Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #167712 in Books
• Published on: 2004-12-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 286 pages

Synopsis
Most of the vast audience attracted to the subject of Dracula know him only in his fictional, one-dimensional form: vampire! Yet the truth behind the historical character--voevode, warlord--of 15th C. Romania is at least as equally fascinating as any contrived account of his supernatural persona. Vlad Dracula faithfully follows his life story as hostage, fugitive, prince, and prisoner. His principality of Wallachia was caught between two voracious predators: the kingdom of Hungary and the Ottoman empire. They tried to break Dracula with overwhelming force and terror. But Dracula turned their own tactics against them, and against criminals and factions in his own land, earning the name Tepes-The Impaler-in the process. He was a strange mix of husband, father, soldier, statesman, and berserker. He annihilated 50,000 people--one-tenth of his own population. Cursed by his native Orthodox Christian Church, he indeed evolved into a legend. But even today he is Romania's Robin Hood.

Customer Reviews

VERY GOOD READ
This book is not just about Vlad, it encompasses the fall of Constantinople, Mohammed the conqueror, Hunyadi and Belgrade etc etc. For those who are interested in this region and era it fills in a void, breathes a little life into the historical characters. When England was reeling from defeat in France during the hundred years war and embroiled in decades of civil war, the reader can see that there was another period of strife on the other side of Europe, one of faith and ambition. I must recoomend this book. Very good indeed

Dracula as a character in a true setting
This is an excellent read about a very complex part of the renaissance period of history. Dracula is presented as a three dimensional character with no revisionist historical perspective. His brutality is shown as having a political motivation and in keeping with the cruelty of the period. There is a slightly jarring final aspect of a supernatural nature, but this was inevitable considering the Bram Stoker inspired view of Dracula. The military history from the siege of Constantinople to the evolution of cannon in warfare is very well researched and explained. A good read and recommended to all.