1431-1436 | Dracula lived in Transylvania during his early childhood. His father was Vlad Dracul, and his mother was Princess Cneajna of Moldavia. Dracula had an older brother, Mircea, and a youger brother, Radu. His father protected the borders from Turkish invasion
1436-1442 | When Dracula’s father became the official Prince of Wallachia, the family moved to the palace in Tirgoviste, the capital of Wallachia.
1442-1447 | Dracula and his younger brother Radu were taken as hostages and placed in Turkish prisons to guarantee that their father would be loyal to the Turks.
1447 | Dracula was free to leave Turkey, because his father was dead. His father was assassinated by Vladimir II, who took the throne at Wallachia. His older brother Mircea was also assassinated. Dracula chose to remain and fight with the Turks.
1448 | Vlad Dracula became Prince of Wallachia when he overthrew Vladimir II. However, his rule only lasted two months, because Vladimir II overthrew him.
1449-1456 | Dracula spent some years in hiding. He came out of hiding when he was needed to fight the Turks. Dracula killed Vladimir II (his father’s assassin) and became Prince of Wallachia again.
1456-1462 | Dracula, in his second rule of Wallachia, became known as “Vlad the Impaler”. He changes the social class structure in his land, and despite his cruel executions, brought national pride to Wallachia. He fought well against the Turks, and proved that the Turks could be defeated. Dracula and his wife had two sons, and he also had an illegitimate son.
1462 | Dracula’s younger brother Radu, who had remained in Turkey since childhood, convinced Dracula’s soldiers that it was time for a change. Dracula’s soldiers joined the other side. When Dracula was warned that the Turks were close to invading his Castle Dracula, his wife committed suicide, and Dracula was able to flee through underground passages to the forest. He sought refuge in Hungary, but enemies there had him imprisoned.
1463-1476 | Dracula remained a prisoner of Hungary.
1476 | The King of Hungary helped Dracula regain the throne at Wallachia. A couple of months later, Dracula was killed on the battlefield. Some say he was accidentally killed by his own soldiers; others say that Turks dressed up as Dracula’s soldiers assassinated him. His slain body was decapitated. Monks buried his headless body in the monastery, but his casket has never been found, although some have searched for it.
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