Vlad III Tepesh: biography, interesting facts and legends

The figure of the most famous vampire in the world for a few centuries has acquired a layer of various myths, truthful and not very, and our present task is to understand the mysterious appearance of the sinister prince. He is associated with a national hero who fought for justice, who did not know mercy a cruel and bloody ruler, and everyone knows the famous image of books and films in the imagination of the legendary bloodsucker, enchanted by the passions. Many people who followed the popular adaptations, the blood was chilled in veins from the horrifying atmosphere, and the vampire theme, enveloped in a flair of mystery and romance, becomes one of the main things in cinema and literature.

The birth of a tyrant and assassin

So, the story of Vlad Dracula began at the end of 1431 in Transylvania, when the heroic voivode of Basarab the Great, who fought valiantly against the Turks, was born a son. I must say that it was far from the most beautiful baby, and it is with his repulsive appearance that some historians associate the pathological manifestation of cruelty. The incredibly powerful boy with the protruding lower lip and the cold eyes of the bulge had unique properties: it was believed that he saw people through and through.

The young Count Dracula, whose biography was full of such terrible stories, after which he even became confused by his intellect, was considered an unbalanced man with a lot of strange ideas. Since childhood, my father has taught little Vlad to own weapons, and his fame as a cavalryman literally thundered throughout the country. He swam beautifully, because in those days there were no bridges, and therefore constantly had to overcome the water by swimming.

Order of the Dragon

Vlad II Dracul, who belonged to the elite Knightly Order of the Dragon with strict military monastic orders, wore a medallion on his chest, like all his other members, in the form of a sign of his belonging to society. But he decided not to stop at this. From his presentation on the walls of all the churches and on the coins that went in the country, there are images of a mythical fire-breathing animal. The nickname Dracula converts infidels to Christianity the prince received in the order. It in translation from Romanian meant "dragon".

Compromise solutions

The ruler of Wallachia, a small state situated between the Ottoman Empire and Transylvania, was always ready to attack from the Turks, but tried to make compromises with the Sultan. So, in order to preserve the state status of his country, Vlad's father paid a huge tribute of wood and silver. At the same time, there were duties for all the princes - sending their sons hostage to the Turks, and if uprisings broke out against the domination of the conquerors, the children would inevitably die. It is known that Vlad II Drakul sent two sons to the Sultan, where for more than 4 years they were held in a voluntary captivity, which means the pledge of a fragile peace, so necessary for a small state.

It is said that the fact of a long stay away from the family and the terrible executions witnessed by the future tyrant left a special emotional imprint on him, reflecting on the already shattered psyche. Living at the Sultan's court, the boy saw a manifestation of cruelty towards all who are obstinate and opposed to power.

It is in the captivity of Vlad III Tepesh that he learns about the murder of his father and elder brother, after that he gets freedom and a throne, but after a few months he flees to Moldova, fearing for his life.

Cruelty coming from childhood

Historical chronicles know the incident when a riot was raised in one principality, and in retaliation for this offspring of the ruler, who were held hostage, blinded. For abducting the Turks' products, their stomachs were ripped open, and for the slightest fault they were put on the stake. Young Vlad, repeatedly forced under the threat of reprisal to renounce Christianity, 4 years, watched such terrible spectacles. It is possible that the daily rivers of blood and influenced the unstable psyche of the young man. It is believed that life in captivity and became the very impetus that contributed to the appearance of brutal cruelty to all naughty.

Vlad's nicknames

Born in a dynasty, on behalf of which later became known as Bessarabia (ancient Romania), Vlad Tepes is mentioned in documents as Basarab.

But where did he come from the nickname Dracula - the opinions diverge. Two versions are known, explaining where the son of the sovereign received this name. The first says that the young heir was named the same as his father, but to the inherited nickname he began to add the letter "a" at the end.

The second version says that the word "dracula" is translated not only as a "dragon", but also as a "devil". And just so famous for his incredible brutality Vlad was called by his enemies and intimidated locals. Over time, to the nickname Dracul for the convenience of pronunciation in the end of the word the letter "a" was added. A few decades after his death, another nickname is the merciless killer Vlad III - Tsepesh, which was translated from Romanian as a "claw" (Vlad Tepes).

The reign of merciless Tepesh

The year 1456 marks the beginning of not only the short reign of Dracula in Wallachia, but also a very difficult time for the country as a whole. Vlad, who was particularly ruthless, was cruel to his enemies and punished for any disobedience of his subjects. All the perpetrators died a terrible death - they were put on a stake, which differed in length and size: for the common people, low weapons of murder were chosen, and the executed boyars were visible from afar.

As the ancient legends say, the prince of Wallachia had a special love for the groans of the agonizing and even held feasts in places where the unfortunate suffered from incredible torment. And the appetite of the ruler only increased from the smell of decaying bodies and the cries of the dying.

