Dracula's Wars: Vlad The Impaler and His RivalsThe real Dracula was far from Bram Stoker’s well-mannered aristocrat. Better known as Vlad the Impaler, he was named for his favoured execution method: running a spear through his victim’s lower body, then standing them upright so it skewered their vital organs. In a world ruled by petty tyrants and constantly at war, the young Dracula was held hostage by the Turks while his father was assassinated and his brother was buried alive. Finally released, Dracula conducted an almighty purge, surrounding his palace with noblemen impaled on stakes. Then he turned his attention to military campaigns against the Turks and Bulgars to consolidate his power. Yet to Romanians and the Pope he was a hero and liberator, fighting to protect his kingdom and countrymen from invasion in a complex and treacherous time. And, as an initiate in the Order of the Dragon, Dracula also played a vital (if not entirely noble) part in the fight against the Ottoman war machine. In this full account of Vlad Dracula, James Waterson details the good and the bad of this warlord prince, offering a fascinating insight into the violent end of the Middle Ages. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Albania allies Anatolia artillery attack Author’s collection Balkans Basarab III Laiot battle Belgrade Bosnia boyars Brasov Bulgaria Byzantine campaign captured Catholic cavalry century certainly Christian conquest Constantinople Crusade Danube death defeated defence devshirme Eastern Edirne emperor enemy Europe European fact feudal fight forces fortress Golden Horde Habsburgs History Hungarian Hungary Hunyadi Hussite impaled Inalcik infantry Islam Istanbul Janissaries Jonas Hunyadi Kantakouzenos killed king king’s knights Kosovo lands London lords Mamluk Matthias Corvinus medieval Mehemmed II’s mercenaries military Mircea Moldavia Mongol Murad II Murad II’s Nicopolis Orthodox Ottoman army Ottoman Empire Ottoman troops Pasha peasants political Pope Prince Radu raids reign River Romanian ruler Rumelia Saxon Serbia Serbs siege Sigismund sipahis Skanderbeg Stefan Stephen Suleiman sultan Szilagyi territory throne timar Timur Tirgoviste took Transylvania Turkish Turks University Press vassal vassalage Venetians Venice victory Vlachs Vlad Dracula Vlad II Dracul Vladislaus Vladislaus II voivode Wallachia warwagons whilst