Dimitrie Cantemir between Sword and Pencil Wielder

In this article, we reveal the work and personality of Dimitrie Cantemir between sword and pen, 350 years since the birth of the great scholar of Moldova, ruler of Moldova, and 300 years since his death. To celebrate the event of the Romanian scholar, the Romanian state declared this year, the Year of Dimitrie Cantemir, an event in the attention of world science. This created the opportunity to respond, through a broad presentation of the work and personality of Dimitrie Cantemir, to the deep interest not only of the Romanian people for one of the most renowned figures of national history but also to the many desires from abroad to know his scientific merits. Of course, monographic works on the life and activity of personalities of Moldavia and the Romanian Country have been written on numerous other occasions, but since the time of Dimitrie Cantemir the seeds of a new and modern historiographical phenomenon have appeared, going beyond the biographical area of ruling families and approaching histories with a more general character. Author of numerous works, diversified thematically, among which we mention the Description of Moldavia, Dimitrie Cantemir established himself as a European scientific personality through his work, Geschichte des Wachsthums und des Sirkens des osmanischen Reiches. As has been noted, "The history of this kingdom written by him is divided into two periods, the first of its rise until 1672; the second, of its decline, from that date until 1711". In this work, the author highlights the end of the Ottoman victories and the beginning of the decline of the Ottoman Empire, through the loss of "fearful battles... and the power of the Ottomans greatly weakened by the loss of many kingdoms and countries, by the destruction of whole armies, and by internal rebellions and emperors" With this text, Dimitrie Cantemir opened the discussion of the Oriental question. Dimitrie Cantemir proved to be a keen observer and erudite commentator on practices embedded in our material and spiritual culture.