Vlad the Impaler, or as he is also known, Vlad Dracula. One of the most important rulers
in Wallachian history and a national hero in the land that is now known as Romania,
his life treads a fascinating balance between history and myth. But beyond the surreal vampire
connections, the real life man led a fascinating life, albeit one that left a legacy of intense
cruelty. But who really was Vlad Dracula, beyond the legend? Let’s find out together,
right now. Born in the early 1400s, Vlad was the second
legitimate son of Vlad the second Dracul. The title of Dracul borne by his father was
due to his membership in the Order of the Dragon, a religious military organisation
dedicated to halting the Ottoman advance into Europe.
Vlad the second Dracul became ruler of Wallachia, a region of modern day Romania, in 1436. He
had three legitimate sons, Mircea the eldest, Radu the youngest and Vlad in the middle who
was to become Vlad the Impaler. Initially refusing to support the Ottoman
Sultan Murad the second, Vlad Dracul and his two youngest sons were forced to travel to
Gallipoli to demonstrate their loyalty to the Ottomans or risk destruction. All three
men were captured and imprisoned. Eventually Vlad Dracul was released but his sons remained
behind to ensure his loyalty. Despite this, Vlad Dracul went on to openly
support the King of Poland and Hungary against the Ottoman forces. He believed that his sons
had been murdered to avenge his betrayal but upon finding out this was not the case, he
again attempted to reconcile with the Sultan and agreed to pay a yearly tribute.
Vlad and Radu were sent back to Wallachia but it would not be long before they would
freely return to the Ottoman empire. The famed Hungarian general John Hunyadi,
fighting so defiantly to hold back the Ottoman tide flooding across Eastern Europe, upon
learning of the Wallachian agreement with the Sultan invaded the territory and killed
Vlad Dracul and his eldest son Mircea. Vlad the younger and Radu were barely able to escape,
fleeing back to the Ottomans. Thus began the relentless struggle for power
that would dominate the rest of Vlad’s life, fighting amongst the continuously shifting
alliances and wars of the complex medieval european political landscape.
Hunyadi installed Vladislav the second, yes another Vlad – it was a popular name, as
the ruler of Wallachia. Shortly after, Vladislav accompanied Hunyadi on a military campaign
against the Ottoman empire, leaving Wallachia unguarded.
Vlad seized this opportunity with both hands and returned home at the head of a small Ottoman
army, seizing back his home. Meanwhile Hunyadi was defeated by the Ottomans
at the battle of Kosovo meaning that Vladislav returned to Wallachia, forcing Vlad and his
small force to flee once more, back to Ottoman territory. His occupation of his homeland
had been bitterly brief, but his first taste of rule, however short, only hardened his
resolve. He could afford to be patient. In exile once more, Vlad eventually settled
in Moldavia where he befriended the Stephen, the son of the local ruler Bogdan. Stephen
who incidentally would go on to be known as Stephen the great and play his own vital role
in the fight against the Ottomans. When Bogdan was murdered, Stephen and Vlad fled to Transylvania
to seek assistance from none other than Hunyadi himself, fresh from sealing his own peace
with the Ottomans. With a brief period of peace secured, Vlad
returned to Moldavia where little is known of his time until he would reappear several
years later at the head of an army to once more attempt to retake Wallachia from Vladislav.
This time he was successful and with Hungarian support, Vladislav was killed and Vlad the
third was finally installed as the ruler of Wallachia. He wasted no time in securing his
authority, putting to death hundreds, maybe thousands, of people that he believed had
been complicit in the murder of his father and brother. By seizing the property and wealth
of those he killed and redistributing it amongst the remaining population, he quickly revolutionised
the affairs of Wallachia. This was the first warning of the brutality that Vlad was capable
of as a ruler. He would be forced to fight immediately to
keep hold of his power, battling Saxons and more pretenders to his throne. In particular,
Dan the third, brother of the late Vladislav, raised an army and broke into Wallachia, but
Vlad defeated and executed him, invading the surrounding regions that had been loyal to
his enemy and impaling captured prisoners on stakes as a punishment and warning for
defying his rule. His reputation for cruelty already clearly well deserved, the nickname
Vlad the Impaler seems perhaps a fitting one. It was at this point that he switched allegiances
once more. Having previously been the recipient of shelter and aid from the Ottoman empire,
Vlad suddenly halted the tribute payments that had kept Wallachia safe for many years.
