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The Historical Dracula
Chapter V: Anecdotal
Evidence
Much
of the information we have about Vlad III comes from pamphlets
published in Germany and Russia after his death. The German
pamphlets appeared shortly after Dracula's death and, at least
initially, may have been politically inspired. At that time Matthias
Corvinus of Hungary was seeking to bolster his own reputation in the
Holy Roman Empire and may have intended the early pamphlets as
justification of his less than vigorous support of his vassal. The
pamphlets were also a form of mass entertainment in a society where
the printing press was just coming into widespread use. Much like
the subject matter of the supermarket tabloids of today, the cruel
life of the Wallachian tyrant was easily sensationalized. The
pamphlets were reprinted numerous times over the thirty or so years
following Dracula's death -- strong proof of their popularity.
The German pamphlets painted Dracula as an inhuman monster who
terrorized the land and butchered innocents with sadistic glee. The
Russian pamphlets took a somewhat different view. The princes of
Moscow were at that time just beginning to build the basis of what
would become the autocracy of the czars. They were also having
considerable trouble with disloyal, often treasonous boyars. In
Russia, Dracula was presented as a cruel but just prince whose
actions were directed toward the greater good of his people. Despite
the differences in interpretation the pamphlets, regardless of their
land of origin, agree remarkably well as to specifics. The level of
agreement between the various pamphlets has led most historians to
conclude that at least the broad outlines of the events covered
actually occurred.
Romanian verbal tradition provides another important source for the
life of Vlad Dracula. Legends and tales concerning the Impaler have
remained a part of folklore among the Romanian peasantry. These
tales have been passed down from generation to generation for five
hundred years. Through constant retelling they have become somewhat
garbled and confused and they are gradually being forgotten by the
younger generations. However, they still provide valuable
information about Dracula and his relationship with his own people.
Many of the tales contained in the pamphlets are also found in the
verbal tradition, though with a somewhat different emphasis. Among
the Romanian peasantry Dracula is remembered as a just prince who
defended his people from foreigners, whether those foreigners be
Turkish invaders or German merchants. He is also remembered as
somewhat of a champion of the common man against the oppression of
the boyars. Dracula's fierce insistence on honesty is a central part
of the verbal tradition. Many of the anecdotes contained in the
pamphlets and in the verbal tradition demonstrate the prince's
efforts to eliminate crime and dishonesty from his domain. However,
despite the more positive interpretation, the Romanian verbal
tradition also remembers Dracula as an exceptionally cruel and often
capricious ruler.
There are several events that are common to all the pamphlets,
regardless of their nation of origin. Many of these events are also
found in the Romanian verbal tradition. Specific details may vary
among the different versions of these anecdotes but the general
course of events usually agrees to a remarkable extent. For example,
in some versions the foreign ambassadors received by Dracula at
Tirgoviste are Florentine, in others they are Turkish. The nature of
their offense against the Prince also varies from version to
version. However, all versions agree that Dracula, in response to
some real or imagined insult, had their hats nailed to their heads.
Some of the sources view Dracula's actions as justified, others view
his acts as crimes of wanton and senseless cruelty. There are about
nine anecdotes that are almost universal in the Dracula literature.
1. The Golden Cup
Dracula was known throughout his land for his fierce insistence on
honesty and order. Thieves seldom dared practice their trade within
Dracula's domain -- they knew that the stake awaited any who were
caught. Dracula was so confident in the effectiveness of his law
that he placed a golden cup on display in the central square of
Tirgoviste. The cup was never stolen and remained entirely
unmolested throughout Dracula's reign.
2. The Foreign Merchant
A merchant from a foreign land once visited Dracula's capital of
Tirgoviste. Aware of the reputation of Dracula's land for honesty,
he left a treasure-laden cart unguarded in the street over night.
