Editing Nicolae Iorga (section)

==Biography==

===Child prodigy===
[[File:Casa memorială Nicolae Iorga, Botoșani.jpg|thumb|left|Memorial house in [[Botoșani]]]]

Nicolae Iorga was born in [[Botoșani]] into a family of [[Greeks|Greek]] origin.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Karpat |first=Kemal H. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=082osLxyBDgC&pg=PA2 |title=Studies on Ottoman Social and Political History: Selected Articles and Essays |date=2002 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-12101-0 |pages=2 |language=en |quote=...for instance the historian-Ottomanist Nicolae Iorga of Greek origin. |author-link=Kemal H. Karpat}}</ref> His father, Nicu Iorga, was a practicing lawyer;<ref>{{Cite book |last=Pandrea |first=Petre |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=be6gAAAAMAAJ |title=Garda de fier: jurnal de filosofie politică : memorii penitenciare |date=2001 |publisher=Editura Vremea |isbn=978-973-9423-99-1 |pages=176 |language=ro |quote=Nu are nici o picătură de sânge românesc în vine. Pe Iorga îl cheamă Arghiropol. Acesta este numele său adevărat, tatăl era avocat grec la Botoşani.}}</ref> he ultimately descended from a Greek merchant who had settled in Botoșani in the 18th century<ref>{{Cite book |last=Boia |first=Lucian |url=https://archive.org/details/lucian-boia-cum-s-a-romanizat-romania-humanitas-2015 |title=Cum sa romanizat România |date=2015 |publisher=Humanitas |isbn=978-973-50-4875-4 |location=Bucureşti |pages=34 |language=en |quote=Iar Nicolae Iorga, recunoscut drept cel mai de seamă istoric român, se trage, pe linie paternă, dintrun grec stabilit în Moldova în secolul al XVIIIlea |author-link=Lucian Boia}}</ref> five generations before Nicolae Iorga's birth.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Iorga |first=Nicolae |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FAoKAQAAIAAJ |title=Istoria românilor: Reformatorii |date=1988 |publisher=Editura Științifică și Enciclopedică |isbn=978-973-45-0402-2 |pages=285, n. 2 |language=ro |quote=[Editor's note:] Istoricul era descendent la a cincea generație din ''Iorga galiongiul'', negustor grec stabilit la Botoșani,}}</ref> His mother, Zulnia Iorga (''[[née]]'' Arghiropol), was a woman of [[Phanariots|Phanariote]] [[Greeks|Greek]] descent.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Djuvara |first=Neagu |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AhnNDwAAQBAJ |title=Thocomerius–Negru Voda: Un voivod de origine cumana la inceputurile Tarii Romanesti. Raspuns criticilor mei si neprietenilor lui Negru Vodă |date=9 December 2016 |publisher=Humanitas SA |isbn=978-973-50-5553-0 |pages=11 |language=en |quote=Cât despre Iorga, străstrăbunicul său a fost grec, fost marinar. Mama istoricului era de origine greacă fanariotă, Arghiropol |author-link=Neagu Djuvara}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Rădulescu |first=Mihai Sorin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bS9EAQAAIAAJ |title=Elita liberală românească, 1866-1900 |date=1998 |publisher=Ed. All |isbn=978-973-9392-93-8 |pages=43 |language=ro}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Pandrea |first=Petre |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=be6gAAAAMAAJ |title=Garda de fier: jurnal de filosofie politică : memorii penitenciare |date=2001 |publisher=Editura Vremea |isbn=978-973-9423-99-1 |pages=176 |language=ro}}</ref> Iorga claimed direct descent from the noble [[Mavrocordatos family|Mavrocordatos]] and [[Argyros (Byzantine family)|Argyros]] families.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Ioanid |first=Radu |date=1992 |title=Nicolae Iorga and Fascism |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/260901 |journal=Journal of Contemporary History |volume=27 |issue=3 |pages=467–492 |doi=10.1177/002200949202700305 |jstor=260901 |s2cid=159706943 |issn=0022-0094|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>Rădulescu, p. 344</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Treptow |first=Kurt W. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GiOhAAAAMAAJ |title="Procesul" lui Corneliu Zelea Codreanu: mai, 1938 |date=1994 |publisher=S.C. "Dosoftei" S.A. |pages=138 |language=ro}}</ref> He credited the five-generation-[[boyar]] status received from his father's side (e.g. the Miclescu and Catargi families) and the "old [[boyar]]" roots of his mother (e.g. the Mavrocordatos family) with having turned him into a politician.<ref>Rădulescu, pp. 344, 351</ref> His parallel claim of being related to noble families such as the [[Cantacuzino family|Cantacuzinos]] and the [[Craiovești]] is questioned by other researchers.<ref>Nastasă (2003), p. 62</ref> Iorga is generally believed to have been born on 17 January 1871, although his birth certificate provides a date of 6 June.<ref>Iova, p. xxvii. See also Nastasă (2003), p. 61</ref>

In 1876, aged thirty-seven or thirty-eight, Nicu Sr. was incapacitated and then died of an unknown illness, orphaning Nicolae and his younger brother George. Nicolae would later write that the loss of his father dominated the image he had of his childhood.<ref>Iova, pp. xxvii–xxviii. See also Nastasă (2003), pp. 61–62, 66, 74–75</ref> In 1878, he was enlisted at the Marchian Folescu School, where he discovered a love for intellectual pursuits and took pride in excelling in most academic areas. At age nine, he was allowed by his teachers to lecture his schoolmates on Romanian history.<ref>Iova, pp. xxviii–xxix</ref> His history teacher, a [[Great Emigration|refugee Pole]], sparked his interest in research and his lifelong [[polonophilia]].<ref name="nmpolonia">{{in lang|ro}} Nicolae Mareș, [https://web.archive.org/web/20120811191837/http://www.romlit.ro/nicolae_iorga_despre_polonia "Nicolae Iorga despre Polonia"], in ''[[România Literară]]'', Nr. 35/2009</ref> Iorga also credited this period with having shaped his lifelong views on Romanian language and local culture: "I learned Romanian&nbsp;... as it was spoken back in the day: plainly, beautifully and above all resolutely and colorfully, without the intrusions of newspapers and best-selling books".<ref name="ivxxviii">Iova, p. xxviii</ref> He credited the 19th-century polymath [[Mihail Kogălniceanu]], whose works he first read as a child, with having shaped this literary preference.<ref name="ivxxviii"/>

Iorga enrolled in Botoșani's [[A. T. Laurian National College|A. T. Laurian]] [[Gymnasium (school)|gymnasium]] in 1881, receiving top honors. In 1883, Iorga began tutoring some of his colleagues to supplement his family's main revenue (according to Iorga, a "miserable pension of pittance").<ref>Iova, pp. xxix–xxx</ref> Aged thirteen, while on extended visit to his maternal uncle Emanuel "Manole" Arghiropol, he also made his press debut with paid contributions to Arghiropol's ''Romanul''<!-- sic --> newspaper, including anecdotes and editorial pieces on European politics.<ref>Iova, p. xxix</ref> The year 1886 was described by Iorga as "the catastrophe of my school life in Botoșani": on temporary suspension for not having greeted a teacher, Iorga opted to leave the city and apply for the [[Iași National College|National High School]] of [[Iași]], being received into the scholarship program and praised by his new principal, the philologist [[Vasile Burlă]].<ref>Iova, pp. xxix–xxxi</ref> Iorga was already fluent in French, Italian, Latin and Greek; he later referred to [[Hellenic studies|Greek studies]] as "the most refined form of human reasoning".<ref name="ivxxx">Iova, p. xxx</ref>

By age seventeen, Iorga was becoming more rebellious. He first grew interested in political activities for the first time but displayed convictions which he later strongly disavowed; a self-described [[Marxism|Marxist]], Iorga promoted the [[Left-wing politics|left-wing]] magazine ''[[Viața Socială]]'' and lectured on ''[[Das Kapital]]''.<ref name="ivxxx"/> Seeing himself confined in the National College's "ugly and disgusting" boarding school, he defied its rules and was suspended a second time, losing scholarship privileges.<ref name="ivxxxi">Iova, p. xxxi</ref> Before readmission, he decided not to fall back on his family's financial support and instead returned to tutoring others.<ref name="ivxxxi"/> Iorga was suspended a third time for reading during a teacher's lesson but graduated in the top "first prize" category (with a 9.24 average) and subsequently took his [[Romanian Baccalaureate|Baccalaureate]] with honors.<ref>Iova, p. xxxi. See also Nastasă (2003), p. 61</ref>

===University of Iași and ''Junimist'' episode===
In 1888, Nicolae Iorga passed his entry examination for the [[University of Iași]] Faculty of Letters, becoming eligible for a scholarship soon after.<ref>Iova, p. xxxi; Nastasă (2003), pp. 61–62</ref> Upon the completion of his second term, he also received a special dispensation from the [[Kingdom of Romania]]'s [[Ministry of Education, Research and Innovation (Romania)|Education Ministry]], and, as a result, applied for and passed his third term examinations, effectively graduating one year ahead of his class.<ref>Iova, p. xxxi; Nastasă (2003), pp. 62–64; (2007), pp. 244, 399</ref> Before the end of the year, he also passed his license examination ''magna cum laude'', with a thesis on [[Greek literature]], an achievement which consecrated his reputation inside both academia and the public sphere.<ref name="ivxxxii">Iova, p. xxxii</ref> Hailed as a "morning star" by the local press and deemed a "wonder of a man" by his teacher [[A. D. Xenopol]], Iorga was honored by the faculty with a special banquet. Three academics (Xenopol, [[Nicolae Culianu]], [[Ioan Caragiani]]) formally brought Iorga to the attention of the Education Ministry, proposing him for the state-sponsored program which allowed academic achievers to study abroad.<ref>Iova, p. xxxii. See also Nastasă (2003), pp. 62–63, 174–175; (2007), pp. 238–239</ref>

The interval witnessed Iorga's brief affiliation with ''[[Junimea]]'', a literary club with conservative leanings, whose informal leader was literary and political theorist [[Titu Maiorescu]]. In 1890, literary critic [[Ștefan Vârgolici]] and cultural promoter [[Iacob Negruzzi]] published Iorga's essay on poet [[Veronica Micle]] in the ''Junimist'' tribune ''[[Convorbiri Literare]]''.<ref>Iova, p. xxxii. See also Nastasă (2007), pp. 521, 528; Ornea (1998), p. 129</ref> Having earlier attended the funeral of writer [[Ion Creangă]], a dissident ''Junimist'' and [[Literature of Romania|Romanian literature]] classic, he took a public stand against the defamation of another such figure, the dramatist [[Ion Luca Caragiale]], groundlessly accused of plagiarism by journalist [[Constantin Al. Ionescu-Caion]].<ref>Iova, p. xxxii. See also Nastasă (2003), p. 65</ref> He expanded his contribution as an opinion journalist, publishing with some regularity in various local or national periodicals of various leanings, from the socialist ''[[Contemporanul]]'' and ''[[Era Nouă]]'' to [[Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu]]'s {{Lang|ro|Revista Nouă}}.<ref>Iova, p. xxxii. See also Călinescu, p. 988</ref> This period saw his debut as a [[Socialism|socialist]] poet (in {{Lang|ro|Contemporanul}}) and critic (in both ''[[Lupta]]'' and ''[[Literatură și Știință]]'').<ref>[[Constantin Kirițescu]], "''O viață, o lume, o epocă'': Ani de ucenicie în mișcarea socialistă", in ''[[Magazin Istoric]]'', September 1977, pp. 14, 17</ref>

Also in 1890, Iorga married Maria Tasu, whom he was to divorce in 1900.<ref>Iova, pp. xxxii, xxxvii; Nastasă (2003), pp. 61, 64–71, 74, 105, 175</ref> He had previously been in love with an Ecaterina C. Botez, but, after some hesitation, decided to marry into the family of {{Lang|ro|Junimea}} man Vasile Tasu, much better situated in the social circles.<ref>Nastasă (2003), pp. 64–66, 69–70, 74, 175</ref> Xenopol, who was Iorga's matchmaker,<ref>Nastasă (2003), p. 175; (2007), pp. 239, 489</ref> also tried to obtain for Iorga a teaching position at Iași University. The attempt was opposed by other professors, on grounds of Iorga's youth and politics.<ref>Nastasă (2007), p. 239. See also Vianu, Vol. I, p. 165</ref> Instead, Iorga was briefly a high school professor of Latin in the southern city of [[Ploiești]], following a public competition overseen by writer [[Alexandru Odobescu]].<ref name="ivxxxii"/> The time he spent there allowed him to expand his circle of acquaintances and personal friends, meeting writers Caragiale and [[Alexandru Vlahuță]], historians Hasdeu and [[Grigore Tocilescu]], and Marxist theorist [[Constantin Dobrogeanu-Gherea]].<ref name="ivxxxii"/>

===Studies abroad===
[[File:Nicolae Iorga - Thomas III Marquis de Saluces.png|thumb|Title page of ''Thomas III, marquis de Saluces'', 1893]]
[[File:Nicolae Iorga - Philippe de Mezieres - Prima pagina.png|thumb|Title page of Iorga's ''Philippe de Mézières'', in its 1896 edition]]
Having received the scholarship early in the year, he made his first study trips to Italy (April and June 1890), and subsequently left for a longer stay in France, enlisting at the ''[[École pratique des hautes études]]''.<ref name="ivxxxii"/> He was a contributor for the ''[[Encyclopédie française]]'', personally recommended there by [[Slavic studies|Slavist]] [[Louis Léger]].<ref name="ivxxxii"/> Reflecting back on this time, he stated: "I never had as much time at my disposal, as much freedom of spirit, as much joy of learning from those great figures of mankind&nbsp;... than back then, in that summer of 1890".<ref>Iova, pp. xxxii–xxxiii</ref> While preparing for his second diploma, Iorga also pursued his interest in philology, learning English, German, and rudiments of other Germanic languages.<ref name="ivxxxiii">Iova, p. xxxiii</ref> In 1892, he was in England and in Italy, researching historical sources for his French-language thesis on [[Philippe de Mézières]], a Frenchman in the [[Alexandrian Crusade|Crusade of 1365]].<ref name="ivxxxiii"/> In tandem, he became a contributor to ''[[Revue Historique]]'', a leading French academic journal.<ref name="ivxxxiii"/>

