Vlad The Impaler, The True Dracula Essay -- essays research papers

Vlad the Impaler, a.k.a. Vlad III, Dracula, Drakulya, or Tepes, was born in late 1431, in the citadel of Sighisoara, Transylvania, the son of Vlad II or Dracul, a military governor, appointed by Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund. Vlad Dracul was also a knight in the Order of the flying lizard, a secret fraternity created in 1387 by the Emperor, sworn to keep Christianity and defend the empire against the Islamic Turks. Transylvania, along with Moldavia, and Wallachia, are now joined together as Romania. The name Dracul can be interpreted in cardinal ways, the first translation from Romanian would be "Dragon", but it sometimes also means "Devil". Vlad was not called Tepes, which means ""spike" in Romanian, until afterward his death instead, he was known as Vlad Dracula, the added "a" meaning "son of", so essentially, throughout his life, he was known as the "son of the Devil". magical spell growing up with such a name would normally present problems for most of us, Vlad certainly did not seem to mind, as he really did abide up to his title but before we look upon the exploits of the son, let us learn a bit more about the father. In 1436, Vlad Dracul took over the nates of Wallachia, taking up residence in the palace of Tirgoviste. It was there young Vlad Dracula would get his first taste of the opulent lifestyle, and perhaps also where the living creature within would begin to grow. Merely two years later, in a strange turn of events, Vlad II betrayed the Order of the Dracul, forming an alliance with the Turks. He even went as far as allowing Sultan Murad II to keep his two sons, Vlad Dracula, and his younger brother Radu, as "insurance" that he would not plan to strike against the Turks.In the winter of 1447, Vlad Dracul was assassinated in a coup orchestrated by one of his relatives, John Hunyadi, who had devoted his life to fighting the Ottoman Turks, and did not admire of Vlad Draculs pro-Turkis h policy. Vlad Dracula was granted his freedom following his fathers death, but Radu decided to stay behind. In addition to learning of his fathers demise, Vlad was also told his older brother, Mircea had had his eyes gouged out, and been buried awake(p) by the boyars of Tirgoviste. While in captivity, Vlad had grown resentful, and vowed to have his revenge. The throne of Wallachia, which would have normally been reserve... ...ese veins?" He held up his arms. "Is it a wonder that we were a conquering race, that we were proud, that when the Magyar, the Lombard, the Avar, the Bulgar, or the Turk poured his thousands on our frontiers, we drove them back?" Count Dracula alsop ststes that "Who was it but one of my own race who as Voivode crossed the Danubeand beat the Turk on his own cause?" Van Helsing explains that another way to insure a vampire will not return is to cut off its head. Vlad the Impaler was rumored to have been decapitated. Van Helsing also theori zes that "He must, indeed, have been that Voivode Dracula who won his name against the Turk." In Francis Ford Coppolas feature film "Bram Stokers Dracula", actor Gary Oldman is shown wearing an armor sporting the "Order of the Dragon" insignia, and a fair amount of background is given on the Character which was not in the book but is based on the historical Vlad Dracula. Again, In Coppolas adaptation, Prince Vlad Draculas wife Elisabeta is shown committing suicide to avoid capture in exactly the same manner as Vlad the Impalers wife during the capture of his castle by the Turks.