Who was Vlad the Impaler?
Vlad III, or as he was widely known, Vlad the Impaler or Vlad Dracula, was a 15th-century voivode (or prince) of Wallachia, the historical and geographical region of Romania. His life had inspired several legends even when he was alive and after his death, he has become a figure of fascination across the world. Raised in the House of Drăculești, a branch of House of Basarab, Vlad III, alongside his younger brother Radu, began to serve as hostages in the Ottoman Empire in 1442 to secure their father's loyalty. After the murders of his father and elder brother, Vlad III attacked Wallachia with an Ottoman army and began his first reign as voivode in 1448. However, he was soon deposed and he had to seek refuge with the Turks. In 1456, he invaded his home country a second time with the Hungarian support. During his second reign, Vlad III systematically purged the Wallachian boyars to strengthen his position. He killed Transylvanian Saxons and ransacked their villages as they previously supported his rivals for the throne. In 1461, he reignited the war against the Ottoman Empire after first refusing to pay homage and then executing Sultan Mehmed II’s envoys. He also tried to unsuccessfully assassinate the sultan himself. Seeking assistance from Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary, in his struggle against the empire, he visited Hungary but was captured instead. Between 1463 and 1475,Vlad was held captive in Visegrád. It was during this period that the tales of his cruelty began to spread all over Europe. He regained his throne one more time after his release in the summer of 1475 before he was killed in 1476 or 1477.
First Reign
Following the death of his father and brother, Vlad III began to be considered as a possible heir to his father’s seat. In September 1448, Vladislav II participated in Hunyadi’s campaign into the Ottoman territory. Sensing an opportunity, Vlad III invaded Wallachia with Ottoman soldiers and captured the fortress of Giurgiu on the Danube and helped in strengthening it. On October 18, 1448, the Ottoman forces defeated Hunyadi's army in the Battle of Kosovo.
However, Vladislav II returned to Wallachia soon after and Vlad III had to make a reluctant and hasty retreat in December. He went to Edirne in the Ottoman Empire after he was ousted from power for the first time. He later relocated to Moldavia, where one of his uncles had captured the throne, to ask for support. However, that uncle was killed and Vlad III had to flee to Transylvania with his cousin. They petitioned Hunyadi's for help but he had committed to a three-year peace with the Ottoman Empire already.
