A Short Biography On Some Of
Europe's Most Loved And Hated Monarch Vlad Tepes or Dracula
By Stuart Bazga
During the last thousand years, European Monarchs have ruled
Europe and the world with an iron fist and by fear, compassion
and hatred. As their wealth grew from the riches of newly
conquered continents and lands, they began building some of the
worlds greatest castles as a sign of their status and wealth,
leaving behind a legacy of beauty and splendor that has lasted
well into the 21st century.
These members of royalty have included tyrants, the mentally
insane, drunks and the psychotic, who have murdered for pleasure
and raped for enjoyment. They have imposed terrible taxes on
already poor citizens. They married for financial power and
traded in lives. Kinfolk were murdered so a favorable son could
rise through the ranks. As their power increased so did the
atrocities, bringing with it the hatred of a nation and its
people.
Join me as we take a trip back in time, discovering which
Monarchs were tyrants, mentally unstable, drunks and psychotic,
as well as those who were loved by their people.
This series of articles will highlight the lives of Vlad Tepes
(Dracula), King Ludwig II and King George III to name a few.
Vlad Tepes or Dracula was born in 1431, in the fortress
of Sighisoara, Romania. His father was the military governor of
Transylvania and a member of the Order of the Dragon. The order
was created in 1387 by the Holy Roman Emperor and his second
wife, Barbara Cilli.
In the winter of 1436-1437, Vlad(Dracul) became prince of
Wallachia and took up residence at the palace of Tirgoviste, the
princely capital. In 1442, he and his younger brother Radu were
taken hostage by the Turkish Sultan Murad II. Dracul was held in
Turkey until 1448, while his brother Radu decided to stay there
until 1462.
At 17 years old, Vlad, supported by troops lent to him by pasha
Mustafa Hassan, tried to seize the Wallachian throne but was
defeated by Vladislav II (who had earlier assassinated his
father and oldest brother ) after two months or armed conflict.
Vlad had to wait until 1456, when he was able to seek
retribution against his father's assassin.
Vlad's first act of vengeance was aimed at the boyars of
Tirgoviste for the killing of his father and older brother
Mircea. Around Easter of 1459, Vlad had all the boyar families
arrested and impaled the elder members on stakes while forcing
the others to march from the capital to the town of Poenari. He
then ordered them to build him a fortress on the ruins of an
older outpost overlooking the Arges River. Many nobles died in
the construction of this castle, the ruins of which can still be
seen today.
Vlad became known for his brutal punishment techniques; often
ordering people to be skinned, decapitated, blinded, roasted,
hacked, buried alive, stabbed and blinded to name a few. He also
liked to cut off his victim noses, ears and sexual organs. But
his favourite form of torture was impalement on stakes, hence
the surname "Tepes" which means "The Impaler"
in the Romanian language. It was this form of punishment that he
used against Transylvanian merchants who ignored his trade laws.
There are many tales about the psyche of Vlad Tepes. He was
known throughout the country for his fierce adherence to honesty
and order. Almost any crime, from lying and stealing to killing,
could be punished by impalement. Being so confident in the
efficiency of his law, Dracula placed a golden cup on display in
the central square of Tirgoviste. The cup could be used by
thirsty travellers, but had to remain on the square. It was
never stolen and remained entirely untouched throughout Vlad's
reign. He looked upon the poor, vagrants and beggars as thieves.
Consequently, he invited all the poor and sick of Wallachia to
his court in Tirgoviste for a magnificent feast. After his
guests had eaten and drunk their fill, Dracula ordered the hall
boarded up and set on fire. There were no survivors.
At the beginning of 1462, Vlad launched a campaign against the
Turks along the Danube River which was very successful, managing
several victories. In retaliation for these losses, the Sultan
decided to launch a full-scale invasion of Wallachia with an
army three times larger than Dracula's. Vlad was forced to
withdraw towards Tirgoviste, burning villages and poisoning
wells along the way.
These acts were designed to hinder the Turkish army in their
search for food and water. When the Sultan’s armies finally
reached the capital city, exhausted and hungry, they were
confronted by a horrific sight: thousands of stakes held the
bodies of some 20,000 Turkish captives, which came to be known
as "Forest of the Impaled." The scene which was laid
out before them had an immediate effect; the Sultan hungry and
worn out retreated. The Sultan Mehmed left the next phase of the
battle to Vlad's younger brother Radu who pursued his brother
and wife to Poenari castle on the Arges River.
Dracula's wife, in order to escape Turkish capture, committed
suicide by hurling herself from the upper walls, her body
falling down the cliff face into the river below.
Vlad managed to escape the siege and made his way to hungry with
the help of local peasants. Upon his arrival the Hungarian king
Matthias arrested Dracula and imprisoned him at the Hungarian
capital of Visegrad.
In 1475, Vlad Tepes again became prince of Wallachia where he
enjoyed a very short third reign. He was assassinated towards
the end of 1476.
I hope you have enjoyed reading about Vlad Tepes or as he was
better known-Dracula.
Stuart Bazga
About the Author: A Guide to Castles of Europe was born from
childhood dreams and aspirations. It is my hope to educate and
stimulate you into exploring these castles for yourselves. www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com
