Renaissance Lunin Sergey I.
Dracula is a vampire?
Dracula is a vampire?
Here a man died. I put him in the grave
And with him the good that he managed to do.
And we remember only what was bad in him.
William Shakespeare
Tales, chronicles, annals, legends... In all these sources, Vlad Dracula appears as a cruel ruler, a tyrant. But where did the legends that he was a vampire come from?
You may be disappointed, but the real Dracula did not drink blood. In Romania, where children study the history of the reign of this prince in schools and a monument to the Wallachian ruler Vlad Tepes was erected, and named after him small town near Bucharest, almost everyone knows this. Perhaps he was a cruel ruler. Sources claim that he burned, skinned, ripped open stomachs, chopped off arms and legs, cut off noses, hammered nails into the head and, of course, impaled in huge quantities. But to drink blood...
Vlad was slandered by the Irishman Brem Stoker when the writer needed a name for the protagonist of his new novel about vampires. A familiar Budapest professor, who became the prototype of the vampire fighter in the novel as a reward for his assistance in writing the book, suggested to the author the name of Dracula, whose reputation corresponded to the color of the novel.
The novel was published in 1897 and became a bestseller. Then the image of the vampire Count Dracula was picked up by the cinema and, thanks to its spectacularity, became extremely popular. There are hundreds of Dracula movies, and new ones are coming out all the time. Naturally, the film image is infinitely far from the real image of the historical Tepes.
Far from the real appearance of Dracula and the hero of Stoker. Apart from the name and the approximate location of the action, nothing real remains in the novel. Dracula is called a count in the novel, although even without being a ruler, that is, a prince, he had the right to the title of duke. In the novel, northern Transylvania is named as his place of residence, but in reality Vlad was connected mainly with the southern regions of this country, he was the ruler in Wallachia. No legends ever associated Dracula with vampirism, although his name was associated with werewolf myths, which in the 19th century became intertwined with vampire myths.
However, Stoker did not write his sensational novel from scratch, he relied on the same folklore, the collection of which devoted a lot of time and effort. Did these legends originate during the life of Vlad the Impaler - or did it happen later?
In the mentioned Russian “Tale of Dracula Governor” there are many mystical moments: for example, the following story is told there: “The masters made iron barrels for him (Dracula); he filled them with gold and plunged them into the river. And he ordered those masters to be cut down so that no one would know about his wretchedness, except for the namesake of his devil. It would seem, in comparison with other described deeds of Dracula, the murder of masters by him seems to be an ordinary villainy, and one may be perplexed why the author of the Tale remembers the devil precisely here. The point, probably, is that this episode indicates the witchcraft, satanic qualities of the governor. After all, according to folklore performances, robbers and sorcerers hide treasures, robbers use magic items, eat human meat, know how to turn into animals and birds, they know the forbidden words that people, animals and objects obey. Folklore robbers not only know how to rob, they know how to store the loot. Such knowledge is not available to every mortal and, judging by folklore texts, this knowledge is magical. In Rus', there was also a belief that treasures were hidden with a vow and were given only to those who fulfilled the vow, and according to Romanian legends, one of the reasons for the restlessness of a dead man is the treasures hidden by him during his lifetime. With the help of the above episode, the author of the Tale seems to emphasize that the Wallachian ruler is not just the namesake of the devil, but also acts like a sorcerer, by definition associated with the devil. So the story of Dracula's burying the treasure, followed by the murder of witnesses, echoes a whole layer of similar stories about sorcerers.
It also seems interesting that in later legends about the death of Dracula, the sources are surprisingly unanimous about what happened to the body of the prince after death: he was pierced through and then cut off his head - according to one version, to send Turkish sultan as a sign of devotion. However, any fan of the horror genre knows that this is exactly what should be done with the bodies of vampires. The legend has also become popular that the monks buried Dracula in such a way that those who enter trample on the ashes with their feet.
