[SubZero61992]

I just discovered that Dracula was once a real person!

I never had thought anything about a real Dracula when seeing movies with his name on it.

Does anyone have a link where I can learn more on the REAL Dracula?

[SubZero61992]

Oh, and sorry if this is in the wrong forum.

[MOD EDIT: Yes it was, so I've moved it! Hobbit]

[Expendable]

Vlad Die Tepes

Vlad the Impaler - http://www.vladtheimpaler.com/

World Royalty - http://www.royalty.nu/Europe/Balkan/Dracula.html

The real Dracula wasn't a vampire. Just remember that.

[SubZero61992]

Whew!
I was afraid!

( Just kidding. :( ;) )

[SubZero61992]

Well, it seems no one really knows anything about him.
So I dont see how I can learn.

I know few things now to the links, but still, he was unknown.

I am not really interested, it was just shock to learn Dracula once lived and when you're young you just think of some evil vampire. ( wait a minute!)

[Vladimir]

huh, thought everybody knew that.. nasty fella, that

[Boiler]

There are quite a few books about Vlad Tepes and his father. Historians actually know pretty much about him.

However, the two books I have are in German and I don't know if they are available in English.

[algernoninc]

true story: yes, it's possible i have some of his blood running through my veins ... I will tell more ... meet me at midnight, behind the church ...

ok, joke aside, I'm a romanian, so i have learned about him in primary school. he's a major figure of our middle age history. he lived in the 15th century, a baron with legitimate claims to the Vallachian throne. Romania was at that time split in three smaller kingdoms: Vallachia and Moldavia - vasals to the Turks - but still under home rule; and Transilvania - conquered and ruled by Hungary - but still with a dominant romanian population. He was born in Transilvania, and he was put on the throne of Vallachia by the machinations of the Turk overlords and the local gentry. This throne was not for the faint hearted. Like many of his western europe counterparts, he was ruthless and merciless. he ruled through fear and intrigue.
His real name is Vlad, surname TEPES, sometimes DRACUL. in Romanian dracul = devil, and a teapa = a wooden pole that was used to "crucify" enemies and criminals - as it was a simple stake. the crucifixion consisted of driving it through the person's anus and raise him in the air on top of it. quite horrible...

he is famous for several exploits: he refused to pay tribute to the turks, so they sent an army to correct him. being outnumber something like 100 to 1, he chose guerilla tactics - burning crops and poisoning wells in front of the advancing enemy. he attacked them one night with his cavalry dressed in ottoman uniforms and wrecked havoc in the camp with the turks killing each other. it is said that after this attack the turks retreated back over the Danube in dissarray, harrassed continually by the elusive vallachs. When they sent an emmisary to negociate a new peace deal, he was greeted by forests of wooden stakes, each with an impaled enemy on top. the emissary was horrified, and the peace deal was to our advantage.

the second story is about his sense of justice. he was relentless in pursuing infractors, and he was liberal in using the wooden stakes against even prtty criminals. but the folclore sais you could leave a bag of gold on the ground, and nobody will dare to pick it up, for fear of punishment.

he was finally betrayed by his own barons, and forced to flee to exile and prison in Transilvania. he died there, forgotten by all.

the vampire story originated more than a 100 years later, in some hungarian chronicles, who painted him blacker than he was, to illustrate the barbarian customs of their neighbors. Historians also found chronicles of a hungarian countess who used to bathe in the blood of her serfs, hoping to attain eternal youth. Bram Stoker used these legends at the height of the romantic literary movement, to create his now famous personage.

romanian government is using now this hollywood cliche to attract tourists. We even have a castle that is promoted as Dracula castle, even if the man hasn't actually lived in it. But it is close to the place were he was born, and also close to autoroute and hotels - BRAN Castle , near Brasov. still the castle is a good example of medieval architecture, and worth a visit.

finally, i hope this is long enough for you curiosity. i think i have somewhere on my computer a portrait or two from the history books, but i'm too lazy to search.

[AuntiePam]

Algernoninc, thanks for sharing that. I'd heard of Vlad Tepes as the basis for Dracula, but never bothered to check out the real story. Sounds like an interesting guy, and an effective ruler. Makes me really glad I live in the 21st century. :)

[AuntiePam]

Weird. I'm listening to NPR now, and they're doing a history of Dracula on their Talk of the Nation program, in honor of Halloween.

If anyone's interested, they usually archive the show so you can listen on your computer. www.npr.org

If you're reading this at 2:45 PM CST on 10/26, turn on your radio. :)