Who was Vlad Tepes alias Dracula

What could be the connection between the bloodiest Romanian rulers and the main caracter of a novel named Dracula? Well, the two are the same person, and the story of Vlad Tepes takes place in Romania. he was a ruler in Transylvania, who illustrated in many ways. Let’s have a look at him.

Vlad Tepes, Or Vlad III the impaler

Vlad III Basarab, nicknamed “the Impaler” was the prince of Wallachia. This is the historical figure that inspired Bram Stocker to create the story of Dracula.

Vlad Tepes was born between 1431 and 1436 in Sighisoara in Transylvania according to legend, and died in December 1476 near Bucharest.
Vlad III was also nicknamed Drăculea, meaning son of the dragon in medieval Romanian.

This historical character was taken up by Bram Stoker for the legend of the literary character, Count Dracula.

The historical context takes place in the middle of the 15th century during the thrust of the Ottoman Empire threatening the Christian countries of Eastern Europe and the Holy Roman Empire. During this period, Wallachia was one of the principalities still resistant to Ottoman pressure despite an oscillating relationship with the Turkish Empire, between a period of war and vassalage to the Ottoman Sultan.

At the time of Vlad Țepeș, the throne was then disputed between the cousin families Basarab, the Basarab-Danescu and the Basarab-Draculescu, the Drăculea negotiated peace with the Turks while the Danescu called on the Hungarians to help them fight the Sultan.

In 1447, Vlad’s father, Vlad II Dracul, (“the Dragon”, a nickname given that he was a member of the Order of the Dragon) concluded a peace with the Ottomans. In November of the same year, Jean Hunyadi (voivode of Transylvania and governor of Hungary) being at war with Vlad Dracul, undertakes a punitive expedition against Vlad II, considered a traitor of the Order of the Dragon.

The latter was captured and killed allowing Jean Hunyadi to proclaim himself in December 1447 “voivode of the transalpine regions” (beyond the Alps of Transylvania).

By this title, he then elected to the throne of Wallachia one of the Danesti, the son of Dan II, Vladislav II.

The Draculesti are then ousted from power.

In 1448, taking advantage of Vladislav’s absence, Vlad III Țepeș arrived to seize the throne with a troop of Turkish cavalry and a contingent of troops, but Vladislav chased him away as soon as he returned.

Vlad must then go into exile in Moldavia where he befriends the future Etienne III of Moldavia.

The fall of Constantinople to the Turks in 1453 changed the situation, Jean Hunyadi left to defend Belgrade against the Ottoman attacks and entrusted Vlad Țepeș with an army to defend Wallachia and Transylvania.

But Vlad then took the opportunity to regain the throne of Wallachia and killed Vladislav II in battle in August 1456.

He then reigns for six years, consolidating his power by centralizing authority, he buys or eliminates the boyars who would try to destabilize him.

Vlad III would then be known for his reign as a bloodthirsty ruler, he is therefore nicknamed “the Impaler” because he would take malicious pleasure in torturing the least opponent to his authority and chastising them with the method that inspired his nickname, impalement . Making him a sovereign feared by all.

Vlad Țepeș was allegedly assassinated by Turks during a fight in 1476.

His head would have been given to the Sultan to be fixed on a stake in order to dispel the fear he inspired by the assurance of his death.

Discover our article about Poienari Castle here.

Legends say that Vlad Țepeș would have impaled his own soldiers found on the battlefield wounded in the back (showing that they would have tried to flee in front of the enemy) and he would have impaled one out of twelve soldiers among those who refused to go in combat. The executioner refusing, Vlad would have pierced him on the spot.

The bloodthirsty side of Vlad Țepeș would have given the inspiration for the character of Count Dracula.

Maybe you wonder about what did Vlad tepes eat, since the novel about Dracula speaks mainly about blood. Discover it in our article about what did Vlad the Impaler eat. Cick here !

You may as well learn more about where did Vlad Tepes live, and especially about Targoviste, the city where Vald Tepes settled and had his real Castle (not Bran castle). Click here to learn more about Targoviste.