Another reason why the opinion spread that Dracula became a vampire was the story about Vlad's conversion to Catholicism. There is no documentary evidence of this, on the contrary, Tepes was buried not as a Catholic, but as an Orthodox, in a monastery. But, nevertheless, the legend spread that the Volodar, languishing in prison, was forced to convert to Catholicism in order to gain freedom. For the authors of German printed brochures, this act of his served as a pretext for some justification of Dracula, in accordance with the widespread plot of a villain (robber, tyrant) who reformed after baptism and repentance. Romanians, on the contrary, have a belief: an Orthodox who renounces his faith will certainly become a vampire, because when converting to Catholicism, the Orthodox, although he retained the right to communion with the Body of Christ, refused to communion with the Blood, since Catholics have double communion - the privilege of the clergy. Accordingly, the apostate had to strive to compensate for the "damage", and since betrayal of faith is not complete without the devil's intervention, then the method of "compensation" is chosen according to the devil's prompt. In the 15th century, the theme of apostasy was very relevant. It was then, for example, that the Hussites fought with all the Catholic chivalry, defending the “right of the Chalice” (that is, the right to partake of the Blood of Christ, being Catholic laymen), for which they were nicknamed “chalices”. Emperor Sigismund Luxembourg led the fight against the "cuppers", and just when Dracula's father became the "Dragon Knight".
It turns out that the sinister reputation of a vampire could have been formed during the lifetime of the Wallachian governor. Contemporaries could well see a ghoul in Dracula, but it should be borne in mind that their idea of \u200b\u200bvampires differed significantly from the current one, which has developed thanks to literature and cinema. In the 15th century, the ghoul was considered a sorcerer, a warlock, who necessarily made an alliance with the devil for the sake of worldly blessings. Such a vampire sorcerer needs blood to perform magical rites. For example, a contemporary of Dracula, the famous Gilles de Rais, Marshal of France, who went down in history thanks to savage executions and torture, was suspected of witchcraft: it was assumed that he, being a magician, used the blood and entrails of the victims. It is possible that the massacres of Vlad Tepes were perceived in a similar way - the apostate sorcerer was all the more supposed to be subtly cruel, voluptuously experiment with human body and blood. There is an interesting parallel in Russian literature: the werewolf sorcerer from Gogol's story " Terrible revenge"- an apostate, moreover, he converted to Catholicism, and he, like Dracula, keeps countless treasures in the earth.
Legends should not be taken lightly, because even a few decades ago, such an attitude towards vampires in general would have caused indignation among many residents of Transylvania. For them and their ancestors, a vampire (he is also a ghoul, ghoul, vukodlak) was not at all scary tale. It was often perceived much more prosaically - as a very specific misfortune, something like a deadly contagious disease. It was in Transylvania and the adjacent regions of Southern Europe that people believed in the existence of the living dead for centuries and cited many cases in support of their faith, often confirmed by dozens of witnesses.
If we summarize these, in general, similar stories, the following picture emerges. Vampires, as a rule, are people who have denied Christ, but are buried in the ground, consecrated according to the Christian rite. (And so, according to legend, was the case with Vlad the Impaler). They cannot find rest and avenge it alive. Interestingly, vampires prefer to attack their relatives and close friends.
Vampirism in the views of the inhabitants of Transylvania really resembles a contagious disease - bitten by a vampire after death, he himself turns into a vampire. Interestingly, cases of transmission of vampirism through animals are described. The bite mark resembles a leech bite, only located on the neck or in the heart area. If timely measures are not taken, the victim begins to quickly lose strength and dies for no other apparent reason in one to two weeks. Measures for the treatment of a person who has been attacked by a vampire, folk tradition offers quite specific. These are by no means garlic flowers, a cross and protective prayers as in Stoker's novel. In Southern Europe, the main and most effective remedy in such a situation was considered to be the earth from the grave of a vampire, mixed with his blood. This potion should be rubbed on the bite site, and the vampire himself must be destroyed. But first you need to find it. To do this, it is enough to dig out all the suspicious graves, and a vampire is hiding there, which is easy to distinguish from an ordinary dead man. The body of a vampire is not subject to decay and rigor mortis, the limbs remain flexible, and the eyes are usually open. His nails and hair continue to grow, and his mouth is full of fresh blood.