Somewhat dissatisfied with French education,<ref>Nastasă (2003), pp. 154, 233–234; (2007), pp. 179–180, 201–202</ref> Iorga presented his dissertation and, in 1893, left for the [[German Empire]], attempting to enlist in the [[University of Berlin]]'s PhD program. His working paper, on [[Thomas III of Saluzzo]], was not received, because Iorga had not spent three years in training, as required. As an alternative, he gave formal pledge that the paper in question was entirely his own work, but his statement was invalidated by technicality: Iorga's work had been redacted by a more proficient speaker of German, whose intervention did not touch the substance of Iorga's research.<ref name="ivxxxiii"/> The ensuing controversy led him to apply for a [[University of Leipzig]] PhD: his text, once reviewed by a commission grouping three prominent German scholars ([[Adolf Birch-Hirschfeld]], [[Karl Gotthard Lamprecht]], [[Charles Wachsmuth]]), earned him the needed diploma in August.<ref>Iova, pp. xxxiii–xxxiv</ref> On 25 July, Iorga had also received his {{Lang|fr|École pratique}} diploma for the earlier work on de Mézières, following its review by [[Gaston Paris]] and [[Charles Bémont]].<ref name="ivxxxiii"/> He spent his time further investigating the historical sources, at archives in Berlin, Leipzig and Dresden.<ref name="ivxxxiv">Iova, p. xxxiv</ref> Between 1890 and the end of 1893, he had published three works: his debut in poetry ({{Lang|ro|Poezii}}, "Poems"), the first volume of {{Lang|ro|Schițe din literatura română}} ("Sketches on Romanian Literature", 1893; second volume 1894), and his Leipzig thesis, printed in Paris as {{Lang|fr|Thomas III, marquis �de Saluces. Étude historique et littéraire}} ("Thomas, Margrave of Saluzzo. Historical and Literary Study").<ref>Iova, pp. xxxiv–xxxv. See also Călinescu, p. 1010</ref>

Living in poor conditions (as reported by visiting scholar [[Teohari Antonescu]]),<ref>Nastasă (2003), pp. 66–68</ref> the four-year engagement of his scholarship still applicable, Nicolae Iorga decided to spend his remaining time abroad, researching more city archives in Germany (Munich), Austria (Innsbruck) and Italy (Florence, Milan, Naples, Rome, Venice etc.)<ref name="ivxxxiv"/> In this instance, his primordial focus was on historical figures from his Romanian homeland, the defunct [[Danubian Principalities]] of [[Moldavia]] and [[Wallachia]]: the [[List of rulers of Moldavia|Moldavian Prince]] [[Peter the Lame]], his son Ștefăniță, and Romania's national hero, the [[List of rulers of Wallachia|Wallachian Prince]] [[Michael the Brave]].<ref name="ivxxxiv"/> He also met, befriended and often collaborated with fellow historians from European countries other than Romania: the editors of ''[[Revue de l'Orient Latin]]'', who first published studies Iorga later grouped in the six volumes of {{Lang|fr|Notes et extraits}} ("Notices and Excerpts") and [[Frantz Funck-Brentano]], who enlisted his parallel contribution for ''Revue Critique''.<ref>Iova, p. xxxiv. See also Setton, p. 62</ref> Iorga's articles were also featured in two magazines for ethnic Romanian communities in [[Austria-Hungary]]: ''[[Familia (literary magazine)|Familia]]'' and ''[[Vatra (Romanian magazine)|Vatra]]''.<ref name="ivxxxiv"/>

===Return to Romania===
Making his comeback to Romania in October 1894, Iorga settled in the capital city of [[Bucharest]]. He changed residence several times, until eventually settling in [[Grădina Icoanei]] area.<ref name="apbucurestii">{{in lang|ro}} [[Andrei Pippidi]], [http://www.dilemaveche.ro/sectiune/bordeie-obiceie/articol/bucurestii-lui-n-iorga "Bucureștii lui N. Iorga"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100829161728/http://www.dilemaveche.ro/sectiune/bordeie-obiceie/articol/bucurestii-lui-n-iorga |date=29 August 2010 }}, in ''[[Dilema Veche]]'', Nr. 341, August–September 2010</ref> He agreed to compete in a sort of debating society, with lectures which only saw print in 1944.<ref>Vianu, Vol. III, pp. 62–68</ref> He applied for the Medieval History Chair at the [[University of Bucharest]], submitting a dissertation in front of an examination commission comprising historians and philosophers (Caragiani, Odobescu, Xenopol, alongside [[Aron Densușianu]], [[Constantin Leonardescu]] and [[Petre Râșcanu]]), but totaled a 7 average which only entitled him to a substitute professor's position.<ref>Iova, pp. xxxiv–xxxv. See also Boia (2000), p. 83; Nastasă (2007), pp. 239, 244–245, 430</ref> The achievement, at age 23, was still remarkable in its context.<ref>Ornea (1995), p. 188; Nastasă (2007), pp. 239, 245</ref>

The first of his lectures came later that year as personal insight on the [[historical method]], {{Lang|ro|Despre concepția actuală a istoriei și geneza ei}} ("On the Present-day Concept of History and Its Genesis").<ref name="ivxxxv">Iova, p. xxxv</ref> He was again out of the country in 1895, visiting the Netherlands and, again, Italy, in search of documents, publishing the first section of his extended historical records' collection {{Lang|ro|Acte și fragmente cu privire la istoria românilor}} ("Acts and Excerpts Regarding the History of Romanians"), his [[Romanian Atheneum]] conference on Michael the Brave's rivalry with ''[[condottiero]]'' [[Giorgio Basta]], and his debut in travel literature ({{Lang|ro|Amintiri din Italia}}, "Recollections from Italy").<ref>Iova, p. xxxv. See also Nastasă (2007), p. 239</ref> The next year came Iorga's official appointment as curator and publisher of the [[Hurmuzachi brothers]] collection of historical documents, the position being granted to him by the [[Romanian Academy]]. The appointment, first proposed to the institution by Xenopol, overlapped with disputes over the Hurmuzachi inheritance, and came only after Iorga's formal pledge that he would renounce all potential copyrights resulting from his contribution.<ref name="ivxxxv"/> He also published the second part of {{Lang|ro|Acte și fragmente}} and the printed rendition of the de Mézières study (''Philippe de Mézières, 1337–1405'').<ref name="ivxxxv"/> Following an October 1895 reexamination, he was granted full professorship with a 9.19 average.<ref name="ivxxxv"/>

1895 was also the year when Iorga began his collaboration with the Iași-based academic and political agitator A. C. Cuza, making his earliest steps in [[Antisemitism|antisemitic]] politics, founding with him a group known as the Universal ()and Romanian Antisemitic Alliance.<ref>Nastasă (2007), p. 84; Volovici, p. 18</ref><ref name="wt618">[[William Totok]], "Romania (1878–1920)", in [[Richard S. Levy]], ''Antisemitism: a Historical Encyclopedia of Prejudice and Persecution'', Vol. I, [[ABC-CLIO]], Santa Barbara, 2005, p. 618. {{ISBN|1-85109-439-3}}</ref> In 1897, the year when he was elected a corresponding member of the academy, Iorga traveled back to Italy and spent time researching more documents in the Austro-Hungarian [[Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia]], at [[Dubrovnik]].<ref name="ivxxxv"/> He also oversaw the publication of the 10th Hurmuzachi volume, grouping diplomatic reports authored by [[Kingdom of Prussia]] diplomats in the two Danubian Principalities (covering the interval between 1703 and 1844).<ref name="ivxxxv"/> After spending most of 1898 on researching various subjects and presenting the results as reports for the academy, Iorga was in [[Transylvania]], the largely Romanian-inhabited subregion of Austria-Hungary. Concentrating his efforts on the city archives of [[Bistrița]], [[Brașov]] and [[Sibiu]], he made a major breakthrough by establishing that [[Constantin Cantacuzino (stolnic)|''Stolnic'' Cantacuzino]], a 17th-century man of letters and political intriguer, was the real author of an unsigned Wallachian chronicle that had for long been used as a historical source.<ref>Iova, p. xxxvi</ref> He published several new books in 1899: {{Lang|ro|Manuscrise din biblioteci străine}} ("Manuscripts from Foreign Libraries", 2 vols.), {{Lang|ro|Documente românești din arhivele Bistriței}} ("Romanian Documents from the Bistrița Archives") and a French-language book on the [[Crusades]], titled {{Lang|fr|Notes et extraits pour servir à l'histoire des croisades}} ("Notes and Excerpts Covering the History of the Crusades", 2 vols.).<ref name="ivxxxvi-xxxvii">Iova, pp. xxxvi–xxxvii</ref> Xenopol proposed his pupil for a Romanian Academy membership, to replace the suicidal Odobescu, but his proposition could not gather support.<ref>Nastasă (2007), p. 239</ref>

Also in 1899, Nicolae Iorga inaugurated his contribution to the Bucharest-based French-language newspaper ''[[L'Indépendance Roumaine]]'', publishing polemical articles on the activity of his various colleagues and, as a consequence, provoking a lengthy scandal. The pieces often targeted senior scholars who, as favorites or activists of the [[National Liberal Party (Romania, 1875)|National Liberal Party]], opposed both {{Lang|ro|Junimea}} and the Maiorescu-endorsed [[Conservative Party (Romania, 1880–1918)|Conservative Party]]: his estranged friends Hasdeu and Tocilescu, as well as [[V. A. Urechia]] and [[Dimitrie Sturdza]].<ref>Iova, pp. xxxvi-–xxxvii; Nastasă (2003), pp. 68, 167, 169–170, 176, 177–178; (2007), pp. 309, 496–502, 508–509, 515–517</ref> The episode, described by Iorga himself as a stormy but patriotic debut in public affairs, prompted his adversaries at the academy to demand the termination of his membership for undignified behavior.<ref>Iova, pp. xxxi, xxxvi</ref> Tocilescu felt insulted by the allegations, challenged Iorga to a duel, but his friends intervened to mediate.<ref>Nastasă (2007), p. 309</ref> Another scientist who encountered Iorga's wrath was [[George Ionescu-Gion]], against whom Iorga enlisted negative arguments that, as he later admitted, were exaggerated.<ref>Nastasă (2007), pp. 508–509</ref> Among Iorga's main defenders were academics [[Dimitrie Onciul]], [[N. Petrașcu]], and, outside Romania, [[Gustav Weigand]].<ref>Nastasă (2007), pp. 515–517</ref>

==={{Lang|fr|Opinions sincères}} and Transylvanian echoes===
The young polemicist persevered in supporting this anti-establishment cause, moving on from {{Lang|fr|L'Indépendance Roumaine}} to the newly established publication {{Lang|ro|România Jună}}, interrupting himself for trips to Italy, the Netherlands and [[Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria|Galicia-Lodomeria]].<ref name="ivxxxvi-xxxvii"/> In 1900, he collected the scattered polemical articles into the French-language books {{Lang|fr|Opinions sincères. La vie intellectuelle des roumains en 1899}} ("Honest Opinions. The Romanians' Intellectual Life in 1899") and {{Lang|fr|Opinions pérnicieuses d'un mauvais patriote}} ("The Pernicious Opinions of a Bad Patriot").<ref>Călinescu, p. 1010; Iova, p. xxxvii; Nastasă (2003), pp. 68, 167, 169–170, 178; (2007), pp. 169, 464, 496–502, 508–509, 516</ref><ref name="opapologia">{{in lang|ro}} [[Ovidiu Pecican]], [http://www.observatorcultural.ro/AVALON.-Apologia-istoriei-recente*articleID_21149-articles_details.html "Avalon. Apologia istoriei recente"], in ''[[Observator Cultural]]'', Nr. 459, January 2009</ref> His scholarly activities resulted in a second trip into Transylvania, a second portion of his Bistrița archives collection, the 11th Hurmuzachi volume, and two works on [[Early Modern Romania]]n history: {{Lang|ro|Acte din secolul al XVI-lea relative la Petru Șchiopul}} ("16th Century Acts Relating to Peter the Lame") and {{Lang|ro|Scurtă istorie a lui Mihai Viteazul}} ("A Short History of Michael the Brave").<ref name="ivxxxvii">Iova, p. xxxvii</ref> His controversial public attitude had nevertheless attracted an official ban on his Academy reports, and also meant that he was ruled out from the national Academy prize (for which distinction he had submitted {{Lang|ro|Documente românești din arhivele Bistriței}}).<ref name="ivxxxvii"/> The period also witnessed a chill in the Iorga's relationship with Xenopol.<ref>Nastasă (2003), pp. 176–183</ref>

In 1901, shortly after his divorce from Maria, Iorga married Ecaterina (Catinca), the sister of his friend and colleague [[Ioan Bogdan (historian)|Ioan Bogdan]].<ref>Iova, p. xxxvii; Nastasă (2003), pp. 39, 52, 69–72, 73–74, 118. See also Boia, 2010, p. 188; Butaru, p. 92; Nastasă (2007), pp. 294, 322–323</ref> Her other brother was cultural historian [[Gheorghe Bogdan-Duică]], whose son, painter [[Catul Bogdan]], Iorga would help achieve recognition.<ref>Nastasă (2007), pp. 114, 150, 294, 379</ref> Soon after their wedding, the couple were in Venice, where Iorga received Karl Gotthard Lamprecht's offer to write a history of the Romanians to be featured as a section in a collective treatise of world history.<ref>Iova, p. xxxvii. See also Nastasă (2003), pp. 179–180</ref> Iorga, who had convinced Lamprecht not to assign this task to Xenopol,<ref>Nastasă (2003), pp. 179–180</ref> also completed {{Lang|ro|Istoria literaturii române în secolul al XVIII-lea}} ("The History of Romanian Literature in the 18th Century"). It was presented to the academy's consideration, but rejected, prompting the scholar to resign in protest.<ref name="ivxxxvii"/> To receive his imprimatur later in the year, Iorga appealed to fellow intellectuals, earning pledges and a sizable grant from the aristocratic [[Callimachi family]].<ref name="ivxxxvii"/>

Before the end of that year, the Iorgas were in the Austro-Hungarian city of [[Budapest]]. While there, the historian set up tight contacts with Romanian intellectuals who originated from Transylvania and who, in the wake of the ''[[Transylvanian Memorandum]]'' affair, supported [[ethnic nationalism]] while objecting to the intermediary [[Cisleithania]]n ([[Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen|Hungarian Crown]]) rule and the threat of [[Magyarization]].<ref name="ivxxxvii"/> Interested in recovering the Romanian contributions to [[History of Transylvania|Transylvanian history]], in particular Michael the Brave's precursory role in Romanian unionism, Iorga spent his time reviewing, copying and translating [[Hungarian language|Hungarian-language]] historical texts with much assistance from his wife.<ref name="ivxxxvii"/> During the 300th commemoration of Prince Michael's death, which ethnic Romanian students transformed into a rally against Austro-Hungarian educational restrictions, Iorga addressed the crowds and was openly greeted by the protest's leaders, poet [[Octavian Goga]] and Orthodox priest [[Ioan Lupaș]].<ref name="ivxxxvii"/> In 1902, he published new tracts on Transylvanian or Wallachian topics: {{Lang|ro|Legăturile Principatelor române cu Ardealul}} ("The Romanian Principalities' Links with Transylvania"), {{Lang|ro|Sate și preoți din Ardeal}} ("Priests and Villages of Transylvania"), {{Lang|ro|Despre Cantacuzini}} ("On the [[Cantacuzino family|Cantacuzinos]]"), {{Lang|ro|Istoriile domnilor Țării Românești}} ("The Histories of Wallachian Princes").<ref name="ivxxxviii">Iova, p. xxxviii</ref>

