Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XV.djvu/876

 846 TRANSYLVANIA garian monarchy, now forming part of the lands of the Hungarian crown, bounded W. and N. by Hungary proper, N. E. and E. by the Bukowina and Roumania, and S. by Rou- niania. It is situated between lat. 45 12' and 47 42' N., and Ion. 22 24' and 26 30' E. ; area, according to the last changes of the frontiers, 21,216 sq. m.; pop. in 1870, 2,115,024. Capi- tal, Klausenburg. The country is surrounded on all sides by mountains belonging to the Carpathian system, and the surface is much diversified, being traversed by several moun- tain ranges, between which there are numerous fine valleys and plains. The principal chain extends along the E. and S. frontiers, and sends out many offsets. The range which forms the K W. boundary toward Hungary is properly designated as the Transylvaniaii Ore moun- tains. The most elevated points lie near the S. boundary, in the so-called Transylvanian Alps, where Mt. Negoi has a height of more than 8,000 ft. above the sea, and Mt. Bucsesd is very little lower. The Tomos, Red Tower, and Vulcan passes lead through this range. The whole drainage belongs to the basin of the Danube, the chief rivers being the Aluta (Hun. Olt the Maros with its tributaries the Great and Little Kokel (Kukullo), the Bistritz (Besz- tercze), the Szamos, and the Koros. There are several lakes. The climate varies greatly ac- cording to elevation. In the valleys the heat of summer is very great, but in the more elevated districts the winter temperature is remarkably severe and so long continued as to cause serious injury to vegetation. Gold is found in most of the streams in greater or less quantities ; a num- ber of gold mines are worked, and are said to be very productive. Silver mines are also worked, and there is one of quicksilver. Copper, lead, iron, antimony, arsenic, tin, coal, alum, bitu- men, saltpetre, and salt are all found ; together with crystals and valuable pebbles, including garnets, chrysolites, amethysts, chalcedonies, agates, carnelians, and jaspers. A bed of rock salt extends in a belt 60 to 80 m. wide through the whole country, from which great quantities are extracted, as well as from numerous springs. In the more elevated parts vegetation is scanty, but lower down luxuriant forests make their appearance, which yield many kinds of valua- ble timber. The valleys and plains are particu- larly fertile, and, although agriculture is in a backward state, yield good crops of various kinds of grain, pulse, maize, hemp, flax, tobacco, saffron, and madder ; and the vine and fruits are very generally cultivated. Great numbers of horses, horned cattle, buffaloes, sheep, and pigs are reared, large herds of the last named being fed in the forests. Game is abundant, and the rivers are well supplied with fish. The manufactures consist principally of coarse linen and woollen goods, native silk, different kinds of metals, paper, gunpowder, leather, porcelain and earthenware, glass, stearine candles, soap, furniture, and numerous articles in wood. The population is composed of various races, including Magyars or Hungarians proper, Szek- lers, Saxons, Roumans or Wallachs, Ruthenians gypsies, Armenians, Greeks, Jews, and Bulga rians. The Roumans are by far the most nu merous, being about three fifths of the whole The gypsies number about 88,000. The reli gions most numerously professed are the non united and united Greek (chiefly by the Ruthe nians and Roumans), Roman Catholic (by the Magyars), Calvinist (by the Magyars), Lutheran (by the Saxons), and Unitarian (by theSzeklers) The Magyars and Saxons have the best schools those belonging to some of the others are of a very inferior character. The first Transylva nian university was opened at Klausenburg in 1872. The Szeklers, or properly Szekelys, who are believed by some to be descendants of the Huns, and by others of the Petchenegs an< other tribes kindred to the Magyars, use a dialect little different from the language of the latter, this being also spoken by the Bulgarian and Armenians. The Saxons are descendants of German settlers from Flanders, the lower Rhine, the Hartz, and Thuringia, who estab- lished themselves in Transylvania especially about the middle of the 12th century, where they are unmixed with other races, and speak their own language, the German. They for- merly enjoyed various privileges, based chiefly on a charter granted them by King Andrew II. in 1224, and more equality of rights than the other races. Together with the Magyars and Szeklers they formed the constitutionally ruling people, but now all nationalities enjoy equal rights. The country is therefore divided into the lands of the Hungarians (chiefly in the northwest and west), of the Szeklers (in the east), and of the Saxons (in the south and northeast). The land of the Hungarians is subdivided into the counties or comitats (me- gyele) of Klausenburg (Kolozs), Doboka, Inner Szolnok, Thorda, Kokelburg (KuMllo), Upper Weissenburg (Fejervdr), Lower Weissenburg, and Hunyad, and the districts of Fogaras and Naszod ; the land of the Szeklers into the seats (szekeK) of Aranyos, Maros, Udvarhely, Csik, and Harom-Szk; and the land of the Saxons into the seats (Stuhle) of Hermannstadt, Broos, Muhlenbach, Reissmarkt, Mediasch, Schass- burg, Gross-Schenk, Leschkirch, and Reps, and the districts of Kronstadt and Bistritz. Be- sides the capital, the most important towns are Hermannstadt, Kronstadt, Vasarhely-on-the- Maros, Bistritz, and the fortress Carlsburg. The constitution of Transylvania before the revolution of 1848-'9, during which it was re- united with Hungary, resembled that of the lat- ter country, but was more complicated, owing to numerous reserved privileges. It was abol- ished by the Austrians in 1849, and restored in 1861, though not in its full vigor. In 1867 Transylvania was again fully united with Hun- gary, and its separate diet abolished. Transyl- vania in the time of the Roman empire be- longed to Dacia, was subsequently overrun by the Huns, Goths, Gepidas, Lombards, Bulgfl-