Vampires: The Myth, The Legend, The Horror! Part 1

Welcome back to The Vault! I'm really excited about this article because it deals with vampires, my favorite horror monster. When I started doing the research, I quickly realized there is way too much information for just one article. After asking a couple friends at the Comics Corral, I decided to break it up into two articles. The first will deal with the real world people that Bram Stoker was believed to base his Count Dracula character on. The second will deal with vampires in the media, including comics, movies and books. So sit back and enjoy!

What's the first thing that pops into your head when you hear vampire? For most, it would be Bram Stoker's Dracula. Vampires, however, are found in literature before Stoker's book. Most of these vampires were often portrayed as viscous monsters preying on the blood of the innocent. I know what you're thinking; "So? Bram Stoker's Dracula did the same!", and you would be partly right. Stoker did something no previous writer had done with a vampire, he made Dracula romantic. This seems a bit strange to me, considering who Stoker used as his model for his vampire. A man named Vlad Tepes or Vlad the Impaler. But here lies a problem. Later research seems to point to another person. Some believe Bram Stoker had no idea who or what Vlad was, and instead based his vampire on a woman named Elizabeth Bathory. There are arguments for both sides. Personally, I believe Stoker may have pulled pieces from both lives and combined them into what we all know as Count Dracula. In this vein, I have decided to write about both.

Vlad Tepes (Impaler), a name given to him for his preferred torture tactic, impalement, was born in Transylvania in 1431. At age five, he was initiated into the Order of the Dragon, where he took his father's surname, Draculea, meaning son of the devil.

Vlad's father was under huge political pressure by the Ottoman Empire, who were threatening with invasion. Vlad's father struck a bargain with the Sultan. Part of the deal included handing over Vlad and his brother as hostages.

Vlad was locked in an underground dungeon and beaten and whipped. This treatment is believed to be where Vlad got his taste for torture, particularly impalement.

After Vlad's father was assassinated, the Sultan released him and put Vlad on the throne as a puppet ruler, one the Sultan could have complete control of. This didn't last long, as Wallachia was invaded and Vlad ousted. It is said that during his escape, Vlad had the shoes of his horse put on backwards to confuse anyone trying to follow him.

When Vlad's uncle, who took him in during this time, was assassinated, he fled to Hungary. The man who had taken control of the throne and caused Vlad to flee, was so impressed with his military and the Ottoman Empire's tactics, that he pardoned Vlad and made him an advisor.

In 1456, Hungary invaded Serbia to drive out the Turks, Vlad simultaneously invaded Wallachia with his own army. Both campaigns were successful and Vlad was now prince of his native land

After 1456, Vlad led the life of most princes of the time, drafting laws, meeting foreign envoys and presiding over judicial trials. He also reinforced many castles and made donations to various churches and monasteries. However, in the midst of these decent acts, he constantly performed acts of horrendous cruelty.

Vlad was constantly on guard to threats of his power, most times eliminating any such threats with impalement. He replaced key positions in his council, usually filled by the countries richest and most powerful nobility, with unknown individuals who were loyal to Vlad. Even these people were not safe, and Vlad's council quickly became a revolving door of people.

In 1462, Vlad was removed from his position by invading Turks, and was imprisoned by the Hungarian Crown. The length of his imprisonment is not known, but it was long enough for him to win back favor of Hungary's monarch. So much in fact, that he was allowed to meet and marry a member of the royal family.

In 1475, Vlad the Impaler was ready to make another bid for power. With the help of many Transylvanians, unhappy Wallachian nobility and Moldavians sent by his cousin, Vlad stormed into Wallachia and took the throne back. The Transylvanians, who made up the majority of Vlad's army, returned to their homeland, leaving Vlad in a weak position. Vlad had no time to gather support before a large Ottoman army entered Wallachia determined to take back the throne. Vlad was forced to meet the Turks with an army of less than four thousand men and it is here that many believe he met his fate.

More than anything, Vlad was known for his preferred method of torture and execution, impalement. His favorite being a horse attached to each of the victims legs as a stake was slowly forced into the body. The end of the stake was oiled and purposefully blunted so the victim would die slowly. The stake was normally inserted into the body through the anus and slowly forced through, until it came out the mouth.

