic life as well as the embracing aspects
of the Ottoman cultural model have been the subject of countless studies.

Still, the Ottoman influence in what we may call the "minor art of decorating official
chancellery documents” remains hardly researched and interpreted subject, perhaps because of
the limited access to archive documents in large packages that would give the possibility of
following some trends over a long historical period , in the absence of the full digitization of the
archive. I had access to these documents thanks to the doctoral study I am carrying out, which
refers to the study of the ornamentation of the chancellery documents starting with the reign of
the Voivode Constantin Brâncoveanu (1688-1714) and during the entire 17th century, known in
Romanian historiography as the Phanariot century.

Key words: ornamentation- archive documents- Constantin Brâncoveanu-

Marvrocordats- Phanariots

1
Vintilă, Constanța, Giulia Calvi, Maria Pakucs-Willcocks, Nicoleta Roman, Michal Wasiucionek, Luxury, Fashion
and other political bagatelles in Southern eastern Europe, 16th-19th Centuries, Editura Humanitas 2022

1
 We researched the hypothesis regarding a direct connection and a stylistic influence on
the Chancelleries from Wallachia and Moldavian of the enormous amount of official
correspondence received from the Sublime Porte.

In the National Archives of Romania, we can find a large amount of administrative

correspondence between the Sublime Porte and the two principalities 2,, covering a wide range of
official documents, such as treaties and capitulations (ahd-namei), imperial letters (name-i
hiimayun), letters of investiture and confirmation (berat) and firmans that referred to the
appointment of voyvodes or boyars. This correspondence constitutes a valuable source of
information for the study of the diplomatic and administrative relations between the Romanian
principalities and the Ottoman Empire in that period.

There is a large amount of documents due to the fact that the National archive also collected the
documents to the ottoman presence in Dobruja as part of the Ottoman Empire thus more that
200.000 units – small documents are also being accounted for. Still, in the catalogue of ”Turkish
documents„ issued in 19603, there are listed 3045 documents – firmans mostly and other
correspondence addressed to the voivodes of the principalities, high rank boyars and other
personalities.

However, identifying specific influences from these documents directly in preparing the
chancery documents Romanian principalities proved difficult. This is partly due to the limited
information regarding the way the princely chancelleries were organised 4 and internal
procedures. We do not have precise information about how these Ottoman documents were
processed and used in the elaboration of the official documents of the Romanian principalities 5.
It is also important to understand that the chancery workers' actual access to these Ottoman
documents may also be a problem. The documents at the Sublime Porte were kept and managed
by the Ottoman authorities, and access to them may have been limited or subject to strict
restrictions. Despite these difficulties, the study of this correspondence remains essential for

2
Maxim, Mihai, Brâncoveanu și Înalta Poartă Documente noi din arhivele turcești (I), Editura
Istrod, Brăila, 2016
3
Guboglu, Mihail, Catalogul documentelor turcești, Volumul I, Direcția Generală a Arhivelor Statului din Republica
Populară Română
4
Lazăr Gheorghe, Logofeții cancelariei domneşti din Țara Românească (sec. al XVII-lea). Considerații preliminare
pentru o cercetare prosopografică.-In honorem profesoris Ionel Cândea, Muzeul Brăilei, Editura ISTROS, 2014
5
Turcitu, Claudiu Victor, Constantin Brâncoveanu – Portret domnesc și retrospectiva unei epoci 1664-1688, Editura
DAR Development Publishing, 2017

2
understanding the historical context and political relations between the Romanian principalities
and the Ottoman Empire. Even if the specific influences can be difficult to identify, this kind of
research helps us to reconstruct the connections and interactions between these state entities and
to appreciate the importance of these documents in the wider context of the history of the
Romanian principalities in the respective centuries.

This research revealed other interesting aspects that deserve attention. There may be
more subtle influences, such as the vocabulary and expressions used in documents, which could
reflect cultural and linguistic interactions between the two entities. However, this work can
contribute to a deeper understanding of the cultural and political interactions between the
Romanian principalities and the Ottoman Empire in the 17th and 18th centuries.

