Ghost Stories: Drac Facts
Okay so it’s a bit late but better late than never right?
So how did this 15th century prince become one of the greatest Hollywood icons ever?
Vlad The Impaler
In 1431, Vladislav Dracul III was born in Transylvania, Romania. In time he would grow to be the cruelest Prince to rule what is now Southern Romania. His father was assassinated, making him ruler in 1456. It was during this time that Vlad became known as Vald the Impaler. As he was famous for taking his enemies and impaling them on spikes to sit outside his castle. Most people would still be alive, and take days to die. Birds would begin to eat the rotting flesh and their screams of pain would echo over the land.
Vlad’s country was in a terrible state of disarray and he used harsh, and often direct measure to gain order and respect quickly in his country. He needed a economically stable country if he was going to survive the ever raging war on his borders. The early parts of his reign were physically eliminating any possible threat to his power.
Bran Castle, Vlad Home
Vlad was captured by the Turks, and later by the Hungarians. His brother had his eyes burned out with red hot irons and then burned alive. Even after all of this, he still reclaimed his throne twice over. During one of Vlad’s foray’s into Transylvania, he managed to capture another prince. It’s been documented that Vlad made this prince read his own eulogy while kneeling over his own grave shortly before he was executed.
Vlad wasn’t a force to be reckon with. While another battle waged on, Vlad pulled back into the mountains leaving a trail of impaled corpses along the way. The Turkish Sultan halted his advance because the smell of rotting flesh. Vlad was sadistic, but clever.
In 1462, Vlad’s first wife died after reading a message that an enemy army was on the move. She threw herself from a tower into the tributary of the Arges River. Legends say that she said “would rather have her body rot and be eaten by the fish of the Argeş than be led into captivity by the Turks.” Today that tributary is known as the Lady’s River or Princess River.
With his first wife, he had a son, who took the throne in 1508. Vlad also married again, after his captivity by the Hungarians. This wife also gave him two sons, though neither names of the sons were recorded.
Image of the Impale Forrest
It’s been recorded that Vlad the Impaler had between 40,000 and 100,000 victims. In the German stories of Vlad the Impaler, his lists of tortures would include impaling, torturing, burning, skinning, roasting, and boiling people, feeding people the flesh of their friends or relatives, cutting off limbs, drowning, and nailing people’s hats to their heads. He did not limit himself to men, but also included women, children, infants and even babies. Religion, social status even age and race did not stop him.
While details of his tortures are too graphic for me to post and because it is simply something my stomach cannot handle here is the link to the Wiki page on Vlad. I give fair warning now, that wiki page does contain graphic content not suitable for younger readers.
Vlad Dracul was decapitated by the Turks in 1476. (Thank the Gods for that.)
Vlad at Ripley's
Now how did Vlad the Impaler become the inspiration to Dracula? Stoker probably came across it in his research. More modern research is now claiming that the novel leans more towards Elizabeth Bathory, who killed her servants and drank their blood in order to stay young. More to come on Elizabeth Bathory on Saturday. But honestly who would read a book called Bathory the Vampire? Not me. Then again I’ve not read Dracula either.
As I wrap this post up, I invite you to come back tomorrow when Tim will cover the Hollywood side of this famous inspiration we know as Dracula.
Keep it real and rockin’
<3
Black Mask & Pale Rider: Part Twenty-Eight
Shani and Pania must push back the zombie hordes as they attempt to discover the reason for this invasion of undead.
