Dracula: A name that has struck fear into the hearts of the populous ever since the publication of the novel in 1897. But what was the basis for the character? Many cite the formidable Vlad Tepes, or Vlad III, or Vlad the Impaler… Essentially a guy called Vlad who was the prince of Wallachia in the 1400’s. However, the truth might not be that black and white, and maybe many of us have been wrong in the assumption that Vlad was the inspiration.

As it turns out, Bram Stoker never set foot in Romania, where Wallachia happened to lie, and never saw the infamous castle in person - rather it was a drawing that sparked the imagination of Stoker. Granted, it was a drawing of a Romanian castle. Nevertheless, Vlad the Impaler himself didn’t directly inspire Dracula, and the name, Vlad Dracul was actually Vlad II, The Impaler’s father.

I’m giving away far too much here. The relationship between the real life Vlad, who had a very interesting life, and Dracula is quite thin, but that doesn’t mean the creation of the character, and his impact on pop-culture can be overlooked. Same with the influence that Vlad III had on history is unquestionable. Together, these two make for two incredible stories, one in fiction, the other in reality.

From the tales of Vlad and his impaling preference, to the traits of Dracula living on in generations of vampire stories and fears for decades - both have their place in history and both have a place in our dark, horror loving hearts. Listen to the cast to get the full story.

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