The most tested and widespread means of destroying vampires in Transylvania, as in many other places, is considered to be an aspen stake, which must be driven into the heart of a ghoul. However, this measure is not always sufficient. Therefore, the stake is usually combined with chopping off the head and then burning the corpse. Shooting with silver bullets among the "experts" is considered nothing more than ridiculous amateurish fantasies in the style of Hollywood Westerns. It is interesting that in the stories about the appearance of vampires and the fight against them, it is extremely rare to find a mention of a priest and there is practically no reference to the Church Sacraments as a means of protection from the living dead. It seems that everything related to vampires and belief in their existence is the product of the most dark side folk fantasy, to this day is closely associated with paganism. However, sometimes stories about vampires and their victims become a form of popular humor. So, along with numerous sinister legends, there is a story about a cowardly peasant who happened to be returning home late in the evening past the village cemetery. As he drew level with the outermost graves, he heard someone chewing on a bone. The peasant was terribly frightened, deciding that he heard the sounds accompanying the terrible meal of the vampire. Remembering the means recommended in such cases, our brave man decided to get closer and rub himself with the earth from the grave of the alleged vampire. Cautiously making his way to the sound through the cemetery, he really saw an open hole. Holding his breath, the peasant came closer and saw a dog that was chewing on a bone. He barely had time to breathe a sigh of relief when the dog, which decided that the stranger wanted to take the bone, rushed at him and bit him on the arm. On the plot of this folk anecdote, A.S. Pushkin wrote a playful poem "The Ghoul".
Poor Vanya was a coward:
Since he is late at times,
Covered in sweat, pale with fear,
I went home through the cemetery.
Poor Vanya is barely breathing,
Stumbling, wandering a little
over the graves; suddenly he hears
Someone bone, grumbling, gnaws.
Woe! small I am not strong;
The ghoul will eat me completely,
If the earth itself is a grave
I will not eat with prayer.
What? instead of a ghoul -
(Imagine Vanya's anger!)
In the darkness before him is a dog
A bone gnaws at the grave.
Jokes - jokes, legends - legends, but finally Vlad Tepes became a vampire after all light hand Bram Stoker, late 19th century. It was a time when writers actively used folk tales and ancient sources as the basis for their works. Stoker himself for a long time studied folk beliefs to use them in the novel, got acquainted with historical sources. Interestingly, at the same time, two more, undoubtedly much more talented writers turned to the "vampire" theme: Prosper Merimee and Alexei Konstantinovich Tolstoy. However, their "Lokis" and "Ghoul" did not entail such a long series of sequels, rehashings, adaptations as Stoker's "Dracula". His success is due not only to the literary merits of the book, but to an amazing, one hundred percent hit in the choice of a hero - a kind of charm of the real Vlad Tepes, the ruler of the Wallachian Dracula.
Thanks to numerous adaptations of Stoker's novel, the image of Dracula has become a kind of symbol of Transylvania. On the site where, allegedly, Vlad's dwelling was located, a "medieval" castle was built. It annually hosts international festival Dracula. Of course, this festival has nothing to do with the horrors of a real "black mass" and is more reminiscent of the famous American Halloween. In Romania, a huge "Draculaland" was built, where you can join the entertainment in the style of horror ... So Dracula almost officially turned from a national hero into a kind of Romanian brand. The city where Vlad Tepes was born - Sighisoara - became the universal capital of vampirism.
Draculomania is expanding and attracting scientists as well. Thus, in 1994, a group of Romanian historians established the "Transylvanian Dracula Society" - "an association that stands outside politics and the desire to generate income, but is entirely dedicated to the analysis of the phenomenon of penetration into Romania of the Western European myth of Dracula." Although mercantile issues turned out to be not alien to historians, since most of the tourist routes along the “traces of military glory” of Vlad Tepes are run by society. The Society of Dracula holds a very representative international scientific congress every four years in Sighisoara. Still, there are more than 4 thousand clubs of the count's fans in the world!
The mythical Dracula is the subject of many novels and stories, articles in newspapers and magazines, and even many volumes of scientific literature. The filmography of "Draculiada" today has about a hundred paintings - from screen masterpieces to outright parodies. Not to mention the many role computer games like "Camarilla", "Masquerade", "Dracula" and others.
But no matter how the mass cultural myth about "Count Dracula" spreads, one should not forget that Vlad Tepes was a real historical ruler, an extraordinary and ambiguous person, unlike any of his screen and literary heroes. Take a look at a lifetime portrait of Dracula. The man depicted on the canvas does not at all "pull" on the bloodthirsty sadist and maniac. There is something philosophical in the expression of his face, marked by the seal of a deep mind and strong will, and with a combination of smiling eyes and a sarcastic fold of his mouth, he resembles Montaigne (judging by the portraits of the latter that have come down to us), who lived a century later. Attract attention large, suffering, beautiful eyes Vlada. It can be assumed that cruel trials and hardships fell to the lot of this man, that he is more a martyr than a monster, a victim, not an executioner.
