About Vlad III
Vlad III, or Vlad Tepes was the son of Vlad Dracul, Meaning Vlad the Dragon. “Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler) was the second son of another Wallachia Voivode, Vlad Dracul (1436-1442, 1443-1447) and Mircea the Old’s grandson.” Vlad III was one of Wallachia's Princes. One Scholar states "Vlad III's father, Vlad II, did own a residence in Sighişoara, Transylvania, but it is not certain that Vlad III was born there, according to Curta. It's also possible, he said, that Vlad the Impaler was born in Târgovişte, which was at that time the royal seat of the principality of Wallachia, where his father was a "voivode," or ruler" (The Real Dracula: Vlad the Impaler).
Vlad III's Controversial Tactics
One Scholar States this about Vlad III's rule over Wallachia: “Here we find a very different Vlad: a prince who repeatedly defended his homeland from the Turks at a time when just about every other principality in the region had been subjected to Ottoman rule; and a leader who succeeded in maintaining law and order in what were indeed lawless and disorderly times” (Vlad the Impaler). However, his tactics for doing so earned him the infamous title of Vlad the Impaler.
One such Tactic is described by a Scholar: “A pamphlet published in Nuremburg, Germany, immediately following his death in 1476, tells of his burning beggars after allowing them free food at his court. 'He felt they were eating the people's food for nothing, and could not repay it,' the broadside explains" (Man More than Myth). Another tactic that earned him the infamous nickname of Vlad the Impaler says this: "His consolidation of local power was harsh. On Easter Day, 1456, Tepes invited regional nobility to dine with him. Following the meal, he had the old and infirm murdered and marched the remaining guests 50 miles to a dilapidated castle, which he took as his own. There, he put the nobility to hard labor restoring it. Most died during from maltreatment and exhaustion; those who didn't were impaled alive on spikes outside the castle when restorations were complete." (Vlad the Impaler - How Stuff Works).
One such Tactic is described by a Scholar: “A pamphlet published in Nuremburg, Germany, immediately following his death in 1476, tells of his burning beggars after allowing them free food at his court. 'He felt they were eating the people's food for nothing, and could not repay it,' the broadside explains" (Man More than Myth). Another tactic that earned him the infamous nickname of Vlad the Impaler says this: "His consolidation of local power was harsh. On Easter Day, 1456, Tepes invited regional nobility to dine with him. Following the meal, he had the old and infirm murdered and marched the remaining guests 50 miles to a dilapidated castle, which he took as his own. There, he put the nobility to hard labor restoring it. Most died during from maltreatment and exhaustion; those who didn't were impaled alive on spikes outside the castle when restorations were complete." (Vlad the Impaler - How Stuff Works).
How Vlad III Benefited Wallachia
Vlad III led many battles that defended and fortified Wallachia. He defended and captured territories for his country and he also made the country's economy much better. As Elizabeth Palermo says, “In 1453, the city of Constantinople fell to the Ottomans, threatening all of Europe with an invasion. Vlad was charged with leading a force to defend Wallachia from an invasion.” (The Real Dracula: Vlad the Impaler -- Sott.net) As this shows, Vlad was a very good leader that knew how to protect his people, and defend from invasions from enemy countries. Another thing Vlad helped with, was that he helped the economy of his time. As Adrian Axinte states: “Prince Vlad Dracula was not only a destroyer - of men and property - but also a builder: apart from an unspecified number of churches, his major architectural creation standing to this day - albeit only as an impressive ruin - is his alpine castle, incorrectly located by Bram Stoker in north-eastern Transylvania not far from Bistrita.” (DRACULA: Between Myth and Reality).
Vlad not only knew how to defend his country, he also knew how to make them more wealthy, and he could help all members of the community. Elizabeth Miller puts it very well when she says: “Here we find a very different Vlad: a prince who repeatedly defended his homeland from the Turks at a time when just about every other principality in the region had been subjected to Ottoman rule; and a leader who succeeded in maintaining law and order in what were indeed lawless and disorderly times.” (Vlad the Impaler). However, unlike many believe, Vlad was not just someone that ran around killing people. As Eli Nixon says: “It’s easy to think of Dracula as a solitary madman, just running around killing people, but that’s not how it was. The man just so happened to be the Prince of Wallachia, and many of his “murders” were his own twisted form of law and order. The thing is, impalement was pretty much the only punishment—whether you stole a loaf of bread or committed murder.” (Facts About the Real Dracula).
Vlad not only knew how to defend his country, he also knew how to make them more wealthy, and he could help all members of the community. Elizabeth Miller puts it very well when she says: “Here we find a very different Vlad: a prince who repeatedly defended his homeland from the Turks at a time when just about every other principality in the region had been subjected to Ottoman rule; and a leader who succeeded in maintaining law and order in what were indeed lawless and disorderly times.” (Vlad the Impaler). However, unlike many believe, Vlad was not just someone that ran around killing people. As Eli Nixon says: “It’s easy to think of Dracula as a solitary madman, just running around killing people, but that’s not how it was. The man just so happened to be the Prince of Wallachia, and many of his “murders” were his own twisted form of law and order. The thing is, impalement was pretty much the only punishment—whether you stole a loaf of bread or committed murder.” (Facts About the Real Dracula).