We used the method proposed by the art historian and aesthetician Erwin Panofsky in the
series of articles "Iconography and Iconology" published in 1939 6. Thus we will study the forms
(iconology) in which these influences are manifested and also their symbolism (iconography),
keeping in mind the cultural basis for the meanings, as much as the space of this study will allow
us.

Calligraphic writing and miniatures occupied a particularly significant place in the

Islamic world, representing not only art forms but also extremely important artistic
manifestations. These artistic expressions have deep roots in Ottoman history and the Islamic
cultural context, and they had a profound influence on the daily and spiritual life of Ottoman
society. Calligraphy, in particular, is considered a divine art in the Islamic world. For Muslims,
the written word has a special and profound meaning because it represents the embodiment of
the divine word. Divine Revelation, as expressed in the Qur'an, is embodied in texts written and
rewritten with meticulous attention by master calligraphers 7. These artists of the word not only
render religious texts, but also bring them to life through the beauty of their calligraphic forms
and compositions.

6
Panofsky, Erwin. “Iconography and Iconology: An Introduction to the Study of Renaissance Art.” In Meaning in
the Visual Arts: Papers in and on Art History. By Erwin Panofsky, 26–54. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1955.
7
Stremotich-Cappellari Francesco, The Spiritual in Islamic caligraphy, Editura Universității Edinburg, 2017

3
 Ottoman calligraphy, in particular, developed distinct and varied styles 8, such as naskh,
thuluth, and celi-diwani, each with its own unique characteristics and aesthetics. These
calligraphic styles were used to illustrate Quranic verses, hadiths (prophetic traditions) and
religious texts, but also for official administrative or decorative documents. Ottoman calligraphy
was not only a form of artistic expression, but also a means of honouring the words of God and
emphasizing the importance of knowing and understanding religious texts. Overall, Ottoman
calligraphy and miniatures were complex artistic expressions that deeply influenced Ottoman
culture and spirituality. They conveyed spiritual messages and preserved religious and historical
teachings in the collective memory of Ottoman society, incorporating them into remarkable and
timeless aesthetic forms.

In this work we have included some references to the earliest manifestations of the
influence of Ottoman-Oriental art in the "arts of writing" from the extra-Carpathian
principalities, and we refer here to the monastery scriptoriums9, transfer and exchanges of
models was done through the circulation of scribe monks from the Balkans as far as the North of
Moldova in Suceava in the conquered territories or in the territories under suzerainty as were the
Romanian principalities.

The Romanian principalities as well as the entire Balkan area came into contact with the
material culture of the Far-East and the Orient, through the relations with the Ottoman Empire,
due to the commercial relations developed through the maritime trade on the Black Sea or the
trade on the roads that crossed the Balkans. The daily contact with these consumer goods and in
the case of the population, or luxury products in the case of the elites, led to the emergence of a
process of "orientalization". As underlined by Liliana Stankova, specialist in Ottoman art, this
happened evidently in the applied-decorative -minor arts: scriptorium writing, meaning the
production of manuscripts, production of liturgical vessels, liturgical textiles, and to a smaller or
higher extent to architecture, icons and wall decorations. These aspects constitute an object of
study in the entire area of Ottoman influence, thus the specialist in Ottoman art from Bulgaria,
Liliana Stankova, strived to identify the migrated models in the local production of monastic

8
Derman Ugur, Leters in Gold ottoman calligraphy, the Sakip Sabanci Collection, Istanbul , Catalog of the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
9
Stankova Liliana și Lora Nenkovska, The manuscript heritage of Ioan Kratovski, European Journal of Science and
Theology, March 2009, Vol.5, No.1, 13-24

4
scriptorium manuscripts due to the contact with the Ottoman visual arts 10. She considers that the
Ottoman aesthetic it spreads in the Balkans in the 16th and 17th centuries. From the middle of
the 14th century, the Ottomans began to conquer the Balkans, but "the populations of this
geographical area that can be expanded with the Romanian countries remain united by their
religion and their Byzantine heritage as Nicolae Iorga points out in "Byzantium after
Byzantium"11.

