Variegated skirts to the floor, colorful scarves on the shoulders, soulful songs with the guitar, unwashed swarthy kids, trained bears, battered wagons and a herd of horses grazing in a vast field. Such a diverse and distinctive people like gypsies at all times aroused interest and some fear.
The history of the origin of the gypsy people
According to recent studies, gypsies are the descendants of Indian blacksmiths, singers, and musicians who were forced to leave India due to the invasion of its powerful north-west Tamerlane army. Migration took place gradually, some remained close to the borders of their country, others went further, weaving local customs into their culture and enriching the language with local dialects. Over time, gypsies spread throughout Persia, Armenia, Georgia, Palestine, Northern Egypt, Asia Minor and Byzantium. Later, the fall of the Byzantine Empire served as an impetus for the subsequent spread of gypsies in all European states.
Gypsies in the Middle Ages Europe
Medieval Europe left an indelible mark on the history of the gypsy people. This era was marked by persecution and extermination of gypsies, among which practiced witchcraft, fortunetelling and prediction of the future. Many of them stole and wandered. To fight against the alien nomadic people, many rulers of the Middle Ages issued decrees ordering to stigmatize, expel from the country or put to death the people of gypsy blood. So, according to the decree of the Prussian king Friedrich Wilhelm, in the territory of Prussia all Roma who have reached the age of majority were executed.
The geography of modern gypsies
Today, gypsies can be found in almost any corner of the planet; they do not recognize state borders. According to various estimates, their number is from 8 to 12 million people. About 1 million Roma live in the USA, 678, 000 live in Brazil, 650, 000 in Spain. Modern Roma live in Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Croatia, Serbia, Ukraine and Belarus, Canada, Argentina, France and several other countries.