Iorga was by then making known his newly found interest in [[cultural nationalism]] and national [[didacticism]], as expressed by him in an open letter to Goga's Budapest-based ''[[Luceafărul (magazine)|Luceafărul]]'' magazine.<ref name="ivxxxviii"/> After further interventions from Goga and linguist [[Sextil Pușcariu]], {{Lang|ro|Luceafărul}} became Iorga's main mouthpiece outside Romania.<ref>Nastasă (2007), pp. 514–515</ref> Returning to Bucharest in 1903, Iorga followed Lamprecht's suggestion and focused on writing his first overview of Romanian national history, known in Romanian as {{Lang|ro|Istoria românilor}} ("The History of the Romanians").<ref name="ivxxxviii"/> He was also involved in a new project of researching the content of archives throughout Moldavia and Wallachia,<ref name="ivxxxviii"/> and, having reassessed the nationalist politics of ''Junimist'' poet [[Mihai Eminescu]], helped collect and publish a companion to Eminescu's work.<ref>Both, p. 32</ref>

==={{Lang|ro|Sămănătorul}} and 1906 riot===
[[File:Samanatorul - Prima pagina - 13 martie 1905.jpg|thumb|Cover of ''[[Sămănătorul]]'', March 1905. The table of contents credits Iorga as an editorialist and political columnist]]

Also in 1903, Nicolae Iorga became one of the managers of ''[[Sămănătorul]]'' review. The moment brought Iorga's emancipation from Maiorescu's influence, his break with mainstream ''Junimism'', and his affiliation to the traditionalist, [[Ethnic nationalism|ethno-nationalist]] and [[Neo-romanticism|neoromantic]] current encouraged by the magazine.<ref>Călinescu, pp. 407, 508, 601–602; Livezeanu, pp. 116–117; Ornea (1998), pp. 131, 136; Nastasă (2007), pp. 179–180; Veiga, pp. 164–167</ref> The {{Lang|ro|Sămănătorist}} school was by then also grouping other former or active ''Junimists'', and Maiorescu's progressive withdrawal from literary life also created a bridge with {{Lang|ro|Convorbiri Literare}}: its new editor, [[Simion Mehedinți]], was himself a theorist of traditionalism.<ref>Ornea (1998), pp. 73, 75–79, 131, 136, 376. See also Călinescu, p. 643</ref> A circle of ''Junimists'' more sympathetic to Maiorescu's version of conservatism reacted against this realignment by founding its own venue, ''[[Convorbiri Critice]]'', edited by [[Mihail Dragomirescu]].<ref>Călinescu, pp. 643–644; Ornea (1998), pp. 73, 78–79, 88, 91–104, 134–139</ref>

In tandem with his full return to cultural and political journalism, which included prolonged debates with both the "old" historians and the ''Junimists'',<ref>Nastasă (2003), pp. 170, 181–183</ref> Iorga was still active at the forefront of historical research. In 1904, he published the [[historical geography]] work {{Lang|ro|Drumuri și orașe din România}} ("Roads and Towns of Romania") and, upon the special request of National Liberal Education Minister [[Spiru Haret]], a work dedicated to the celebrated Moldavian Prince [[Stephen III of Moldavia|Stephen the Great]], published upon the 400th anniversary of the monarch's death as {{Lang|ro|Istoria lui Ștefan cel Mare}} ("The History of Stephen the Great").<ref>Iova, pp. xxxviii–xxxix</ref> Iorga later confessed that the book was an integral part of his and Haret's didacticist agenda, supposed to be "spread to the very bottom of the country in thousands of copies".<ref name="ivxxxix">Iova, p. xxxix</ref> During those months, Iorga also helped discover novelist [[Mihail Sadoveanu]], who was for a while the leading figure of {{Lang|ro|Sămănătorist}} literature.<ref name="iscenten">{{in lang|ro}} [[Ion Simuț]], [https://web.archive.org/web/20160313200957/http://romlit.ro/centenarul_debutului_sadovenian "Centenarul debutului sadovenian"], in ''[[România Literară]]'', Nr. 41/2004</ref>

In 1905, the year when historian [[Onisifor Ghibu]] became his close friend and disciple,<ref>Nastasă (2007), pp. 272–273</ref> he followed up with over 23 individual titles, among them the two German-language volumes of {{Lang|de|Geschichte des Rümanischen Volkes im Rahmen seiner Staatsbildungen}} ("A History of the Romanian People within the Context of Its National Formation"), {{Lang|ro|Istoria românilor în chipuri și icoane}} ("The History of the Romanians in Faces and Icons"), {{Lang|ro|Sate și mănăstiri din România}} ("Villages and Monasteries of Romania") and the essay {{Lang|ro|Gânduri și sfaturi ale unui om ca oricare altul}} ("Thoughts and Advices from a Man Just like Any Other").<ref name="ivxxxix"/> He also paid a visit to the Romanians of [[Bukovina]] region, in Austrian territory, as well as to those of Bessarabia, who were subjects of the [[Russian Empire]], and wrote about their cultural struggles in his 1905 accounts {{Lang|ro|Neamul romănesc în Bucovina}} ("The Romanian People of Bukovina"), {{Lang|ro|Neamul romănesc în Basarabia}} ("...of Bessarabia").<ref name="omintelect">{{in lang|ro}} Ovidiu Morar, [https://web.archive.org/web/20150924123630/http://www.romaniaculturala.ro/articol.php?cod=7466 "Intelectualii români și 'chestia evreiască' "], in ''[[Contemporanul]]'', Nr. 6/2005</ref><ref name="ispitor">{{in lang|ro}} [[Ion Simuț]], [https://web.archive.org/web/20120811191855/http://www.romlit.ro/pitorescul_prozei_de_cltorie "Pitorescul prozei de călătorie"], in ''[[România Literară]]'', Nr. 27/2006</ref> These referred to [[Tsarist autocracy]] as a source of "darkness and slavery", whereas the more liberal regime of Bukovina offered its subjects "golden chains".<ref name="ispitor"/>

Nicolae Iorga ran in the [[1905 Romanian general election|1905 election]] and won a seat in [[Parliament of Romania|Parliament]]'s [[Chamber of Deputies of Romania|lower chamber]].<ref name="cpfsigu1">{{in lang|ro}} Cătălin Petruț Fudulu, [http://www.zf.ro/ziarul-de-duminica/dosare-declasificate-nicolae-iorga-a-fost-urmarit-de-siguranta-4881296/ "Dosare declasificate. Nicolae Iorga a fost urmărit de Siguranță"], in ''[[Ziarul Financiar]]'', 10 September 2009</ref> He remained politically independent until 1906, when he attached himself to the Conservative Party, making one final attempt to change the course of ''Junimism''.<ref name="ihstere1">{{in lang|ro}} [[Ion Hadârcă]], [https://web.archive.org/web/20110907135836/http://convorbiri-literare.dntis.ro/HADIRCAiun6.html "Constantin Stere și Nicolae Iorga: antinomiile idealului convergent (I)"], in ''[[Convorbiri Literare]]'', June 2006</ref> His move was contrasted by the group of [[Left-wing nationalism|left-nationalists]] from the [[Poporanism|Poporanist]] faction, who were allied to the National Liberals and, soon after, in open conflict with Iorga. Although from the same cultural family as {{Lang|ro|Sămănătorul}}, the Poporanist theorist [[Constantin Stere]] was dismissed by Iorga's articles, despite Sadoveanu's attempts to settle the matter.<ref name="ihstere1"/>

A peak in Nicolae Iorga's own nationalist campaigning occurred that year: profiting from a wave of Francophobia among young urbanites, Iorga boycotted the [[National Theatre Bucharest|National Theater]], punishing its staff for staging a play entirely in French, and disturbing public order.<ref name="cpfsigu1"/><ref>Boia (2000), pp. 92–93, 247; (2010), p. 353; Nastasă (2007), pp. 95, 428, 479; Stanomir, ''Spiritul'', pp. 114–118; Veiga, pp. 165, 180</ref> According to one of Iorga's young disciples, the future journalist [[Pamfil Șeicaru]], the mood was such that Iorga could have led a successful ''coup d'état''.<ref>Veiga, p. 180</ref> These events had several political consequences. The ''[[Siguranța Statului]]'' intelligence agency soon opened a file on the historian, informing [[Prime Minister of Romania|Romanian Premier]] Sturdza about nationalist agitation.<ref name="cpfsigu1"/> The perception that Iorga was a [[Xenophobia|xenophobe]] also drew condemnation from more moderate traditionalist circles, in particular the ''[[Viața Literară]]'' weekly. Its panelists, [[Ilarie Chendi]] and young [[Eugen Lovinescu]], ridiculed Iorga's claim of superiority; Chendi in particular criticized the rejection of writers based on their ethnic origin and not their ultimate merit (while alleging, to Iorga's annoyance, that Iorga himself was a Greek).<ref name="dhscrisori">{{in lang|ro}} Dumitru Hîncu, [https://web.archive.org/web/20120811191811/http://www.romlit.ro/scrisori_de_la_n._iorga_e._lovinescu_g._m._zamfirescu_b._fundoianu_camil_baltazar_petru_comarnescu "Scrisori de la N. Iorga, E. Lovinescu, G. M. Zamfirescu, B. Fundoianu, Camil Baltazar, Petru Comarnescu"], in ''[[România Literară]]'', Nr. 42/2009</ref>

==={{Lang|ro|Neamul Românesc}}, Peasants' Revolt and Vălenii de Munte===
{{multiple image
| align    = right
| image1   = Neamul Romanesc - logo - 8 noiembrie 1907.png
| width1   = 200
| caption1 = Cover of ''[[Neamul Românesc]]'', November 1907
| image2   = Nicolae Iorga - Istoria Bisericii Romanesti vol I - Coperta.jpg
| width2   = 220
| caption2 = ''Istoria bisericii românești'', original edition
}}
Iorga eventually parted with {{Lang|ro|Sămănătorul}} in late 1906, moving on to set up his own tribune, ''[[Neamul Românesc]]''. The schism was allegedly a direct result of his conflicts with other literary venues,<ref name="ivxxxix"/> and inaugurated a brief collaboration between Iorga and ''[[Făt Frumos (magazine)|Făt Frumos]]'' journalist [[Emil Gârleanu]].<ref>Călinescu, p. 634</ref> The newer magazine, illustrated with idealized portraits of the Romanian peasant,<ref>Oldson, p. 156</ref> was widely popular with Romania's rural [[intelligentsia]] (among which it was freely distributed), promoting antisemitic theories and raising opprobrium from the authorities and the urban-oriented press.<ref name="omintelect"/>

Also in 1906, Iorga traveled into the [[Ottoman Empire]], visiting [[Istanbul]], and published another set of volumes—{{Lang|ro|Contribuții la istoria literară}} ("Contributions to Literary History"), {{Lang|ro|Neamul românesc în Ardeal și Țara Ungurească}} ("The Romanian Nation in Transylvania and the Hungarian Land"), {{Lang|ro|Negoțul și meșteșugurile în trecutul românesc}} ("Trade and Crafts of the Romanian Past") etc.<ref name="ivxxxix"/> In 1907, he began issuing a second periodical, the cultural magazine ''[[Floarea Darurilor]]'',<ref name="ivxxxix"/> and published with [[Editura Minerva]] an early installment of his companion to Romanian literature (second volume 1908, third volume 1909).<ref>Călinescu, p. 977; Iova, pp. xxxix–xl</ref> His published scientific contributions for that year include, among others, an English-language study on the [[Byzantine Empire]].<ref name="ivxxxix"/> At home, he and pupil [[Vasile Pârvan]] were involved in a conflict with fellow historian [[Orest Tafrali]], officially over archeological theory, but also because of a regional conflict in academia: Bucharest and Transylvania against Tafrali's Iași.<ref>Nastasă (2007), pp. 306–308, 517–521</ref>

A seminal moment in Iorga's political career took place during the [[1907 Romanian Peasants' Revolt]], erupting under a Conservative cabinet and repressed with much violence by a National Liberal one. The bloody outcome prompted the historian to author and make public a piece of social critique, the {{Lang|ro|Neamul Românesc}} pamphlet {{Lang|ro|Dumnezeu să-i ierte}} ("God Forgive Them").<ref name="ivxxxix"/> The text, together with his program of agrarian conferences and his subscription lists for the benefit of victims' relatives again made him an adversary of the National Liberals, who referred to Iorga as an instigator.<ref name="ivxxxix"/> The historian did however struck a chord with Stere, who had been made prefect of [[Iași County]], and who, going against his party's wishes, inaugurated an informal collaboration between Iorga and the Poporanists.<ref name="ihstere1"/> The political class as a whole was particularly apprehensive of Iorga's contacts with the {{ill|League for the Cultural Unity of All Romanians|ro|Liga pentru Unitatea Culturală a tuturor Românilor}} and their common [[Irredentism|irredentist]] agenda, which risked undermining relations with the Austrians over Transylvania and Bukovina.<ref>{{in lang|ro}} Cătălin Petruț Fudulu, [http://www.zf.ro/ziarul-de-duminica/dosare-declasificate-nicolae-iorga-sub-lupa-sigurantei-ii-4904721/ "Dosare declasificate. Nicolae Iorga sub lupa Siguranței (II)"], in ''[[Ziarul Financiar]]'', 16 September 2009</ref> However, Iorga's popularity was still increasing, and, carried by this sentiment, he was first elected to Chamber during the [[1907 Romanian general election|elections of that same year]].<ref name="ivxxxix"/><ref name="ihstere1"/>