Returning to his wagon in the morning, the merchant was shocked to
find 160 golden ducats missing. When the merchant complained of his
loss to the prince, Dracula assured the him that his money would be
returned and invited him to remain in the palace that night. Dracula
then issued a proclamation to the city -- find the thief and return
the money or the city will be destroyed. During the night he ordered
that 160 ducats plus one extra be taken from his own treasury and
placed in the merchant's cart. On returning to his cart in the
morning and counting his money the merchant discovered the extra
ducat. The merchant returned to Dracula and reported that his money
had indeed been returned plus an extra ducat. Meanwhile the thief
had been captured and turned over to the prince's guards along with
the stolen money. Dracula ordered the thief impaled and informed the
merchant that if he had not reported the extra ducat he would have
been impaled alongside the thief.
3. The Two Monks
There are several versions of this anecdote. In some the two monks
were from a Catholic monastery in
Wallachia or wandering Catholic
monks from a foreign land. In either case Catholic monks would be
viewed as representatives of a foreign power by Dracula. In other
versions of the story the monks were from a Romanian Orthodox
establishment (the native church of
Wallachia). Dracula's motivation
also varies considerably among the different versions of the story.
All versions of the story agree that two monks visited Dracula in
his palace at
Tirgoviste. Curious to see the reaction of the
churchmen, Dracula showed them the rows of impaled corpses in the
courtyard. When asked their opinions of his actions by the prince,
one of the monks responded, "You are appointed by God to punish
evil-doers." The other monk had the moral courage to condemn the
cruel prince. In the version of the story most common in the German
pamphlets, Dracula rewarded the sycophantic monk and impaled the
honest monk. In the version found in the Russian pamphlets and in
the Romanian verbal tradition Dracula rewarded the honest monk for
his integrity and courage and impaled the sycophant for his
dishonesty.
4. The Polish Nobleman
Benedict de Boithor, a Polish nobleman in the service of the King of
Hungary, visited Dracula at
Tirgoviste in September of 1458. At
dinner one evening Dracula ordered a golden spear brought and set up
directly in from of the royal envoy. Dracula then asked the envoy
why he thought this spear had been set up. Benedict replied that he
imagined that some boyar had offended the prince and that Dracula
intended to honor him. Dracula then responded that he had, in fact,
had the spear set up in honor of his noble, Polish guest. The Pole
then responded that had he done anything to deserve death that
Dracula should do as he thought best. He further asserted that in
that case Dracula would not be responsible for his death, rather he
would be responsible for his own death for incurring the displeasure
of the prince. Dracula was greatly pleased by this answer and
showered the man with gifts while declaring that had he answered in
any other manner he would have been immediately impaled.
5. The Foreign Ambassadors
There are at least two versions of this story in the literature. As
with the story of the two monks, one version is common in the German
pamphlets and views Dracula's actions unfavorably while the other
version is common in eastern Europe and sees Dracula's actions in a
much more favorable light. In both versions ambassadors of a foreign
power visit Dracula's court at
Tirgoviste. When granted an audience
with the prince the envoys refused to remove their hats as was the
custom when in the presence of the prince in
Wallachia. Angered at
this sign of disrespect Dracula had the ambassadors' hats nailed to
their heads so that they might never remove them.
In the German version of the story the envoys are Florentine and
refused to remove their hats to demonstrate their superiority. When
Dracula asked the ambassadors why they wouldn't remove their hats
they responded that such was not their custom and that they wouldn't
remove their hats, even for the Holy Roman emperor. Dracula
immediately had their hats nailed to their heads so that they might
never come off and had the ambassadors ejected from his court. In
Germany and the West, where the concept of diplomatic immunity was
at least given lip service, this was held to be an act of barbarity
against the representatives of a friendly power.
In the version of the story common in the east, the envoys are
Turkish. When ushered into the presence of the prince, the Turks
refused to remove their Phrygian caps. When questioned they answered
that it was not the custom of their fathers to remove their hats.
