The village of Rosha (Roșoșa, Roșișa, Ruschiza, Rosușa, Roșușe) within the Principality of Moldavia (1359 1774)

The article, within the framework of the implementation of the project “RESTORY” – Grant Program of the European Commission “Horizon-Europe” (HORIZON-CL2‑2023- НЕRITAGE‑01-№ 101132781), studies the history of one of the microdistricts of the city of Chernivtsi – Roshi. This is a locality on the southwestern outskirts of Chernivtsi, which initially developed as a separate settlement, later a suburb, and eventually became an urban residential microdistrict. From 1359 to 1774, the territory of modern Roshi was part of the medieval Moldavian Principality. The purpose of this study is to study the history of the specified settlement during this period. The relevance of the work lies in the uniqueness of the published material, which will become the basis for writing a monograph on the history of Roshi. The chronological framework is limited to the time when the settlement was part of the Moldavian Principality (1359‑1774). Methodology: analysis of census data of the Moldavian Principality, chronicles, charters, documents and works of the 17th-20th centuries, which highlight the history of this period of Roshi; toponymic and etymological studies. Scientific novelty: the history of the village (suburb; microdistrict of the city of Chernivtsi) Roshi is being created for the first time. Conclusions. Thus, for more than 400 years, the village of Roshisha was part of the Moldavian medieval principality. The almost complete absence of written sources about Roshisha during this period is due to the fact that the settlement was a suburb of Chernivtsi, was located within its borders. During the specified chronological period, Roshisha did not differ in appearance, economic or social status from other rural settlements of the principality. One of the characteristic features of the fiscal situation of Moldova was exorbitant taxes in favor of the Ottoman Empire (harach, peshkesh, bakshish, etc.), whose vassal the principality became from the 15th century. In addition, there were taxes and duties in favor of the prince and the ruling elite (tithe, goshtyn, labor, korvoda, fines - dushegubyna, khatalm, chubote, ferey, etc.). From the 17th century. tithe from cereal crops grown by the Roshishans was paid to the Great Skete from Galicia. The entire burden of the fiscal burden fell on the peasants and merchants of Chernivtsi. At the end of the Moldavian period, out of 149 households in Roshisha, 65 families paid taxes, while the rest either paid separate taxes or were exempted from them through civil service. Endless military attacks on this border territory continued throughout the Moldavian period, starting from the struggle for the independence of the principality and until the Russian-Turkish war of 1768-1774. At the same time, constant interstate conflicts with Poland caused devastation and plundering of Chernivtsi and Roshisha. These sufferings for the population were exacerbated by frequent famine years and epidemics of serious diseases. In 1767-1768, a wooden church was built in Roshisha, which was popularly called "old". It became a spiritual "outlet" for the peasant, oppressed by hard work, large taxes and duties. Specific data on the inhabitants of Roshisha at the end of the 18th century. became known as a result of the population censuses conducted in 1772-1773 and 1774 by representatives of the Russian occupation army and the master of Moldova. The annexation of the northern part of Moldova, which under the Austrians began to be called Bukovina, marked the beginning of a new period in the history of our region and Roshisha in particular.