The "Real" Dracula
Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), AKA Prince Dracula
Dates: 1431-1476
"Dracul": Prince of the Order of the Dragon (Dracul=Dragon, also "Devil")
- Founded 1387 by Holy Roman Emperor
- Wore black cape and dragon insignia medallion
Place: Transylvania
- Ruled in Romania near Black Sea
- For some astonishing images of "Draculand, plus a fascinating travel diary, consult the "Dracula Home Page" maintained by Professor Elizabeth Miller of Newfoundland, Canada.
Here is a sample (images are being called from her site, so be patient. They are worth the wait):
- Area vulnerable to invasion, disease
- Conquered by Turks,Tatars
- Vlad spent time as Turkish captive, learned new forms of torture
- Saw father and brother killed, became ruthlessly ambitious
Reputation for Cruelty
May have killed tens or even 100,000 people,
especially by impaling and torture.
- Killed "unchaste" women, "bad" wives
- Killed entire families and villages suspected of disloyalty
- Killed off poor workers, blind, crippled, sick,vagabonds, beggars, etc. by burning them to death at a banquet
- Nailed hats to heads of certain religious visitors
- Allegedly liked to watch victims suffer and die; allegedly practiced cannibalism or drank blood
Became known as vampire from words = "blood-monster" or "blood-drinker"
Are you interested in the horror genre?
For more about vampires
and other monsters,
I invite you to visit the page that describes my forthcoming book,
The Naked and the Undead.
Return to:
Dracula Background Home Page