Principality of Vlachia

The Vlachs are an ethnic minority in the Balkans descended from the Celtic tribal confederacy Volcae from the Roman province of Gaul of Narbonne (Latin: Gallia Narbonensis)

The Princely House of Bulat is an ethnic Vlach family. The Vlachs, in turn, are an ethnic group in the Balkans descended from the Celtic tribal confederacy Volcae (Old High German: Walhoz, Old Slavic: Vlasi) from the Roman province of Gaul of Narbonne (Latin: Gallia Narbonensis). This Celtic tribe was mentioned in many written works of Antiquity by many famous people such as Gaius Julius Ceaser, Titus Livius Patavinius, Strabo and Justin. The Volcae tribe first invaded Illyria and Macedonia in 280 B. C. and sieged a second time the Greek city of Delphi in 279 B. C. in alliance with another great Celtic tribe named Tectosages who dwelt around modern-day Toulouse and the upper part of the Garrone river. Plundering all the way to Anatolia, a part of them settled in the region that would become Galatia (Ancient Greek: Γαλατία) which in Greek meant Gaul. This region later became famous for the Epistle to the Galatians written by St. Paul the Apostle.

After the Gallic invasions south-eastern Europe a part of the Volcae tribe settled in Dacia (modern-day Romania) becoming the forefathers of the Vlachs and giving birth to the region called Wallachia. It is for this reason that the Hungarians referred to Wallachia as Regni Galagiae (Latin: Kingdom of the Gaels). From this point on the Volcae tribe will imperceptibly start taking on the influences of the region, becoming a heterogeneous ethnic group composed of Celtic, Thracian, Dacian, Illyrian and Hellenic cultural elements, while at the same time the very word Vlach, derived from the Volcae tribe, would come to have a wide range of meanings across several regions. After gradually leaving the pastures of Wallachia, the Vlachs will spread into every direction of the Balkan peninsula during the early Middle Ages. The sources from these times are extremely scarce, however several chronicles mention words akin to Vlach in the context of a people speaking a language with Latin influences and living as shepherds on wide pastures.

As the Middle Ages continued the semi-nomadic lifestyle of the Vlachs became their main asset, as they developed a system of roads and able horseman who could protect caravans on long distance journeys. They became exceptional warriors, hunters and merchants who continuously protected their freedom from plagued cities, high taxes, slavery and any other form of government besides their own. At the same time they accepted foreign people as parts of their communities. Exactly because of this they were called upon as mercenary knights by the greatest houses of the past: Kulinić, Kotromanić, Šubić, Nelipčić, Hrvatinić, Frankopan, Kosača etc. gave unto the Vlachs their freedom and recognised their nobility.

Upon the formation of nations in the 19th century, the history of the Vlachs was distorted and claimed by other arising nations, while the Vlachs themselves never created an ethnic state and were absorbed into other nations and turned into Croats or Serbs according to their religious denomination. On account of the Vlachs never having their own national awakening, countless tragedies have occurred and many old families were torn from each other. To rectify this great historical injustice His Illustrious Highness Jacob, Prince of the Vlachs has founded the Principality of Vlachia to preserve the history and cultural legacy of his people – the Vlachs.