Vlad Tepes

Birth

Nov 12, 1431

Vlad the Impaler was born in Novemeber or December 1431 in the fortress of Sighisoara, Romania. His father Vlad II Dracul and his mother Princess Cneajna of Moldavia. He had two older half brothers Mircea II and Vlad Calugarul, and a younger brother, Radu III the Beautiful.

Life in Edirne

Apr 15, 1436

In 1436, Vlad II Dracul, Vlad Tepes' father, ascended the throne of Wallachia. He was ousted in 1442 by rivals in league with Hungary, but secured Ottoman support for his return by agreeing to pay the Jizya (tax on non-Muslims) to the Sultan and also send his two sons, Vlad III and Radu, to the Ottoman court, to serve as hostages of his loyalty. Vlad III was imprisoned and often whipped and beaten because of his verbal abuse towards his trainers and his stubborn behavior.

Death of Father and older brother Mircea

May 15, 1447

In 1447 Dracula's father was assassinated in the marshes near Bălteni by rebellious boyars becouse of his semi-pro-Turkish policy. In the same time, Dracula's older brother Mircea was also tortured (blinded with hot iron stakes and buried alive) and killed by his political enemies at Târgovişte. At this point, the Sultan released Dracula, invaded Wallachia and and put him on the throne as his puppet ruler.

Puppet ruler

Aug 3, 1449

His rule was brief because soon after that, his rivalry, Hunyadi invaded Wallachia with the Hungarian military and ousted the Turks. Vlad the Impaler fled to Moldavia and was put under the protection of his uncle, Bogdan II. He stayed there until October of 1451, when Bogdan was assassinated. After that, he decided to go to Hungary and try an alliance with Hunyadi. Not long after that, Vlad the Impaler became the Hungarian candidate for the throne of Wallachia.

First Reign

Jun 30, 1456

In 1456, Hungary invaded Serbia and Dracula simultaneously invaded Wallachia. Both were successful,but Hunyadi died suddenly of fever. Vlad the Impaler becomes prince and begins his main reign during which he committed many cruelties, and hence established his controversed reputation and which will end in 1462.

The Impalers Revenge

Sep 3, 1459

The first thing he had done as the prince of Wallachia was trying to seek revenge for his father and his brother deaths. On Easter Sunday of what we believe to be 1459, he arrested all the boyar families who had participated to the princely feast. He impaled the older ones on stakes while forcing the others to march from the capital to the town of Poenari. This walk was over 50 miles long and if they stopped they got wipped.

The Imaplers Revenge (continued)

Sep 4, 1459

The 50 mile march was quite cruel. Vlad the Impaler then ordered them to build him a fortress overlooking the Arges river. Many died in the process, and Dracula therefore succeeded in creating a new nobility and obtaining a fortress for future emergencies. What is left today of the building is identified as Castle Dracula.

Brutal Punishments

Nov 14, 1460

Vlad’s brutal punishment techniques were well known; he often ordered people to be skinned, boiled, decapitated, hanged, burned, blinded, strangled, roasted, hacked, nailed, buried alive, stabbed. He also liked to cut off noses, ears, sexual organs and limbs. But his favorite method was impalement on stakes, It is this technique he used in 1457, 1459 and 1460 against Transylvanian merchants who had ignored his trade laws.

More War

Jan 9, 1462

In the beginning of 1462, Vlad launched a campaign against the Turks along the Danube river. During the winter of 1462, Vlad was very successful and managed to gain many victories, although the military force of Sultan Mehmed II was being by far more powerful than the Wallachian army.

Return of the Impaler

Mar 11, 1476

In 1476 , after not to much action in past years, Dracula and Prince Stephen Bathory of Transylvania invaded Wallachia with a mixed force of Transylvanians, a few dissatisfied Wallachian boyars and a contingent of Moldavians sent by Dracula's cousin, Prince Stephen the Great of Moldavia. Dracula's brother, Radu the Handsome, had died a couple of years earlier and been replaced on the Wallachian throne.

Defeat and Death

Dec 17, 1476

For a short period of time, Vlad the Impaler managed to hold the throne, but soon a large Turkish army entered Wallachia determined to return Basarab to the throne. Dracula was killed in battle against the Turks near the small town of Bucharest in December of 1476. Dracula's body was decapitated by the Turks and his head sent to Constantinople where the sultan had it displayed on a stake as proof that the Impaler was dead. He was reportedly buried at Snagov.