He was never a vampire and did not drink the blood of his victims, but the fact that he was an obvious sadist who was happy to observe the sufferings of those who did not obey his rules is known reliably. Often executions were of a political nature, for the slightest disrespect followed retaliatory measures leading to death. For example, those who did not take off the turbans of the Gentiles who arrived at the prince's court were killed in a very unusual way - driving nails into the head.

The Lord, who did much to unite the country

Although, as some historians say, documented deaths of only 10 boyars, the conspiracy of which killed Dracula's father and his elder brother. But the legends call the huge number of its victims - about 100 thousand.

If the legendary ruler is viewed from the point of view of a statesman whose good intentions to free his native country from the Turkish invaders were fully supported, then one can confidently assert that he acted on the principles of honor and national duty. Refusing to pay a traditional tribute, Vlad III Basarab creates from among the peasants the people's militia, which forces the Turkish soldiers to retreat, who came to deal with the disobedient ruler and his country. And all the prisoners were executed during the city holiday.

A fierce religious fanatic

Being extremely religious person, Tsepesh fanatically helped monasteries, giving them as a gift of the land. Having found reliable support in the person of the clergy, the bloody ruler acted very farsightedly: the people were silent and obeyed, because virtually all of his deeds were consecrated by the church. It is difficult to imagine how many prayers about the ruined souls were offered to the Lord every day, but sorrow did not pour into a furious struggle against the bloody tyrant.

And what is surprising - so great his piety combined with incredible ferocity. Wanting to rebuild a fortress, the cruel executioner gathered all pilgrims who came to celebrate the great feast of Easter, and forced them to work for several years, until their clothes decayed.

The policy of clearing the country of antisocial elements

In a short time he eradicates crime, and historical chronicles tell us that the gold coins left on the street continued to remain in the same place where they were thrown. No beggar or vagabond, of whom there were many in those troubled times, did not dare even to touch wealth.

Consistent in all his endeavors, Lord Walachia proceeds to implement his plan to cleanse the country of all thieves. Such a policy, as a result of which anyone who dared to steal, waited for a speedy trial and painful death, gave its fruits. After thousands of deaths on a fire or a block, there was no one willing to take someone else's, and unprecedented honesty of the population in the middle of the XV century became a phenomenon that does not know analogs in the entire history of the world.

Order in the country due to cruel methods

Mass executions, which have already become a familiar matter, are the surest way to gain glory and remain in the memory of descendants. It is known that Vlad III Tepesh did not like gypsies, famous horse thieves and slackers, and still in the camps he is called a mass murderer who killed a huge number of nomadic people.

It should be noted that all who attracted the wrath of the ruler perished irrespective of their position in society or nationality. When Tepesh learned that some merchants, in spite of the strictest ban, established trade relations with the Turks, in order to edify all the others, they put them on a stake in a huge market square. After this, those who wished to improve their material situation at the expense of the enemies of Christ's faith were not found.

The war with Transylvania

But not only the Turkish sultan was dissatisfied with the ambitious ruler, the power of Dracula, not suffering defeat, began to threaten the merchants of Transylvania. The rich did not want to see on the throne of such an unbridled and unpredictable prince. They wanted to put on the throne their favorite - the Hungarian king, who would not provoke the Turks, exposing all neighboring lands to danger. A prolonged slaughter of Wallachia with the Sultan's troops was not needed, and Transylvania did not want to enter into an unnecessary fight, which in the event of hostilities would be inevitable.

Vlad Dracula, having learned about the plans of the neighboring country, and even the leading trade with the Turks, banned on its territory, became extremely angry and struck an unexpected blow. The army of the bloody ruler burned the Transylvanian lands, and those who had public weight were planted on the stake.

12-year-old conclusion of Tepesh

This story ended pitifully for the tyrant himself. Outraged by cruelty, the surviving traders turned to the last resort - an appeal for the overthrow of Tsepesh with the help of a printed word. Anonymous writers wrote a pamphlet describing the ruthlessness of the ruler, and added a little about the plans of the bloody conqueror.

Not expecting a new attack, Count Vlad Dracula is caught off guard by Turkish troops in the same castle, which he built unhappy pilgrims. By the will of chance, he fled the fortress, leaving his young wife and all his subjects to death. Outraged by the brutality of the sovereign, the European elite only waited for this moment, and the fugitive imprisons a Hungarian king who claimed his throne.

The death of the bloody prince

Tsepesh spends a long 12 years in prison and even becomes a Catholic for his political reasons. Accepting the forced obedience of the tyrant for obedience, the king releases him and even tries to help him to ascend to the previous throne. Twenty years after the beginning of the reign, Vlad returns to Wallachia, where angry residents are waiting for him. The Hungarian army, accompanying the prince, was defeated, and not going to fight with the neighbors the king decides to extort a tyrant to the state, which suffered from his atrocities. Learning of this decision, Dracula again runs, hoping for a lucky chance.

