How many people have heard of Vlad Tepes? I adventure the guess not too many. You have likely heard of his some what fictional charecter, Count Dracula. The line between what is real and phony in the life of Vlad Tepes is murky at best but I will try to share what is real about the life of the Count.
Vlad the 3rd, Prince of Wallachia, was also know as Dracula. Dracula means "Son of the Dragon". Vlad, was born in 1431 and he had a short but adventureous life, dieing at the age of 45. When he died, he was dubbed, "Vlad the Impaler". Vlad the Impaler's father traveled to Germany in 1431 to join the "Order of the Dragon". The group was based on a oath that they would fight the Ottoman Empire. Vlad the 3rd's father, Vlad the 2nd,was the politcal head of a region in Romania called, Wallachia. When Vlad was a child, he was raised in the town of Targouiste, where he went to school and learned geography, mathematics, science, classical arts, philiosophy and the German, Slavic and Latin languages. He also learned combat skills.
Vlad the 2nd, was ousted by rivals but with support from the Ottoman Empire, was again gifted the throne of Wallachia. To get the Ottoman Support, Vlad the 2nd agreed that his region would pay a special tax to the non-musslims, called Jieya. He also agreed to send his two sons to serve as hostages. While a hostage, Vlad the Impaler, was imprisened and almost always whipped and beaten because of his stubborn behavior. Meanwhile, his brother, Radu, convirted to Islam and was well cared for. These years added up to his hatred against the Ottoman Turks, his brother, and his own father.
In 1447, Vlad the 2nd, was murdered by the Christians. Vlad the 3rd, returned to Wallachia and took over as leader. The region of Wallachia was in very poor shape, due to no trade, failing agricultre, and high crime.
