David Prodan (1902–1992) was a prominent 20th-century Romanian historian, academic, and archivist, widely recognized as the definitive expert on the social history of Transylvania, particularly regarding serfdom and the peasantry. Born on March 13, 1902, in Cioara (now Săliștea), Alba County, he studied history and philosophy at the University of Cluj, graduating in 1924. He dedicated most of his career to this city, working extensively at the State Archives in Cluj and later as a university professor, earning full membership in the Romanian Academy in 1955. Prodan’s historical research rejected superficial ideological narratives in favor of rigorous, document-driven analysis based on decades of exhaustive archival work. His monumental contributions focused primarily on three areas: the meticulous study of feudalism and serfdom in Transylvania, the social and political dynamics of the 1784 Horea, Cloșca, and Crișan Revolt, and the Romanian national awakening, famously analyzed in his landmark book Supplex Libellus Valachorum. He passed away on June 11, 1992, in Cluj-Napoca, leaving behind a lasting legacy as one of Romania's most objective and respected modern historians.