The Peerage and Royalty

Count Dracula was a real historical person and not just a myth. His real life was vastly more horrible than has ever been depicted in any horror flick. Known to his enemies as "Vlad Tepes" or Vlad the Impaler, many have wondered why he acquired such strange habits as being said to suck the blood of his victims. The answer is that he was fighting for the survival of his people against the Ottoman Turks who had him surrounded and were in the process of taking over the entire region. It was therefore helpful to have a fearsome reputation for among other things displaying the heads of his enemies on a spike. A great leader of his people, Count Dracula was the last independent ruler of Transylvania. After his death or disappearance in 1476, his people fell under Turkish rule. A few years ago his tomb was opened, but no corpse was found there. We all know what that means!

Bram Stoker later invented a kinder, gentler Dracula.

http://www.royalty.nu/Europe/Balkan/Dracula.html
http://channels.netscape.com/ns/atplay/content.jsp?file=dracula.jsp

Prince of Wallachia 1448, 1456-1462