or Vlad the Impaler
born 0441; 1431
died 1476
Ruler of Walachia (1448, 145662, 1476).
He succeeded his father, Vlad II Dracul ("Dragon"). He gained the throne decisively in 1456 with the help of János Hunyadi . He fought the Turkish invasions of Walachia and built many fortifications to hold them back, including the fortress of Poenari with its stairway of 1,400 steps. He was imprisoned for 12 years in Hungary by Matthias I , from whom he had sought aid after being overthrown by the Ottomans. He was killed by an Ottoman-supported prince. Although an effective administrator and military leader, he was notorious for cruel depravities. In establishing his domination over the Walachian nobility, he apparently tortured to death 20,000 men, women, and children by impaling them upright on thin stakes. His epithet Dracula ("Son of the Dragon") was used by Bram Stoker for the Romanian vampire-count in his famous novel.