Dracula then ordered their hats nailed to their heads with three
nails so that they might never have to break such an excellent
tradition. The envoys were then sent back to the sultan. In the east
this was held to be a courageous act of defiance in the face of the
power of the Ottoman sultan. It should also be noted that the
nailing of hats to the heads of those who displeased a monarch was
not an unknown act in eastern Europe. Apparently this method was
occasionally used by the princes of Moscow when faced by unpleasant
envoys.
6. Dracula's Mistress
Dracula once had a mistress who lived in a house in the back streets
of
Tirgoviste. This woman apparently loved the prince to distraction
and was always anxious to please him. Dracula was often moody and
depressed and the woman made every effort to lighten her lover's
burdens. Once, when Dracula was particularly depressed, the woman
dared tell him a lie in an effort to cheer him up; she told him that
she was with child. Dracula warned the woman not to joke about such
matters but she insisted on the truth of her claim despite her
knowledge of the prince's feelings about dishonesty. Dracula had the
woman examined by the bath matrons to determine the veracity of her
claim. When informed that the woman was lying Dracula drew his knife
and cut her open from the groin to her breasts while proclaiming his
desire for the world to see where he had been. Dracula then left the
woman to die in agony.
7. The Lazy Woman
Dracula once noticed a man working in the fields while wearing a too
short caftan. The prince stopped and asked the man whether or not he
had a wife. When the man answered in the affirmative Dracula had the
woman brought before him and asked her how she spent her days. The
poor, frightened woman stated that she spent her days washing,
baking and sewing. The prince pointed out her husband's short caftan
as evidence of her laziness and dishonesty and ordered her impaled
despite her husband's protestations that he was well satisfied with
his wife. Dracula then ordered another woman to marry the peasant
but admonished her to work hard or she would suffer her
predecessor's fate.
8. The Nobleman with the Keen Sense of Smell
On St. Bartholomew's Day in 1459 Dracula caused thirty thousand of
the merchants and nobles of the Transylvanian city of
Brasov to be
impaled. In order that he might better enjoy the results of his
orders, the prince commanded that his table be set up and that his
boyars join him for a feast amongst the forest of impaled corpses.
While dining, Dracula noticed that one of his boyars was holding his
nose in an effort to alleviate the terrible smell of clotting blood
and emptied bowels. Dracula then ordered the sensitive nobleman
impaled on a stake higher than all the rest so that he might be
above the stench.
In another version of this story the sensitive nobleman is an envoy
of the Transylvanian cities of
Brasov and Sibiu sent to appeal to
the cruel Wallachian to spare those cities. While hearing the
nobleman's appeal Dracula walked amongst the stakes and their grisly
burdens. Some of the victims still lived. Nearly overcome by the
smell of drying blood and human wastes the nobleman asked the prince
why he walked amidst the awful stench. Dracula then asked the envoy
if he found the stench oppressive. The envoy, seeing an opportunity
to ingratiate himself with Dracula, responded that his only concern
was for the health and welfare of the prince. Dracula, angered at
the nobleman's dishonesty ordered him impaled on the spot on a very
high stake so that he might be above the offending odors.
9. The Burning of the Sick and Poor
Dracula was very concerned that all his subjects work and contribute
to the common welfare. He once noticed that the poor, vagrants,
beggars and cripples had become very numerous in his land.
Consequently, he issued an invitation to all the poor and sick in
Wallachia to come to
Tirgoviste for a great feast, claiming that no
one should go hungry in his land. As the poor and crippled arrived
in the city they were ushered into a great hall where a fabulous
feast was prepared for them. The prince's guests ate and drank late
into the night, when Dracula himself made an appearance. "What else
do you desire? Do you want to be without cares, lacking nothing in
this world," asked the prince. When they responded positively
Dracula ordered the hall boarded up and set on fire. None escaped
the flames. Dracula explained his action to the boyars by claiming
that he did this, "in order that they represent no further burden to
other men so that no one will be poor in my realm."
>>
Chapter VI: Dracula and the
Vampire Myth
All Text Rights Reserved.
"The Historical Dracula" is Copyright © Ray Porter, 1992
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