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"Lucifer International"
Blood, as you know, has a huge magic power. It was used in making fearful oaths, as well as in attempts to resurrect the dead or rejuvenate. , or "Red Brothers", as they call themselves (it turns out they exist in our time), they drink other people's blood in order to prolong their lives.
Until recently, the Gypsy Jesters sect operated in Los Angeles. Its members slaughtered the victim, drank its blood and ate the meat, and all traces of the brutal ritual were destroyed in a portable cremation oven. There is a "Lucifer International" which includes bloody sects all over the world! So who is their ideological inspirer, Vlad Dracula?
Creation of a myth
About Vlad Tepes, the most famous vampire of all times and peoples, the myth began in 1463 by King Matthias I of Hungary. On his order, an anonymous denunciation was fabricated about the terrible atrocities that Vlad allegedly committed: about tens of thousands of tortured civilians, burned alive beggars, about hats nailed to the heads of impolite ambassadors.
Books about ghouls and ghouls played a big role in the emergence of interest in the topic of vampirism. Byron's friend the physician Polidori wrote the novel The Vampire in 1819, which became a role model. Bram Stoker (who, by the way, was a black magician and a member of the magical order of the Golden Dawn), who sang the “red brothers”, only completed the creation of the myth when he published his famous novel Dracula in 1897. His character has become completely for bloodsuckers real way to emulate.
The cult of vampirism became associated with "initiation" into the ancient knowledge of the Dacians, the ancestors of the Romanians, and impalement. Two crossed pointed stakes became the symbol of vampires. It is believed that Dracula revived the magical rite of his distant ancestors. And what do historical documents say about his personality?
The truth about the "great monster"
The future ruler Vlad III Dracula ("son of the dragon") was born in 1431 and spent the first years of his life in the city of Sighisoara in Transylvania. A dragon was depicted on his family coat of arms - in Romanian "dracula", hence the nickname. The only lifetime portrait of Vlad does not at all correspond to the image of a ferocious and ruthless villain.
A beautiful face: black eyebrows, wide open green eyes framed by long eyelashes, aquiline nose, thick mustache, shaved chin. Big suffering eyes without a trace of cruelty and malice, unnatural thinness and a yellow, sickly complexion speak of trials and hardships. Black wavy hair falls over broad shoulders. Noble, full of dignity appearance.
He became the gospodar of Wallachia (a historical region on the territory of Romania) in 1456, in Hard times. Sultan Ottoman Empire Mehmed II Fatih (the Conqueror) had already stormed Constantinople, the capital of Byzantium, and moved on to Europe. The Turks occupied Bulgaria and Serbia. And the ruler of little Wallachia not only repelled their onslaught, but also attacked them himself.
In 1458, he made a trip to Bulgaria, freed and settled in his principality the Bulgarian peasants professing Orthodoxy. Mehmed II decided to overthrow the rebellious prince of Wallachia and put him on the throne younger brother Radu the Beautiful, who converted to Islam. Vlad knew that he could not resist alone, and turned to his neighbors for help. Assistance was promised by Matthias I Corvinus, the Moldavian prince Stefan (cousin and friend of Vlad) and other rulers.
But when the Turks attacked Wallachia in the summer of 1462, no one came to the rescue. The forces were unequal, despite the fact that Vlad drafted the entire male population of Wallachia into the army, starting from the age of 12, waged a guerrilla war and used scorched earth tactics. The Sultan approached the capital of the Principality of Targovishte.
In a swift night attack, Vlad's 7,000-strong detachment destroyed about 15,000 Turks and caused panic in their camp. But main goal- kill the Sultan to prevent further aggression - failed to achieve. After that bloody night, Mehmed II, leaving part of his troops to Radu the Handsome, left Wallachia. Defending his land, Vlad ruthlessly exterminated its enemies and really impaled them. But such an execution was then used in many countries.
black betrayal
Dracula defeated his enemies, but Stefan betrayed him and went over to Radu's side. The prince retreated to Transylvania, where the Hungarian troops were stationed. Korvin, whom he once helped to take the throne of Hungary, called Vlad "beloved and true friend". Matthias organized a denunciation of Dracula, and during the negotiations he arrested and chained Vlad, accusing him of having links with the Sultan, and kept him in prison without trial for 12 years!