However, fortune turned away completely from him, and the tyrant accepts death in battle, but the circumstances of his death are not known. Boyars in a fit of anger cut the body of the hated ruler into pieces, and his head was sent to the Turkish sultan. Remembering the good of the monks, who supported the bloody tyrant in all, quietly bury his remains.

When a few centuries later the figure of Dracula became interested in archaeologists, they decided to open his grave. To the general horror, it was empty, with traces of garbage. But next to it we find a strange burial of bones with an absent skull, which is considered to be Tepesh's last shelter. To prevent the pilgrimage of modern tourists, the authorities transferred the bones to one of the islands guarded by monks.

The birth of a legend about a new vampire victim seeking

After the death of the Wallachian sovereign, a legend was born about a vampire who did not find shelter in heaven or in hell. Local residents believe that the prince's spirit has taken on a new, equally terrible disguise and is now scouring at night in search of human blood.

In 1897, the light saw the mystical novel of Bram Stoker, describing the insurrectionary Dracula, after which a bloodthirsty ruler was associated with a vampire. The writer used real letters of Vlad, preserved in the chronicles, but a large amount of material was still invented. Dracula Bram Stoker appears no less merciless than his prototype, but aristocratic manners and a kind of nobility make of the gothic character of this hero, whose popularity is only growing.

The book is considered as a symbiosis of science fiction and a novel of horrors, in which ancient mystical forces and modern realities are closely intertwined. As the researchers say, the memorable appearance of the conductor Franz Liszt served as inspiration for creating the image of the protagonist, and many details were borrowed from Mephistopheles. Stoker clearly indicates that the count of Dracula receives his magical power from the devil himself. Vlad Tsepesh, turned into a monster, does not die and does not rise from the coffin, as described in the early novels about vampires. The author makes his character a unique hero crawling on vertical walls and turning into a bat, always symbolizing evil spirits. Later this little animal will be called a vampire, although he does not drink any blood.

Reliability effect

The writer, who carefully studied Romanian folklore and historical evidence, creates a unique material in which there is no author's narrative. The book is only a documentary chronicle, consisting of diaries, transcripts of the main characters, which only strengthens the depth of the narrative. Creating the effect of genuine reality, Dracula Bram Stoker soon becomes an unofficial bible of vampires, in which the rules of a world alien to us are spelled out. A carefully traced images of the characters appear alive and emotional. It is believed that the book is an innovative art, made in the original format.

Shield

Soon the book is filmed, and the first actor who played Dracula, becomes a friend of the writer. His Vlad Tepesh is a vampire with noble manners and attractive appearance, although Stocker described an unpleasant old man. Since then, the romantic image of a young handsome man has been exploited, against which heroes come together in a single impulse to save the world from the universal evil.

In 1992, the director Coppola screened the book, inviting the leading actors to the main roles, and Dracula himself was brilliantly played by G. Oldman. Before the filming began, the director forced 2 days for everyone to read Stoker's book for maximum immersion in images. Coppola used various techniques to make the film, like the book, as realistic as possible. He even shot the black and white camera footage of the appearance of Dracula, which looked very reliable and frightening. Critics believed that the vampire, played Oldman, was as close to Vlad Tepes, even his make-up resembled a real prototype.

Dracula's castle is for sale

A year ago, the public was stirred by the news that the most popular tourist attraction in Romania was put up for sale. The gloomy fortress Bran, in which allegedly slept during his military campaigns, Tepesh, is sold by her new master for fabulous money. Dracula's castle once wanted to redeem the local authorities, and now the world famous place, which brings fabulous profits, expects a new owner.

According to the researchers, Dracula never stopped in the considered cult place for all fans of vampire works, although local residents will vying to tell freezing traditions about the life of the legendary ruler in this fortress.

The lock described in the smallest details of Stoker only became the scene of the horror novel, which has nothing to do with the ancient Romanian history. The current owner of the castle refers to the old age, which does not allow him to conduct business. He believes that all costs will pay off in full, because the castle is visited by about 500 thousand tourists.

A real gold mine

Modern Romania fully uses the image of Dracula, attracting numerous tourist flows. They will tell you about the ancient castles in which the bloody atrocities of Vlad III Tepes were created, even despite the fact that they were built much later than his death. High-yielding business, based on unflagging interest in the enigmatic figure of the ruler of Wallachia, provides an influx of sect members for whom Dracula is the spiritual leader. Thousands of his fans make a pilgrimage to the places where he was born to breathe the same air.

Few people know the true story of Tsepe, taking on the faith created by Stoker and numerous filmmakers as a vampire. But the story of the bloody ruler, who does not shun anything for the sake of achieving his goal, begins to forget over time. And when Dracula's name comes to mind, only a ghastly ghoul comes to him, which is very sad, because the fantastic image has nothing to do with the real tragic personality and those terrible crimes that Tsepesh committed.