Turda
Encyclopedia : T : TU : TUR : Turda
History
Founded as a Dacian city under the name Patreuissa (after Ptolemeu in Geographia III, 8, 4), Patavissa or Potaissa (most frequently confirmed), Turda was conquered by the Romans. The castrum established was named Potaissa too and became a municipium, then a colonia. Potaissa was the basecamp of the Legio V Macedonica from 166 to 274. Salt mines were cultivated in the area since prehistoric times. After the Hungarian conquest, the Turda salt mines were first time mentioned in 1075. (The salt mines, were closed in 1932, but have recently been reopened for tourism.) Saxons settled in the area in the 11th century. The town was destroyed during the Tartar invasion in 1241-1242. Andrew III of Hungary gave royal privileges to the setlement, these privileges were later confirmed by the Angevins of Hungary.
The Hungarian Diet was held here in 1467, by Matthias Corvinus. Later, in the 16th century, Turda was often the residence of the Transylvanian Diet, too. The 1558 Diet of Turda declared free practice of both the Catholic and Lutheran religions, but prohibited Calvinism. Ten years later, in 1568 the Diet extended the freedom to all religions, declaring that "It is not allowed to anybody to intimidate anybody with captivity or expellig for his teaching" - a freedom unusual in medieval Europe. In spite of this, Orthodox were often denied equal rights in Transylvania.
In 1609 Gabriel Báthori granted new privileges to Turda, these were confirmed later by Gabriel Bethlen.
People
See also
- Decree of Turda
- Universitas Valachorum
- List of Transylvanian Saxon localities
- Ancient history of Transylvania, History of Transylvania
Sister cities
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