Battle of Posada (Middle-Ages history)

Here is a short presentation of the middle ages battle of Posada (1330). Basarab I defeated Charles Robert of Anjou and preserved the suzeranity of the very young country, Wallachia.

Dracula joke

Dracula joke

Besides the numerous movies (I read somewhere that there are about 300 movies inspired by Dracula), the books and the songs, there are also some jokes about Dracula and the vampires.
Is true that these jokes are confusing people associating the vampires with the myth of Dracula, however I'm going to relate one that I heard yesterday evening on Italian Television RAI 1.

"Somewhere in Transylvania there was a castle (my comment: this is also confusing people: while Vlad the Impaler was born in Sighisoara, Transylvania) he lead Wallachia, died there and was buried also in Wallachia).
On a windy night the castle doors where moving and the thumbs begun to shake. Dracula and two vampires exit and need to eat some blood. They are afraid to go out in the storm, however Dracula get some courage and dears to exit the castle.

After a while he comes back to the others with some blood in the corner of his mouth. The others are excited about him being so brave, such a good hunter and ask him how he managed to get some blood.
- You see that tower up-there? , he says
- Yes, we see it, was it there that you found the victim?
- No, no, is that tower that I head so hard, while looking elsewhere.....

Vlad Dracula conquers his father's throne

The reign


On August, 11, 1456 John Hunyadi dies by the pest epidemic that was transmitted from the Turks to the Christians predators of cadavers. On his funeral tomb in the Cathedral of Alba Iulia one could read “the World’s Light is off".


Vlad take advantage of this and, inspired also by the Halley comet that was visible in Europe for one month, starting with June, 8th, 1456, he grouped his men, cross the Carpathians and conquered Wallachia’s throne.


Vladislav II, surprised, opposed only a weak resistance and was betrayed by his men. He run away and was caught and killed on August, 20, near Târgşor, an important town of the medieval Wallachia, 60 km North to Bucharest, now disappeared. He was buried in Dealu Monastery, near Târgovişte. The place where Vladislav II was killed may be the church that he erected here in Târgşor. However five years later, Dracula erected another church in Târgşor, church that was finished on June, 24, 1461.
This might be as a sign of requiring forgiveness for killing Vladislav. Here are some remaining of the old church in Targsor, photo taken by myself two weeks ago:



Photo(c): Radu Cernea, April 2007, Târgşor, Romania.

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.

Vlad Dracula: The Dark Prince

Vlad justifies his way of leading Wallachia. He is willing to pay any cost for the justice and for making it a better country, even the cost of his soul going to burn in hell !
Impaling people was the most efficient way of making them do them duties. Considered a monster by this wife, he still consider the fear the best way of leading a country.

Vlad kills the Turkish delegation come to ask for the tribute, he is decided to never pay tribute to the Ottoman Empire anymore ! Vlad sends his wife, terrified by his attrocities and almost gone mad, to the nunnery of Braila.

Of course a huge Ottoman army passes the Danube and attacks Wallachia shortly after that.

Vlad the Impaler in Battle Against the Turks

Part 5 of "The Dark Prince" (The true story of Vlad the Impaler) presents one of the first battles of Vlad agianst the turks, but also his meeting with his younger brother Radu, that betraded his country to ally the Turks.

Also scenes of the normal city-life of medieval towns (is seemst o be shot in Sighisoaa, in the middle of Transylvania, not in Târgoviste, the capital of Wallachia, but let's consider this just a small detail). His wife Lidia is horrified by his attrocities, meantime she seems to understand that's the only way the country could be led.

The Dark Prince - life of Vlad Dracula

Here is the 4th part of the great movie about the life of prince Vlad Dracula. He comes to seize the Wallachian throne, thirsty for justice.
Vlad starts with a visit to his father grave (presented as being situated in the monastery of Snagov -although there is no proof about this) and revenge against the noblemen, for killing his father and elder brother, Mircea, but also for the political instability they caused to the country. The country keeps being called "Romania", despite the fact that in middle ages there was no Romania, but this is understandable by the commercial nature of the movie. (People has to know what country the film is talking about, isn't it ?).

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 Real Life of Vlad The Impaler – Dracula

Life of Vlad The Impaler Dracula - the Childhood



By most probabilities, Vlad was born in Sighisoara, in the year 1431, presumably November or December. As explained in this post describing briefly Vlad Dracul’s life, 1431 is very probable the year of his birth. And as his father Vlad II (Dracul) was in Sighisoara by that time, running one of the state’s mints, is very probably that he was born in Sighisoara in the house still standing today near the clock tower (you can see it in this picture that I took in march 2004 in Sighisoara).

