The first reign of Vlad III Dracula

The first reign of Vlad III Dracula

In September of 1448 the army of John Hunyadi (Iancu of Hunedoara) passed the Danube and head south to reach the Albanese troops of Scanderbeg (G। Castriota). Michael Szilagyi and the Wallachian prince Vladislav II helped Hunyadi in this campaign; they siege Vidin fortress and capture 3000 prisoners. The campaign continues, however on the way back attacks Hunyadi’s army, defeats them and Janos Hunyadi manages to escape, Vladislav II and his 4000 men retire slowly. Meantime Vlad attacks Wallachia, left without any real army and set he on the throne.

An Ottoman chronic places the action in 1449 : “The next year [after the battle of Kosovo] Murad II build the fortress of Giurgiu. From here he attacks Wallachia and set Vlad on it’s throne; he gives him a coat of arms and a flag, in a ceremony coat, as well as many favors”.

In reality Vlad arrived in Transylvania much faster this chronic was thinking, on October 31 he was already occupying the Throne of Târgoviste, from where he sends a letter to the mayor and senators of Brasov Town, as a response to a message of a Hungarian boyar. He manages to avoid a trap set by Nicola of Ocna Sibiului, an invitation to capture Vlad (after his father has been made prisoner in the same manner by the Turks, was easily understandable that Vlad is vary careful to every trip he makes). He reponds that he cannot honor the invitation to rich Ocna Sibiului before Hunyadi returns from the war, mentioning that Murad 2 captured Hunyadi. And if he would go to Brasov the Turks will destroy both Wallachia and Transylvania.

The first rign of Vlad Dracula is pretty short: on December, 7th in Constantinopole arrives the news that Vlad has been defeated by John Hunyadi, that also condemned him to death। However this is not true, as Hunyadi manages to get free only by Christmas time. So was Vladislav II, turned back from Kosovo, to make Dracula leave the Wallachian throne and go to Moldavia, in exile.