Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia, better known as Vlad the Impaler, was a ruthless ruler who earned his gruesome epithet from his favored method of executing enemies. His reign of terror in the 15th century inspired Bram Stoker's iconic vampire Count Dracula, a character that has captivated readers and audiences for over a century. The historical Vlad was a complex and enigmatic figure, a combination of brutal tyrant and capable military leader, whose reputation oscillates between villain and national hero.