There is no much information about the childhood of Vlad III but we know how young princes were educated at that time. There was a “preceptor”, usually an important boyar to take care of them education. This one was searching for them masters of arms, equitation, etc. In the Germanic world as Sighisoara was in the 15th century there was an emphasis put on “the seven skills”: equitation, swimming, using arms, the arch, fighting, the court life and the tournament. We can easily suppose that Vlad Dracul, after receiving this kind of education himself at Sigismund’s Court wanted his sons to be educated in the same manner.
Doubtless equitation was the main activity, as the horse was the universal transport modality, as well as the close friend of the warriors. Learning horse riding at the Wallach court was going in parallel with the fights on-horse, or the “harta” – term used then for the hunting parties.

About theoretical skills we can suppose that Vlad didn’t know writing at most he was able to read. That’s because we don’t have letters written by him, neither signatures nor any other proofs. Slavonic was the language used for writing at that time in Romanian countries. However, official correspondence with Saxon towns in Transylvania was sometimes done in Latin Language. We don’t know if Vlad was in knowledge of this language, however we knew he was speaking Turkish after his stay by the Ottoman court.

In 1436 Vlad Dracul took the throne of Wallachia and his children went along with him in Târgoviste. Here the boys get in contact with what princely court life means. He gets in touch with the Princely Court’s ceremonial, with all the political intrigues of the boyars, become conscious of the fragility of the Wallachia’s Throne and of the Wallachia as a state itself, facing Hungary and The Ottoman Empire. Both Mircea (first son of Vlad Dracul) and Vlad seems to have been strongly influenced by the record of Mircea the Elder, them grandfather, although they haven’t seen him alive.

The teenage of Vlad is presented in this post.

Wallachia history from Mircea the old to Vlad Dracula

In 1417 Wallachia was still in a good situation. Mircea the Elder has built or enforced many strongholds along the Danube, in the main passing points. The most important of this was Giurgiu, 60 km south of Bucharest. Vlad Dracul mentions that for every stone in the castle his father has paid the equivalent of a block of salt of over 100 kg. The stone was rare in that area, but building the castle shows the importance given by Mircea to that defending point. Was much easier defending on the Danube that in the country. The castle can still be seen today, although it is entirely ruined.
With the strong town of Chilia, at the Danube’s fork, with Braila, Wallachia’s most important Danube harbor, the country confirms its role as guardian of the commercial routes linking Asia with the Black Sea. This was used by Transylvanian and Wallachian traders but also by Venetian traders and those from Genoa.
After Mircea die the throne is held by his son Mihai that was already sharing the throne with his father since two years, for no more than two years, between 1418 – 1420. He was the first ruler to die fighting against the Ottomans.
In 1420 the throne is disputed by the successors of Dan I and those of Mircea the Old, also called Drăculeşti (in Romanians means “the Draculas”). The first were sustained by the Hungarians, while the second ones were helped by the Turks. The aristocracy was divided according to the location of the lands. The ones close to the Danube were sustaining the Turks, because of being afraid. The Turks were not asking anymore for hostages, as a guarantee for Wallachian ruler’s fidelity, but one or two sons of the Principle and of few boyars. Hungaria started using the same system since the 14th century.


Vlad Dracul

After spending his early years as a hostage at the Ottoman or Hungarian court, Vlad II gets from the Hungarian King Sigismund of Luxembourg the mission to defend Transylvania’s south east border. Therefore it settles in Sighisoara, where he runs one of the state’s mints. In 1431 the opportunity to take to Wallachian throne appears when the boyars come to Hungarian king to ask for the nomination of the new Principle instead of Dan II, presented by them as being dead. In the same year 1431, in Nurnberg Sigismund of Luxembourg enthrones declares Vlad as the new Principle of Wallachia. Meantime Vlad is being given the prestigious order of San Ladislaw and that the order of Dragon. This one has been created by Sigismund in 1408, first as a Hungarian one and then as an order of the German empire.

