Vlad the Impaler
Early Life
Vladimir Tepes was born the second son of Vlad Dracul and Cneajna in November or December of the year 1431 ("Vlad Dracula- Vlad the Impaler" 1-2). At the age of five, he incorporated membership to the Order of the Dragon, an organization composed of his father as well. He then which took the name Vlad Dracula, in which Dracula means son of dragon or devil. Later, when he turned thirteen, him and his younger brother Radu were sent as hostages to the Ottoman Empire. In the care of the Ottomans, he trained to become a knight and while in training witnessed torture and murders and sometimes participated in it (Miller 5). In addition, Dracula withstood being whipped or beaten by his captors because he acted rude and stubborn ("Vlad Dracula-Vlad the Impaler" 5). Many psychologists believe "these years were influential in shaping Vlad's character" and that with witnessing and undergoing these horrible acts that Vladimir's psyche would never rehabilitate ("Vlad Dracula-Vlad the Impaler" 5).
Rule
Dracula ruled Wallachia for three periods ("Real World Vampire: Vlad the Impaler" 4). The first period began when he released from prison in 1448, at the age of 17, after his father and oldest brother Mircea were assassinated ("Vlad Dracula" 2). He ruled for only a little bit because the Hungarian army ousted the Turks. He then fled to Mondavia and protected by his uncle ("Real World Vampire: Vlad the Impaler" 4). After the death of his uncle, he went to Hungary and became their puppet for the throne. The next period started in 1456, which lasted until 1462. During this period, Vlad the Impaler garnered his reputation of cruelness. The main goal extracted the nobles power of always electing a weak power figure. The last two years of his rule consisted of a war in the second period. During this war, as cited by "Vlad Dracula-Vlad the Impaler", that he "had to take some very hard and cruel decisions," to win the war (12). The last period was brief because he died in 1476 (Miller 7-10).
Dracula's Castles
Bran Castle
Tǎrgoviste, Real Palace
Castle Dracula in Poenari
Accounts of Cruelness
Death
Modern Literature and Media
Bram Stoker's "Dracula"
The story of Count Dracula, a man who is a vampire and enjoys the taste of blood in the streets of London.
Francis Coppola's 1992 version
With famous actors Anthony Hopkins, Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, tells the exuberant story of Count Dracula.
Midnight's Daughter Series by Karen Chance
A new twist on vampires, told from the point of veiw of Dorina Basarab, the daughter of Mircea, and the niece of the infamous Vladimir Dracula and Radu the Handsome.
Works Cited
- 1992 Movie Poster of Dracula. Digital image. Bram Stoker's Dracula. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bram_Stoker's_Dracula>.
- Bram Stoker's Dracula. Digital image. Reading Matters. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://kimbofo.typepad.com/readingmatters/2007/12/book-group-sess.html>.
- Bran Caslte. Digital image. Tumblr. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/bran-castle>.
- Castle Poenari. Digital image. Who Was the Real Dracula Used as a Basis of Bram Stoker's Work. Annoyz Veiw, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://annoyzview.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/who-was-the-real-dracula-used-as-basis-of-bram-stokers-work/>.
- Dollar, Maggie. "Real World Vampire: Vlad the Impaler." Suite101.com. Suite 101, 21 May 2011. Web. 13 Oct. 2012. <http://suite101.com/article/real-world-vampire-vlad-the-impaler-a372390>.
- Digital image. Vladimir Dracula Family Crest. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://www.designtoscano.com/product/medieval+and+gothic/new+medieval+and+gothic/count+dracula's+coat+of+arms+wall+plaque+-+cl6100/QuickView.do?sortby=>.
- Digital image. Vlad Tepes. Blue Ribbon Printing, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://www.donlinke.com/drakula/vlad.htm>
- Dracula Stakes. Digital image. The Myth. Dracula Land, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://wwwimobiliare.ro/myth.htm>.
- "Dracula." Vlad. Between Hero and Vampire Dracula, 5 Aug. 2006. Web. 13 Oct. 2012. <http://www.draculas.info/vlad_iii_dracula/>.
- Midnight's Daughter. Digital image. Take a Chance. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://www.karenchance.com/books_md.html>.
- Miller, Elizabeth, Dr. "Vlad The Impaler." Vlad The Impaler. N.p., 2005. Web. 13 Oct. 2012. <http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~emiller/vlad.html>.
- · Tǎrgoviste Ruins. Digital image. Panda's Blog. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://adapandabuled.blogspot.com/2010/11/vlad-draculla-impaler.html>.
- "The Vampire in Modern American Media." The Vampire in Modern American Media. Web Jewel, 2000. Web. 13 Oct. 2012. <http://www.dartmouth.edu/~elektra/thesis.html>.
- Unmarked Gravestone. Digital image. 123RF, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://www.123rf.com/photo_3680965_cemetery-with-rows-unmarked-gravestones.html>.
- "Vlad Dracula/Tepes - The Impaler." Vlad Dracula/Tepes - The Impaler. Castle of Spirits, 2001. Web. 15 Oct. 2012. <http://www.castleofspirits.com/vlad.html>.
- "Vlad Dracula." Vlad Dracula. HORRORFIND.com, 9 Nov. 2011. Web. 13 Oct. 2012. <http://usersites.horrorfind.com/home/horror/drlarry/vlad.htm>.