The Danubian Principalities: Hungaria, Wallachia, Moldavia, Bulgaria, Serbia — The Frontier Lands of the Christian and the Turk

Exploring one of the most turbulent crossroads in European history, The Danubian Principalities by James Henry Skene offers a penetrating nineteenth-century account of the lands lying between empires—where East met West, and Christianity confronted Islam. Drawing from personal observation and diplomatic experience, Skene provides an exceptional portrait of Hungary, Wallachia, Moldavia, Bulgaria, and Serbia, nations bound by geography yet divided by faith, politics, and destiny.

Through vivid description and historical insight, Skene examines the social conditions, governance, commerce, and customs of these frontier regions during the waning influence of the Ottoman Empire. His work captures both the rich diversity and persistent volatility of the Balkans—territories poised between liberation and domination, tradition and reform.

Written with the authority of a traveler and the eye of a historian, this volume remains a crucial source for understanding the nineteenth-century Balkans, the shifting balance of empire, and the enduring tension along Europe’s eastern edge.

Complete edition of James Henry Skene’s 19th-century travel and political study

Describes the geography, people, and politics of Hungary, Wallachia, Moldavia, Bulgaria, and Serbia

A vital document of Ottoman decline and Balkan transformation

Essential for readers of European history, Balkan studies, and historical geography