TheSudiți (plural ofSudit -Romanian language, fromItaliansuddito, meaning "subject" or "citizen") were inhabitants of theDanubian Principalities (Wallachia andMoldavia) who, for the latter stage of the 18th and a large part of the 19th century — during and after thePhanariote period of rule, were placed under the protection of foreign states (usually theHabsburg monarchy,Imperial Russia, andFrance) as reward for particular services or in exchange for payment.
Rights acquired includedimmunity from prosecution in front of both local rulers (hospodars) and the Principalities'suzerain power, theOttoman Empire, as well astax exemptions; the competing interests of nations involved allowed consuls to trafficsudiți favours and titles.
The category was established by the 1774Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca, which led to the creation of foreignconsulates inIași andBucharest.
An expanding and powerful social category during theRusso-Turkish wars (which affected the Principalities' soil), manysudiți werewholesale businessmen who formedguilds (bresle orisnafuri) and successfully competed withRomanians in several fields (after theTreaty of Adrianople in 1829 allowed the two countries to engage in foreign trade), expanding during the period ofRussian administration (1828-1857).
Notablesudiți includedTudor Vladimirescu andDimitrie Macedonski, leaders of the1821 Wallachian uprising, as well asAshkenazi Jews who had left various regions in Russia and theAustrian-ruledKingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria.
The category disappeared after the 1878Romanian War of Independence.