The fact is that Corwin squandered 40,000 guilders, which he received from Pope Pius II to organize a crusade against the Turks, and decided to blame Vlad for his failure. Such an accusation against a man known for his uncompromising struggle with the Turks and who actually put Mehmed II to flight sounds absurd. The prince, despite the torture, did not confess to anything, and then Corvin, in order to hide his crimes, decided to present him as a monster in the eyes of the people.
Last takeoff
Under the reign of Radu the Handsome, Wallachia became a region of the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish threat to Europe was growing. New dad Roman Sixtus IV, apparently, understood that it was Dracula, who in fact showed his abilities as a commander, who could lead the Christian army against the Turks in crusade. And the "great monster" received freedom by fulfilling the conditions set for him: the transition from Orthodox faith into a Catholic and marrying Corvin's cousin.
In 1476, Vlad, as commander of the Hungarian army, set out on a campaign to liberate Wallachia. Troops marched through Transylvania. There are documents about how joyfully his return was welcomed by the citizens of the city of Brasov, where, according to the denunciation, he had recently committed unheard-of atrocities. Having knocked out the Turks from the territory of the principality, Dracula on November 26, 1476 again became the ruler of Wallachia. But he was surrounded by open and secret enemies.
At the end of December, he was treacherously killed by traitors from his inner circle. His head was donated to the Turkish sultan and it was exhibited in one of the squares of Constantinople, which Mehmed II made the capital of the Ottoman Empire. According to legend, the headless body of Vlad was found by the monks of the Snagov Monastery located near Bucharest. They buried him in the chapel he built earlier near the altar.
Truth in lies
Facts, as you know, are stubborn things, and they say that Dracula was cruelly slandered. He did not commit monstrous crimes, of which there is no evidence in historical documents. It is impossible that such facts are not reflected in the chronicles of those years. In the writings of the court chroniclers, the vile Corvinus is presented as just, and the traitor Stefan, who impaled 2,000 Romanians, is a saint. Among the streams of lies, fortunately, documents about the reign of Vlad have come down to us.
During his short life full of troubles, he founded Bucharest as a fortress and built the Curtea-Veche palace in it, the future residence of the Wallachian princes, in front of the ruins of which his bust now stands. Letters have been preserved in which he gave land to the peasants. Vlad fought bravely against the Turks, defending his people and his land, built churches and monasteries.
He is a national hero of Romania, a martyr betrayed by insidious "friends", killed and slandered. An outstanding personality, a smart and fair ruler who terrified his enemies, was turned into a mythical bloodthirsty monster for the whole world, which became the ideal for modern, very real cannibals and bloodsuckers.
Vampires and zombies.
"Secrets of the XX century" - (Gold series)
Vlad "The Impaler" Tepes is rightfully considered one of the most famous rulers of Eastern Europe; he owes his fame, however, not so much to personal achievements as to the character created on the basis of his image. It was from the vampire-aristocrat of Count Dracula, created by the fantasy of Bram Stoker, that the vampire novel as a genre began; This genre has not lost its popularity to this day.
The very name "Dracula" this moment is synonymous with the word "vampire"; not everyone remembers that we owe this extremely bright image first of all classic novel Bram Stoker.
According to Stoker's novel, once Count Dracula, then not yet a vampire, was born into a family of Transylvanian aristocrats; by origin, Dracula was a representative of the Székely people, and he descended from Attila the Hun himself. For some time Dracula studied black magic at a secret academy hidden somewhere in the Carpathians (Carpathian Mountains); he succeeded fairly in his studies, becoming a pretty good sorcerer and alchemist. Dracula later took up military affairs; as a governor, he participated in military operations against the Turks somewhere on the Danube (Danube). Dracula later died and was buried in his castle's chapel, only to later rise as a vampire.
Vampires in European myths met before, but they were described most often as a terrible kind of living dead. Dracula stood out strongly from the background of his fellows - primarily due to his aristocratic appearance and behavior. In his castle, which had been badly damaged by time, Dracula lived in the company of three nameless "brides" - beautiful young seductive vampires.
