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VLAD THE IMPALER

By Ryan Yango Jahns

(Edited for length and clarity by Dan Jahns)

Dracula, the Prince of Darkness, is the most famous vampire, a monster who feasts on blood and can turn humans into vampires with blood from his fangs.  This fictional creature, created by Irish author Bram Stoker in 1897, is rumoured to have been inspired by an historical figure named Vlad III of Wallachia, a.ka. "Vlad the Impaler".  He is said to be one of the most important rulers in Wallachian history and a national hero in Romania. Some of the most important aspects of his life are his early life, his family and his nickname.  Vlad III is not a well known historic figure internationally, but he is an important one, particularly in Romania and Hungary. 

Early Life

It is uncertain when Vlad III was born, but it is believed to have been somewhere between 1428 and 1431 and likely after 1429 after his father, Vald II (a.k.a. Vlad Dracul) settled in the Transylvanian Saxon town of Sighisoara.  Back then Sighisoara was in Hungary.  Vlad Dracul was also a ruler of Wallachia.  He passed down the name of Dracula to his son Vlad III.  "Dracula" means "Son of the Dragon" in medieval Romanian and was acquired when Vlad II joined the Order of the Dragon a group that was dedicated to stopping the Ottoman Empire's expansion. 

The Order rose to prominence in the first half of the 15th century, mainly in Germany and Italy. It declined in the late 1430s after the founder's death, but emerged again in 1453 after Constantinople fell to the Ottomans. It continued to help countries like Hungary, Serbia and Romania who took the brunt of the Ottoman incursions. 

Family 

Vlad III Dracula's family is complicated.  It's full of betrayal, hostage situations, and more betrayal.  When Vlad III and his younger brother Radu were young they were kept as hostages in the Ottoman Empire to secure their father, Vlad II's, loyalty.  The Ottoman Sultan liked Radu better than Vlad III, but still valued Vlad's seriousness and thought he could be of use in the future.  The Sultan, after learning that John Hunyadi, the leader of Hungary, had killed Vlad III and Radu's father and their older brother, he prepared Vlad III to take the throne of Wallachia from Vlad's cousin Vladislav II.  

John Hunyadi then launched a military campaign gainst the Ottomans and Vladislav II.  This gave Vlad III time to reclaim the throne.  But only for two months until Vladislav returned and kicked his cousin out.  Vlad III subsequently ruled two more times until his death. During his second rule, Basarab Laiota cel Baltran was the one who kicked him out. Basarab was another cousin of Vlad III.  During Vlad III's last rule, his younger brother Radu was his predecessor AND his successor after Vlad III was killed.  

Nickname & Legacy

Vlad III's nickname "Vlad the Implaer" has a gory and gruesome origin story. Vlad III's first victims were disloyal boyars (landed aristocracy who yielded a lot of power and served as advisor's to Vlad and other voivodes). Vlad III had them impaled on spikes for their treason. He also killed the Ottoman Sultan by impaling him on a stake while he was still alive.  He allegedly killed thousands of people in one village. 

Some stories say that some Ottoman soldiers came to what they thought was a forest.  As they got closer they saw that it was a forest, but a forest of dead people, impaled on spikes. He then tried to impale Mehemed, his childhood friend when he was held by the Sultan and son of the Sultan who he killed previously. But he was unsuccessful and Vlad III was killed in a subsequent battle. Even though Vlad III ruled Wallachia three times his time as ruler amounted to less than seven years. And although many people think of him as a cruel leader, most people in Romania view him as a national hero.  

What do you think?  On one hand Vlad III killed many people (some estimates are up around 400,000).  But on the other hand, he was a brave leader who protected his country's independence from foreign invaders including Hungary and the Ottoman Empire with Machiavellian cunning.