Death by impalement was slow and painful. Victims often lived for hours and even days in excruciating pain. Vlad often had the stakes arranged in concentric circles on the outskirts of the city of the victims, as a warning. Most times, the corpses were left decaying for months.

Impalement was Vlad's preferred method of torture but by no means the only one. The prince used an extensive array of torture methods and devices, including nails in the head, cutting off of limbs, blinding, strangulation, burning, cutting off of noses and ears, mutilation of sexual organs, scalping, skinning, exposure to the elements and animals, and boiling alive.

It is unknown why Bram Stoker chose Vlad the Impaler as a possible model for his Count Dracula monster. Stoker was friends with a Hungarian professor who may have brought up Vlad's name in conversation. The cruel history of the Impaler and the region his life took place in, would seem to make for a great backdrop to Bram Stoker's vampire story. Given the history of the vampire myth in Europe, it seems natural that Stoker placed his vampire in the heart of the region that gave birth to the myth. Once Stoker had determined the location for his story, Vlad would, of course, stand out as the most notorious and ruthless ruler of that region. He was obscure enough that few would recognize the name, and those who did would know him for his acts of cruelty. Vlad made for the perfect model for vampirism. Why Stoker used northern Transylvania instead of Wallachia, is a mystery. Personally, I believe Transylvania is simply a more horrifying and mysterious name and makes for an interesting background to the story.

As I said before, in doing research for this article, I came across instances where it seems Bram Stoker may not have known anything about Vlad the Impaler. Some believe Stoker's novel is based more on the legends of Elizabeth Bathory

It is believed that Elizabeth Bathory began killing young girls between the years 1585 and 1610, and that her husband and family knew about her sadistic tendencies but never intervened. While her husband was alive, he imposed restraints on her "hobby", or perhaps she restrained herself, but once he died, all restraints were removed. It's said that the people living around her castle hated her so much that she would not leave without an armed escort.

Bathory's possible victims were local peasant girls to begin with. Many of them were lured in with the promise of paid work. Once stories began to spread, the supply of peasant girls quickly ran dry. At this point, Elizabeth may have begun to kill the daughters of lower gentry, who were sent to the castle to learn noble manners. It is alleged that Bathory founded a sham school to entice the lower nobility to hand their daughters over to her. During this time period, parents of position often wished their daughters to be educated in the social graces and etiquette of higher ranking officials. This gave Bathory the perfect cover for her killing. However, as rumors spread further, the Countess may have had to begin kidnapping girls both locally and from more distant areas.

There have been many stories and legends about Elizabeth Bathory, the most famous being her bathing in blood. It is believed that Bathory was vain, and obsessed over preserving her beauty. Legend has it that a servant girl accidentally pulled Bathory's hair, and Bathory slapped her so hard her nose began to bleed. She believed that the servants blood had made her skin young and fresh again. She soon came up with the idea to bathe in blood as a "fountain of youth". Her reputation as the Blood Countess came about in large part from stories of servants and virgin girls being strung upside down and drained of their blood to provide Bathory with her youth rejuvenation.

This story is the most widely known and enduring part of Elizabeth Bathory's legend. However, research suggests these bloodbaths were just that, legend. It may have been created at a later date to try to explain how a woman could be guilty of causing so many deaths. Many men during this time believed women were not capable of violence for its own sake. The idea of vanity being the root cause may have made these men feel better about her sadistic killings.

Due to complaints from the local church, the king of Hungary launched an investigation on the allegations of torture and killings performed by Elizabeth Bathory. On December 29, 1610, Bathory was caught red handed torturing several girls. As punishment, she was bricked up in her own private chambers and kept alive by food poked through a slit in the wall. She died there on August 21, 1614.

So there you have it! Two people with two stories. Which one is Dracula based on? I can't say, but what I've included in this article will help you decide for yourself. Come over to the Comics Corral Forum and hit me up with your thoughts. I'm always looking for ideas for upcoming articles. I'll see you soon with the second part of this article!