Dracula: the most prominent vampire novel in literary history. Did you know that Dracula is said to be inspired by Romanian prince Vlad the Impaler? Learn about the blood-thirsty prince and his connection to the famous novel in this lesson.
Who Was Vlad the Impaler?
Killing thousands of people in gruesome ways, Vlad the Impaler earned his nickname. He was born around the year 1431. His name was Vlad III Dracula but he was also known as Vlad the Impaler (Vlad Tepes in Romanian). He was a prince of Wallachia who ruled in the 15th century. During this time, the European country of Romania was split into three principalities: Moldova, Transylvania, and Wallachia. Wallachia was the southern region of what now is modern-day Romania.