Abstract
The paper focuses on an episode which occurred in 1509, during the expedition of Bogdan III against Poland. According to some Moldavian chronicles, during the siege of Lvov, the prince launched an individual charge against one of the city’s gates and struck it with his spear. Unfortunately the Moldavian chroniclers gave no clue about the event, while the Polish chroniclers simply ignored it. However the gesture could be properly understood if we compare it with similar actions of other monarchs during the Middle Ages. Also the analysis of the military role of the spear and of the mounted warrior could shed some light on the significance of Bogdan III’s gesture.
Keywords
Bogdan III, gesture of power, Lvov, spear, war
