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Private Notes
Vlad Tepes, Vlad the Impaler, the real life dracula, is surrounded by folklore, mystery, and myth. Even during his time the stories about his famed impalings traveled all around Europe. In his home country, he is hailed as a hero who stopped the Ottoman advance into Europe, but elsewhere, the tales tell of his thirst for blood & brutality. What is the truth?
After the death of his father at the hands of the Hunyadi, Vlad swore vengeance. But his bloody reign would be oft delayed. A number of circumstances both political and otherwise kept Vlad III from his throne. In fact, his first attempt net him a glorious reign of... 2 months before he had to flee into exile. But as he continued evading capture and staying alive despite all odds, he found an unlikely ally. Hunyadi himself.
Now that Vlad has the throne, the real work can begin. Vlad wanted to enact a kind of moral code, one that emphasized hard work and loyalty to himself above all else. And rulers during this time were known to use violence fairly frequently to get what they want. But Vlad went above and beyond, creating cruel punishments and horrific executions. Here's where we get to the horror show.
Vlad the Impaler may have cemented the throne for a little while but the Ottoman Empire was very keen on ousting him and replacing him with Radu the Handsome. And it seemed like all of his neighbors were either apathetic or working with the Ottomans. But he is not going to go quietly...
Vlad managed to reclaim his throne for the 3rd time, just before dying a few months later. Even his death is steeped more in legend than truth, but the stories do not end there! His legend was already beginning to spread across Europe. And we all know what happens when a particular Irish author gets a hold of the legend.
