Hunedoara Castle and Dracula

Hunedoara Castle and Dracula

Just a set of images of Vlad III Dracula and the Castle in Hunedoara where he was held prisoner by Matthias Corvinus, after his second reign:

Documentary about Vlad Dracula

Third party of the documentary speaks about the medieval town of Sighişoara, the house where Dracula was born in 1430 - 1431, his strange relation with John Hunyadi, governor of Hungary and ruler of Transylvania, a hero of Christian World. Hunyadi's castle in Hunedoara is also presented, with it's gothic architecture and his evolution in time. The legend explains history of Iancu of Hunedoara (John Hunyadi) by him, killing with an arrow ravens that steal his royal ring. Therefore the Hungarian kind decided to give him the lands around Hunedoara, as well as put the raven on John's coat of arms.
Then we can see the ruins of Vlad's princely court in Târgovişte, his first residence as Wallachian ruler. Chindia Tower is also to be seen near the ruins. While is true what the documentary mentions, that Vlad's punishment methods are similar to the one use during middle-ages by other rulers like Ivan Third, Luis 11th, Families of Visconti, Sforza and Borgia, Richard IIIrd or The Inquisition. However I'd say the punishments of Dracula spread allover Europe because he exposed them, he used terror to impose law and order in Wallachia. Is unbelievable people were used to this, were watching this "spectacles" with a strange joy, satisfaction and happiness.
While we are not sure about how Vlad Dracula died, the theory presented (his killing by one of his men) could be true, but there are no proofs to sustain this.

Vlad the Impaler (Dracula) preparing to seize the Wallachian Throne

After the Moldavian prince Bogdan II gets killed by the men of Petru Aron Vlad goes to Transylvania, probably Sighisoara or Brasov.

John Hunyadi seems to tolerate this as he was afraid Vlad will form an ally with the Turks.
But was not a good moment for that. the new sultan, that will remain in history as Mehmed II the Conqueror, son of Murad II, was preparing the siege over Constantinople and for this he needed to conclude the peace with Hungary and Austria. On November, 20^th, 1451 he signed a three years armistice with Hungary. This was also considering the position of Vladislav, principle of Walachia. His throne was "guaranteed" until the end of the armistice, and if he dies before the end of the armistice no part would have the power to nominate a principle, therefore they will respect the one that the country will choose.

On February, 6^th, 1452, Hunyadi sends a letter to inhabitants of Brasov, mentioning that Vlad Dracula is preparing to attack Vladislav, the Wallachian Prince. He announces them that he has signed a non-belligerence agreement, therefore he will do nothing against Vladislav. Because he knows that Vlad lives in Brasov and prepares to conquer the Wallachian throne without letting him (Hunyadi) know and against his wish. Therefore the inhabitants of Brasov had to disallow Vlad to pass into Wallachia, and to capture him.

Therefore, as Vlad is under his protection he will take care that he is safe and sends him to Moldavia. In Moldavia was Alexandrel occupying the throne again (he had easily defeated Petru Aron with the help of Poland’s King. Vlad however leaves Brasov heading West, to exit the Saxons territory. He was had to avoid not only Hhunyadi’s men, but also the inhabitants of Sibiu, that were forbidding him to enter them town (Stuhl). In Geoagiu, near Orastie, two men of Hunyadi set him a trap that could have been fatal. Vlad III manages to escape and address Hunyadi directly. This one proposes Vlad III to take him under his protection as a subordinate, but Vlad, son of a prince, refuses. This irritates John Hunyadi (Iancu de Hunedoara - in Romanian) which sends Vlad to Moldova (as results from a letter that Iancu de Hunedoara sent to the inhabitants of Brasov in 1452, March, 30th).

On October, 6th,1453 Alexander swear fidelity and obedience to King of Poland. In fact Moldavia was paying tribute to the Ottoman Empire since May, the same year.

The True Story of Vlad Dracula

The Dark Prince: the true story of Vlad Dracula (part 3):

Vlad marry the beautiful Lidia, daughter of a nobleman, just when she was about to go to a convent.
He obtain from Hunyadi the Wallachian Throne. On his return he is shocked by the poverty people lives in, by the unfair treatment they have from the boyars (unguilty people being beaten in the public square, just for ...not being rich enough).
He decides to change the things, even by risking his life! After killing the ruling prince, Vladislav (called Karl in the movie, I don't know why) Vlad claims the throne of Wallachia. People is happy about it, he promises justice and freedom for all

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.

The adolescence of Vlad III – The Impaler

The life of Vlad III, from 1436 to the first reign
In 1444, at the age of 13-14, Vlad III is sent together with his brother to the High Ottoman Porch as a warranty of the loyalty of his father, Vlad Dracul to the Ottomans. We don’t know details about his stay in Adrianopole, however we can suppose he was in a kind of half-liberty /half-prison state there.

The peace of 12 -24 April 1444, between Murad II and the delegation of representants of John Hunyadi (Iancu of Hunedoara), the Hungarian king , and George Brankovic was establishing the situation of the Romanian Country – Wallachia and of its ruler, Vlad Dracul. He had to pay the “tribute” and also to send his elder son to the Ottoman court. In June 1444 King Ladislav validates the peace . Vlad Dracul pays his duty, but not wanting to sacrifice Mircea, the old son, send instead Vlad (the future Dracula) and Radu.
(Unfortunately he is informed too late about the decision of Ladislav and the Hungarian high court to set the war on Turks.) So Vlad end up in Egrigoz, (Asia Minor) , from where most probably he get moved to Adrianopoli.

Might be the period spent on Turkish territory that developed in Dracula a sense of cruelty that he later applied in Wallachia. I remember that the Turks were very well organized people, as well as devoted to them chief (Murad II by that time).

After the killing of Vlad Dracul by John Hunyadi on Wallachia’s throne is now Vladislav II, that manifests fidelity to Hunyadi.

In 1448 John Hunyadi passed the Danube together with an army of Hungarian and Wallachian troops and attacks the Turks, but , after the battle of 17-19 October, in Kosovopolje, Turks end up victorious. Huniady manages to escape and, after being captured by the people of Brankovic (that meantime negotiated the peace with the Turks), has to pay a high price for his liberty. Vladislav, instead has a big surprise at his return in Wallachia: the throne has been seized by Vlad Dracula, 18 or 19 years old, supported of the Ottomans.