I'm not really a dark person, but vampires have always fascinated me. I'm not a big fan of Bram Stokers Dracula, but i do like to read and watch movies about romantic and seductive vampires. They are so passionate. I've liked vampires for quite awhile, but one of the most interesting is the Real DRACULA, also known as Vlad the Impaler.
"'Dracula,' means "son of the Dragon." This title was bestowed upon him because of his dad's affiliation with the Order of the Dragon, an order formed by the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund for the purpose of defeating the Turks. His father went by the name of Dracul" ('dragon" or "devil'). Due to his gruesome method of execution the name Dracula began to be interpreted as 'son of the devil.'" (http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu)

Dracula had an active and rough life. He was born in Sebes of Transylvania in 1431, and he moved to the land of Wallachia, where he later ruled as an adult. When he was about 10 years old, he was taken hostage by the Turks, his father's sworn enemy. About 5 years later, Dracula's father and brother were horribly murdered. Dracula swore revenge. He spent a lot of his life from then on trying to kill the man responsible for the death of his father. The man was Vladislav II.

Dracula was a very strict and unmerciful ruler during his reign in Wallachia. He reigned 3 different times: 1448, 1456-62, and 1476. Dracula was known for his many punishment techniques. He's most famous for impalement, but also practiced decapitation, cutting off of any, or many parts of a doby, and boiling, skinning, strangling, nailing, burrying alive, many forms of medieval torture, and whatever was "new" or cruel and could cause much pain. He even had honey and salt smeared onto his captives feet and then allowed animals to lick them for indefinite periods of time. Many people, from nobles, to his henchman, did not feel safe around him. In a book by Radu R. Florescu and Raymond T. McNally, they say that Dracula's crimes especially with women, suggest sexual abnormalities, and morbid sexual deviation.

Another problem for Dracula was when the Sultan Murad II of Hungary died, and his son Mehmed succeeded him. Mehmed and Dracula didn't get along. Megmed's father is the sultan who took Dracula and his brother Radu as hostages. (Radu is no the brother who was murdered) The 3 boys, Dracula, Radu, and Mehmed were tutored together, and Radu and Mehmed became lovers. Mehmed and his household all liked Radu more because of his "unusual good looks and sensuality." Dracula was described as a "gaunt and rather ungainly youth, and difficult pupil, and prone to temper bouts." Dracula grew an intense hatred for his brother during this time because of the differences in personality and because Radu was treated better. In 1451, when Mehmed because the new sultan, Mehmed killed his only brother who was very young, just because he wanted no rivals for his position. In 1462, Dracula was put under house arrest for his actions, and during his final reign of Wallachia, was assassinated by an undercover Turk Spy.

DRACULA TIME LINE

1395-Vlad Dracul was born (dracula's father)
1425-Vlad Dracul marries Princess Cneajna of Moldavia
1428-Only Legitimated son: Mircea
1431- VLAD DRACULA WAS BORN in Sebes, Transylvania
1435- Radu (Dracula's brother) was born
1437- Dracul reclaimed Wallachian throne and his family joined him
Childhood- taught morals, manners, clothing, et cetera, how to be a prince.
Childhood- Liked watching criminals hung outside his window
1442-Sultan Murad II invited Dracul and 2 of his son's to his court. It was a trap
1442-Dracul bound in chains, Dracula, and Radu taken into Turkish custody
1442-1447- Murad's son: Mehmed tutored with Dracula and Radu. Radu was the favorite of the Dracul boys.
1447 Hunyadi led Exhibition against Dracul's father
1447- Hunyadi takes Vladislav II to Dracul and Mircea.
1447- Mircea is buried alive
1447- Dracul is assassinated (Really Pisses Dracula off)
1449-51- Dracula and his cousin Stephen stay together
1451- Murad II dies, Prince Mehmed becomes new Sultan
1452- Hunyadi and Dracula make peace
1453- Hunyadi takes Dracula to coronation of Ladislas Posthumus. Dracula was offered a military appointment in Hunyadi's army
1453- Constantinople captured by Mehmed
1456- Dracula kills Vladislav
1456- Hunyadi dies of Plague
1457- Dracula kills manyboyars who helped kill Mircea,by impaling them
1459- Dracula got reputation for drinking blood. "dipped his bread in the blood of his victims" since "watching human blood flow gave him courage."
1462- Asked old, lame, ill, etc. to his dining hall, and burnt them to "get rid" of them
1462- "Night of Attack" against Mehmed. Dracula killed many.
1462- Dracula was imprisoned
1475- Radu Dies
1475- Dracula converts to Catholic to be allowed to fight to get Wallachian thron back.
1475- Stephan and Dracula promise to protect and "be there for" eachother.
1476- Appointed captain for a company in Bosnia
1476- Bosnia became liberated because Dracula's tactics were successfull
1476- Dracula was restored to Wallachian throne
1476- Dracula killed by a Turkish spy.
His head was sent to Constantinople where the Sultan had it displayed on a stake to prove that the terrible Impaler was really dead.

i got a lot of this information from "Dracula Prince of Many Faces" which was written by Radu R. Florescu and Raymond R. McNally. But i read it a couple years ago, so i might have confused some of this information. A book that i recommend is "The Vampire Encyclopedia." I would give you the book information, but i let somebody borrow the book a year ago, and now know that i will never see that book again (dammit!) Recently i got a book called "Vampires Encounters with the Undead," but i didn't get to look too much at it yet. I also have a book from the Role Playing game "Vampire the Masquerade." I've never played this role playing game. A friend of me thought i would enjoy it, but i'm not so sure...if you've played it, please let me know how it is.... Well, if you see anyting on here that you think is wrong, let me know, and i'll look it up!

sandy_00@hotmail.com

If you like Bram Stokers Dracula, and like Ballet, About a year ago, i went and saw Dracula the ballet, which was put on by Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet. It was beautiful.