The ornamental motifs whose circulation he identified can be divided according to the
major influence into: modified Byzantine motifs, Ottoman motifs, Baroque motifs. The
researcher gives as an example the works of Ioan Kratovski (1526-1583) and specifies that he
copied books produced in centres such as Mount Athos, Sofia, Râmeț, Craiova, he will create
compositions that will become popular in the copying centres - the scriptoriums of Bulgaria,
Serbia and Romania.

He introduces a trend that can be identified with a style of decoration practiced at the
Ottoman court which is based on the classical Timurid style - Persian art - very widespread in the
15th century, which will be enriched from the 16th century by the art Safavides (Iran – Caucasus
and Central Asia). He will create starting from the Ottoman style of Rumi-Hatai fusion. Rumi -
characterized by geometric arabesques, Hatai - characterized by stylized flowers. Kratovski's
Gospels, made around 1560, are similar in style to the works made by Metropolitan Atanasie
Crimca in the Scriptoriul from the Dragomirna monastery near Suceava ( Fig 1, Fig 2).

An interesting chancellery document is a scroll made in the middle of the 17th century
issued in 1652 (7160), in Târgovişte it represents a document 12 through which Matei Basarab, the
Voyvode of Wallachia, confirms some privileges of M-rii Dealul, with a frontispiece richly
ornamented of oriental inspiration in fusion with Byzantine Slavic designs with a votive painting
in which the ruler and his wife appear under the protection of Saint Nicholas between which is a
vase of flowers flanked by a pair of small facing peacocks while in the basement of the coat of
arms there are two big peacocks back to back (Fig 3, Fig 4). An interesting, interesting example

10
Stankova Liliana, Ottoman motifs in christian art in the balkans (16th-17th centuries): manuscripts and metal
work , 14th International Congress of Turkish art Proceedings, Editor Frederic Hitzel, College de France ; Paris,
2013
11
Nicolae Iorga, Bizanț după Bizanț
12
Anița Cristian Din comorile Arhivelor Naționale, Hrisov prin care Matei Basarab, voievodul Ţării Româneşti,
întăreşte unele privilegii M-rii Dealul. ANR, SANIC, Fond Mânăstirea Dealul, II/1

5
found in an archival document was pointed out by the historian Michal Wasiucionek, described
at length in the article13 "Garments, Signatures, and Ottoman Self-Fashioning in the Imperial
Periphery: Moldavian Voyvode Ştefan Tomşa II and Ottomanization in the Early Seventeenth
Century" it describes multiple aspects related to the excess of Ottomanization displayed by the
Voyvode of Moldavia Ștefan Tomșa II (1611–1615 and in 1621–1623) at the beginning of the
17th century. He offers arguments starting from internal politics and Tomsha's relation to the
Sublime Porte, which bears the imprint of the help he received for his ascension to the throne
from two important figures of the Ottoman court, to aspects related to the adoption of the
Ottoman cultural model, recalling conduct and dress style. But, the aspect that is the subject of
this work is the signature with which this Ruler validates the documents prepared in his
chancellery, which the author considers to be very close to the style of a tugras of the type used
by the Ottoman sultans and the leaders of the Crimean Tatar tribes.

Interest and appreciation for the art of writing and its embellishments are outstanding
aspects of Ottoman culture. This artistic manifestation is particularly reflected in the writing
styles used for official documents, which vary according to purpose and format. One such
notable example is official correspondence, which was drawn up in the style known as "celî
dîvânî," originating in Istanbul and developed in the 16th century 14. This style was intended for
state correspondence at the highest level and reflected the importance and solemnity of these
documents.

