Vlad Dracula was known as “The Impaler”, for having delivered many thousands of deaths by this method and other unusual forms of execution. In impalement, an oiled stake is driven through a person’s body in such a way that the person will endure great suffering for hours or days before dying. Dracula’s second rule of Wallachia, which lasted from 1456 to 1462, is the period in which he became famous for his atrocities.
One day, as Dracula was riding through the countryside, he saw a peculiar looking peasant. The peasant’s pants and shirt were poorly stitched, and much too short. Many of the peasants in the town had poor clothing, but not such as this. Vlad spoke to the peasant, “Are you married?”
“Yes, Your Highness,” the peasant replied.
“Well, your wife is obviously lazy and idle. Your pants look like they are glued to your legs. And your shirt is too short. Your wife is not worthy enough to live in my kingdom! She shall die!”
The peasant cried out, “I beg your forgiveness, my lord, but I am satisfied with my wife. She is hardworking, and she is honest.”
“You shall be more satisfied with a new wife,” Dracula said. Moments later, the peasant’s wife was brought to Dracula. She was immediately impaled, against the plea of mercy from the peasant.
Then Dracula ordered another woman to marry the peasant, and showed the new wife what happened to the first woman. The new wife worked so hard she never slept, so that her life might be spared.
* * *
In Wallachia, the power had always been shared between the Prince and the noblemen (boyars). The boyars often plotted against each other. In fact they killed Dracula’s older brother, burying him alive. Dracula sought revenge. When Dracula became Prince of Wallachia, he invited all the noblemen and their families for an Easter feast. The boyars arrived in their fanciest clothes. They attended an elaborate Easter ritual in the chapel, followed by festivities in the main banquet room. When the older ones were leaving the chapel, Dracula’s henchmen lead them behind the chapel and impaled them. The younger ones were feasting and dancing when Dracula’s trusted officials surrounded them and chained them together. They were marched to an old fortress fifty miles away. There they were given the job of rebuilding the structure, which would become Castle Dracula, a place for Dracula to relax away from the palace. They remained chained together as they labored for months. Bricks from the kilns were transported to the castle by being passed down the walls of people. Some people were chained as they excavated stone from the mountains. What a sight it must have been for the peasants! The human walls extended from villages to the fortress. The fine clothes of the prisoners became worn and shredded, and the people were left nearly naked. Many of the prisoners died working, and most of the ones that survived were impaled when it was over. With the noble class gone, Dracula gave official positions to ordinary people to gain their loyalty and to give himself more power. In this way, Dracula avenged his brother’s death, strengthened his power, and changed the class structure of his kingdom.
* * *
Dracula asked the ill, the old and the poor beggars to come to the palace. He ordered that a fine feast be prepared for them. Servants were given the task of distributing new clothes to the guests as they arrived at the palace. Then the servants led the large number of guests to a mansion. The beggars sat down to a marvelous feast. The food was as finely prepared as if they were royalty. They ate and drank until they were full and a bit drunk from the palace wines. Suddenly flames arose around them. The beggars fled to the doors of the dining hall, and found that they were locked in the room. The fires grew stronger, burning the mansion to the ground. All the guests died that day. Dracula boasted that there were no beggars in his land.
* * *
Dracula seemed to enjoy watching people writhe in pain and die slow painful deaths. He is said to have taken the lives of 100,000 people, including citizens of Wallachia and military enemies. Historians believe that the figure is exaggerated, but when considering the small population of the time, Dracula may have killed proportionately more people than any other person in history.
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