Newsgroups: alt.vampyres
Subject: Re: Vlad?
From: vpopesc@opus.uucp (Valentin Popescu)
Date: 19 Nov 92 02:47:44 PST
Organization: California State University, Lost Angels

In article <1992Nov13.221430.3367@b8.b8.ingr.com> anthony@panzer.b17b.ingr.com (Anthony Shipman) writes:
>In article <BxM1CL.Hvw@acsu.buffalo.edu>, lamanna@acsu.buffalo.edu (Michael Lamanna) writes:
>|> v116qhth@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (I'm not evil...I'm just good looking) writes:
>|> 
>|> >  What's the connection between Vlad (the Impailer I am assuming) and Dracula?
>|> >  Same guy?
>|> 
>|> 	The connection is this.  Vlad's father was called Dracul(sp?).
>|> 	The word Dracula means the son of Dracula!
>|> 	
>

>I think this is the best non-fiction book on vampires. Lots of neat
>pictures, too. How about those 16th century woodcuts of Vlad feasting on human
>flesh while hundreds of peasants are being impaled on 10-foot high wooden stakes
>all around him?
>
>Though it's been posted before, a quick reprise of Vlad's career may better
>answer your question. Vlad (Dracula) was a 15th(?) century Prince of 
>Wallachia,
>an area between the Transylvania mountains and the Danube in what is
>now Romania.
>He spent most of his life fighting the Moslem Turks who were invading southern
>Eastern Europe in those days. He also had a macabre taste for impaling enemies
>and peasants on wooden stakes. Please don't flame, but I think the real guy is
>scarier than Stoker's vampire. If I had to be at an adversary of one
>of the two, I'd
>take the Count anyday.

Although this is all good and dandy, there are a few points that have
been ommited (not on purpose, I am sure).

Vlad Tepes (read Tzepesh) was regarded by many as a national hero. He
was distinguished in battle, and he ruled during a very difficult
time. The country was surrounded by unfriendly countries (the
Ottomans, the Hungarians, etc). Yes, he did impale people, but I don't
see how that's more horrible than what the Inquisition or every other
nation of the time did. It was a very barbaric period throughout the
world, and nations were fighting for survival. Many prefered to live
under his iron fist than under the Ottoman control. He also made a lot
of enemies because of his nationalism. The current disputes over
transylvania between hungarians and romanians were alive and well then.

YAR (Yet another recap) Vlad Tepes was the son of vlad dracul. I
believe Vlad Dracul took the name of "Dracul" as he was accepted in
the Order of the Dragon, although literally Dracul means Devil.
Dracula was taken by his son, Tepes, as a diminutive. I believe Tepes
was eventually killed in a Hungarian plot, but I may be mistaken.

Another aspect that has not been mentioned is Porphiria (sp?), which
is a blood disease which can be associated with what a vampire is portraied
as. Vlad Tepes did not suffer of it, however.

By the way, I believe an even better example of Vampirism was a
certain queen from the Bathory (sp?) family in Hungary, which believed
that she can maitain her youth by bathing in the blood of young girls. 
She was eventually dethroned and thrown in the dungeons, and the
entrances and windows of the cell were closed up. I probably have this
wrong, someone who knows the story better may be able to corect me.


Excuse the spellin's and grammar erro's, it is 2:45 am afterall. :)
-- 
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\_____     /    /_ \     \     _____/ Valentin Popescu
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