The fictional character Dracula created by author Bram Stoker was actually based on a real human being, Vlad III or Prince Vladislav who was the Prince of Wallachia. A member of the house of Draculesti, Bram Stoker’s character derives his name from this itself. Vlad was also known as Dracula, a tyrant ruler who may have caused more bloodshed in history than ever. He was a ruler belonging to the middle ages and he had been a subject of interest amongst the Saxons, Russians and Romanians which is why a number of sources in history can be found based on him.

Here are ten facts that would help to tie him to Bram Stoker’s character, Count Dracula.

Prince Vladislav was the son of Prince Vlad II and Princess Cneajna belonging to the Musastion dynasty, a neighbouring kingdom of Moldavia.

Each of his family members underwent tragic deaths, met unfortunate deaths either having been cruelly murdered by others or assassinated; a probable reason that has been concluded for his hardened nature and cruelty.

Vlad had acquired great knowledge of trickery, insubordination, brutal methods of ruling and was typically suspicious in nature. He is said to have shown aggressive behavioural signs right from his childhood days.

The period 1456-1462 were the hay days of Dracula’s royal career, one of the most bloodiest and tyrannical rules of Wallachia’s history.
Impaling was a common practise employed by Vlad which gave him the name ‘˜Vlad the Impaler’. Impaling involves the penetration of a sharp object, usually a pole or spear into the human body by way of perforation.

Dracula or Vlad the Impaler was imprisoned during the years 1442-1448 in the Turkish Prison by Sultan Mehemet hoping to convert the Dracula brothers into Islam. During this time he is said to have undergone great change. Turkish captivity is believed to have made him pessimistic, suspicious and consider life to be cheap. He became more vengeful and Sultan Mehemet became his sworn enemy.

The modern image of typical vampires’ costumes having a black cape has been derived from Vlad II’s usage of the dragon symbol for the coinage of The Order of the Dragon that had been created by Emperor Sigsimund with the objective of protecting the Cross.

The name Dracula too was derived from the ‘˜Dragon’ apart from the word referring to the meaning of ‘˜Devils’ which aptly represented Vlad III.

The atrocities meted out by Prince Vlad is varied but an approximation can be made of about 40,000 to 100,000 people having been executed by various torturous methods during his reign.

Some of the tactics other than his favourite method of impaling included burning at the stake, mutilation of sexual organs, eye gouging, amputation, boiling alive, scalping or skinning, twisting and twitching victims to death etc.

Varying accounts of Vlad or Dracula make it difficult to gauge how he might have been as a ruler. There is no doubt that he was tyrannical and employed severe terror tactics in order to ensure that the people of his kingdom remain loyal and united. His way of bringing order to the land and making his kingdom strong was by meting out such terrible atrocities. No wonder that Vlad is still recalled by people with horror in their hearts.