THE TRUTH BEHIND THE MOST FAMOUS VAMPIRE!

Dracula is a complex figure who, over the years, has mixed himself up with legends, stories and historical realities. The name “Dracula” is widely associated with the famous character created by Irish writer Bram Stoker in the gothic novel Dracula, published in 1897. However, the figure who inspired the character has roots in a real historical character, Vlad III, also known as Vlad the Impaler. We'll explore the relationship between myth and reality, as well as demystifying Dracula's characteristics as a vampire.

Vlad III was born around 1431 in the region of Transylvania, which at the time was part of the Kingdom of Hungary and is now part of Romania. He was the son of Vlad II, a prince of the Order of the Dragon, a medieval military organization designed to fight the Ottoman Empire. The name “Drăculea”, which means “son of the dragon” in Romanian, is where the name “Dracula” comes from. Vlad III was known for his extreme cruelty, especially his method of impaling his enemies alive on sharpened stakes. His rule was marked by acts of violence and torture, which earned him a reputation as a tyrant.

However, the figure of Vlad III, brutal though he may have been, does not have the characteristics of a vampire. The legend of Dracula as an immortal being who feeds on human blood emerged with the work of Bram Stoker. The novel Dracula takes place at the end of the 19th century and tells the story of a Transylvanian vampire who travels to London in search of new victims. This Dracula is a supernatural being, with powers such as the ability to transform into a bat, control animals and seduce his victims, characteristics that have no basis in the historical figure of Vlad III.

The connection between Stoker's character and Vlad III is mainly due to his name and the inspiration for the stories of cruelty associated with the prince. Stoker based his vampire on the historical figure, but adapted it to fit the conventions of the gothic and horror genre of the time. Although Vlad III's violence fueled the idea of a ruthless and dangerous being, the idea of a vampire has no connection to his real story. The addition of the supernatural elements and vampiric characteristics came from a mixture of European folklore traditions and Stoker's own talent for creating a literary monster.

In Slavic folklore, the figure of the vampire existed long before Stoker wrote his work. Vampires were generally seen as undead who returned from beyond the grave to feed on human blood. These myths spread to various Eastern European cultures, including Transylvania, which may have influenced the author to set his novel in that region. The very name “vampire” comes from Slavic words referring to blood-sucking creatures, and the idea of immortal beings is also present in many ancient legends.

So, when questioning whether Dracula really existed, the answer is yes and no. Vlad III, the prince of Wallachia, was a real historical figure, but he was not a vampire. The figure of Dracula as a supernatural monster was completely created by Bram Stoker, who was inspired by the medieval tyrant to compose one of the most emblematic characters in horror literature.

In short, the story of Dracula as we know it today is a mixture of historical facts and fictional elements, especially from the gothic and horror genres. Vlad III was a brutal and historical figure, but the idea of Dracula as a vampire is a literary invention, created to explore human fears around death, the supernatural and absolute evil. Thus, Dracula was not a real vampire, but he remains one of the most famous and fascinating figures in literature, representing the power of mythology and imagination over real history.