Iorga and his new family had relocated several times, renting a home in Bucharest's [[Gara de Nord]] (Buzești) quarter.<ref name="apbucurestii"/> After renewed but failed attempts to become an Iași University professor,<ref>Nastasă (2007), pp. 338–339, 492</ref> he decided, in 1908, to set his base away from the urban centers, at a villa in [[Vălenii de Munte]] town (nestled in the remote hilly area of [[Prahova County]]). Although branded an agitator by Sturdza, he received support in this venture from Education Minister Haret.<ref>{{in lang|ro}} Cătălin Petruț Fudulu, [http://www.zf.ro/ziarul-de-duminica/dosare-declasificate-nicolae-iorga-sub-lupa-sigurantei-iii-4948034/ "Dosare declasificate. Nicolae Iorga sub lupa Siguranței (III)"], in ''[[Ziarul Financiar]]'', 16 September 2009</ref> Once settled, Iorga set up a specialized summer school, his own publishing house, a printing press and the literary supplement of {{Lang|ro|Neamul Românesc}},<ref>Nastasă (2007), pp. 126, 492, 526; Iova, p. xxxix</ref> as well as an asylum managed by writer [[Constanța Marino-Moscu]].<ref>Călinescu, p. 676</ref> He published some 25 new works for that year, such as the introductory volumes for his German-language companion to Ottoman history ({{Lang|de|Geschichte des Osmanischen Reiches}}, "History of the Ottoman Empire"), a study on Romanian Orthodox institutions ({{Lang|ro|Istoria bisericii românești}}, "The History of the Romanian Church"),<ref>Iova, p. xl. See also Setton, p. 49</ref> and an anthology on Romanian [[Romanticism]].<ref>Călinescu, p. 996</ref> He followed up in 1909 with a volume of parliamentary speeches, {{Lang|ro|În era reformelor}} ("In the Age of Reforms"), a book on the [[United Principalities|1859 Moldo–Wallachian Union]] ({{Lang|ro|Unirea principatelor}}, "The Principalities' Union"),<ref name="ivxl">Iova, p. xl</ref> and a critical edition of poems by Eminescu.<ref>Vianu, Vol. II, p. 149</ref> Visiting Iași for the Union Jubilee, Iorga issued a public and emotional apology to Xenopol for having criticized him in the previous decade.<ref>Nastasă (2003), p. 183</ref>

===1909 setbacks and PND creation===
At that stage in his life, Iorga became an honorary member of the [[Romanian Writers' Society]].<ref>Nastasă (2007), p. 526</ref> He had militated for its creation in both {{Lang|ro|Sămănătorul}} and {{Lang|ro|Neamul Românesc}}, but also wrote against its system of fees.<ref>{{in lang|ro}} [[Cassian Maria Spiridon]], [https://web.archive.org/web/20110719230125/http://convorbiri-literare.dntis.ro/TATAapr8.html "Secolul breslei scriitoricești"], in ''[[Convorbiri Literare]]'', April 2008</ref> Once liberated from government restriction in 1909, his Vălenii school grew into a hub of student activity, self-financed through the sale of postcards.<ref name="cpfsigu4">{{in lang|ro}} Cătălin Petruț Fudulu, [http://www.zf.ro/ziarul-de-duminica/dosare-declasificate-nicolae-iorga-sub-lupa-sigurantei-iv-expulzat-din-reichstad-4972506/ "Dosare declasificate. Nicolae Iorga sub lupa Siguranței (IV)"], in ''[[Ziarul Financiar]]'', 8 October 2009</ref> Its success caused alarm in Austria-Hungary: ''[[Budapesti Hírlap]]'' newspaper described Iorga's school as an instrument for radicalizing Romanian Transylvanians.<ref name="cpfsigu4"/> Iorga also alienated the main Romanian organizations in Transylvania: the [[Romanian National Party]] (PNR) dreaded his proposal to boycott the [[Diet of Hungary]], particularly since PNR leaders were contemplating a loyalist [[United States of Greater Austria|"Greater Austria" devolution project]].<ref>H. Seton-Watson & C. Seton-Watson, pp. 51–52</ref>

The consequences hit Iorga in May 1909, when he was stopped from visiting Bukovina, officially branded a ''[[persona non grata]]'', and expelled from Austrian soil (in June, it was made illegal for Bukovinian schoolteachers to attend Iorga's lectures).<ref name="cpfsigu4"/> A month later, Iorga greeted in Bucharest the English scholar [[Robert William Seton-Watson|R.W. Seton-Watson]]. This noted critic of Austria-Hungary became Iorga's admiring friend, and helped popularize his ideas in the English-speaking world.<ref>H. Seton-Watson & C. Seton-Watson, pp. 9, 72, 95, 103, 190</ref><ref name="ideol&cult">{{in lang|ro}} Victor Rizescu, Adrian Jinga, Bogdan Popa, Constantin Dobrilă, [https://web.archive.org/web/20110928063749/http://www.romaniaculturala.ro/articol.php?cod=11663 "Ideologii și cultură politică"], in ''[[Cuvântul (literary magazine)|Cuvântul]]'', Nr. 377</ref>

In 1910, the year when he toured the [[Romanian Old Kingdom|Old Kingdom]]'s conference circuit, Nicolae Iorga again rallied with Cuza to establish the explicitly antisemitic [[Democratic Nationalist Party (Romania)|Democratic Nationalist Party]]. Partly building on the antisemitic component of the 1907 revolts,<ref name="wt618"/><ref name="omintelect"/><ref>Oldson, pp. 134–135</ref> its doctrines depicted the [[History of the Jews in Romania|Jewish-Romanian community]] and Jews in general as a danger for Romania's development.<ref>Cernat, p. 32; Ornea (1995), pp. 395–396; Veiga, pp. 55–56, 69, 166–167; Volovici, pp. 18, 31–33, 181–182</ref> During its early decades, it used as its symbol the right-facing [[swastika]] (卐), promoted by Cuza as the symbol of worldwide antisemitism and, later, of the "[[Aryan race|Aryans]]".<ref>Radu, p. 583</ref> Also known as PND, this was Romania's first political group to represent the [[petty bourgeoisie]], using its votes to challenge the tri-decennial [[two-party system]].<ref>Veiga, p. 69. See also Butaru, pp. 95–97; Crampton, p. 109; Oldson, pp. 133–135</ref>

Also in 1910, Iorga published some thirty new works, covering [[gender history]] ({{Lang|ro|Viața femeilor în trecutul românesc}}, "The Early Life of Romanian Women"), [[Military history of Romania|Romanian military history]] ({{Lang|ro|Istoria armatei românești}}, "The History of the Romanian Military") and Stephen the Great's Orthodox profile ({{Lang|ro|Ștefan cel Mare și mănăstirea Neamțului}}, "Stephen the Great and [[Neamț Monastery]]").<ref name="ivxl"/> His academic activity also resulted in a lengthy conflict with art historian [[Alexandru Tzigara-Samurcaș]], his godfather and former friend, sparked when Iorga, defending his own academic postings, objected to making Art History a separate subject at university.<ref>Nastasă (2007), pp. 36–38, 321–323. See also Nastasă (2003), pp. 39, 71</ref>

Reinstated into the academy and made a full member, he gave his May 1911 reception speech with a [[philosophy of history]] subject ({{Lang|ro|Două concepții istorice}}, "Two Historical Outlooks") and was introduced on the occasion by Xenopol.<ref name="ivxl-xli">Iova, pp. xl–xli</ref> In August of that year, he was again in Transylvania, at [[Blaj]], where he paid homage to the Romanian-run [[Asociația Transilvană pentru Literatura Română și Cultura Poporului Român|ASTRA Cultural Society]].<ref name="ivxli">Iova, p. xli</ref> He made his first contribution to [[Theatre of Romania|Romanian drama]] with the play centered on, and named after, Michael the Brave ({{Lang|ro|Mihai Viteazul}}), one of around twenty new titles for that year—alongside his collected aphorisms ({{Lang|ro|Cugetări}}, "Musings") and a memoir of his life in culture ({{Lang|ro|Oameni cari au fost}}, "People Who Are Gone").<ref>Iova, p. xli. See also Vianu, Vol. III, pp. 53–61</ref> In 1912, he published, among other works, {{Lang|ro|Trei drame}} ("Three Dramatic Plays"), grouping {{Lang|ro|Mihai Viteazul, Învierea lui Ștefan cel Mare}} ("Stephen the Great's Resurrection") and {{Lang|ro|Un domn pribeag}} ("An Outcast Prince").<ref>Călinescu, p. 1010; Iova, p. xli</ref> Additionally, Iorga produced the first of several studies dealing with [[Balkans|Balkan]] [[geopolitics]] in the charged context leading up to the [[Balkan Wars]] ({{Lang|ro|România, vecinii săi și chestia Orientală}}, "Romania, Her Neighbors and the [[Eastern Question]]").<ref name="ivxli"/> He also made a noted contribution to [[ethnography]], with {{Lang|ro|Portul popular românesc}} ("[[Romanian dress|Romanian Folk Dress]]").<ref name="ivxli"/><ref name="goarta860">{{in lang|ro}} [[Gheorghe Oprescu]], [http://documente.bcucluj.ro/web/bibdigit/periodice/transilvania/1920/BCUCLUJ_FP_279996_1920_051_011.pdf "Arta țărănească la Români"], in ''Transilvania'', Nr. 11/1920, p. 860 (digitized by the [[Babeș-Bolyai University]] [http://documente.bcucluj.ro/ Transsylvanica Online Library])</ref>

===Iorga and the Balkan crisis===
[[File:Drum Drept - Coperta - 31 decembrie 1915.jpg|thumb|Cover of ''[[Drum Drept]]'', issue no. 48–52, dated 31 December 1915]]

In 1913, Iorga was in London for an International Congress of History, presenting a proposal for a new approach to [[medievalism]] and a paper discussing the sociocultural effects of the [[fall of Constantinople]] on Moldavia and Wallachia.<ref name="ivxli"/> He was later in the [[Kingdom of Serbia]], invited by the [[Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts|Belgrade Academy]] and presenting dissertations on [[Romania–Serbia relations]] and the [[Decline of the Ottoman Empire|Ottoman decline]].<ref name="ivxli"/> Iorga was even called under arms in the [[Second Balkan War]], during which Romania fought alongside Serbia and against the [[Kingdom of Bulgaria]].<ref name="apbucurestii"/><ref name="prstoicad">Paul Rezeanu, "Stoica D. – pictorul istoriei românilor", in ''[[Magazin Istoric]]'', December 2009, pp. 29–30</ref><ref>Nastasă (2007), p. 91</ref> The subsequent taking of [[Southern Dobruja]], supported by Maiorescu and the Conservatives, was seen by Iorga as callous and [[Imperialism|imperialistic]].<ref name="zomemor">{{in lang|ro}} [[Z. Ornea]], [https://web.archive.org/web/20120811191907/http://www.romlit.ro/din_memorialistica_lui_n._iorga "Din memorialistica lui N. Iorga"], in ''[[România Literară]]'', Nr. 23/1999</ref>

Iorga's interest in the Balkan crisis was illustrated by two of the forty books he put out that year: {{Lang|ro|Istoria statelor balcanice}} ("The History of Balkan States") and {{Lang|ro|Notele unui istoric cu privire la evenimentele din Balcani}} ("A Historian's Notes on the Balkan Events").<ref name="ivxli"/> Noted among the others is the study focusing on the early 18th century reign of Wallachian Prince [[Constantin Brâncoveanu]] ({{Lang|ro|Viața și domnia lui Constantin vodă Brâncoveanu}}, "The Life and Rule of Prince Constantin Brâncoveanu").<ref name="ivxli"/> That same year, Iorga issued the first series of his ''[[Drum Drept]]'' monthly, later merged with the {{Lang|ro|Sămănătorist}} magazine ''[[Ramuri]]''.<ref name="ivxli"/> Iorga managed to publish roughly as many new titles in 1914, the year when he received a Romanian {{Lang|ro|Bene Merenti}} distinction,<ref>Nastasă (2007), pp. 133–134</ref> and inaugurated the international [[Institute of South-East European Studies]] or ISSEE (founded through his efforts), with a lecture on [[History of Albania|Albanian history]].<ref>Iova, p. xli. See also Guida, p. 238; Nastasă (2007), pp. 49, 50; Olaru & Herbstritt, p. 65</ref>

Again invited to Italy, he spoke at the ''[[Ateneo Veneto]]'' on the relations between the [[Republic of Venice]] and the Balkans,<ref name="ivxli"/> and again about ''[[Settecento]]'' culture.<ref name="sbegoldoni">{{in lang|ro}} Smaranda Bratu-Elian, [http://www.observatorcultural.ro/Goldoni-si-noi*articleID_18668-articles_details.html "Goldoni și noi"], in ''[[Observator Cultural]]'', Nr. 397, November 2007</ref> His attention was focused on the [[Albanians]] and [[Arbëreshë people|Arbëreshë]]—Iorga soon discovered the oldest record of [[Albanian language|written Albanian]], the 1462 ''[[Formula e pagëzimit]]''.<ref>Edwin E. Jacques, ''The Albanians: An Ethnic History from Prehistoric Times to the Present'', [[McFarland & Company]], Jefferson, 1995, pp. 277, 284. {{ISBN|0-89950-932-0}}</ref><ref name="kkzodie">Kopi Kyçyku, "Nicolae Iorga și popoarele 'născute într-o zodie fără noroc' ", in ''Akademos'', Nr. 4/2008, pp. 90–91</ref> In 1916, he founded the Bucharest-based academic journal {{Lang|ro|Revista Istorică}} ("The Historical Review"), a Romanian equivalent for ''[[Historische Zeitschrift]]'' and ''[[The English Historical Review]]''.<ref>Nastasă (2007), p. 512; See also Iova, p. xlii</ref>

===Ententist profile===
Nicolae Iorga's involvement in political disputes and the cause of Romanian irredentism became a leading characteristic of his biography during [[World War I]]. In 1915, while Romania was still keeping neutral, he sided with the dominant nationalist, [[Francophile]] and pro-[[Allies of World War I|Entente]] camp, urging for Romania to wage war on the [[Central Powers]] as a means of obtaining Transylvania, Bukovina and other regions held by Austria-Hungary; to this goal, he became an active member of the {{ill|League for the Cultural Unity of All Romanians|ro|Liga pentru Unitatea Culturală a tuturor Românilor}}, and personally organized the large pro-Entente rallies in Bucharest.<ref name="ivxlii">Iova, p. xlii</ref> A prudent anti-Austrian, Iorga adopted the [[interventionism (politics)|interventionist]] agenda with noted delay. His hesitation was ridiculed by hawkish [[Eugen Lovinescu]] as pro-Transylvanian but [[anti-war]],<ref>Boia (2010), pp. 106–107, 112–113</ref> costing Iorga his office in the Cultural League.<ref name="zomemor"/> The historian later confessed that, like Premier [[Ion I. C. Brătianu]] and the National Liberal cabinet, he had been waiting for a better moment to strike.<ref name="zomemor"/> In the end, his "Ententist" efforts were closely supported by public figures such as [[Alexandru I. Lapedatu]] and [[Ion Petrovici]], as well as by [[Take Ionescu]]'s National Action advocacy group.<ref>Boia (2010), pp. 76, 115–116, 122, 276</ref> Iorga was also introduced to the private circle of Romania's young [[King of Romania|King]], [[Ferdinand I of Romania|Ferdinand I]],<ref>Nastasă (2007), pp. 88–89</ref> whom he found well-intentioned but weak-willed.<ref name="zomemor"/> Iorga is sometimes credited as a tutor to [[Carol II of Romania|Crown Prince Carol]] (future King Carol II),<ref name="agrevenind4">{{in lang|ro}} [[Alexandru George]], [http://www.revistaluceafarul.ro/index.html?id=1486&editie=69 "Revenind la discuții (4)"], in ''[[Luceafărul (magazine)|Luceafărul]]'', Nr. 31/2009</ref> who reportedly attended the Vălenii school.<ref>Butaru, p. 93</ref>