Another significant element of Ottoman writing is the "tugra," which represented the
Ottoman imperial cipher or monogram. The tugra was used to authenticate state documents and
was a way to replace the sultan's signature. The oldest known example of the tugra belonged to
Sultan Orhan Gazi (1334-1362). The tugra consisted of a complex design that included the
sultan's name, his patronymic and the invocation "el muzaffer dâima" or "Always Victorious."
The main elements of the tugra consist of the kürsü or sere (the actual monogram), the tug (the
tree), the zülfe (the flags), the inner and outer beyza (loops), and the hançer or kol (tongs).

Wasiucionek , Michal, Garments, Signatures, and Ottoman Self-Fashioning in the Imperial

13

Periphery: Moldavian Voyvode Ştefan Tomşa II and Ottomanization in the Early Seventeenth
Century"
14
Idem 7

6
In the 16th century, the tugra was often illuminated and adorned with decorative details, and over
time, the complexity of the decorations evolved. Although the level of detail declined in later
periods, the tugra form reached its aesthetic peak under the guidance of the brilliant Mustafa
Râkim (1121-1241/1757-1826) during the reign of Selim III (1789-1807). Later, another
important Ottoman calligrapher, Sâmi Efendi (1253-1330/1838-1912), continued to develop this
artistic form. The Tugra contains the following succinctly rendered text: Murad bin Sah Han el-
muzzaffer daima. The first line - nisan i-serif - is written in gold ink and represents an
invocation. This style, which crystallized during the 16th century, represents a development of
the divan style - in which the vowels were not represented - its clarification and adaptation to the
purpose for which it was created. Celi - meaning: big clear, obvious. The lines are compact and
go up to the left, their writing required a lot of skill in both writing and reading which made these
texts difficult to forge while also ensuring their confidentiality, thus my important documents
issued by the Imperial State Council were intended for an elite knowledgeable of this writing
style.

According to the statement of the specialist archivist Claudiu Turcitu that the writing of
the chancellery during the time of Constantin Brâncoveanu represents the pinnacle of the writing
of the chancellery and we briefly present three working hypotheses of the work we am preparing:
(1) the workers-the logotetes- of the chancellery were people with secular training from families
where there are even three generations whose creativity in terms of ornamentation led to the
appearance of at least 11 different personal styles15, (2) starting from the premise that the
Brancovenian style is a fusion between: Islamic influences, Slavic-post-Byzantine and late
baroque influences we will focus for the purpose of this study on the first, (3) we found in this
study multiple evidences of the transfer of iconographic patterns through the minor arts: textiles,
goldsmithing, metal and woodworking .

During Brancoveanu's reign, the consumption of luxury16 objects increases significantly

due to the period of peace and economic growth, trade with Western Europe also intensifies;
princely orders for manufactured products are reflected in documents and dowry sheets. The
prince's orders to the Saxon goldsmiths in Sibiu and Brașov represent an entry point for the
15
Ibidem 3, pag 592-595
16
Standarde de viață și consumuri de lux la curtea lui Constantin Brâncoveanu, în Epoca brâncovenească la
orizontul modernității românești, eds. Florentina Nițu, Șarolta Solcan, Radu Nedici, București, Ed. Universității din
București, 2016, p. 143-168.

7
Western-inspired artistic models that will be used by the servants of the royal chancellery. The
study of Brancoven chancellery documents reveals only subtle references to oriental art,
incomparably less compared to the western ones, of which I would only remember: the motifs of
acanthus leaf torsades and the "milles fleures" pattern (Fig 5) - flowers belonging to all seasons
united in the same inflorescence characteristic of the European baroque entered the Romanian
countries late17. In the ornate adornments18 adorning the palaces and ecclesiastic monuments
constructed by the Cantacuzino family and Constantin Brâncoveanu in locations such as
Măgureni, Bucharest (Fundenii Doamnei), Târgoviște, Potlogi, and Mogoșoaia, a vivid interplay
of colors and gold is evident. These structures incorporate a range of Persian-inspired motifs,
including small floral bouquets arranged in circular, triangular, or rhombic patterns. These motifs
can be observed not only on the interior walls but also in the distinctive loggias and gazebos that
define the Brancovenian architectural style.

