VLAD THE IMPALER Truth, legends and fiction

The history of Vlad the Impaler swirl around the misterry and legends, and the truth is that nobody knows where the legend is

finished leaving the place for history

The history began The history began when Vlad become when Vlad become ruler of Wallachia in ruler of Wallachia in 1456.1456. Historians Historians extol him as a patriot extol him as a patriot and a champion of and a champion of order in lawless time. order in lawless time.

The lThe legend egend began for began for the outside worldthe outside world withwith Dracula, the Dracula, the vampire count from vampire count from Bram StokerBram Stoker,s novel ,s novel of 1897-of 1897- “Dracula” “Dracula”

• Vlad the Impaler was born in Sighişoara, Transylvania in 1431,and raised at Targoviste after his father, Vlad Dracul, became Voivode of Wallachia in two periods (1436-1442) and (1443-1447). He was a knight of Dragon Order, a knightly order from Easten Europe which had as purpose stopping the expanding of pagan Turkish empire and of course of schismatic husit.

The heraldry of the The heraldry of the DragonDragon Order was Order was composed of acomposed of a dragon dragon whichwhich strangled itself strangled itself with its own tailwith its own tail ( (the tail the tail represented the pagan represented the pagan Turkish andTurkish and schismatic schismatic husihusitt) ) and a crossand a cross((the the sign ofsign of c chhrrisistitiananttyy)).. Vlad Vlad the Impaler or Vlad the the Impaler or Vlad the Devil wore this symbol Devil wore this symbol everywhere: on the flags, everywhere: on the flags,

coins, and sealscoins, and seals..

IIn antin antiqqitityy, DACI, DACIANSANS, , who who were the oldest inhabitants were the oldest inhabitants of this landof this land,, had as banner a had as banner a head of dragon or wolf head of dragon or wolf which was calledwhich was called DRACO. DRACO.

When the Christianity When the Christianity appearedappeared, Draco , Draco became became a a ssyymbol mbol of paganof pagan, , and the and the crosscross – –asas a symbol of a symbol of ChChrrisistitianityanity – –a means of a means of fight against itfight against it. .

The two elements The two elements finds again on the heraldry finds again on the heraldry ofof Vlad, Vlad, and the name of and the name of “Dracu”“Dracu”(devil) can (devil) can be put in direct link withbe put in direct link with DRACO, DRACO, which the which the ruler had it represented as heraldry on all his ruler had it represented as heraldry on all his thingsthings, , but it hasn’t any link with cruelty or but it hasn’t any link with cruelty or sadismsadism,, because it is well known that because it is well known that Vlad Vlad DraculDracul (the Devil) (the Devil), , the father of the father of Vlad Ţepeş Vlad Ţepeş (the Impaler) wasn’t a bloody ruler. (the Impaler) wasn’t a bloody ruler.

Vlad Vlad the Impaler become ruler of Wallachia in the Impaler become ruler of Wallachia in 14561456, , in a moment when the country was in a moment when the country was confrontedconfronted with Turkish Empirewith Turkish Empire from the from the exterior and with corruption and disorder from exterior and with corruption and disorder from the interiorthe interior..

In that situation to be able to cope with the In that situation to be able to cope with the external dangerexternal danger, , had to assure thehad to assure the order and order and the peace in the the peace in the interiorinterior first first. .

NNeither of othereither of other voivod voivodee before him didn’t before him didn’t succeedsucceed to make to make ordorderer inin the countrythe country, , because because the laws werethe laws were ap appliedplied in different ways for in different ways for richesriches people and for poor peoplepeople and for poor people..

VladVlad, for the first time in history shared justice , for the first time in history shared justice equally equally executing the same law executing the same law for poor and for poor and for richfor rich, , and customary means of punishment and customary means of punishment was impaling peoplewas impaling people. .

That had a good effect on That had a good effect on them because nobody dared them because nobody dared to break the lawto break the law..

The people say that at the The people say that at the will from the will from the princely yard princely yard Vlad Vlad put a golden cup with put a golden cup with which which all the passers-by to all the passers-by to drink waterdrink water. . People drunk People drunk water with that cup but water with that cup but nobody dared to steal itnobody dared to steal it

The same punishment The same punishment he applied to the he applied to the Turkish people who Turkish people who attacked the countryattacked the country. . Around the Around the TârgovişteTârgovişte fortress he impaled fortress he impaled aboutabout 20.000 20.000 Turkish Turkish prisonersprisoners, , that when the that when the Sultan wanted to attack Sultan wanted to attack the fortressthe fortress and saw the and saw the forestforest of stakes he was of stakes he was terrified and retired terrified and retired himselfhimself..

People say about People say about VladVlad the Impaler that he was a cruel the Impaler that he was a cruel ruler and thirsty for bloodruler and thirsty for blood. . This reputation is unfair This reputation is unfair referring to that epoch and especially to the situation referring to that epoch and especially to the situation of Wallachiaof Wallachia. . It is like a man would be accused It is like a man would be accused because he wounded or killed someone acting in self because he wounded or killed someone acting in self defense.defense.

Indeed Indeed , Vlad , Vlad shed a lot of bloodshed a lot of blood, , butbut not even a not even a document document didn’t attest that he would shed innocent didn’t attest that he would shed innocent blood.blood. In his stakes hung up enemies or people who In his stakes hung up enemies or people who were breaking the lawwere breaking the law..

In that epoch all the rulers used torture or In that epoch all the rulers used torture or executions as an effective meansexecutions as an effective means to enforce to enforce theirtheir authority or to frighten enemiesauthority or to frighten enemies..

In this way In this way proceededproceeded other Romanian other Romanian rulersrulers too, for instance we can name few of too, for instance we can name few of them:them: Al. Lăpuşneanu, Iancu de Hunedoara, Al. Lăpuşneanu, Iancu de Hunedoara, Ion Vodă cel Cumplit, Mihai Viteazul, Ion Vodă cel Cumplit, Mihai Viteazul, andand about Stephen of Moldaviaabout Stephen of Moldavia the chroniclerthe chronicler told us that was told us that was “ “hurriedhurried innocent innocent bloodshed bloodshed ”. ”. ((Grigore Ureche “Letopiseţul Ţării Moldovei”)Grigore Ureche “Letopiseţul Ţării Moldovei”)

Concerning aboutConcerning about foreign rulersforeign rulers their facts are their facts are more impressive if we mentionmore impressive if we mention Henr Henryy VIII VIII the the king of Englandking of England, , Louis Louis XIVXIV the king of the king of FranceFrance,, the executions from French Revolution the executions from French Revolution or the absolute champ of terroror the absolute champ of terror – – InquisitionInquisition. . Those cases were very bloody and a lot of Those cases were very bloody and a lot of innocent blood was shed that time. innocent blood was shed that time.

None of these rulers already mentioned didn’t getNone of these rulers already mentioned didn’t get VladVlad’s fame’s fame..

Till Till Bram StokerBram Stoker’s book’s book, Vlad, Vlad the Impaler ( the Impaler (ŢepeşŢepeş) ) was an obscure ruler of a small country from eastern was an obscure ruler of a small country from eastern Europe.Europe.

Bram Stoker Bram Stoker made him known firstmade him known first, , and than the and than the cinematic industry changed him into a malefic cinematic industry changed him into a malefic character in about character in about 750 750 filmsfilms, , documentaries ordocumentaries or serials. In that way he became known all over the serials. In that way he became known all over the world but in a false wayworld but in a false way,, as a vampire thirsty for as a vampire thirsty for bloodblood,, not as a ruler thirsty for justice and freedom not as a ruler thirsty for justice and freedom for his own country.for his own country.