In his October 1915 polemic with [[Vasile Sion]], a [[Germanophile]] physician, Iorga at once justified suspicion of the [[Germans of Romania|German Romanians]] and praised those Romanians who were deserting the [[Austro-Hungarian Army|Austrian Army]].<ref>Boia (2010), pp. 304–305</ref> The Ententists' focus on Transylvania pitted them against the Poporanists, who deplored the Romanians of Bessarabia. That region, the Poporanist lobby argued, was being actively oppressed by the [[Russian Empire]] with the acquiescence of other Entente powers. Poporanist theorist [[Garabet Ibrăileanu]], editor of ''[[Viața Românească]]'' review, later accused Iorga of not ever speaking in support of the Bessarabians.<ref>Boia (2010), pp. 239, 325</ref>

[[File:Pobyt marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego w Bukareszcie w drodze powrotnej z Egiptu. (22-357-3).jpg|thumb|Nicolae Iorga with Polish president [[Józef Piłsudski]] in 1933]]

Political themes were again reflected in Nicolae Iorga's 1915 report to the academy ({{Lang|ro|Dreptul la viață al statelor mici}}, "The Small States' Right to Exist") and in various of the 37 books he published that year: {{Lang|ro|Istoria românilor din Ardeal și Ungaria}} ("The History of the Romanians in Transylvania and Hungary"), {{Lang|ro|Politica austriacă față de Serbia}} ("The Austrian Policy on Serbia") etc.<ref name="ivxlii"/> Also in 1915, Iorga completed his [[economic history]] treatise, {{Lang|ro|Istoria comerțului la români}} ("The History of Commerce among the Romanians"), as well as a volume on literary history and [[Romanian philosophy]], {{Lang|ro|Faze sufletești și cărți reprezentative la români}} ("Spiritual Phases and Relevant Books of the Romanians").<ref name="ivxlii"/> Before spring 1916, he was commuting between Bucharest and Iași, substituting the ailing Xenopol at Iași University.<ref>Nastasă (2003), pp. 183–184; (2007), pp. 376, 492</ref> He also gave a final touch to the collection {{Lang|ro|Studii și documente}} ("Studies and Documents"), comprising his commentary on 30,000 individual documents and spread over 31 tomes.<ref name="ivxlii"/>

===Iași refuge===
[[File:Nicolae Iorga - Histoire des Relations Russo-Roumaines - Prima pagina.png|thumb|Iorga's essay on [[Romania–Russia relations]], published in Iași, 1917]]

In late summer 1916, as Brătianu's government sealed an [[Treaty of Bucharest (1916)|alliance with the Entente]], Iorga expressed his joy in a piece named {{Lang|ro|Ceasul}} ("The Hour"): "the hour we have been expecting for over two centuries, for which we have been living our entire national life, for which we have been working and writing, fighting and thinking, has at long last arrived."<ref name="ivxlii"/> The [[Romania during World War I|Romanian campaign]] initially went well, as the [[Romanian Army]] penetrated deep into Transylvania, defeated the Austro-Hungarian Army and briefly occupied much of the region. However, following a massive counterattack on multiple fronts by the Central Powers, the campaign ended in massive defeat, forcing the Romanian Army and the entire administration to evacuate the southern areas, Bucharest included, in front of a German-led invasion. Iorga's home in Vălenii de Munte was among the property items left behind and seized by the occupiers, and, according to Iorga's own claim, was vandalized by the ''[[German Army (German Empire)|Deutsches Heer]]''.<ref name="ivxliv">Iova, p. xliv</ref>

Still a member of Parliament, Iorga joined the authorities in the provisional capital of Iași, but opposed the plans of relocating government out of besieged Moldavia and into the [[Russian Provisional Government|Russian Republic]]. The argument was made in one of his parliamentary speeches, printed as a pamphlet and circulated among the military: "May the dogs of this world feast on us sooner than to find our happiness, tranquility and prosperity granted by the hostile foreigner."<ref>Iova, p. xlii. See also Boia (2010), p. 123</ref> He did however allow some of his notebooks to be stored in Moscow, along with the [[Romanian Treasure]],<ref name="gifcoresp2">{{in lang|ro}} Gheorghe I. Florescu, [https://web.archive.org/web/20120317061932/http://convorbiri-literare.dntis.ro/FLORESCUiun3.html "Corespondența personală a lui N. Iorga" (II)], in ''[[Convorbiri Literare]]'', June 2003</ref> and sheltered his own family in Odessa.<ref name="apbucurestii"/>

Iorga, who reissued {{Lang|ro|Neamul Românesc}} in Iași, resumed his activity at Iași University and began working on the war propaganda daily {{Lang|ro|România}},<ref>Vianu, Vol. III, pp. 92–93</ref> while contributing to R.W. Seton-Watson's international sheet ''The New Europe''.<ref>H. Seton-Watson & C. Seton-Watson, p. 190</ref> His contribution for that year included a number of brochures dedicated to maintaining morale among soldiers and civilians: {{Lang|ro|Războiul actual și urmările lui în viața morală a omenirii}} ("The Current War and Its Effects on the Moral Life of Mankind"), {{Lang|ro|Rolul inițiativei private în viața publică}} ("The Role of Private Initiative in Public Life"), {{Lang|ro|Sfaturi și învățături pentru ostașii României}} ("Advices and Teachings for Romania's Soldiers") etc.<ref name="ivxlii"/> He also translated from English and printed ''My Country'', a patriotic essay by Ferdinand's wife [[Marie of Edinburgh]].<ref name="rcinvest">{{in lang|fr}} Romanița Constantinescu, [https://web.archive.org/web/20110727134547/http://www.phantasma.ro/caiete/caiete/caiete18/06.html "Investissements imaginaires roumains en Quadrilatère: La ville de Balchik"], in ''Caietele Echinox'', Vol. 18, [[Babeș-Bolyai University]] Center for Imagination Studies, Cluj-Napoca, 2010, pp. 68–82. {{oclc|166882762}}</ref>

The heightened sense of crisis prompted Iorga to issue appeals against [[defeatism]] and reissue {{Lang|ro|Neamul Românesc}} from Iași, explaining: "I realized at once what moral use could come out of this for the thousands of discouraged and disillusioned people and against the traitors who were creeping up all over the place."<ref name="ivxliii">Iova, p. xliii</ref> The goal was again reflected in his complementary lectures (where he discussed the "national principle") and a new set of works; these featured musings on the Allied commitment ({{Lang|fr|Relations des Roumains avec les Alliès}}, "The Romanians' Relations with the Allies"; {{Lang|fr|Histoire des relations entre la France et les roumains}}, "The History of Relations between France and the Romanians"), the national character ({{Lang|ro|Sufletul românesc}}, "The Romanian Soul") or columns against the loss of morale ({{Lang|ro|Armistițiul}}, "The Armistice").<ref name="ivxliii"/> His ideal of moral regeneration through the war effort came with an endorsement of [[Land reform in Romania|land reform projects]]. Brătianu did not object to the idea, being however concerned that landowners would rebel. Iorga purportedly gave him a sarcastic reply: "just like you've been shooting the peasants to benefit the landowners, you'll then be shooting the landowners to benefit the peasants."<ref>Iova, pp. xliii–xliv</ref>

In May 1918, Romania yielded to German demands and negotiated the [[Treaty of Bucharest (1918)|Bucharest Treaty]], an effective armistice. The conditions were judged humiliating by Iorga ("Our ancestors would have preferred death");<ref name="ivxliv"/> he refused to regain his University of Bucharest chair.<ref>Boia (2010), p. 117</ref> The German authorities in Bucharest reacted by blacklisting the historian.<ref name="ivxliv"/>

===Greater Romania's creation===
Iorga only returned to Bucharest as Romania resumed its contacts with the Allies and the {{Lang|de|Deutsches Heer}} left the country. The political uncertainty ended by late autumn, when the Allied victory on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] sealed Germany's defeat. Celebrating the [[Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)|Compiègne Armistice]], Iorga wrote: "There can be no greater day for the entire world".<ref name="ivxliv"/> Iorga however found that Bucharest had become "a filthy hell under lead skies."<ref name="apbucurestii"/> His celebrated return also included the premiere of {{Lang|ro|Învierea lui Ștefan cel Mare}} at the [[National Theatre Bucharest|National Theater]], which continued to host productions of his dramatic texts on a regular basis, until ca. 1936.<ref>Călinescu, p. 1010. See also Ciprian, p. 220</ref>

He was reelected to the lower chamber in the [[1918 Romanian general election|June 1918 election]], becoming President of the body and, due to the rapid political developments, the first person to hold this office in the history of [[Greater Romania]].<ref name="ivxliv"/><ref name="gifcoresp1">{{in lang|ro}} Gheorghe I. Florescu, [https://web.archive.org/web/20120317061937/http://convorbiri-literare.dntis.ro/FLORESCUmai3.html "Corespondența personală a lui N. Iorga" (I)], in ''[[Convorbiri Literare]]'', May 2003</ref> The year also brought his participation alongside Allied envoys in the 360th anniversary of Michael the Brave's birth.<ref name="ivxliv"/> On 1 December, later celebrated as [[Great Union Day]], Iorga was participant in a seminal event of the [[Union of Transylvania with Romania|union with Transylvania]], as one of several thousand Romanians who gathered in the [[Great National Assembly of Alba Iulia|Great National Assembly]] of [[Alba Iulia]] to demand union on the basis of [[self-determination]].<ref name="ivxliv"/> Despite these successes, Iorga was reportedly snubbed by King Ferdinand, and only left to rely on Brătianu for support.<ref name="zomemor"/> Although he was not invited to attend the [[Paris Peace Conference, 1919|Paris Peace Conference]], he supported Queen Marie in her role of informal negotiator for Romania, and cemented his friendship with her.<ref>{{in lang|ro}} Gheorghe I. Florescu, [https://web.archive.org/web/20120317061953/http://convorbiri-literare.dntis.ro/FLORESCUnov8.html "Regina Maria și Conferința de pace din 1919" (III)], in ''[[Convorbiri Literare]]'', November 2008</ref>

Shortly after the creation of Greater Romania, Iorga was focusing his public activity on exposing [[Collaborationism|collaborators]] of the wartime occupiers. The subject was central to a 1919 speech he held in front of the academy, where he obtained the public condemnation of actively Germanophile academicians, having earlier vetoed the membership of Poporanist [[Constantin Stere]].<ref>Boia (2010), pp. 111, 346–347. See also Iova, p. xliv</ref> He failed at enlisting support for the purge of Germanophile professors from university, but the attempt rekindled the feud between him and [[Alexandru Tzigara-Samurcaș]], who had served in the German-appointed administration.<ref>Boia (2010), pp. 111, 353–354, 356</ref> The two scholars later took their battle to court<ref>{{in lang|ro}} Dumitru Hîncu, [https://web.archive.org/web/20140309113354/http://www.romlit.ro/al._tzigara-samurca_-_din_amintirile_primului_vorbitor_la_radio_romnesc "Al. Tzigara-Samurcaș – Din amintirile primului vorbitor la Radio românesc"], in ''[[România Literară]]'', Nr. 42/2007</ref> and, until Iorga's death, presented mutually exclusive takes on recent political history.<ref name="afferdbio">{{in lang|ro}} Alexandru Florescu, [https://web.archive.org/web/20120317061502/http://convorbiri-literare.dntis.ro/FLORESCUian5.html "Istorie și istorii: o biografie a regelui Ferdinand"], in ''[[Convorbiri Literare]]'', January 2005</ref> Although very much opposed to the imprisoned Germanophile poet [[Tudor Arghezi]], Iorga intervened on his behalf with Ferdinand.<ref>Boia (2010), p. 341</ref>

Following the [[1919 Romanian general election|November 1919 elections]], Iorga became a member of the [[Senate of Romania|Senate]], representing the Democratic Nationalists. Although he resented the [[universal male suffrage]] and viewed the adoption of electoral symbols as promoting political illiteracy, his PND came to use a logo representing two hands grasping (later replaced with a black-flag-and-sickle).<ref>Radu, pp. 580, 585</ref> The elections seemed to do away with the old political system: Iorga's party was third, trailing behind two newcomers, the Transylvanian PNR and the Poporanist [[Peasants' Party (Romania)|Peasants' Party]] (PȚ), with whom it formed a parliamentary bloc supporting an [[Alexandru Vaida-Voevod]] cabinet.<ref>Veiga, pp. 35–36, 130</ref> This union of former rivals also showed Iorga's growing suspicion of Brătianu, whom he feared intended to absorb the PND into the National Liberal Party, and accused of creating a [[political machine]].<ref name="zomemor"/> He and his disciples were circulating the term ''politicianism'' ("politicking"), expressing their disappointment for the new political context.<ref name="zomemor"/><ref name="gifcoresp2"/>

Also in 1919, Iorga was elected chairman of the Cultural League, where he gave a speech on "the Romanians' rights to their national territory", was appointed head of the Historical Monuments' Commission, and met the French academic mission to Romania ([[Henri Mathias Berthelot]], [[Charles Diehl]], [[Emmanuel de Martonne]] and [[Raymond Poincaré]], whom he greeted with a speech about the Romanians and the [[Italic peoples|Romance peoples]]).<ref>Iova, pp. xliv–xlv</ref> Together with French war hero Septime Gorceix, he also compiled {{Lang|fr|Anthologie de la littérature roumaine}} ("An Anthology of Romanian Literature").<ref>{{in lang|ro}} [[Mircea Iorgulescu]], [https://web.archive.org/web/20110906123436/http://www.romlit.ro/acum_85_de_ani_-_antologie_de_literatur_romn_n_frana "Acum 85 de ani – Antologie de literatură română în Franța"], in ''[[România Literară]]'', Nr. 51–52/2005</ref> That year, the French state granted Iorga its [[Legion of Honor]].<ref>Nastasă (2007), p. 276</ref>

