Dracula

Dracula refers to the title character of Bram Stoker's novel, a European nobleman who is also a vampire. The exact history and nature of this individual is a matter of debate among WNU scholars. What seems certain is that in life he was Voivode ('Prince') Vlad Tepes ("the Impaler"), a 15th century warlord in what is today Romania. Dracula comes from his father's membership in the Order of the Dragon (it means "Son of the Dragon"). He defeated at attempt by Sultan Mehmed II of the Ottoman Empire to conquer Wallachia, essentially using guerilla tactics and a campaign of psychological warfare (some would call Terror). Betrayed by his brother Radu the Handsome, his throne was usurped but he regained it after marrying a Hungarian princess and converting to Roman Catholocism. Although the date of his death is recorded, the disposal of his corpse remains unknown.

External Links

• Wikipedia article about Count Dracula
• Kiss of the Vampire (John A. Small's essay on the relationship between Dracula and Vampirella)
• House of Dracula: Voivodes or Princes of Wallachia (family tree)