November 26th - Vlad III Becomes Ruler of Wallachia

On this day, in 1476, Vlad III Dracula defeated Basarab Laiota and became the ruler of Wallachia for a third time. He had help from Stephen the Great and Brian the Handy.

Vlad was known as Vlad the Impaler (in Africa, Vlad the Impala). He got this gruesome nickname for the cruel punishments he would hand out. His favourite punishment was death by impaling. He also liked wind-chimes, but not death by wind-chimes. He didn't mind those office toys with the swinging metal balls that go click clack click clack.

In the english-speaking world Vlad's name was taken as the basis for the character Vlad, also known as Dracula. He is the original gothic ladies' man. Only Vlad's name was used in the construction of the original Dracula. It is likely that the details of the character were based on Elizabeth Báthory, also known as the Blood Countess. She murdered hundreds of her servants and bathed in their blood in a vain attempt to retain her youth. You will please note the double meaning of the word "vain".

The name Dracula means son of the Devil. Vlad's father Vlad was called Vlad II Dracul, or Vlad the Devil. Vlad II's father was known as Vlad Dra, which means puppies.

Vlad ha an older brother Mircea, and a younger brother called Radu the Handsome. What a guy! In a deal with the Ottoman empire, Vlad's father gave up two of his sons as hostages for a deal. This caused Vlad to not trust his father. He was justified to do this because his father was called Vlad the Devil.

Vlad's reign was split in to three periods with the third beginning at the defeat of Basarab the Bubbly. During these up and down times he was married twice and had a number of children. His first wife flung herself out of a castle window becasue the Turks were invading. You'll never solve your problems that way, and you should stop smoking.

On the night of his death Vlad's body went missing. Probably because he turned into a vampire.

Bram Stoker wrote a novel that used Vlad as the basis of the vampire, Dracula. It was made into a popular movie starring Keanu Reeves. His acting was a bit wooden but the material didn't call for much emotional range.