But the throne of Wallachia has already been taken by Aldea, another illegitimate son of Mircea the Old. So Vlad has to wait until 1437, when Aldea Alexander dies and he ask Sigismund to support him take the throne. After taking contact with the main boyars he passes the Carpathians and at 24th of January 1437 he already calls himself “autocrat”, “big voievod and Lord, governor of all HungaroWallachia and duke of the territories over the mountains, Fagaras and Amlas”

In 1438 Murad II attacks Transylvania and he obtains the support of Vlad Dracul and conquers all the secklers’ citadels. In 1440 Iancu de Hunedoara (John Hunyadi) and Nicola Ujlaki are ruling Transylvania together. From that moment forming an ally with the Transylvanian governors was possible, so that in 1442 Iancu de Hunedoara stops two Ottoman armies. Vlad’s army attacks the rest of the Ottoman one; therefore Murad II decides military occupation of Wallachia. Iancu de Hunedoara (John Hunyadi) enthrones Basarab II, son of Dan II on the Wallachian throne.
Vlad is invited at Adrianopoli by Murad and made prisoner. Between 1442 – 1444 Iancu de Hunedoara, helped by the wallachs attacks the Turks even on the foothills of Balkan Mountains. In 1444 Murad helped Vlad Dracul to regain the throne and this one send to the Ottoman court two of his sons: Vlad (the future Dracula) and Radu, aged fourteen or fifteen and, respectively five of six. In October 1444 Mircea, the first son on Vlad is sent to help the Christians at Varna, in the Battle against the Turks. But he retires from the battle under the threatens to see his two brothers dead if continuing. The allies are beaten and Hunyadi barely manages to escape. In 1445 French troops under the command of Walerand de Wavrin enterprise an expedition on the Danube, attacking and taking from the Turks the citadels of Siilistra , Turtucaia, Giurgiu, Rusciuc. In 1447 VLad decides no to accepts the Hungarian coins anymore because of their devaluation. The conflict with Hunyadi starts again and this one passes the Carpathians and kills him and his son Mircea (probably Mircea was buried alive by the boyars of Târgoviste). As Vlad Dracul has a fascinating life I intend to enter more in details about this one.

Vladislav II is enthroned by Hunyandi in Wallachia.
Hunyadi organize a campaign in Moldavia, enthrones Pietro II and obtains from this one the citadel of Chilia. After unsuccessfully attacking Constantinople on sea Murad 2 attacks Chilia, considered “the key to Moldavia, Hungary and all the Danube”. But the Hungarian and Romanian troops manage to resist and set the fire on the Ottoman navies. In September 1448 Hunyadi together with Vladislav’s troops pass the Danube and attacks the Turks. Hunyadi manages to escape once again, after taking a normal soldier’s clothes. Vladislav II will have a big surprise when turned home: on the throne, helped by an Ottoman army, has come Vlad Dracula.

Bram Stoker's Dracula (by F.F. Copola)

Dracula was made famous by the first movie done about him, and since the first one most of the movies on the subject became famous. F.F. Copola's movie (Bram Stoker's Dracula) seems to be very appreciated. In this scene one can clearly see the letter sent by Mina (Winona Ryder) to Dracula (Gary Oldman) saying:
"My dearest Prince,
forgive me. I have received word from my fiance in Romania. I am en route to join him. We are to be married, I will never see you again. Mina".

So is really clear that Dracula is presented as a sensible person, and in fact, even in Romanian history Vlad Tepes is neither white or black, is just a complex personality of the middle-age.



What surprises me about the movie is that, while the name of Transylvania is mentioned a few times (and the name of Romania also), Wallachia (where Vlad III ruled) is never mentioned. However, just for the sake of the historic truth, speaking about Romania in XV century is at least odd (if we keep in mind that Romania as a state appeared in 1859 - 24th of January).

The Life of Vlad Dracula

As M. Cazacu mentions in his book, Vlad Dracula was born between 1430 and 1436, most probably in Sighişoara (Schassburg, as the town was called in the XV-th century). The house that has now a plate saying this was where Dracula born was used at that time as mint. And is known that Vlad Dracul, his parent, was in charge with the mint, between 1431 – 1436. Therefore, we can accept that he lived in that house and consequently, that Vlad Tepes was born there. In 1442, Jean de Wavrin (uncle of the Burgundian knight Waleran de Wavrin that led an expedition against the Turks, on lower Danube) mention the only son of Vlad Dracul (Vlad being imprisoned by the Turks) as being about 13 - 14 years old. So Mircea, the first son of Vlad Dracul was born around 1428-1429, therefore Vlad couldn't have been born before 1429-1430.
Meantime, when Vlad Dracul took the throne of Wallachia, in 1437 he mentions his two sons; therefore we can suppose Vlad’s birth to be between 1430 and 1436. So, in his house next to the clock tower in Sighişoara.

Adolescence of Vlad III (Ţepeş) was not the most peaceful possible...