Between MYTH And REALITY Dracula Between MYTH And REALITY

Dracula - a character that is always en vogue for so many centuries, is a name that inspired and still inspire many legends, a word that brings fear into some regions where it is spoken, show the real identity: demon, wear wolf, vampire, or fearless leader, unmerciful, unforgiving; a fighter for law, for justice and liberty. PowerPoint Show by Doina Music: HOT BLOOD - SOUL DRACULA

His father was Vlad II Dracul. The story of his reign in Walachia starts in 1436 when his father was named ruler of the region. Vlad had two brothers, Radu and Mircea. In 1442 together with Radu, he was taken hostage by Murad II due to political reasons. He remained a hostage until 1448 and his brother until 1462. The day of his release was marked by his father's loss, who was killed by Vladislav II. His father wasn't his only loss, Mircea was also dead. When he was 17 years old he tried to become ruler in Walachia, but after only two weeks he was defeated by Vladislav. On August 20, 1456 he managed to kill his enemy and after becoming voivode, he gathered all the noblemen responsible of his father and brother's death and gave them a punishment. The older ones were impaled and the others were taken to Poenari by foot to build a fortress on the ruins of an outpost on the Arges River. He remained in the history as Vlad the Impaler because of his methods of torture. At the beginning of the year 1462 he launched a campaign against the Turks on the Danube River and he killed over 38,000 people. He also killed the two emissaries of the sultan and this fact made Mohamed II desire revenge. So he ordered a campaign against Walachia with the purpose of transforming it in a Turkish province. Vlad had to retreat to Targoviste and he burned all the villages and poisoned the fountains so that the Turks would die of starvation and thirst. In the winter of 1462 our ruler obtained important victories, but the most important one was the one near the capital when Mohamed saw 20,000 Turks impaled, horrifying view. The place was then called "The Forrest of the Stakes". The scene had a great impact and Mohamed recognized the defeat, returning to Istanbul. After the retreat, he named Radu, Vlad's brother, ruler in Walachia. The voivode was married to a nobleman's daughter and they had one son, Mihnea cel Rau. The second wife was a relative of Matthias Corvinus of Hungary and they had two children. To avoid the Turkish prison his wife killed herself and Tepes managed to escape after he ran to Transylvania where he met Matei Corvin. Still, he was sent to prison in Visegrad, Hungary's capital. In 1475 he was recognized as Walachia's ruler for the third time, but for a short period of time. He was killed in the winter of 1476. His body was decapitated and the head was sent to the sultan, who put it in a stake. Many movies have been done after the story of this great ruler. They all show how brave and sometimes cruel he was. One click left if you want to go to the next slide

with Transilvania (a Romanian province), Vlad The Impaler - Vlad III was born in November/December 1431 in Sighisoara, Romania and died in December 1476. He was voivode and one of the greatest rulers of Walachia. Dracula, one of the most famous characters in the world, is always linked to Romania, more precisely, with Transilvania (a Romanian province), which is believed to be a foggy mysterious land, with lots of vampires and castles. Noone will ever forget this romantic vampire, sometimes bloody, sometimes lonely, but everytime restless.

Fifteenth century Wallachian prince Vlad Tepes is credited with being Dracula, the vampire-count featured in the classic horror story Dracula (1897) written by novelist Bram Stroker. Romanians make no association between the vampire and the historical figure of prince Vlad III, known in his homeland as Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), prince of Wallachia three times, in 1448, 1456-1462 and 1475. Vlad was known beyond Wallachia's borders as a feared fighter against the Turks and a ruthless ruler. Notorious for his brutal punishment methods, he gained the name Tepes (impaler) after his favourite form of punishing his enemie s - impaling on a wooden stake. The offenders would have to die in agony. Impaling was not unique in Europe. Tepes first cousin, Stephen the Great, is said to have impaled over 2300 Turkish prisoners in 1473. 

Dracula's birthplace That's where Vlad Tepes, the character used as an inspiration for Dracula was born and where he probably” drank” his first pint of blood.

Vlad Tepes "Dracula" - Bran Castle Commonly known as Dracula's Castle, the Bran Castle was originally a stronghold built by the Knights of Teutonic Order in 1212. The first documentary attestation of the Bran Castle is the act issued on November 19, 1377, giving the Saxons of Kronstadt (Brasov) the privilage to build the Citadel. The building started in 1378 as a defense against Turks and later became a customs post on the pass between Transylvania and Wallachia. From 1920 the castle became a royal residence until the expulsion of the royal family in 1948. On 1st October 1950, the Bran Castle was declared a historical monument. Today it functions as a very attractive museum of medieval arts. Vlad Tepes "Dracula" - Bran Castle

than in Eastern Europe and Romania. The reputation of Vlad Ţepeş (Dracula) was considerably darker in Western Europe than in Eastern Europe and Romania. In the West, Vlad III Ţepeş (Dracula) has been characterized as an exceedingly cruel madman.