Stoker's novel begins with the story of a certain Jonathan Harker, a young English lawyer who is approached by the Earl for help with some paperwork. As part of complex plan(which should eventually lead to Dracula's conquest of the whole world) the vampire count is going to get the right to own some London property. Soon Dracula moves to Europe, where he begins to threaten Harker's fiancée, Wilhelmina (Wilhelmina "Mina" Murray) and her friend Lucy (Lucy Westenra). Dracula turns Lucy into a vampire; after that, Mina seeks help from a prominent occultist and specialist in the supernatural Abraham van Helsing (Abraham Van Helsing). The scientist quickly understands what is happening to Lucy, but does not have time to help her; Dracula, meanwhile, begins the transformation of Mina herself. The telepathic connection formed between them helps van Helsing, Mina and her friends find and consecrate (thus making completely unusable) all of Dracula's London havens; the vampire returns to his homeland, and the heroes - still wanting to save Mina from the transformation - follow him. In the end, Van Helsing manages to destroy the brides of Dracula, after which the heroes go out with the vampire to last Stand. Dracula cannot withstand the onslaught of the joint forces of the main characters and dies, crumbling to dust with a peaceful expression on his face.
Stoker's novel was also interesting in that for the first time it clearly described the weaknesses and strengths of the vampire family that became the de facto "standard". Dracula, of course, is extremely strong even by the standards of his kind, but his main abilities were later used more than once in creating images of other vampires. According to Stoker, Dracula had an incredible physical force and dexterity, was capable of levitation, teleportation and shapeshifting, possessed hypnosis and telepathy, could conjure the weather and was virtually invulnerable to conventional weapons. Only a blow to the heart with simultaneous decapitation could guarantee the destruction of a vampire; Dracula also had other vulnerabilities - like holy water or aspen stakes. sunlight dangerous for a vampire; garlic, crucifixes and prosphora caused Dracula the strongest (almost uncontrollable) disgust. A vampire could not enter someone else's house without obtaining the permission of the owners, and could only cross running water at high or low tide.
Throughout the novel, the count did not work alone - in addition to the brides already mentioned, he was helped by gypsy tribes and a group of Slovak mercenaries. In addition, Dracula had the ability to control other vampires - at least those that he created himself.
Bram Stoker could hardly imagine how vivid image he managed to create. Dracula can rightly be called the most popular hero horror films. Movie images of Dracula enjoyed considerable success in the middle of the century - then the count was considered one of the most popular monsters of the genre, along with the Werewolf, the Mummy, the Frankenstein monster and the Beast of the Black Lagoon; the vampire-aristocrat did not lose his popularity subsequently. It is interesting that of the other heroes of the original novel, only Mina Harker (often used as an example of a "good vampire") and Abraham van Helsing (who, by the will of numerous writers and screenwriters, became the ancestor of a whole dynasty of hunters for various evil spirits), managed to go beyond it.
There are quite a few theories and legends about the origins of vampires. One of them says that they are descendants of Cain, who became the first biblical murderer of his own brother. But all this is speculation to the main version. Until now, not everyone knows that the origin of the vampire is directly related to the name of Vlad Tepes, the Romanian governor of the 15th century, later the ruler of Transylvania. It is he who is the very famous Count Dracula!
Earl - real being national hero Romania and a crime fighter. Its history goes back to medieval Transylvania...
History of Count Dracula
Bloodthirsty ruler
Vlad the Impaler was the ruler of Transylvania (a region located in northwestern Romania) from 1448 to 1476. His favorite pastime was the sadistic torture of enemies and civilians, among which one of the worst - piercing the anus. For the fact that Vlad the Impaler loved to impale living people, he was nicknamed Vlad the Impaler. However, his most cruel atrocity was something else: somehow the Romanian governor invited him to his castle (in which, in fact, he carried out all the torture - see photo below) to dinner party a large number of beggars. When the poor fellows were eating peacefully, Count Dracula locked them in a room and set them on fire. In addition, the chronicle describes a case when this sadist ordered his servants to nail their hats to the heads of Turkish ambassadors only because they refused to take them off in front of the ruler.
Such atrocities left their mark on the personality of this ruler. Count Dracula became the prototype of the hero of the novel of the same name, written Why was Tepes unusually cruel? Why did he keep the whole of Transylvania in fear, confusing and bewildering all European monarchs? More on this later.
The insidious and cruel Count Dracula
Transylvania is the place of his birth. "Dracul" (Dragon) is a nickname. At the age of 13, the son of the Wallachian governor Vladislav II was captured by the Turks and held hostage for almost 4 years. It was this fact that influenced the psyche of the future ruler. He was described as an unbalanced person with many obscure habits and strange ideas. For example, Count Dracula was very fond of eating at the place of execution of people or the recent battle with a fatal outcome. Isn't it strange?
