Vlad the Impaler: Dracula Ruler who killed 80,000 people
Vlad III was Prince of Wallachia famous as Vlad the Impaler and Dracula who killed around 80,000 people during his reign of terror. He turned out to be the worst ruler of the 15th century.
Few names have inspired greater fear in the hearts of people than Dracula. Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel of the same name gave rise to a mythical vampire. His Dracula idea has inspired countless horror films, television series, and other spine-tingling vampire stories.
Although Dracula may appear to be a unique creation, Bram took Dracula’s inspiration from a real-life man named Vlad III, or more popularly, Vlad the Impaler.
Early Life of Vlad the Impaler
Vlad III was born in 1431 in Transylvania, a mountainous region of present-day Romania. His father was Vlad II, the ruler of Wallachia, a principality territory lying south of Transylvania.
Vlad II received the name “Dracul” which means “Dragon” after joining the Order of Dragon, a Christian military order backed by the Holy Roman Emperor.
Transylvania and Wallachia located between Christian Europe and Muslim areas of the Ottoman Empire were frequently the sites of terrible clashes. This was because Ottoman Muslim Turk forces moved westward into Europe while Christian Crusaders resisted invaders or marched eastward into the Holy Land (Jerusalem and its surrounding areas).
Following the clashes, Vlad II was summoned to a diplomatic meeting with Turk Sultan Murad II in 1442 to negotiate on territory matters. Vlad II also brought his sons, Vlad the Impaler and Radu to the meeting.
However, the meeting proved a trap as Turk forces took all three of them into custody. They imposed conditions to release Vlad II in exchange for his two boys leaving behind.
Years of Captivity
Ottomans taught Vlad the Impaler and his younger brother science, literature, and arts during the captivity. Vlad also learned how to ride a horse and fight battles from the Ottomans.
Some historians claim Vlad may have also been jailed and tortured for some of his captivity years. While he was in jail, he saw Ottoman enemies being put on spikes (impalement).
However, things got worse for the rest of Vlad’s family in 1447 when local warlords of Wallachia overthrew his father as ruler. They also murdered him in the wetlands close to Belteni, Wallachia. Vlad’s elder brother, Mircea also fell victim to the oppression of warlords who tortured, blinded, and buried him alive.
The turning point in Vlad’s life came after six years of brutal murder of his family in 1453 when Ottomans captured Constantinople (today’s Istanbul). They threatened to invade all parts of Europe. Hence, Ottomans put Vlad the Impaler in charge of organizing an army to repel an invasion of Wallachia.
Vlad successfully defended his native territory in 1456 and one-on-one beheaded Wallachia ruler Vladislav II. He also killed local warlords who betrayed his father and brutally murdered him and his brother. Afterward, he ascended thorne as Wallachia monarch.
Reign of Vlad the Impaler
The Ottoman Turks were always on Vlad’s mind who had a special grudge against them for holding him prisoner for decades. He was looking for an opportunistic moment to avenge his captivity years.
The vengeance moment came in 1459 when Ottoman diplomatic officials met Vlad. He asked them to remove their hats but they refused because it was their religious tradition. After complimenting them on their religious devotion, Vlad ensured their hats would stay on by nailing them to the officials’ heads.
During one of his many successful battles against the Ottomans, Vlad wrote to a military ally in 1462:
“I have killed peasants, men, and women, old and young, who lived at Oblucitza and Novoselo, where the Danube meets the sea. Aside from the Turks whose homes were set on fire and whose heads were cut off by our troops, we killed 23,884 Turks. So, your Highness, you should know I broke the peace.”
Vlad the Impaler
People in Wallachia, Transylvania, and the rest of Europe were proud of Vlad’s triumphs over the Ottomans. Even Pope Pius II was impressed. But Vlad also developed a much darker reputation. It is reported that he allegedly dined in a forest full of assassinated warriors bleeding on impaled rods.
It’s unclear whether claims of Vlad III Dracula dipping his bread in his victims’ blood are accurate. But stories of his horrible satanism circulated throughout Europe.
Massacre of thousands of people
Vlad is said to have killed around 80,000 people through various brutal torture methods. This comprises approximately 20,000 victims who were impaled and displayed outside the city of Targoviste.
Vlad III was called “the Impaler” because of his preferred method of killing, which involved impaling his enemies on stakes. After impaling, he left the victim to die slowly, often suffering immense pain and bleeding. This brutal tactic earned him a fearsome reputation during his rule in Wallachia.
Impalement is the act of piercing with a sharpened stake as a form of punishment or torture. It causes a penetrating wound by piercing a blunt object, such as a pole, stake, hook, or spear, piercing the body.
Death of Vlad the Impaler
Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II observed the extent of Vlad’s slaughter and the hundreds of dead bodies being torn apart by crows. He became determined to end the terror reign of Vlad III.
Vlad and a small group of warriors were attacked in 1476 while marching to another fight with the Ottomans. Meanwhile, Ottomans assassinated and beheaded Vlad III. His head was presented to Sultan Mehmed II in Constantinople as a prize to display over the city’s entrance.
Conclusion
Vlad the Impaler left behind a horrifying trail of violence and fear. He was known for brutally punishing people by pinning them on spikes, which gives him a scary reputation that still fascinates and scares people today.
Some people may disagree about how bad his crimes were, but there is no doubt that he left a huge effect on Eastern European history. Even though his enemies killed him in the end, Vlad’s name goes on as a reminder of how evil people can be and how terrible it is when power gets uncontrolled.
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