A founding president of the Association of Romanian Public Libraries,<ref>{{in lang|ro}} Mircea Regneală, [https://web.archive.org/web/20101121054413/http://www.revista22.ro/colapsul-bibliotecilor-romanesti-949.html "Colapsul bibliotecilor românești"], in ''[[Revista 22]]'', Nr. 745, June 2004</ref> Iorga was also tightening his links with young Transylvanian intellectuals: he took part in reorganizing the [[Cluj-Napoca|Cluj]] [[Babeș-Bolyai University|Franz Joseph University]] into a Romanian-speaking institution, meeting scholars [[Vasile Pârvan]] and [[Vasile Bogrea]] (who welcomed him as "our protective genius"), and published a praise of the young traditionalist poet [[Lucian Blaga]].<ref>Iova, p. xlv. See also Nastasă (2007), pp. 91, 273–278, 492</ref><ref name="iscoresp">{{in lang|ro}} [[Ion Simuț]], [https://web.archive.org/web/20110907014932/http://www.romlit.ro/nicolae_iorga_-_coresponden_necunoscut "Nicolae Iorga – Corespondență necunoscută"], in ''[[România Literară]]'', Nr. 22/2006</ref> He was in correspondence with intellectuals of all backgrounds, and, reportedly, the Romanian who was addressed the most letters in postal history.<ref name="gifcoresp1"/> Touring the larger conference circuit, he also wrote some 30 new books, among them: {{Lang|fr|Histoire des roumains de la Peninsule des Balcans}} ("The History of Romanians from the Balkan Peninsula": [[Aromanians]], [[Istro-Romanians]] and [[Megleno-Romanians]]), {{Lang|ro|Istoria poporului francez}} ("The History of the [[French people]]"), {{Lang|ro|Pentru sufletele celor ce muncesc}} ("For The Souls of Working Men"), and {{Lang|ro|Istoria lui Mihai Viteazul}} ("The History of Michael the Brave").<ref>Iova, p. xlv. See also Tanașoca, pp. 99–100, 163</ref> Iorga was awarded the title of doctor ''[[honoris causa]]'' by the [[University of Strasbourg]],<ref name="ivxlv">Iova, p. xlv</ref> while his lectures on Albania, collected by poet [[Lasgush Poradeci]], became {{Lang|ro|Brève histoire de l'Albanie}} ("Concise History of Albania").<ref name="kkzodie"/> In Bucharest, Iorga received as a gift from his admirers a new Bucharest home on Bonaparte Highway (Iancu de Hunedoara Boulevard).<ref name="apbucurestii"/><ref name="ivxlv"/>

===Early 1920s politics===
Iorga's parliamentary bloc crumbled in late March 1920, when Ferdinand dissolved Parliament.<ref name="gifcoresp3">{{in lang|ro}} Gheorghe I. Florescu, [https://web.archive.org/web/20120317061959/http://convorbiri-literare.dntis.ro/FLORESCUiul4.html "Corespondența personală a lui N. Iorga" (III)], in ''[[Convorbiri Literare]]'', July 2004</ref><ref>Butaru, p. 307</ref> During the [[1920 Romanian general election|spring 1920 election]], Iorga was invited by journalist [[Sever Dan]] to run for a deputy seat in Transylvania, but eventually participated in and won the election of his earlier constituency, [[Covurlui County]].<ref name="gifcoresp3"/> At that stage, Iorga was resenting the PNR for holding onto its [[Directory Council of Transylvania|regional government of Transylvania]],<ref name="zomemor"/><ref name="gifcoresp2"/> and criticizing the PȚ for its claim to represent all Romanian peasants.<ref name="icstructura">{{in lang|ro}} Ionuț Ciobanu, [http://www.sferapoliticii.ro/sfera/129-130/art06-ciobanu.html "Structura organizatorică a Partidului Țăranesc și a Partidului Național "] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102120433/http://www.sferapoliticii.ro/sfera/129-130/art06-ciobanu.html |date=2 November 2012 }}, in ''[[Sfera Politicii]]'', Nr. 129–130</ref> In March 1921, Iorga again turned on Stere. The latter had since been forgiven for his wartime stance, decorated for negotiating the [[Union of Bessarabia with Romania|Bessarabian union]], and elected on PȚ lists in [[Soroca County (Romania)|Soroca County]].<ref name="ihstere2">{{in lang|ro}} [[Ion Hadârcă]], [https://web.archive.org/web/20120317062009/http://convorbiri-literare.dntis.ro/HADIRCAiul6.html "Constantin Stere și Nicolae Iorga: antinomiile idealului convergent (II)"], in ''[[Convorbiri Literare]]'', July 2006</ref> Iorga's speech, "Stere's Betrayal", turned attention back to Stere's Germanophilia (with quotes that were supposedly taken out of context) and demanded his invalidation—the subsequent debate was tense and emotional, but a new vote in Chamber confirmed Stere as Soroca deputy.<ref name="ihstere2"/>

The overall election victory belonged to the radical, eclectic and anti-PNR [[People's Party (interwar Romania)|People's Party]], led by war hero [[Alexandru Averescu]].<ref>Veiga, pp. 45–47</ref> Iorga, whose PND had formed the Federation of National Democracy with the PȚ and other parties,<ref name="gifcoresp3"/><ref name="gifaverescu">{{in lang|ro}} Gheorghe I. Florescu, [https://web.archive.org/web/20120317062017/http://convorbiri-literare.dntis.ro/FLORESCUiul9.html "Alexandru Averescu, omul politic" (III)], in ''[[Convorbiri Literare]]'', July 2009</ref><ref>Radu, p. 579</ref> was perplexed by Averescu's ''[[sui generis]]'' appeal and [[personality cult]], writing: "Everything [in that party] was about Averescu."<ref>Veiga, p. 47</ref> His partner Cuza and a portion of the PND were however supportive of this force, which threatened the stability of their vote.<ref name="gifaverescu"/> Progressively after that moment, Iorga also began toning down his antisemitism, a process of the end of which Cuza left the Democratic Nationalists to establish the more militant [[National-Christian Defense League]] (1923).<ref name="omintelect"/><ref name="zomemor"/><ref>Butaru, pp. 95–98, 122, 156; Cernat, p. 138; Neubauer, p. 164; Veiga, pp. 74–76, 96, 130. According to Crampton (p. 109), the two parties still shared views on antisemitism, even though the PND was officially "dedicated to recompensating those who had suffered during the war".</ref> Iorga's suggestions that new arrivals from Transylvania and Bessarabia were becoming a clique also resulted in collisions with former friend [[Octavian Goga]], who had joined up with Averescu's party.<ref name="ihstere2"/>

His publishing activity continued at a steady pace during that year, when he first presided over the Romanian School of [[Fontenay-aux-Roses]];<ref>Nastasă (2007), pp. 120, 195–196</ref> he issued the two volumes of {{Lang|fr|Histoire des roumains et de leur civilisation}} ("The History of the Romanians and Their Civilization") and the three tomes of {{Lang|ro|Istoria românilor prin călătorii}} ("The History of the Romanians in Travels"), alongside {{Lang|ro|Ideea Daciei românești}} ("The Idea of a Romanian [[Dacia]]"), {{Lang|ro|Istoria Evului Mediu}} ("The History of the Middle Ages") and some other scholarly works.<ref name="ivxlv"/> His biographical studies were mainly focused on his nationalist predecessor [[Mihail Kogălniceanu]].<ref>Călinescu, p. 988. See also Vianu, Vol. II, p. 274</ref> Iorga also resumed his writing for the stage, with two new drama plays: one centered on the Moldavian ruler [[Constantin Cantemir]] ({{Lang|ro|Cantemir bătrânul}}, "Cantemir the Elder"), the other dedicated to, and named after, Brâncoveanu.<ref>Călinescu, p. 1010; Iova, pp. xlv–xlvi</ref> Centering his activity as a public speaker in Transylvanian cities, Iorga was also involved in projects to organize folk theaters throughout the country, through which he intended to spread a unified cultural message.<ref name="ivxlvi">Iova, p. xlvi</ref> The year also brought his presence at the funeral of A. D. Xenopol.<ref name="ivxlvi"/>

In 1921 and 1922, the Romanian scholar began lecturing abroad, most notably at the [[University of Paris]], while setting up a Romanian School in the French capital<ref name="ivxlvi"/> and the ''[[Accademia di Romania]]'' of [[Rome]].<ref>Santoro, p. 116</ref> In 1921, when his 50th birthday was celebrated at a national level, Iorga published a large number of volumes, including a bibliographic study on the [[Wallachian uprising of 1821]] and its leader [[Tudor Vladimirescu]], an essay on [[political history]] ({{Lang|ro|Dezvoltarea așezămintelor politice}}, "The Development of Political Institutions"), {{Lang|ro|Secretul culturii franceze}} ("The Secret of [[French culture]]"), {{Lang|ro|Războiul nostru în note zilnice}} ("Our War as Depicted in Daily Records") and the French-language {{Lang|fr|Les Latins de l'Orient}} ("The Oriental [[Italic peoples|Latins]]").<ref name="ivxlvi"/> His interest in Vladimirescu and his historical role was also apparent in an eponymous play, published with a volume of Iorga's selected [[lyric poetry]].<ref>Călinescu, p. 1010. See also Iova, p. xlvi</ref>

In politics, Iorga began objecting to the National Liberals' hold on power, denouncing the [[1922 Romanian general election|1922 election]] as a [[Electoral fraud|fraud]].<ref>{{in lang|ro}} Marin Pop, [https://web.archive.org/web/20151002145806/http://www.caietesilvane.ro/indexcs.php?cmd=articol&idart=714 "Alegerile parlamentare din anul 1922 în județul Sălaj"], in ''Caiete Silvane'', 10 June 2009</ref> He resumed his close cooperation with the PNR, briefly joining the party ranks in an attempt to counter this monopoly.<ref name="zomemor"/><ref name="gifcoresp3"/><ref name="icstructura"/><ref>Neubauer, p. 164; Veiga, pp. 99–100</ref> In 1923, he donated his Bonaparte Highway residence and its collection to the Ministry of Education, to be used by a cultural foundation and benefit university students.<ref name="ivxlvii">Iova, p. xlvii</ref> Receiving another ''honoris causa'' doctorate, from the [[University of Lyon]], Iorga went through an episode of reconciliation with [[Tudor Arghezi]], who addressed him public praise.<ref>Iova, pp. xlvi–xlvii</ref> The two worked together on ''[[Cuget Românesc]]'' newspaper, but were again at odds when Iorga began criticizing [[modernist literature]] and "the world's spiritual crisis".<ref name="gscursa">{{in lang|ro}} [[Geo Șerban]], [https://web.archive.org/web/20120317053743/http://www.romaniaculturala.ro/articol.php?cod=8640 "Cursă de urmărire, cu suspans, prin intersecțiile avangărzii la români"], in ''[[Lettre Internationale]]'' Romanian edition, Nr. 58, Summer 2006</ref>

Among his published works for that year were {{Lang|fr|Formes byzantines et réalités balcaniques}} ("Byzantine Forms and Balkan Realities"), {{Lang|ro|Istoria presei românești}} ("The History of the Romanian Press"), {{Lang|fr|L'Art populaire en Roumanie}} ("Folk Art in Romania"), {{Lang|ro|Istoria artei medievale}} ("The History of [[Medieval art]]") and {{Lang|ro|Neamul românesc din Ardeal}} ("The Romanian Nation in Transylvania").<ref>Iova, p. xlvi. See also Tanașoca, p. 163</ref> Iorga had by then finished several new theatrical plays: {{Lang|ro|Moartea lui Dante}} ("The Death of [[Dante Aligheri|Dante]]"), {{Lang|ro|Molière se răzbună}} ("[[Molière]] Gets His Revenge"), {{Lang|ro|Omul care ni trebuie}} ("The Man We Need") and {{Lang|ro|Sărmală, amicul poporului}} ("Sărmală, Friend of the People").<ref>Iova, p. xlvi. See also Călinescu, p. 1010</ref>

===International initiatives and American journey===
[[File:Nicolae Iorga - Histoire des états balcaniques jusqu'a 1924.pdf|thumb|Title page of Iorga's ''Histoire des états balcaniques jusqu'a 1924'' (1925)]]
[[File:Professeur Jorga, Exposition d'Aviculture 1928, Meurisse.jpg|thumb|Iorga in [[Versailles (commune)|Versailles]], 1928 photograph]]

A major moment in Iorga's European career took place in 1924, when he convened in Bucharest the first-ever [[International Congress of Byzantine Studies]], attended by some of the leading experts in the field.<ref name="ivxlvii"/> He also began lecturing at [[Ramiro Ortiz (academic)|Ramiro Ortiz]]'s Italian Institute in Bucharest.<ref>Santoro, pp. 114–115</ref> Also then, Iorga was appointed Aggregate Professor by the University of Paris, received the honor of having foreign scholars lecturing at the Vălenii de Munte school, and published a number of scientific works and essays, such as: {{Lang|fr|Brève histoire des croissades}} ("A Short History of the Crusades"), {{Lang|ro|Cărți reprezentative din viața omenirii}} ("Books Significant for Mankind's Existence"), {{Lang|ro|România pitorească}} ("Picturesque Romania") and a volume of addresses to the [[Romanian American]] community.<ref name="ivxlvii"/> In 1925, when he was elected a member of the [[Polish Academy of Learning|Kraków Academy of Learning]] in [[Second Polish Republic|Poland]], Iorga gave conferences in various European countries, including Switzerland (where he spoke at a [[League of Nations]] assembly on the state of [[Minorities of Romania|Romania's minorities]]).<ref name="ivxlvii"/> His bibliography for 1925 includes some 50 titles.<ref name="ivxlvii"/> Iorga also increased his personal fortune, constructing villas in two resort towns: in [[Sinaia]] (designer: [[Toma T. Socolescu]]) and, later, [[Mangalia]].<ref name="ln(07)126">Nastasă (2007), p. 126</ref> More controversial still was his decision to use excess funds from the International Congress to improve his Vălenii printing press.<ref name="ln(07)126"/>

Iorga was again abroad in 1926 and 1927, lecturing on various subjects at reunions in France, Italy, Switzerland, Denmark, Spain, Sweden and the [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia]], many of his works being by then translated into French, English, German and Italian.<ref name="ivxlvii-xlviii">Iova, pp. xlvii–xlviii</ref> His work for 1926 centered on the first of four volumes in his series {{Lang|fr|Essai de synthèse de l'histoire de l'humanité}} ("Essay on the Synthesis of World History"), followed in 1927 by {{Lang|ro|Istoria industriei la români}} ("The History of Industry among the Romanians"), {{Lang|ro|Originea și sensul democrației}} ("The Origin and Sense of Democracy"), a study of Romanian contributions to the [[Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)|1877–1878 Russo-Turkish War]] ({{Lang|ro|Războiul de independență}}, "The War of Independence") etc.<ref name="ivxlvii-xlviii"/> At home, the PND's merge into the PNR, accepted by Iorga, was stopped once the historian asked to become the resulting union's chief.<ref name="icstructura"/> Acting PNR leader [[Iuliu Maniu]] successfully resisted this move, and the two parties split over the issue.<ref name="icstructura"/>