Art historian Corina Nicolescu discerns a prevalent theme in all the buildings constructed during
Brâncoveanu's reign – a fusion of local interpretations of Persian and Ottoman influences,
notably drawing inspiration from the Ottoman style of the 14th to 17th centuries, known as the
"style of the four flowers," which comprises the tulip, hyacinth, brier, and honeysuckle-
chevrefeuille motifs. (Fig 4a, Fig 4b, Fig 4c, Fig 4d)

As depicted in the accompanying illustration, these oriental motifs seamlessly interlace with
Western influences, such as acanthus leaves and arum flowers, which are emblematic of the
Renaissance. These decorative elements were skilfully crafted for Brâncoveanu by Saxon
goldsmith masters from Sibiu and Brasov, further enriching the visual tapestry of these
architectural wonders.
The style influences of ornamentation can be studied by looking at the "initial letter" in
medieval documents, beginning in the 15th century. These letters, although intended to fulfil a
strictly denotative function, are condemned, in a sense, to be reproducible to a seemingly endless
extent. However, paradoxically, precisely through the process of ornamentation, they become
unique and can become true works of art.

17
Oprescu George, Manual de istoria artei Barocul, Editura Meridiane, București 1985, pag 235
18
Corina Niculescu – Ceramica otomană de Iznik inportată în Moldova în sec XVI si al XVII-lea , pag 287-305

8
The ornamentation of the initial letters gives them a distinct identity and allows them to stand out
in medieval documents. This decorating process adds value and beauty to the texts, often turning
the letters into true calligraphic jewels. However, in cases like the one shown in the adjacent
example, some ornate letters can become so complex and intricate that they can become more
difficult to recognize for casual readers. The initial letter in medieval mountain documents has,
in some cases, apotropaic functions, that is, it has the power to ward off or protect against evil
influences. Even if the main denotative function of the words may be partially or totally obscured
by ornamentation, the presence of the cross in most of the initial letters recalls the religious
significance and divine protection they carried. Thus, the initial letter becomes a symbol not only
of aesthetics, but also of spiritual power and religious tradition that deeply influenced Romanian
medieval culture.

The initial letters, together with the other elements of the "diplomatic form", together represent a
code by which the attention of all, the beneficiaries of the documents, the interested third parties
is drawn to the importance of the sender.

Since the beginning of the Phanariote period, the Ottoman influence is manifested in all
aspects of social life, in the domestic and formal space, continuously spreading from the elite
level to the boyars and merchants of Moldova and Wallachia. After the signing of the Peace of
Karlowitz in 1699, the Romanian principality entered a period of significant transformation. This
peace ended the conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and the European states, thus changing
the status of the Romanian principality. This transformation had an impact on local society and
culture, including how Romanian nobles and merchants perceived and adopted Western
influences.

One of the first notable changes was in clothing preferences 19. The noble and commercial
elites of the Romanian principality began to look for inspiration in Buda and Vienna, gradually
adopting western elements in their way of dressing. However, the Ottoman legacy still lingered
in the tastes, conduct and even language of these elites. Thus, an interesting synthesis between
Western and Eastern influences was created. In addition to the imported "Oriental" goods, Greek
trading companies from Sibiu and Brașov brought with them a specific economic language,
financial practices and lifestyle that continued to influence the region until the end of the 19th

19
Dinu Tudor, Bucurestiul Fanariot, Humanitas, 2015

9
century. These merchants, often regarded as as "Greeks", developed complex trade networks that
covered much of Southeast Europe, from Istanbul to Vienna and from Edirne to Leipzig. While
operating in these regions, they built prosperous businesses, erected new residences, and became
a growing consumer class. Their communities preserved their traditions and religion, building
Catholic, Protestant, Greek or Serbian synagogues and churches to meet the spiritual and social
needs of their members. They also founded schools to ensure proper education. During their
travels through southeastern Europe, Anatolia, and the Levant, these traders discovered and
adopted architectural styles, ornaments, cuisine, feasts, and customs that belonged to a common
heritage.

