Whether you have heard of this name directly or not, I am sure each and every one of you reading knows who Vlad the Impaler is. Vlad ruled Wallachia – a region in modern-day Romania – in the 1400s.
Vlad was born in a prominent family known for having virile warriors and upon the death of his father and brother, Vlad became the head of this popular clan in turn making him the ruler of Wallachia. Vlad was a powerful warlord who fought in several battles, particularly against the Ottoman empire. His animosity towards them began when as a child he was taken hostage by them. This traumatic childhood paved way for the tyrant Vlad became.
In fact in his battles against the Ottoman Sultan, Mehmed the Second, Vlad earned his nickname – the Impaler. Historians report that Vlad captured two envoys of the Sultan and had them Impaled ( transfixed on spears). Not only this, but during a conflict with the Saxons, Vlad captured villages and had their entire populations impaled; this act spread fear of him throughout Europe. Moreover, in 1462, Vlad impaled over 20,000 prisoners of war!
Now, why is this ruler’s life so significant that all of us know him in one way or another? Vlad the Impaler’s name is actually Vlad Dracula. Rings a bell? Vlad’s name struck fear in everyone’s mind in the 14th century. Hence, in the 1897 novel by Stoker, the name Count Dracula was used by the titular vampire – a homage to Vlad Dracul’s legacy.
All in all, Vlad the Impaler’s thirst for blood and desire for war make him the closest to a real-life Vampire.
Sources:
Griffiths, G. (2020, January 3). Dracula's real-life inspiration revealed: Who was Vlad the Impaler? Metro. Retrieved August 8, 2022, from https://metro.co.uk/2020/01/03/draculas-real-life-inspiration-for-claes-bang-adaption-revealed-who-was-vlad-the-impaler-11994842/
Vlad III the Impaler. Visit the main page. (n.d.). Retrieved August 8, 2022, from https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Vlad_III_the_Impaler
Vlad the Impaler's thirst for blood was an inspiration for count dracula. National Geographic. (2021, November 1). Retrieved August 8, 2022, from https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/history-and-civilisation/2021/11/vlad-the-impalers-thirst-for-blood-was-an-inspiration-for-count-dracula