Dracula - Myth and reality

Although the rule of Vlad the Impaler Dracula was a short one, it was a period full of events and bloody conflicts that ended in cruel punishments as the breaking on the steak death, the breaking on the wheel or the beheading … so that Vlad the Impaler Dracula succeeded in acquiring numerous enemies who made all effort to backbite the brave, just and in the same time cruel leader. As he had numerous conflicts with the Saxons of Sibiu and Brasov, these ones sent stories meant to backbite him both at the court of the Hungarian King Matei Corvin and at the court of the German Emperor, wherefrom the stories spread throughout Europe.

With the invention of Gutenberg, the printing press, the number of brochures containing stories about Vlad the Impaler Dracula amounted rapidly. According as the historic epoch is left behind, the texts are adapted and added to, as being products of imagination, far for real facts. For example the brochures: “About the malefic tyrant Dracula Voda “, “A wonderful story about a great tyrant Dracula Voda ” (Bamberg edition 1491). Stories about Vlad the Impaler Dracula were even written in verses, a poet named Michael Beheim wrote a poem named ” About the tyrant named Dracula Voda ofValahia “, which was widely spread in the entire Europe.Manuscripts about Vlad the Impaler Dracula were discovered in Slavic language in a monastery in Russia, written by an unidentified author, named “Story about Dracula Ruler”, a more indulgent story regarding the cruelties of Vlad the Impaler Dracula, describing mostly his courageous deeds in fighting against the Turks.Here are some stories confirmed by both the writings of the Byzantine chronicles and by the writings of the Turks or Germans.

       1.  Some soles came in front of Vlad the Impaler Dracula, sent by the sultan Mohamed II (The Emperor of the Turks). They took off their turbans, leaving the Turkish caps on their heads. Vlad the Impaler Dracula asked them why they were not taking the caps off, they answered that it was a custom in their country to leave the caps on. Vlad the Impaler Dracula ordered that the caps be nailed onto their heads, not to take them off at all, and sent them back to the sultan to inform him on “never to send his habit to other rulers “.

2. A story tells about two Catholic monks coming from Hungary to Valachia to visit Vlad the Impaler Dracula in his castle. Vlad received them in a yard full of people on steaks and asked about their opinion on him. The monks were informed about the cruel reputation of the ruler, and they answered differently: “The first said that the world saw him as a great tyrant, and what he did was wrong because a ruler should be merciful, and the people on steaks were just martyrs “. In exchange, the second one praised him, by telling him “he was sent by god to punish the bad people and mercy the good ones “. Vlad the Impaler Dracula ordered that the first monk be put on a steak, while the other was given 50 golden coins, and told “You are a wise man “.

     3. Believing in the effectiveness of his laws, Vlad the Impaler Dracula left a golden cup in the central market of Targoviste. The cup could be used by thirsty travelers, but it had to remain there.According to history, the cup has never been stolen and it was left almost unused.

      4. Another story refers to the way in which Vlad the Impaler Dracula got rid of the beggars of the country. He announced throughout the country that all old, sick people or poor people should come to the court. A crowd of poor men, cripples and tramps gathered together, waiting for his mercy. He got them all into a big house, gave them food and drinks, until they all got enough. Then Vlad came and asked them: “Do you want to live with no care at all and never miss anything in this world? ” they all answered they did. Then he went out, locked the doors, and set the house on fire. He also told those who witnessed the atrocity: “I did this so that they wouldn ‘t be a burden on other people any more, so that there wouldn ‘t be any poor man in the country, only rich men. And secondly, I set them free, so that nobody would suffer from poverty or helplessness on this world”.

     5. During one of his trips through the country, Vlad the Impaler Dracula saw a peasant wearing a torn and dirty shirt. He asked this one if he had a wife and if he had planted linen last year. The peasant answered he did have a wife and enough linen. Then Vlad entering his house and seeing his young and healthy wife, gave the order to cut her arms as a punishment for laziness, and then put her on a steak.

     6. Once, while he was having dinner surrounded by the bodies of a crowd of people on steaks, he noticed one of his fellows hiding his nose out of smell. Then Vlad the Impaler Dracula ordered instantly that his fellow be put on a higher steak, so that he wouldn’t sense the smell anymore.

     7. Another story tells about a Polish member of the gentry sent as a sole by Matei Corvin, the Hungarian King. The sole is invited by Vlad the Impaler Dracula to join him to dinner in the middle of bodies on steaks. There was a huge, high and golden steak in front of them and Vlad asked the sole if he knew why he had prepared that steak. The sole answered that it was maybe for a nobleman who made a mistake and deserved a more honorable death. When the ruler told the nobleman the steak was prepared for him, this one answered: “My lord, if I’d done any dreadful mistake, do what you want, becauseyouare the right judge, and you won’t be guilty for my death, I will bear the entire guilt”. Vlad the Impaler Dracula laughed, set him free, gave him gifts and addressed to him: “You will surely be a great sole, because your master has taught you how to talk to the great rulers “.