This common heritage reflected the transformations of various historical contexts and social and
political circumstances.

The Ottoman Empire, as the dominant power in southeastern Europe, Anatolia, and the Levant,
exercised control over the main trade routes, including those for silk between Persia and the
Mediterranean. Bursa, the first Ottoman capital, became a major trading center for this industry,
while also becoming an important manufacturing center for fabrics and clothing. This influence
and commercial activity spread to the surrounding regions and had a significant impact on the
cultural and economic development of this period. In conclusion, the period after the Peace of
Karlowitz brought significant changes to the Romanian principality, including Western
influences, a lingering Ottoman legacy, and a complex cultural and economic mix. This period of
transformation contributed to the shaping of Romanian identity and culture and created a fertile
ground for the further development of society and economy.

The popularity of these ornamental forms in the 17th and 18th centuries can be seen in
many churches in Wallachia and Moldova, parallel to the political assimilation of the boyar elites
to a common Ottoman culture.

We generically call the members of the Constantinopolitan Greek community 20

Phanariots, concentrated in the Phanar neighbourhood (Δίπλφανάριον), around the church of St.
George, the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, for the Greeks, the "Patriarchy of the Nation"
(τον γενον). The moving of the patriarchate to St. George in 1601, the Golden Horn, will
gradually attract to Fanar the members of the main Greek families in the capital, as well as the
20
Turcitu Claudiu Victor, Istorie în documente – Familia Ipsilanti, Editura DAR Development Publishing , 2021.

10
surviving members of the old Byzantine nobility, scattered throughout the Ottoman Empire (the
case of the Ypsilanti). There were families, some rich, others with aristocratic, even imperial
ancestry (Comneni, Cantacuzini) who sought, by positioning themselves next to the Patriarchate,
to obtain high social positions, both within the "Christian millet" and in the Ottoman
administration. Along the way, neo-Greek Christian families will also settle in Fanar, which will
form a homogeneous mass of interests, together constituting the recruitment base for the seats of
the Principalities.

By the end of the Phanariote period, 13 such families had succeeded to the throne of the
Principalities. These were: Iacob Vasile Heraclitus, Ghica (2 lords), Duca (2), Mavrogheni (1),
Sutu (3), Caragea (3), Ipsilanti (2), Cantacuzino (3), Rosetti (2), Mavrocordat (6), Calimachi (4),
Moruzi (2), Hangerli (2), Racoviță (2) and Giani Ruset. I have selected a number of archival
documents from the Phanariot period whose aesthetic characteristics are sometimes more explicit
and sometimes in a way that needs to be carefully deciphered.

These Greek families from Istanbul has the advantage of mastering the Turkish language and this
gave them an important advantages in comparison with the Armenians and Jews for example, or
Greeks from the provinces who used Turkish only in daily life.21

The Phanariots' dominance22 revolved around their exclusive control of four crucial political
positions: the grand dragoman's office, the imperial fleet's dragoman office, the voivoda of
Wallachia, and the voivoda of Moldavia. These roles not only involved supplying the Ottomans
with essential insights into the intricate realm of eighteenth-century European diplomacy but also
required them to serve as intermediaries. Whether functioning as translators or negotiators, they
facilitated communication with these European powers.

The first document is issued on May 28, 1716 in the chancellery of Nicolae Alexandru
Mavrocordat and represents a gift to the Glavacioc monastery (ANR, Fond Mănăstirea
Glavacioc, XVII/12). Nicolae Mavrocordat is the first Phanariot ruler of Romania after the
removal of Brâncoveanu and one of those who will remain in the Romanian cultural context,
through at least two references, the Văcărești Monastery, a strong fortress built at the entrance to
the capital from Oltenița and its fabulous library that included works humanistic. The education

21

22
Wasiucionek, Michal “Greek as Ottoman”. 78.

11
he received in Istanbul under the careful guidance of his father, the dragoman Alexandru
Mavrocordat Exaporit, is the basis of his cultural achievements, which we will not dwell on in
this work23.

