The History Behind Dracula

Monsters, ghouls, ghosts and devils play an important role in the collective imaginations of many. Legends exist in all pockets of the world. The southern United States boasts their zombies. England has it's share of were wolves. Who could possibly imagine a Scotland without the Loch Ness monster? Of all the stories and films of these creatures perhaps none spark the imagination as much as Count Dracula.

Bram Stoker told of the perils of his character, Jonathan Harker in his 1897 novel. But was Dracula really a work of fiction?

Stoker's vampiric count is based upon the history of Vlad Tepes, the ruler of Walachia in the 1450's. Walachia was a small principality in what is now Romania.

Vlad Tepes's gruesome nickname:The Impaler, was earned in 1459 when an invading Turkish army came across a warning left by the prince. They discovered twenty thousand decaying bodies of the Turk's country men, had been impaled on stakes. Not that Vlad Tepes was discriminative, for it is said that Vlad Tepes also impaled his own subjects as a form of punishment, for any crime committed. Moreover, it is estimated that Tepes may have personally authorized the slaying of as many as a hundred thousand people in his principality! Stories of the princes cruelty are abound. He is said to have skinned unfaithful lovers alive. When two visiting ambassadors refused to remove their hats, saying it was not the custom in their country, Vlad Tepes replied with grim humor that he would like to support their customs- and he ordered his men to nail the ambassadors hats to their stubborn heads.

The count died in 1476, and most people did their best to try and forget the stunningly handsome and equally cruel prince. However the horrifying stories of his short time in power have never really went away. In the 1890's a young Bram Stoker, while doing research at the British Museum came across an old fifteenth century manuscript. The title page confused the young author. " The Shocking Story of a monster and a beserver called Dracula." Further research would discover that Vlad Tepe's father was known as Dracul, which in Romanian translates to the Dragon, or The Devil. Thus it has been said that Vlad Tepes was the son of the devil. Dracula.

As a side note if the life of Vlad Tepes interests you, you will want to read The Historian, a fantastic book! As well as Bram Stokers Dracula, now that you know who the character of Dracula was based upon.