The sultan eventually summoned Vlad to Constantinople for talks whilst secretly arranging for several
of his officials to capture Vlad as soon as he crossed the Danube. Vlad received word
of the trap however and defeated the men sent to capture him, executing them immediately.
He was not content with merely avoiding the trick however, and he instead went on the
offensive. Approaching an Ottoman fortress, Vlad gave
orders to the commander in fluent Turkish convincing him to open the gates, enabling
his soldiers to break in and easily capture the fort. He continued to invade deeper into
Ottoman territory, devasting villages along the river Danube. Sultan Mehmed the second
was ultimately forced to respond, and he raised a huge army of 150,000 men. Some sources suggest
the Sultan was intent on ending Vlads rule once and for all and had even promised Wallachia
to Vlads younger brother Radu who deserted to join the Ottomans.
The huge force landed at a port along the Danube and set off in pursuit of Vlad. Grossly
outnumbered, the Wallachian ruler was forced to resort to scorched earth tactics, retreating
and burning as he went. One night however, Vlad set a ruse of his own in motion and broke
into the Ottoman camp under the cover of darkness with the intent to kill the Sultan himself.
His force however made a crucial error and targeted the wrong tents, instead finding
only Viziers and not the Sultan. Soon after, the Sultans army entered the town
of Targoviste where Vlad had previously been camped. Here they discovered a truly unimaginable
scene. Described as a “forest of the impaled”, thousands of stakes lined the town with the
bodies of men, women and even children upon them. Utterly devastating, it is said the
Sultan was in fact impressed stating that a man who had done such a thing was worth
much, possessing the diabolical understanding of how to govern his realm and its people.
The fighting continued and Vlad was pushed back into Wallachia, the overwhelming numerical
disadvantage ultimately insurmountable. He won some minor victories, significantly defeating
his brother Radu several times. Despite this, more and more Wallachians, convinced there
was no victory over the powerful Ottoman empire, began deserting to Radu.
Vlad was forced to retreat to Translyvania where he held discussions with his ally Matthias
Corvinus the King of Hungary for weeks, desperately trying to convince his friend to support his
war against the Turks. Despite previously supporting Vlad in winning the throne of Wallachia
against the Ottomans, this time the Hungarian king was unwilling to get involved against
the might of the Turkish force and he ordered that Vlad was captured and imprisoned.
To provide an explanation and justification for this to the Pope, who had provided money
for the fight against the Ottomans, Corvinus forged three letters from Vlad that suggested
he had offered to join the Sultan against Hungary in return for peace and the rule of
Wallachia. Vlad spent 14 years in the captivity of the
Hungarians, his previous allies and friends. In the meantime, Wallachia was ruled by a
man named Basarab Laiota, a puppet of the Ottomans.
Eventually, Stephen the third of Moldavia, old friend of Vlad, was able to convince Corvinus
to release Vlad and recognise him as the lawful ruler of Wallachia. The Hungarians released
their prisoner, but did not provide any military aid in his quest to retain his kingdom for
the third time. More fighting ensued, and after another year
of struggle, Vlad was finally able to reclaim the rule of Wallachia with the support of
Stephen. As with the first time however, this reign was also not long lived and Ottoman
forces soon returned in strong numbers. In the ensuring battle, Vlad was defeated and
this time killed. His head was sent to the Sultan and his body chopped into pieces. His
final burial location is unknown to this day. Thus ended the life of Vlad the Impaler, a
national hero remembered for his willingness to fight against the Ottoman invaders and
never give up. Remembered also for his brutality, the nickname Vlad the Impaler well earned.
Since his death another dimension has been added to his legend with the popularity of
Bram Stokers Dracula novels. Whilst there is no direct evidence that Vlad was the inspiration
for the character, the name and location have merged over time to become intrinsically linked,
adding an air of mysticism to the legend of this brutal but beloved medieval ruler.