Dracula

Dracula's History

Early Life

In 1430 AD, Vlad Tepes Dracula was born in Schassberg, Transylvania (now Sighisoara, Romania), in the small European Kingdom of Wallachia. He was the son of Vlad Dracul (also called Vlad the Elder).

At seven years old, he allegedly ousted his half-brother Alexandru Aldea from the throne of Wallachia.

At some point, Dracula was appointed as prince of Wallachia by King Sigismund of Hungary. Dracula also joined the Order of the Dragon.

In 1444 AD, he accompanied his father and brother Radu on the road to the Ottoman Empire, where they planned to negotiate for peace. They were ambushed en route by agents of Sultan Murad II, who held the sons captive, forcing Vlad the Elder to favor Turkey. This eventually led John Hunyadi and Vlad's other advisers to revolt against him, killing him and his son Mircea. After five years of torture, Radu had died in captivity, but Dracula escaped to claim the title of Voivode of Wallachia at the age of 18. His reign lasted only a year before he was forced to flee the principality, fearing his father's killers.

In 1451, Dracula, finally tired of running, threw himself on Hunyadi's mercy. Hoping to add legitimacy to his regency, Hunyadi took Dracula under his wing, teaching him the art of war, and overseeing Vlad's pre-arranged marriage to Zofia (whom he despised). After a year of marriage, Dracula (with Hunyadi having died in the meantime) considered all his obligations fulfilled, and expelled his wife and their daughter, Lilith. Lilith was left in the care of a gypsy woman named Gretchin, while Zofia decided to take her own life rather than live as a peasant.