The nickname "Dragon" Tepes received due to the fact that his father had a membership in the elite Dragon, which was created by Emperor Sigismund in 1408. As for the title - Vlad III, he should have been called the ruler, and not the count, but such naming is arbitrary. But why is this ruler considered the progenitor of vampires?
It's all about Tepes' extraordinary passion for bloodshed, for inhuman torture and murder. Then it becomes incomprehensible why the Russian Tsar from - John Vasilievich - was nicknamed "Terrible"? He, too, should be dubbed a vampire, because it was he who drowned Ancient Rus' in the blood in the literal sense of the word. But that's another story...
Count Dracula is a character known, perhaps, to everyone. We offer today to get to know this hero better and find out if he really existed.
First mentions
The name of Count Dracula was first used in 1897 in the novel Irish writer Abraham "Bram" Stoker. That was the name of the main antagonist of the work - an evil bloodsucker vampire who lives in a gloomy castle and cannot stand daylight. In reality, such a person did not exist, and the well-known Romanian prince, Prince of Wallachia - Vlad III Tepes became a kind of prototype for the hero of the book. Translated from the Romanian language, "Tepes" means "impaling". This nickname didn't just happen. Dealing with his enemies, the count ordered to put them on stakes. As a result, the victim could suffer for hours, and sometimes days. "Draco" is translated from Latin as "devil", so the name of Count Dracula, as the prototype of the main villain of Stoker's novel, is not unreasonable.
History of Dracula
As mentioned earlier, Vlad III was a tough ruler, he fought with the boyars for the centralization of power, and went on campaigns against the Turks. It is known that the ruler allowed the peasants to arm themselves in order to increase the possibility of resisting the hated Turkish raids. As a result of the refusal to pay tribute to the Turkish sultan, a large army of the Ottoman Empire tried to enter the principality, but their advance was successfully stopped not without the help of the population.
Legends about the Muntean governor
Being a strict but fair ruler, Count Dracula aroused the fear and respect of his subjects. There are several stories that are documented in records in archives and annals or were orally passed down by the inhabitants of those parts from generation to generation. The most famous of them tells of a merchant who was robbed in the market. A thief stole a purse from a merchant. He complained to Vlad III Tepes. The thief was quickly found and, in the traditional way for the ruler, was punished by impalement. And the purse was thrown to the merchant, adding one extra coin. After counting the contents, the merchant informed the ruler that there was extra money there. Count Vladislav Dracula grinned and said: “If you had kept silent, you would have sat next to your offender!” Another story tells that in those days there were many beggars in Romania. Count Dracula gathered them all together in a large hall, fed them, watered them, and after a plentiful dinner asked the question: “Do you want to stop your worldly torments?” Many answered in the affirmative, after which the ruler ordered the hall filled with people to be set on fire. Another story tells about a golden cup placed near a fountain right in the city. Anyone could drink water from it, and no one even thought of stealing it. Probably the population of Wallachia was very frightened by public executions, and no one wanted to die being impaled.
Where did the legendary king live?
On the modern map you will not find Wallachia - the principality, which was once ruled by Vlad III Tepes. Today it is part of modern European country Romania. Wallachia was located in the south of the Carpathians, reaching the Danube River. This region is very picturesque, has a wonderful beautiful nature. The charm of mountains, rivers, fresh air will be remembered for a long time if you decide to go to this area. One of the places highly recommended to visit is the city of Brasov. It is in it that the famous castle of Count Dracula - Bran is located. Historians have no evidence that it was the permanent residence of Vlad the Impaler. However, the information that when visiting the Principality of Transylvania, Count Dracula stayed at Bran Castle cannot be refuted. Tourists who have been here say that moans and screams are heard in the corridors and rooms of the building, and in the morning the smell of blood is in the air. Thus, for such a modern state as Romania, Count Dracula is still a means to replenish the treasury to this day.
The exploits of the Romanian prince
If you stop thinking of Dracula as a vampire for a moment and turn to historical reference to encyclopedias and archives, it becomes clear that Vlad III Tepes was a rather stubborn, strict, but competent commander, a true patriot. Being born in 1430 (some historians call 1431), he became the main contender for the throne of Wallachia, on whose territory Catholic Hungary and the Muslim Ottoman Empire made their claims. Already at the age of thirteen, Count Vladislav Dracula takes part in the battle of Varna. At the age of seventeen, with the help of the Turks, he ascends to the throne of Wallachia. But he won't be able to rule for long. Only in 1456 did Tepes take the place of ruler for a long time. After four years, he decides to stop paying tribute to the Ottoman Empire. Sultan Mehmet, personally acquainted with Vlad III Tepes, was surprised by such an act and sent a huge army to deal with the apostate prince. To the surprise of the Sultan, small Wallachia, headed by a bloodthirsty ruler, gave a serious rebuff to the army of the Janissaries. Count Dracula's castle was besieged by hordes of enemies, but the attacks were repulsed, and as a result, the Turks had to return home empty-handed.