For a while in 1927, Iorga was also local leader of the [[Paneuropean Union|Pan-European movement]], created internationally by [[Richard von Coudenhove-Kalergi|Graf Coudenhove-Kalergi]].<ref>Guida, p. 238; Nicolae M. Nicolae, "Europa lui Coudenhove-Kalergi", in ''[[Magazin Istoric]]'', July 2002, p. 11</ref> A ''honoris causa'' doctor of [[University of Genoa|Genoa University]], he opened his course at the University of Paris with lectures on France's [[Levant]]ine policy (1927) and, during 1928, was again invited to lecture in Spain, Sweden and Norway.<ref name="ivxlviii">Iova, p. xlviii</ref> His published works for that time grouped the political essay {{Lang|ro|Evoluția ideii de libertate}} ("The Evolution of Liberty as an Idea"), new historical studies and printed versions of his conferences: {{Lang|ro|Istoria învățământului}} ("The History of Education"), {{Lang|ro|Patru conferințe despre istoria Angliei}} ("Four Conferences on the [[History of England]]"), {{Lang|ro|Țara latină cea mai îndepărtată din Europa: Portugalia}} ("The Remotest Latin Country in Europe: Portugal").<ref>Iova, pp. xlviii–xlix</ref> In addition to his Bucharest Faculty of History chair, Iorga also took over the History of Literature course hosted by the same institution (1928).<ref name="ivxlviii"/>

Appointed the university's [[Rector (academia)|Rector]] in 1929, he followed up with new sets of conferences in France, Italy or Spain, and published some 40 new books on topics such as [[Folklore of Romania|Romanian folklore]] and [[History of Scandinavia|Scandinavian history]].<ref name="ivxlix">Iova, p. xlix</ref> For a while, he also held the university's concise literature course, replacing Professor [[Ioan Bianu]].<ref name="zoistlit">{{in lang|ro}} [[Z. Ornea]], [https://archive.today/20120909082811/http://www.romlit.ro/n._iorga-_istoric_literar "N. Iorga – istoric literar"], in ''[[România Literară]]'', Nr. 43/1999</ref> Iorga's circle was joined by researcher [[Constantin C. Giurescu]], son of historian [[Constantin Giurescu (historian)|Constantin Giurescu]], who had been Iorga's rival a generation before.<ref>Nastasă (2007), pp. 324–325, 386–387, 479–480</ref>

Iorga embarked on a longer journey during 1930: again lecturing in Paris during January, he left for Genoa and, from there, traveled to the United States, visiting some 20 cities, being greeted by the Romanian-American community and meeting with President [[Herbert Hoover]].<ref>Iova, p. xlix. See also Ornea (1995), p. 396</ref> He was also an honored guest of [[Case Western Reserve University]], where he delivered a lecture in English.<ref name="kkzodie"/> Returning to attend the London International Congress of History, Iorga was also made a ''honoris causa'' doctor by the [[University of Oxford]] (with a reception speech likening him to both [[Livy]] and [[Pliny the Elder]]).<ref name="ivxlix"/> That year, he also set up the ''[[Casa Romena]]'' institute in Venice.<ref>Santoro, p. 226</ref> His new works included {{Lang|ro|America și românii din America}} ("Romania and the Romanians of America") and {{Lang|ro|Priveliști elvețiene}} ("Swiss Landscapes"), alongside the plays {{Lang|ro|Sfântul Francisc}} ("[[Francis of Assisi|Saint Francis]]") and {{Lang|ro|Fiul cel pierdut}} ("The Lost Son").<ref>Iova, p. xlix. See also Călinescu, p. 1010</ref> In 1931–1932, he was made a ''honoris causa'' doctor by four other universities (the University of Paris, [[University of Rome La Sapienza|La Sapienza]], [[Vilnius University|Stefan Batory]], [[Comenius University in Bratislava|Comenius]]), was admitted into both ''[[Accademia dei Lincei]]'' and the ''[[Academy of Arcadia|Accademia degli Arcadi]]'', and published over 40 new titles per year.<ref name="ivl">Iova, p. l</ref>

===Prime minister===
[[File:Professeur Jorga, reçu docteur Honoris Causa 1931, Meurisse.jpg|thumb|Iorga at the [[University of Paris]], receiving his ''[[Honoris Causa]]'' Doctorate]]

Iorga became [[Prime Minister of Romania|Romanian Premier]] in April 1931, upon the request of Carol II, who had returned from exile to replace his own son, [[Michael I of Romania|Michael I]]. The authoritarian monarch had cemented this relationship by visiting the Vălenii de Munte establishment in July 1930.<ref>Brătescu, pp. 33–34</ref> A contemporary historian, [[Hugh Seton-Watson]] (son of R.W. Seton-Watson), documented Carol's confiscation of agrarian politics for his own benefit, noting: "Professor Iorga's immense vanity delivered him into the king's hands."<ref>Seton-Watson, p. 205</ref> Iorga's imprudent ambition is mentioned by cultural historian [[Z. Ornea]], who also counts Iorga among those who had already opposed Carol's invalidation.<ref name="zomemor"/> In short while, Iorga's support for the controversial monarch resulted in his inevitable break with the PNR and PȚ. Their agrarian union, the [[National Peasants' Party]] (PNȚ), took distance from Carol's policies, whereas Iorga prioritized his "Carlist" [[monarchism]].<ref name="zomemor"/><ref>Butaru, p. 306</ref> Iorga wilfully rejected PNȚ policies. There was a running personal rivalry between him and PNȚ leader Iuliu Maniu,<ref name="zomemor"/> even though Iorga had on his side Maniu's own brother, lawyer Cassiu Maniu.<ref name="iscoresp"/>

Once confirmed on the throne, Carol experimented with [[technocracy]], borrowing professionals from various political groups, and closely linking Iorga with Internal Affairs Minister [[Constantin Argetoianu]].<ref name="zomemor"/><ref>Ornea (1995), pp. 226, 265, 296; Veiga, pp. 126–131, 200–201</ref> Iorga survived the [[1931 Romanian general election|election of June]], in which he led a National Union coalition, with support from his rivals, the National Liberals.<ref>Guida, p. 237</ref> During his short term, he traveled throughout the country, visiting around 40 cities and towns,<ref name="ivl"/> and was notably on a state visit to France, being received by Prime Minister [[Aristide Briand]] and by Briand's ally [[André Tardieu]].<ref name="fg238">Guida, p. 238</ref> In recognition of his merits as an [[Albanology|Albanologist]], the [[Kingdom of Albania (1928–39)|Albanian Kingdom]] granted Iorga property in [[Sarandë]] town, on which the scholar created a [[Romanian Institute in Albania|Romanian Archeological Institute]].<ref name="kkzodie"/><ref>Tănase Bujduveanu, "Institutul român din Albania", in ''[[Magazin Istoric]]'', March 2011, pp. 28–32</ref>

The backdrop to Iorga's mandate was Carol's conflict with the [[Iron Guard]], an increasingly popular [[Fascism|fascist]] organization. In March 1932, Iorga signed a decree outlawing the movement, the beginning of his clash with the Guard's founder [[Corneliu Zelea Codreanu]].<ref>Butaru, pp. 161, 169; Iova, p. l; Ornea (1995), pp. 173, 235, 243, 296; Volovici, p. 154. See also Veiga, pp. 137–138</ref> At the same time, his new [[Education in Romania|education law]] enhancing university autonomy, for which Iorga had been campaigning since the 1920s, was openly challenged as unrealistic by fellow scholar [[Florian Ștefănescu-Goangă]], who noted that it only encouraged political agitators to place themselves outside the state.<ref>Nastasă (2007), pp. 58, 81</ref> Also holding the office of Education Minister, he allowed auditing students to attend university lectures without holding a [[Romanian Baccalaureate]] degree.<ref>In doing so, Iorga answered a call by world-famous physicist [[Albert Einstein]] to grant Einstein's Romanian pupil Melania Șerbu an educational opportunity. See {{in lang|ro}} [[Solomon Marcus]], [https://web.archive.org/web/20110906035547/http://www.romlit.ro/scrisori_ctre_i_de_la_albert_einstein "Scrisori către și de la Albert Einstein"], in ''[[România Literară]]'', Nr. 28/2006 (with a chronological error).</ref> Reserving praise for the home-grown [[youth movement]] ''[[Micii Dorobanți]]'',<ref>{{in lang|ro}} Cristian Bârsu, [http://pm3.ro/pdf/28/28%20INTEGRAL.pdf "O evocare a lui Gheorghe Mocianu, primul profesor român de educație fizică"], in the [[Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy|Hațieganu University]] ''Paletristica Mileniului'', Nr. 2/2007, p. 77</ref> he was also an official backer of [[Scouting and Guiding in Romania|Romanian Scouting]].<ref>{{in lang|ro}} Ionuț Fantaziu, [http://www.evz.ro/detalii/stiri/cercetasii-romaniei-se-distreaza-fara-internet-876819.html "Cercetașii României se distrează fără internet"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608185537/http://www.evz.ro/detalii/stiri/cercetasii-romaniei-se-distreaza-fara-internet-876819.html |date=8 June 2011 }}, in ''[[Evenimentul Zilei]]'', 22 November 2009</ref> In addition, Iorga's time in office brought the creation of another popular summer school, in the tourist resort of [[Balchik|Balcic]], [[Southern Dobruja]].<ref name="rcinvest"/>

The major issue facing Iorga was the economic crisis, part of the [[Great Depression]], and he was largely unsuccessful in tackling it.<ref name="zomemor"/><ref>Nastasă (2007), p. 82; Ornea (1995), p. 296; Veiga, pp. 130–131</ref> To the detriment of financial markets, the cabinet tried to implement [[debt relief]] for bankrupt land cultivators,<ref>Veiga, pp. 140–141</ref> and signed an agreement with Argentina, another exporter of agricultural produce, to try to limit [[deflation]].<ref>{{in lang|ro}} Dumitru Șandru, [http://www.sferapoliticii.ro/sfera/133/art09-sandru.html "Criza din 1929 – 1933 și criza actuală"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102120415/http://www.sferapoliticii.ro/sfera/133/art09-sandru.html |date=2 November 2012 }}, in ''[[Sfera Politicii]]'', Nr. 133</ref> The mishandling of economic affairs made the historian a target of derision and indignation among the general public.<ref>Nastasă (2007), p. 82; Veiga, pp. 156–157</ref> The reduction of [[Government budget deficit|deficit]] with pay cuts for all state employees ("sacrificial curves") or selective layoffs was particularly dramatic, leading to widespread disillusionment among the middle class, which only increased grassroots support for the Iron Guard.<ref name="zomemor"/><ref>Veiga, pp. 156–158</ref> Other controversial aspects were his alleged favoritism and [[nepotism]]: perceived as the central figure of an academic clique, Iorga helped [[Gheorghe Bogdan-Duică]]'s family and Pârvan, promoted young historian [[Andrei Oțetea]], and made his son in law Colonel Chirescu (m. Florica Iorga in 1918) a Prefect of [[Storojineț County]].<ref>Nastasă (2007), pp. 114, 120, 131, 150, 250, 275–278, 287, 306–307, 324–332, 506–507</ref> His premiership also evidenced the growing tensions between the PND in Bucharest and its former allies in Transylvania: Iorga arrived to power after rumors of a PNȚ "Transylvanian conspiracy", and his cabinet included no Romanian Transylvanian politicians.<ref>Guida, p. 231</ref> It was however open to members of the [[Transylvanian Saxons|Saxon community]], and Iorga himself created a new government position for [[Minorities of Romania|ethnic minority]] affairs.<ref name="jn165">Neubauer, p. 165</ref>

Nicolae Iorga presented his cabinet's resignation in May 1932, returning to academic life. This came after an understanding between Carol II and a rightist PNȚ faction, who took over with [[Alexandru Vaida-Voevod]] as Premier.<ref>Ornea (1995), pp. 226, 296–297; Seton-Watson, p. 205; Veiga, pp. 130–131, 138</ref> The PND, running in elections under a square-in-square logo (回),<ref>Radu, pp. 577–578</ref> was rapidly becoming a minor force in Romanian politics. It survived through alliances with the National Liberals or with Averescu, while Argetoianu left it to establish an equally small agrarian group.<ref>Veiga, pp. 215, 235, 247–248. See also Radu, p. 579</ref> Iorga concentrated on redacting memoirs, published as {{Lang|ro|Supt trei regi}} ("Under Three Kings"), whereby he intended to counter political hostility.<ref name="zomemor"/><ref name="gc614-615">Călinescu, pp. 614–615</ref> He also created the Museum of Sacred Art, housed by the [[Crețulescu Palace]].<ref>{{in lang|ro}} [[Andrei Pippidi]], [http://www.dilemaveche.ro/sectiune/ieri-cu-vedere-spre-azi/articol/o-expozitie-formidabila "O expoziție formidabilă "], in ''[[Dilema Veche]]'', Nr. 292, September 2009</ref>

===Mid-1930s conflicts===
[[File:Cuget Clar - Coperta - 2 martie 1939.jpg|thumb|Cover of ''[[Cuget Clar]]'', issue no. 34, dated 2 March 1939]]

The political conflicts were by then reflected in Iorga's academic life: Iorga was becoming strongly opposed to a new generation of professional historians, which included Giurescu the younger, [[P. P. Panaitescu]] and [[Gheorghe Brătianu]]. At the core, it was a scientific dispute: all three historians, grouped around the new ''[[Revista Istorică Română]]'', found Iorga's studies to be speculative, politicized or needlessly [[Didacticism|didactic]] in their conclusions.<ref name="lb(00)101-106">Boia (2000), pp. 101–106</ref> The political discrepancy was highlighted by the more radical support these academics were directing toward King Carol II.<ref>Nastasă (2007), pp. 325–326</ref> In later years, Iorga also feuded with his Transylvanian disciple [[Lucian Blaga]], trying in vain to block Blaga's reception to the academy over differences in philosophy and literary preference.<ref>Nastasă (2003), pp. 189, 192, 204–205, 207–209; (2007), pp. 506–507</ref> On Blaga's side, the quarrel involved philologist and civil servant [[Bazil Munteanu]]; his correspondence with Blaga features hostile remarks about Iorga's "vulgarity" and cultural politics.<ref name="pccarti">{{in lang|ro}} [[Pavel Chihaia]], [http://www.observatorcultural.ro/index.html/articles|details?articleID=16182 "Printre cărți și manuscrise"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151017142138/http://www.observatorcultural.ro/index.html/articles%7Cdetails?articleID=16182 |date=17 October 2015 }}, in ''[[Observator Cultural]]'', Nr. 339, September 2006</ref>

