Secrets About Vlad The Impaler (The Real Dracula) That Only Romanians Know – TheTravel

Vlad III, most commonly known as Vlad the Impaler or Vlad Dracula, was one of the most notorious rulers in history. He is widely regarded as an evil figure who ruled over Wallachia in present-day Romania three times after inheriting the throne from his father, Vlad Dracul. His reign is thought of as a dark period in Romanian history by foreigners, but Romanians seem to think of Vlad in a more positive light. Keep reading to find out some surprising secrets about Vlad.

It is generally accepted that Vlad the Impaler was a strict and vicious ruler who imposed harsh penalties on his subjects and even harsher penalties on his enemies. Some historians estimate that, during his reign, he had more than 50,000 people executed for crimes ranging from petty theft to treason. Fear was a significant tactic when it came to controlling the local population, as the penalties were so severe that most people didn't want to break the law.

He was given the name Vlad the Impaler because one of his favorite methods of execution was to impale victims on sharp spikes. It has been theorized that if Vlad were living in our modern society, he would be charged with crimes against humanity and genocide.

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His reputation as a particularly cruel and sadistic man began during his lifetime, however, some modern historians and many modern Romanians doubt whether Vlad really was as cruel as he was portrayed to be. Eventually, the ruler was killed in battle and buried in an unknown location, survived by his second wife and two sons.

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Around the world, Vlad III is closely associated with the fictitious Dracula and widely regarded as a villain. But in Romania, the majority of people view him as a national hero because he played a major role in protecting Romanian lands from the advancing Ottoman Turks.

Although Romanians acknowledge that Vlad was guilty of cruelty and violence, many believe that this was necessary in order to strengthen the government, enforce public order, and prevent the tyranny of the boyars, many of whom were impaled. Rather than viewing Vlad himself as a tyrant, the majority of Romanians believe him to have been a reformer who left a positive influence on Romanian history rather than a negative one.

A 2016 survey conducted in Romania reveals that 35% of Romanians would vote Vlad III into Office today, making him the most popular Romanian historical figure in the survey.

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Its not just the amount of executions that Vlad carried out that cemented his reputation as a villain. The cruelty with which he handed out punishments is also taken into account. Legends say that Vlad would eat his meals in the presence of impaled prisoners and dip his bread into the blood that dripped from their bodies. The ruler is also said to have ordered a woman to be executed for making a shirt that was too short for her husband and nailed turbans to the heads of Turkish messengers who refused to take them off in his presence.

But many Romanians believe that these stories are rooted in myth rather than fact and were circulated as a form of propaganda that intended to portray all of Eastern Europe as primitive and evil. Some historians agree that stories of his cruelty were invented, or at least embellished, by groups like the Saxons.

Although theres no denying that he was a harsh ruler, many Romanians argue that he was no more brutal than the average prince of the time and should not be judged by modern standards. Still, the truth should never get in the way of a good story. The narrative of a deathly pale man who drank blood has inspired one of the world's most entertaining stories.

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Vanessa is a 25-year-old freelance writer based in Adelaide, Australia. She loves Johnny Cash and thinks 'realistic' is an ugly word.

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Secrets About Vlad The Impaler (The Real Dracula) That Only Romanians Know - TheTravel