Wallachia, also spelled Wallakia, is a historical and geographical region located in the southern part of Romania, in eastern Europe. It is one of the three provinces that make up modern Romania, the other two being Transylvania and Moldavia.
In Wirnt von Grafenberg’s Wigalois, warriors from Wallachia ally with Prince Lion of Namur against King Wigalois of Korntin (Gawain’s son).
Wallachia | 0 to 9th century
Antiquity
The region of Wallachia was inhabited by the Dacians in antiquity, who were an Indo-European people. It was a part of Dacia, a region encompassing what is now modern Romania and Moldova, and it was conquered by the Roman Empire during the reign of Emperor Trajan in the early second century AD.
Roman Dacia
Wallachia, as a part of Roman Dacia, was under Roman rule for several centuries. During this time, the Romans established infrastructure, cities, and roads in the region. The Roman legacy is still visible in some archaeological sites and historical remnants in modern Romania.
Migration Period
In the third century, the Roman Empire faced invasions by various barbarian tribes, including the Goths and the Huns. These invasions had an impact on the Dacian territory, and the region experienced significant turmoil and migrations.
Slavic Influence
In the later centuries, as the Roman Empire declined, the region was influenced by Slavic migrations. Slavic tribes settled in the area and began to merge with the local Dacian and Romanized population.
Emergence of Early States
By the ninth century, the territory that would later become Wallachia was part of the broader medieval states and empires in Eastern Europe, including the First Bulgarian Empire and the Hungarian Kingdom. The emergence of local leaders and voivodes (princes) marked the beginnings of a distinct Wallachian political identity.
Source
Wigalois | Wirnt von Grafenberg, early 13th century