Was Dracula real? How true stories and real-life figures inspired ...

For years, the tale of the Count has terrified many and while the character of Dracula is pure fiction, it appears that the inspiration for him is not…
Claes Bang stars as Dracula in the latest adaptation written by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss (Photo: BBC)
Is Dracula real?
No he is not. However, rumour has it that when Stoker was writing his novel, he named the scary character after Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia, who was better known as Vlad the Impaler.
Born in 1431, Vlad Tepes went on to adopt the name Dracula – meaning “the son of the devil” – after his father Vlad II was inducted into a semi-military and religious society that was called the Order of the Dragon. Vlad II was given the name Vlad II Dracul by the boyars of Romania who associated the dragon with the Devil.
Following the death of his father, Vlad Tepes ruled over Walachia and had a unique way of exacting revenge by impaling the heads of his enemies. Folklore suggests that the ruler even dipped his bread in the blood of his victims.
However, over the years, other historians have found that there is no link between Stoker’s Dracular and Vlad the Impaler. Instead, Stoker is thought to have come across the name Dracula when he read a book about Wallachia in 1890. According to Dracula: Sense and Nonsense by Elizabeth Miller, Stoker wrote in his notes that Dracula “in Wallachian language means DEVIL”.
Rumour has it that Bram Stoker based the character of Dracula on Vlad the Impaler
But it wasn’t all about Vlad, as Stoker is believed to have taken inspiration for his eerie novel from a source closer to home.
According to BBC News, Stoker took an interest in Scottish writer Emily Gerard’s book on Transylvanian folklore and was introduced to the idea of the Nosferatu, who drinks the blood of innocent people, when he read her literary offering, The Land Beyond the Forest.
The London Library recently discovered that The Land Beyond the Forest was one of Stoker’s main sources when he wrote his novel.
When is Dracula on TV?
The first episode of Dracula aired on New Year’s Day on BBC One at 9pm. The episodes will continue to air over two consecutive nights at the same time and on the same channel.
As well as being available to watch on the BBC iPlayer, viewers who are not in the UK will be able to watch the series via Netflix.
Who stars in Dracula?
Danish actor Claes Bang stars in the lead role of Dracula as The Crown’s John Heffernan takes on the role of Jonathan Harker.
Death Comes to Pemberley actress makes an appearance as Mother Superior alongside Dolly Wells in the role of Sister Agatha.
Morfydd Clark, who starred in His Dark Materials will be seen taking on the role of Mina and Mark Gatiss, who also co-created and co-wrote the series, will star as Frank.