Link to the Youtube video and the rest of the series!

As her fans know, Siggie looks up to the Greats, the Terribles and even the Impalers of the past. She hopes to learn what it takes to someday make the history books herself! In Episode 7, Siggie presents the 3-time Voivode (or Prince) of Wallachia, Vlad III Dracul, better known today as Vlad the Impaler. Part 1 looks at southern European neighbors Wallachia (in modern day Romania), Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. Their continually changing alliances, as well as a historical feud between two families of nobles within Wallachia, led to Vlad III elevating himself from prisoner of the Ottomans all the way to Prince of his native Wallachia. In this episode Siggie also finds out when and how Vlad Dracul first began impaling his enemies.

Vlad III, commonly known as “Vlad the Impaler.” Vlad Dracula was Voivode of Wallachia three times

between 1448 and his death in 1476. Or maybe 1477.

Nobody really seems to know. He is often considered one of the most important

rulers in the Wallachian history, a national hero of Romania. He’s a personal hero of

mine because he’s known for impaling people. A voivode, by the way, is a prince. We

will see Vlad yeah not always such a prince. He was born in Wallachia, now modern

Romania, between 1428 and 1431. He was the third Vlad of the house of Draculesti. This

was one ruling family at the time, and another ruling family was the house of

Danesti. They both were descendants of the House of Basarab, the founder of

Wallachia. He was the second son of Vlad Dracul, who became the ruler of Wallachia in

1436. Vlad and his younger brother, Radu, were held as hostages in the Ottoman

Empire to secure their father’s loyalty to the Ottomans. So, they were basically

pawns in this little game so that the dad would be more loyal to the Ottomans by

giving up his sons. [You’re going to see a theme of family loyalty, I think, in this

coming episode]. 

While Vlad was being held hostage by the Ottomans, the

Hungarians invaded Wallachia in 1447. They murdered Vlad’s dad and an older brother

of Vlad’s. Vlad’s second cousin, Vladislav II, was named the new Prince of Wallachia.

Hungary then invaded the Ottomans and his cousin Vladislav II, he actually

helped the Hungarians. Yeah, some family loyalty there right you know, like so

like the Hungarians had murdered his relatives and now he’s helping them. [They

murdered his relatives enabling him to become Prince]. Oh, good point. Let’s get

those pesky relatives out of the way so that I can get this glory and fame and

power and you know… Screw the people, you know, that gave me gifts on holidays

they probably visited and said “oh coochie, coochie coo little Vladislav II, aren’t

you cute! You’re never going to come back and kill us someday!” Yeah, so Vladislav II

is helping the Hungarians who just killed half of his family. So, Vlad, our Vlad, Vlad

Dracula invaded Wallachia with Ottoman support and he became the Voivode

of Wallachia. But his cousin Vladislav II returned not pleased. No, no, no! You can’t take

any of the power away from me dude! So, Vlad Dracul, he had to seek refuge in the

Ottoman Empire and later he would actually even be living in Hungary.

Relations between Hungary and Vladislav II of Wallachia, they later broke down. No big

surprise there, right? In 1456, Vlad Dracul again invaded Wallachia, this time

with Hungarian support. Like we’re in a pinball machine! We’re just going back

and forth and back and forth and back and forth. So now, Vlad Dracul is like

all in good with the Hungarians because Vladislav and Hungary had a falling out.

So, Vlad’s okay now with Hungary. He’s invading Wallachia with Hungary against his

cousin.

Vladislav II died fighting against Vlad the Impaler. This is a good

thing because now we don’t have to keep getting confused between Vlad Dracula and

Vladislav II. Vlad Dracula, the Prince, at this point, began to purge the Wallachian

nobility to strengthen his position. Vlad Enemy Number One: the Transylvanian

Saxons, who are German traders who came to the area. Saxons were Catholic. Vlad

wasn’t a fan of that since he was into the Roman Orthodox Church, you know being

the super religious guy that he was. But the Saxons were supportive of the

Hapsburg King of Hungary. Vlad favored a family called the Hunyadis. They went

against the monarchy. Vlad favored the Hunyadis because… guess why? They helped

Vlad get into power. In 1457, there was a big old showdown

between the Saxons and Vlad. The Saxons supported two threats of Vlad’s, threats in

terms of taking over the throne. There was half-brother, Vlad the Monk. Here’s

another Vlad that we have to deal with. And some dude named Dan III. Dan met

with one heck of a fate. Dan was forced to dig his own grave before being

beheaded. This bruhaha was when Vlad first did his impaling thing. Vlad

Dracula then began plundering Saxon villages in central Romania or

Transylvania. Get the connection? Transylvania. Dracula. Yeah, so Vlad the

Impaler captured people in central Romania back to Wallachia, where he had them…

What? Impaled! He impaled people! 

This is when he started getting this reputation

for being the Impaler. Peace was later restored in 1460, although not for those

who were impaled. So, what is impaling exactly? It’s when a relatively dull

spike is shoved up the anus of some poor unsuspecting Vlad Impaler victim and

just left there for posterity. Get it? Posterity! The spike would, over time, move

up the body and displace organs.