sixpenceee:

The Real Dracula: Though Dracula is a purely fictional creation, Bram Stoker named his infamous character after a real person, Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia or Vlad the Impaler. Vlad was born in 1431 in Transylvania into a noble family. His father was called “Dracul,” meaning “dragon” or “devil” in Romanian. From 1448 until his death in 1476, Vlad ruled Walachia and Transylvania, both part of Romania today.

Vlad lived in a time of constant war. He earned the nickname “Vlad the Impaler” because some would say that favorite method of torture was to impale people and leave them to writhe in agony, often for days. As a warning to others, the bodies would remain on rods as vultures and blackbirds nibbled the rotting flesh.

During one battle, Vlad retreated into nearby mountains, impaling people as he went. The Turkish advance was halted because the sultan could not bear the stench from the decaying corpses. Another time, Vlad was reported to have eaten a meal on a table set up outside amidst hundreds of impaled victims. On occasion he was also reported to have eaten bread dipped in blood. (Source)