Display in early cinema
AT modern films, thanks to the advent of computer special effects, Count Dracula has changed, began to look even more intimidating. A noteworthy picture is "Bram Stoker's Dracula" in 1997 from director Francis Ford Coppola. The film retells the book of the Irish writer. The role of the main protagonist was played by Gary Oldman. Cast members The film is very impressive: Anthony Hopkins and Keanu Reeves fit perfectly into their roles. The most "fresh" film is "Count Dracula" 2014 release. The plot has deviated somewhat from classic movie horror. There is love story and the story of the dashing campaigns of the Romanian governor, who protects native land from Turkish invaders. And he received his unearthly power in this interpretation from ancient vampire. In addition, in the movie "Count Dracula" in 2014 there are inconsistencies related to the marital status and names of the count's children.
Dracula in modern cinema
In modern films, thanks to the advent of computer special effects, Count Dracula has changed, began to look even more intimidating. A noteworthy picture is "Bram Stoker's Dracula" in 1997 from director Francis Ford Coppola. The film retells the book of the Irish writer. The role of the main protagonist was played by Gary Oldman. The cast of the film is very impressive: Anthony Hopkins and Keanu Reeves fit perfectly into their roles. The most "fresh" film is "Count Dracula" 2014 release. The plot in it somewhat departed from the classic horror film. There is a love story and a story about the dashing campaigns of the Romanian governor, who protects his native land from Turkish invaders. And he received his unearthly power in this interpretation from an ancient vampire. In addition, in the movie "Count Dracula" in 2014 there are inconsistencies associated with marital status and the names of the count's children.
Role in modern culture
AT recent decades all greater influence has on us western culture. Once it was alien to us, but today many of its features have firmly entered our lives. So, they came to us from the West different holidays, which have not previously been observed in our area. One of them is Halloween (All Saints' Eve). Traditionally, people who celebrate this day dress up in carnival costumes. A necessary requirement for the outfit is a "terrible" or "mystical" theme. The Count Dracula costume is one of the top Halloween costumes. Moreover, it is quite simple and consists of a long cloak with a standing collar and fangs. Thus, a person wearing such a costume will look like Dracula the vampire from the movie and have the look of a bloodsucker that is familiar to our eyes.
Considering the time in which Count Dracula lived, there is no photo with this legendary character. However, there are paintings and frescoes with his images. For lovers of this theme, the outfit of Vlad III Tepes on a festive evening will make an indelible impression. BUT true connoisseurs genre and history will only confirm the irresistible look.
Vampire or not?
As far as we know, a vampire is someone who drinks someone else's blood. The image of the bloodsucker Count Dracula received thanks to the novel and subsequent films based on it. The prototype of the hero of the book - Vlad III Tepes was not caught in the use of human or someone else's blood. However, being a strict and sometimes cruel ruler of his lands, he often punished and executed people who were guilty even in small things. And the executions were terrible and demonstrative, so that it would be disgraceful for others to repeat atrocities. Perhaps because of these massacres, the image of the Romanian medieval prince is associated with the image of Dracula the vampire. In any case, regardless of whether he drank blood or not, today the most famous vampire in the world is Dracula, created by a writer from Ireland, whom the reader first met back in 1897. Vlad Tepes became the prototype of the hero, nothing more. So believe in supernatural powers prince of Wallachia is not worth it, even despite the very bright biography this ruler, his exploits and legends about him.
A few last words
Vlad III Tepes Dracula lived more than five hundred years ago, and his memory is still alive. The reason for this is Count Dracula, photos, videos and other materials about which have filled the media space today. famous character created a whole trend in cinema and art. And today, films and series are released every year, where the main characters are bloodthirsty bloodsuckers. The vampire Dracula prompted hundreds of historians to the desire to explore any useful and interesting information about the ruler of Wallachia of the 15th century - Prince Vlad III. Thus, some of the gaps in history were filled.
