INTERCULTURALISM IN THE POLITICAL ARISTOCRACY MEMOIRS OF ROMANIA DURING 1881-1914

Abstract

Interculturalism, explored by anthropologists, sheds light on global dynamics in the past two centuries. The 19th century featured economic interdependence and labor mobility. In Europe's La Belle Époque, the nobility, predominantly in foreign affairs or state institutions, demonstrated unique intercultural interactions. Romanian nobility of the late 19th century, educated in Western universities, engaged in cultural exchanges during events like Eastern celebrations, mingling with peasants. French correspondence occasionally included phrases like "je un dor de vous." Memoirs reveal intercultural instances, emphasizing a network of connections. Romanian noble families intertwined with French, Russian, Austrian nobilities through marriages, some residing abroad, notably in Paris. Bucharest hosted French newspapers reporting global news. The daily life of the Romanian nobility authentically exemplifies interculturalism, offering historians a valuable perspective on their evolution until the First World War.