Vlad Tepes "Dracula" engravings from 15th and 16th century Vlad Tepes reputation for cruelty spread everywhere in the Germanic region via printed pamphlets.  In 1462 a German manuscript appeared publishing his monstrous deeds, and this was followed by many more in Russia and Germany. No paintings of Vlad have been found in Wallachian churches. A copy of the 15th century original portrait now hangs in Ambras Castle in the Tyrol, and a miniature in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.

Bran Castle is famous for its association with the Dracula legend. The 15th century Wallachian prince upon whom the novelist Bram Stroker is (incorrectly) supposed to have his bloodthirsty vampire connected to the Bran Castle. In truth, Dracula may have attacked and briefly captured the castle in 1460, during one of his raids on Burzen Land. Is also believed that Vlad Tepes sought refuge for a few days in Bran on his flight from the Turks in 1462 following their attack on the Poienari fortress in Arges Valley. Legend has it that his wife flung herself out of the window of the Poenari castle to avoid being cuptured by the Turks and Vlad himself escaped over the mountains on horseback, fooling his pursuers by affixing horseshoes that left the impression of cow prints.

Vlad the Impaler Dracula Although the rule Of Vlad the Impaler Dracula was a short one, it was a period full of events and bloody conflicts that ended in cruel punishments as the breaking on the steak death, the breaking on the wheel or the beheading … so that Vlad the Impaler Dracula succeeded in acquiring numerous enemies who made all effort to backbite the brave, just and in the same time cruel leader.

The Nine Universal Anecdotes about DRACULA The Golden Cup The Foreign Merchant The Two Monks The Polish Nobleman The Foreign Ambassadors Dracula's Mistress The Lazy Woman The Nobleman with the Keen Sense of Smell The Burning of the Sick and Poor

This is the real Dracula castle. Vlad Tepes "Dracula" castle at Poenari His first major act of revenge was aimed at the boyars of Targoviste for the killings of his father and brother Mircea, and for their disloyalty to the Wallachian throne. On Easter Day in 1459, Dracula invited the boyars and their families to dine at his palace; guards then entered and seized them, impaling many forthwith while the remainder were marched off to work on his castle at Poeinari. This is the real Dracula castle. Situated on an abruptly rising rock north of the village, Poienari can be reached by climbing 1400 steps from the hydroelectric power station  4km north on the road from the village Arefu. The castle is small, one third having collapsed down the montainside in 1888. The prism shaped tower remains was Dracula's residencial quarters.

Govora Monastery founded by Vlad Tepes in 15th century

They took off their turbans, leaving the Turkish caps on their heads. Some soles came in front of Vlad the Impaler Dracula, sent by the sultan Mohamed II (The Emperor of the Turks). They took off their turbans, leaving the Turkish caps on their heads. Vlad the Impaler Dracula asked them why they were not taking the caps off, they answered that it was a custom in their country to leave the caps on. Vlad the Impaler Dracula ordered that the caps be nailed onto their heads, not to take them off at all, and sent them back to the sultan to inform him on “never to send his habit to other rulers “.

Believing in the effectiveness of his laws, Vlad the Impaler Dracula left a golden cup in the central market of Targoviste. The cup could be used by thirsty travelers, but it had to remain there. According to history, the cup has never been stolen and it was left almost unused.

Vlad Tepes "Dracula" – Document and monney, Bucharest, 1459

Snagov Monastery where Vlad Tepes is been buried Having married Matthias Corvin's sister, Vlad was released to continue the anti-Turkish struggle, and after spending a year in Sibiuin 1475, he regained the Wallachian throne in 1476, with the help of Matei. His victory did not last. Some reports indicate that Vlad was killed in a battle against Turks and others that Vlad was betrayed by the boyars and killed by one of his servants.  His head was sent to the Sultan as a gift, while the decapitated body was buried inside the church at Snagov Monastery, located on an isolated island near Bucharest.  When archaeologists in the early 1930's removed the marble slab that was supposed to be covering the Vlad's grave, they found an empty six-foot pit.

Vlad Tepes Statue in Sighisoara

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