Captivating History - Vlad the Impaler: A Captivating Guide to How Vlad III Dracula Became One of the Most Crucial Rulers of Wallachia and His Impact on the History of Romania

Vlad the Impaler

A Captivating Guide to How Vlad III Dracula Became One of the Most Crucial Rulers of Wallachia and His Impact on the History of Romania

Copyright 2020

All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the author. Reviewers may quote brief passages in reviews.

Disclaimer: No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, or transmitted by email without permission in writing from the publisher.

While all attempts have been made to verify the information provided in this publication, neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, omissions or contrary interpretations of the subject matter herein.

This book is for entertainment purposes only. The views expressed are those of the author alone, and should not be taken as expert instruction or commands. The reader is responsible for his or her own actions.

Adherence to all applicable laws and regulations, including international, federal, state and local laws governing professional licensing, business practices, advertising and all other aspects of doing business in the US, Canada, UK or any other jurisdiction is the sole responsibility of the purchaser or reader.

Neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility or liability whatsoever on the behalf of the purchaser or reader of these materials. Any perceived slight of any individual or organization is purely unintentional.

Introduction

T he medieval Balkans almost seems like uncharted territory to Western historians. Modern events such as the collapse of the Eastern Bloc, the Yugoslav Wars, the tension with the migrant crisis, and the hostilities between nations overshadow the fact that this area, which connects Asia Minor to Central Europe, is rich with a turbulent, bloody, and fascinating history. Some of the biggest and most important battles were fought in the medieval Balkans, resulting in a series of notable demographic and political changes that resonated throughout the rest of the continent.

But the Balkans arent mysterious simply due to its history. Another phenomenon seemed to have taken Europe by storm that originated from this area, that of vampirism. Ever since the first official cases of vampiric activity among the Serbian populace were written about by Austro-Hungarian newspapers in the 18th century, Europe could not get enough of the blood-sucking fiends. Other stories resurfaced, but the vampire hysteria reached its peak with the publishing of one novel in 1897, a novel that spoke of supernatural beings in Victorian England but whose main antagonist bore the name, or rather the nickname, of a historical figure who had, at that point, been dead for over 400 years.

The Balkans were the home of both the vampiric stories and the aforementioned monarch, whose name became synonymous with drinking blood and avoiding sunlight. That monarch was Vlad, the third ruler of Wallachia to hold that name, the second ruler to be associated with the Order of the Dragon (and to incorporate that into his name), and the first ruler to be associated with a gruesome act, that of impalement. Vlad III, Vlad epe in Romanian, also known as Vlad the Impaler or Vlad Dracula, was (and still is) a never-ending conversational piece among Romanian historians, medievalists, political analysts, literary critics, and even the common folk. This voivode (prince or duke) from a small Balkan land would not only become a terrifying figure that some of even the most powerful monarchs at the time would fear but would also become a fascinating individual worthy of entire poems, legends, and art pieces being devoted to him. And despite ruling very briefly compared to other monarchs at the time, he still left a very notable imprint on the political and social life of his native medieval Wallachia, as well as the countries surrounding it. He would become a man to take the throne no less than three times, get captured and held as a prisoner for decades no less than twice during his life, a father to children whose descendants would rule Wallachia well over 200 years after his death, and a man whose heroic and patriotic acts were overshadowed by literally hundreds of thousands of corpses.

In this book, we will focus on the turbulent and fascinating life of Vlad the Impaler. Before we delve into it, however, a fair warning to the fans of Bram Stokers novel should be issued. Though he wasnt a vampire himself, Vlad III did lead a life that would rival some of the best fictional characters out there. By reading onward, you might leave with the impression that Dracula, the figure who seduced young British women and bore himself as an aristocrat of elegance with a penchant to drink blood, pales in comparison to the historical figure he is merely based off of. Thats right; this book will illustrate that Vlad the Impaler, a seemingly insignificant lord of a small nation who barely had a few years to his reign, has more appeal than a fictional monster with otherworldly powers.

Naturally, there are many details about Vlads life that we simply do not know. Contemporary documents definitely exist, even some written by the man himself, but in terms of the necessary documentation to complete the picture, they are few and far between. In addition, there are decades of his life where almost nothing was written about him, making it even more difficult to maintain a single, unified image of Vlad. Fortunately, the interest for the voivode has not waned in the 21st century, as the scientific community keeps discovering new details about his life and adding to the significant wealth of information we already have.

The bulk of the book will deal with what Vlads political career looked like, what wars he waged, and how his life eventually ended. But well go one step beyond and cover some areas that historians dont typically focus on. In addition to raw facts, well also focus on what Vlad IIIs character was, what drove him forward, and what his chief traits might have been. In addition, we will give a much-needed focus on his successors and what life was like in Wallachia after his passing. Furthermore, youll also get a glimpse into some of the most popular myths and legends about Vlad III, some of which were written and passed on by both his supporters and his bitter enemies. All of these are needed to get as complete an image of Vlad as possible, which will help us understand what kind of man he was and what kind of impact his life had on those around him, as well as those who came after him.

Portrait of Vlad the Impaler at Ambras Castle, Innsbruck, Austria, circa 1560. [i]