On his way to a pan-European congress, Iorga stirred further controversy by attending, in Rome, the tenth anniversary of the [[March on Rome|1922 March]], celebrating [[Italian Fascism]].<ref>Veiga, p. 134</ref> He resumed his participation in conference cycles during 1933, revisiting France, as well as taking back his position at the University of Bucharest; he published another 37 books and, in August 1933, attended the History Congress in [[Warsaw]].<ref name="ivl"/> His new project was a cultural version of the [[Polish–Romanian alliance]], working together with poet-diplomat [[Aron Cotruș]] to increase awareness of his country, and publishing his own work in the Polish press.<ref>{{in lang|ro}} Nicolae Mareș, [https://web.archive.org/web/20111007023922/http://www.revistaluceafarul.ro/index.html?id=2911&editie=125 "Aron Cotruș – scriitor și diplomat – 120 de ani de la naștere"], in ''[[Luceafărul (magazine)|Luceafărul]]'', Nr. 1/2011</ref>

Early in 1934, Iorga issued a condemnation of the Iron Guard, following the assassination of National Liberal Premier [[Ion G. Duca]] by a [[Iron Guard death squads|Legionary death squad]].<ref>Ornea (1995), p. 299</ref> However, during the subsequent police round-ups of Guardist activists, Iorga intervened for the release of fascist philosopher [[Nae Ionescu]],<ref>Ornea (1995), p. 231</ref> and still invited Guardist poet [[Radu Gyr]] to lecture at Vălenii.<ref>Brătescu, p. 54</ref> At the same time, he was again focusing his attention on the condemnation of modernists and the poetry of Arghezi, first with the overview {{Lang|ro|Istoria literaturii românești contemporane}} ("History of Contemporary Romanian Literature"), then with his press polemics.<ref name="agrevenind4"/><ref>Livezeanu, p. 117; Ornea (1995), pp. 444–449, 452. See also Călinescu, p. 977</ref> Also in 1934, Iorga also published a book which coined his image of Romania's [[Early Modern Romania|early modern culture]]—{{Lang|fr|Byzance après Byzance}} ("Byzantium after Byzantium"), alongside the three-volume {{Lang|fr|Histoire de la vie byzantine}} ("A History of Byzantine Life").<ref>Iova, p. l. See also Neubauer, p. 164; Setton, p. 49</ref> He followed up with a volume of memoirs {{Lang|ro|Orizonturile mele. O viață de om așa cum a fost}} ("My Horizons. The Life of a Man as It Was"),<ref name="zomemor"/><ref>Călinescu, p. 1010; Iova, pp. l–li; Zub (2000), p. 34</ref> while inaugurating his contribution to Romania's official cultural magazine, ''[[Revista Fundațiilor Regale]]''.<ref>Nastasă (2007), p. 524</ref>

Iorga again toured Europe in 1935, and, upon his return to Romania, gave a new set of conferences under the auspices of the Cultural League,<ref name="ivli">Iova, p. li</ref> inviting scholar [[Franz Babinger]] to lecture at the ISSEE.<ref>Eugen Ciurtin, "Eastern Europe", in Gregory D. Alles (ed.), ''Religious Studies: A Global View'', [[Routledge]], London, 2008, p. 62. {{ISBN|0-415-39743-X}}; Nastasă (2007), pp. 39, 425–426</ref> Again in Iași, the historian participated in a special celebration of 18th century Moldavian Prince and [[Age of Enlightenment|Enlightenment]] thinker [[Dimitrie Cantemir]], whose remains had been retrieved from the Soviet Union to be reburied in the Romanian city.<ref name="ivli"/> Among the books Iorga published in 1935 are a new version of {{Lang|ro|Istoria lui Mihai Viteazul}}, alongside {{Lang|ro|Originalitatea lui Dimitrie Cantemir}} ("Dimitrie Cantemir's Originality"), {{Lang|ro|Comemorarea unirii Ardealului}} ("The Commemoration of Transylvania's Union") and two volumes of his {{Lang|ro|Memorii}} ("Memoirs").<ref name="ivli"/> His additional essays covered the careers of 17th century intellectuals ([[Anthim the Iberian]], [[Axinte Uricariul]], [[Constantin Cantacuzino (stolnic)|Constantin Cantacuzino]]).<ref>Călinescu, pp. 978, 979</ref> Also in 1935, Iorga and his daughter Liliana co-authored a Bucharest [[guide book]].<ref name="apcumlevedea">{{in lang|ro}} [[Andrei Pippidi]], [https://web.archive.org/web/20110505071552/http://www.dilemaveche.ro/sectiune/bordeie-obiceie/articol/istorie-i-arhitectura-cum-le-vedea-iorga "Istorie și arhitectură, cum le vedea Iorga"], in ''[[Dilema Veche]]'', Nr. 373, April 2011</ref>

Early in 1936, Nicolae Iorga was again lecturing at the University of Paris, and gave an additional conference at the ''[[Société des études historiques]]'', before hosting the Bucharest session of the International Committee of Historians.<ref name="ivli"/> He was also in the Netherlands, with a lecture on Byzantine [[social history]]: {{Lang|fr|L'Homme byzantin}} ("Byzantine Man").<ref name="mmhomob">{{in lang|ro}} Mircea Muthu, [https://web.archive.org/web/20110727134615/http://www.phantasma.ro/caiete/caiete/caiete3/04.html "Homo balcanicus"], in ''[http://phantasma.ro/caiete.html Caietele Echinox]'', Vol. 3, [[Babeș-Bolyai University]] Center for Imagination Studies, Cluj-Napoca, 2002, pp. 43–51. {{ISBN|973-35-1355-5}}</ref> Upon his return, wishing to renew his campaign against the modernists, Iorga founded ''[[Cuget Clar]]'', the neo-{{Lang|ro|Sămănătorist}} magazine.<ref>Ornea (1995), p. 445</ref>

[[File:Iorga-in-1930.jpg|thumb|Nicolae Iorga in 1930]]

By that moment in time, he was publicly voicing his concern that Transylvania was a target of expansion for [[Kingdom of Hungary (1920–1946)|Regency-period Hungary]], while cautioning the public against [[Nazi Germany]] and its [[revanchism]].<ref>Brătescu, pp. 69, 77; Iova, pp. li–lii; Volovici, pp. 151–152, 154, 157</ref> Similarly, he was concerned about the Soviet threat and the fate of Romanians in the Soviet Union, working closely with the Transnistrian [[Anti-communism|anti-communist]] refugee [[Nichita Smochină]].<ref>Brătescu, p. 59</ref> Such worries were notably expressed by Iorga in a series of [[Romanian Radio Broadcasting Company|Bucharest Radio]] broadcasts, {{Lang|ro|Sfaturi pe întuneric}} ("Advice at Dark", soon after published in brochure format).<ref>Iova, p. lii. See also Călinescu, p. 1010; Nastasă (2007), p. 523</ref> He completed several new volumes, among which were {{Lang|ro|Dovezi despre conștiința originii românilor}} ("Evidence on the Conscious [[Origin of the Romanians]]"), the polemical essay {{Lang|ro|Lupta mea contra prostiei}} ("My Fight against Stupidity"), and the first two volumes of the long planned {{Lang|ro|Istoria românilor}}.<ref name="ivlii">Iova, p. lii</ref>

===1937 retirement and Codreanu trials===
[[File:Consilierul regal Nicolae Iorga și președintele Consiliului, Armand Călinescu.jpg|thumb|300px|Crown Councillor Iorga and Prime Minister [[Armand Călinescu]] in [[National Renaissance Front]] uniforms (10 May 1939)]]

Nicolae Iorga was officially honored in 1937, when Carol II inaugurated a Bucharest Museum of World History, placed under the ISSEE director's presidency.<ref name="so&gh64">Olaru & Herbstritt, p. 64</ref> However, the publicized death threats he received from the Iron Guard eventually prompted Iorga to retire from his university position.<ref name="ivliii">Iova, p. liii</ref> He withdrew to Vălenii de Munte, but was still active on the academic scene, lecturing on "the development of the human spirit" at the World History Institute, and being received as a corresponding member into Chile's [[Chilean Academy of History|Academy of History]].<ref name="ivliii"/> He also mentored German biographer [[Eugen Wolbe]], who collected data on the Romanian kings.<ref name="afferdbio"/> This contribution was doubled by a steady participation in the country's political life. Iorga attended the Cultural League congress in Iași, where he openly demanded for the Iron Guard to be outlawed on the grounds that it served Nazi interests, and discussed the threat of war in his speeches at Vălenii de Munte and his Radio conferences.<ref>Iova, p. liii. See also Ornea (1995), p. 98</ref> With his {{Lang|ro|Neamul Românesc}} disciple N. Georgescu-Cocoș, he was also continuing his fight against modernism, inspiring a special Romanian Academy report on the modernists' "pornography".<ref name="ascboxa">{{in lang|ro}} Adina-Ștefania Ciurea, [https://web.archive.org/web/20120811190656/http://www.romlit.ro/scriitori_n_boxa_acuzailor "Scriitori în boxa acuzaților"], in ''[[România Literară]]'', Nr. 33/2003</ref>

The early months of 1938 saw Nicolae Iorga joining the [[national unity government]] of [[Miron Cristea]], formed by Carol II's right-wing power base.<ref>Crampton, pp. 115–116; Santoro, p. 233</ref> A [[Crown Council of Romania|Crown Councillor]], he then threw his reluctant support behind the [[National Renaissance Front]], created by Carol II as the driving force of a pro-fascist but anti-Guard [[one-party state]] (''see [[1938 Constitution of Romania]]'').<ref>Țurlea, ''passim''; Veiga, pp. 245–248, 250, 262–265. See also Butaru, p. 293</ref> Iorga was upset by the imposition of uniforms on all public officials, calling it "tyrannical", and privately ridiculed the new constitutional regime's architects, but he eventually complied to the changes.<ref>Țurlea, ''passim''</ref> In April, Iorga was also at the center of a scandal which resulted in Codreanu's arrest and eventual [[extrajudicial killing]]. By then, the historian had attacked the Guard's policy of setting up small commercial enterprises and charity ventures. This prompted Codreanu to address him an open letter, which accused Iorga of being dishonest.<ref>Deletant, pp. 34, 43–44; Ornea (1995), pp. 314–316, 336–337; Veiga, pp. 250, 271</ref> Premier [[Armand Călinescu]], who had already ordered a clampdown on Guardist activities, seized Iorga's demand for satisfaction as an opportunity, ordering Carol's rival to be tried for libel—the preamble to an extended trial on grounds of conspiracy.<ref>Deletant, pp. 34–35, 43–44; Ornea (1995), p. 316; Veiga, pp. 250–251, 271–272</ref> An unexpected consequence of this move was the protest resignation of General [[Ion Antonescu]] from the office of [[Ministry of National Defense (Romania)|Defense Minister]].<ref>Deletant, p. 44</ref>

Iorga himself refused to attend the trial; in letters he addressed to the judges, he asked the count of libel to be withdrawn, and advised that Codreanu should follow the [[insanity defense]] on the other accusations.<ref>Ornea (1995), pp. 316–317</ref> Iorga's attention then moved to other activities: he was Romanian Commissioner for the 1938 [[Venice Biennale]],<ref name="sedint">[http://www.seductiveness-of-interval.ro/pages/istoric_en.swf "History"]{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, at the [https://web.archive.org/web/20090422164129/http://www.seductiveness-of-interval.ro/ Venice Biennale Romanian Pavilion: ''Seductiveness of Interval'']; retrieved 23 February 2011</ref> and supportive of the effort to establish a Romanian school of genealogists.<ref>Rădulescu, p. 342</ref>

In 1939, as the Guard's campaign of retribution had degenerated into [[terrorism]], Iorga used the Senate tribune to address the issue and demand measures to curb the violence.<ref name="ivliii-liv">Iova, pp. liii–liv</ref> He was absent for part of the year, again lecturing in Paris.<ref name="sț47">Țurlea, p. 47</ref> Steadily publishing new volumes of {{Lang|ro|Istoria românilor}}, he also completed work on several other books: in 1938, {{Lang|ro|Întru apărarea graniței de Apus}} ("For the Defense of the Western Frontier"), {{Lang|ro|Cugetare și faptă germană}} ("German Thought and Action"), {{Lang|ro|Hotare și spații naționale}} ("National Borders and Spaces"); in 1939 {{Lang|ro|Istoria Bucureștilor}} ("[[History of Bucharest]]"), {{Lang|ro|Discursuri parlamentare}} ("Parliamentary Addresses"), {{Lang|ro|Istoria universală văzută prin literatură}} ("World History as Seen through Literature"), {{Lang|ro|Naționaliști și frontiere}} ("Nationalists and Frontiers"), {{Lang|ro|Stări sufletești și războaie}} ("Spiritual States and Wars"), {{Lang|ro|Toate poeziile lui N. Iorga}} ("N. Iorga's Complete Poetry") and two new volumes of {{Lang|ro|Memorii}}.<ref name="ivliii-liv"/> Also in 1938, Iorga inaugurated the open-air theater of Vălenii de Munte with one of his own dramatic texts, {{Lang|ro|Răzbunarea pământului}} ("The Earth's Revenge").<ref name="ivliii"/> The total number of titles he presented for publishing in 1939 is 45, including a play about [[Christina of Sweden]] ({{Lang|ro|Regele Cristina}}, "King C[h]ristina")<ref name="ivliv">Iova, p. liv</ref> and an anti-war cycle of poems.<ref name="nmpolonia"/> Some of his [[Anglophile]] essays were printed by [[Mihail Fărcășanu]] in ''Rumanian Quarterly'', which sought to preserve [[Romania – United Kingdom relations|Anglo–Romanian cooperation]].<ref name="azsistemul">{{in lang|ro}} [[Alexandru Zub]], [https://web.archive.org/web/20110605223243/http://convorbiri-literare.dntis.ro/ZUBfeb5.html "Sistemul de la Versailles. Considerații istoriografice"], in ''[[Convorbiri Literare]]'', February 2005</ref>

Iorga was again Romanian Commissioner of the Venice Biennale in 1940.<ref name="sedint"/> The accelerated political developments led him to focus on his activities as a militant and journalist. His output for 1940 included a large number of conferences and articles dedicated to the preservation of Greater Romania's borders and the anti-Guardist cause: {{Lang|ro|Semnul lui Cain}} ("The [[Mark of Cain]]"), {{Lang|ro|Ignoranța stăpâna lumii}} ("Ignorance, Mistress of the World"), {{Lang|ro|Drumeț în calea lupilor}} ("A Wayfarer Facing Wolves") etc.<ref name="ivliv"/> Iorga was troubled by the outbreak of [[World War II]] and saddened by the [[fall of France]], events which formed the basis of his essay {{Lang|ro|Amintiri din locurile tragediilor actuale}} ("Recollections from the Current Scenes of a Tragedy").<ref name="ivliv"/> He was also working on a version of ''[[Prometheus Bound]]'', a tragedy which probably reflected his concern about Romania, her allies, and the uncertain political future.<ref name="nmpolonia"/>