The documents for which we had a visual representation are owned by the National Archives of
Romania, for other references we consulted other sources 24. The document was drafted by
Anghelachie25, the son of Mihai logofat from Târgoviște, whom I met both in the Brancoveanu’s
chancellery, confirming the formation of dynasties of servants of the chancellery observed by the
historian Gheorghe Lazăr in his article from 2014. Its style of ornamentation is completely
changed and meets the aesthetic demands of the Phanariot voyvode. Important visual elements
appear in the decoration of this document.

We will not discuss in detail with this paper of the anthropomorphic26 figures, here the
Archangel Michael and the Virgin Mary, the significance of which was dedicated to the work of
the researcher, Oana Mădădina Popescu. Despite the paradox, we clearly observe that during the
period when the Romanian principalities were under Ottoman rule, there was a surprising
practice regarding the representation of icons on official documents. This practice had multiple
meanings, primarily representing an open confession of the Orthodox faith that was deeply
rooted in the culture and identity of the Romanians. These icons also had a strong symbolic role
in conveying the Christian conception of government, that is, the idea that governmental power
and authority should be guided by Christian principles, such as mercy, justice, and compassion.

In addition, by adding icons to official documents, the leaders and administration of the
Romanian Lands emphasized the importance of divine protection and the help of the Saints in
public life and in making important decisions. This gesture showed the deep awareness of man's
need for divine help in the face of everyday challenges and difficulties.

Thus, this paradoxical practice of representing icons on official documents during the Ottoman
rule represented a complex expression of the religious and cultural identity of the Romanians, as
23
Shafir, Nir. ‘Phanariot Tongues: The Mavrocordatos Family and the Power of the Turkish Language in the
Eighteenth-Century Ottoman Empire’, Oriente Moderno 2021
24
Rafailă Grina-Mihaela (ed.), Catalogul actelor domniei lui Nicolae Mavrocordat aflate în colecția de documente a
Muzeului Municipal București, pag. 281-298, Materiale de Istorie și Muzeografie: București-MIM, XXVII, 2013
25
Turcitu, Claudiu Victor, Constantin Brâncoveanu 300 – Documente din Arhivele Naționale, Editura DAR
Development Publishing, București, 2014, pag 242
26
Popescu, Oana Mădălina, „Chipuri sfinte în vechi hrisoave româneşti”, Editura Dinasty Proedidura și Tipografie,
2021

12
well as their aspirations towards a government based on Christian principles and trust in divinity
for support in difficult times.

Two elements that we find interesting and advance here in the form of hypotheses that require
further investigation are the use in the cartouche of the initial letter of the fish scale-dragon scale
pattern imported from China through the migration of Far Eastern patterns on the Ottoman die.
The second element is the ornamental motif in the form of the letter elif.

The second document that we bring to our attention was issued in the chancellery of the
same ruler, in his second reign on September 3, 1719, and was drawn up by the logophete Lefter,
the son of Isar the logophete, one of the most creative servants of Constantin Brâncoveanu’s
chancellery of. This document fascinates us with two remarkable visual elements. First of all, we
can observe the united coat of arms of the Romanian extra-Carpathian principalities, a
representation of the unity of the territories, Moldova and Wallachia. This combined coat of arms
proves that the ruler Nicolae Mavrocordat was twice the ruler of Moldavia, and he considered
this as a special personal achievement.

The third document, dated August 11, 1723, also issued during the reign of the same
Nicolae Mavrocordat, and drafted by Gherghe logofat de divan, the grandson of Gherghe șufar
de Târgoviște, another member of Brâncoveanu's chancellery, attracts attention by the presence
of some flowers similar to tulips, having trilobed leaves at the top of the frontispiece. The details
of the coat of arms box, the central cartouche prepared for the signature and the corners set off
by a thin border are also notable, being done in gold ink, applied in block, over which the black
ink design was later applied, showing obvious influences from Oriental art.

The fourth and last document issued in the chancellery of Nicolae Mavrocordat dates
from April 25, 1726 and represents a donation made to the Patriarchate of Wallachia. This
document is significant from the perspective of the migration of Ottoman motifs in the art of the
time, highlighted by the presence of bouquets of roses and carnations that decorate the
frontispiece. These two flowers are often found in Ottoman art and bring a distinct touch of
oriental influence to this document.
In a study27 about the influence of oriental art on the art of the Romanian principalities, Corina
27
Corina Niculescu, Elemente orientale în vechea artă a Țării Românești, Archiva-Valachica-Studii-si-materiale-
de-istorie-si-istorie-a-culturii-1976, pag 220-238

13
Niculescu points out that one of the characteristics of oriental art is the covering of the entire
surface - referring to a monument or an object, through repeated motifs chosen according to the
shape and the destination of the ornament support. The same thing can be observed in the
ornamentation of the Mavrocordat family's chancery documents.

During the reign of Constantin Mavrocordat, which brings us almost temporally to the
middle of the 18th century, we can observe the same trend of decorating the chancery
documents, which is also perpetuated under the rulers of the Ypsilanti family. Imports from
Ottoman art are constant, but they are accompanied by overt expressions of orthodoxy.
Documents from the Wallachian Chancery standardize in format, and the Moldavian Chancery
also shows Ottoman influences, but does not reach the artistic sophistication of the Mountain
Chancery. This amalgam of Orthodox cultural influences and traits forms a fascinating picture of
the Romanian medieval period and the evolution of the art of official documents.

Conclusions

Brancoveanu’s reign era represents an essential moment in the history of sacred art in
Muntenia and had a significant impact on subsequent developments. This period marked a point

turning point that later influenced the emergence of the neo-Romanian style, which synthesized
and generalized these contributions. The study of ornamentation from this era represents an
essential component in the research of art historians and completes the picture of a complex
cultural phenomenon. It should be noted that oriental-inspired decorative ornamentation, such as
that at Potlogi and Fundenii Doamnei, was of marginal importance and was not widely
developed or perpetuated.

Princely chancery writing can be considered a manifestation of secular culture, due to its often
legal character, content and specific style of ornamentation. The evolution of chancery writing
evolved in parallel with the development of printing, influencing each other, but they were not
conditioned to the extent that these legal administrative acts were not intended for printing.

The ornamentation of the documents represents a stylistic synthesis in which various influences
are found, such as autochthonous tradition, post-Byzantine continuity, common elements with
the Slavic world, and Western European and Ottoman baroque influences. Art forms imported
from the West or East were introduced during this period through the major arts, such as

14
architecture and painting, and later reached ornamenting as well. This was achieved through the
minor arts, such as ornamental stonework, stucco, goldsmithing and textiles, using specific tools.
Two notable characteristics related to the work-creator are the fact that the ornamentation of each
document was unique, even if it contained elements specific to the creator's style, and that the
Brașov goldsmiths, for example, created "custom works" using their own means of expression
and inspiring from the artistic elements of the era, probably through prints.

The ornamentation of documents, from a semiotic point of view, expresses the symbolic status of
power, transforming the letters into decorative elements with aesthetic value. Although they may
become more difficult to read in certain areas, such as the initial letter or the monogram, these
morphological changes place them in an aesthetic realm. Symbolism of power and the invocation
of divine power over the issuer and recipient are often present in the documents, but chancery
miniatures have primarily aesthetic value and less symbolic significance. In contrast to church
manuscripts, ornaments rarely contain allusive or explicit symbols related to the text they
accompany.

Documents from this era differ from the style of documents from the Phanariot period by their
orientation towards Ottoman art and the tendency to standardize the format of the documents,
thus losing the individual characteristics of each document.

The ornamentation of chancellery documents falls into modernity, reflecting the tendency to
transform Byzantine patterns and the adoption of Western baroque elements, driven by the new
intellectual ambitions of the elite. This study opens up a number of directions for further
research, both in terms of temporal evolution and other art-related themes. While not analyzing
each document in stylistic detail, this kind of systemic approach could yield deeper conclusions
in the future.

15
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