The Shadow of a Prince in History

By Danescu, Aurel

Book Id: WPLBN0003437355
Format Type: PDF eBook:
File Size: 1.31 MB
Reproduction Date: May, 2014

Title:	The Shadow of a Prince in History
Author:	Danescu, Aurel
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Non Fiction, World History and History of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, etc., History
Collections:	Authors Community, History
Historic Publication Date:	2010
Publisher:	payloadz.com

Member Page:	Aurel Danescu
Citation APA MLA Chicago Danescu, B. A. (2010). The Shadow of a Prince in History. Retrieved from http://gutenberg.cc/

Description
Even if he is a very popular character, still not many people know his original history! Nowadays there are so much exaggerated stories and wrong information about him, that it is often confusion in “who was he really?”. This happens because there are rarely references to his real life and historical facts as they truly happened! Or worse, they are often distorted! Who is about? It is about the ruler of Walachia for three times between 1448 and 1476, Prince Vlad Dracula (1431-1476)! This is an Excerpt of the ebook! If you are a passionate of true historical events, Middle Age, life stories or East European history, than reading this free sample ebook it is a must for you! It will be an excellent occasion to find his original Romanian history, as there is described in details every event of his life! Because I wanted to create a rich informative ebook, I made an intense documentary work to the Romanian National Library from Bucharest, using the most serious sources. I also visited more historical places for gathering all the information I needed for this. Some information you already know but some are definitely new for you, because they are scarcely to be found in English! Every chapter of this e-book is strengthen by quotes of historical testimonials of that age and rare photos.It also describes the interesting circumstances of the East European history in the XVth century! Everything from the Romanian history, according to the historical proves! In the same time, it is an easy to read content that you will simply love! What makes this ebook special? * It is a rich informative ebook as you should rarely find in English language! * Develops all the topics from the real life of Vlad the Impaler according to his original Romanian story! * Information that you will find in this Vlad Dracula e-book will certainly improve many of your present knowledge about his life! You will be surprised to see how much wrong information you have now about him!! Not at least, you will find the thorough description of everyplace being in strong connection with his personality! And these are not only places as Sighisoara, Bran or Poienari. This e-book propose you a different point of view that will help you to better understand the real events and mysteries that surrounded Vlad Dracula's real life! Now you have the unique occasion to read instantly these strong documentary materials all in one! I am definitely sure that the information gathered in this ebook are enough interesting to raise your interest. I also hope that after reading it, you will obtain many answers and will clarify some doubts that you may have about Prince Vlad Dracula! Have a nice reading!

Summary
True historical facts, alliances, betrayals, military campaigns, cruelty deeds, love story, mysterious places, life story, royal descendants. Everything in one rich informative ebook!

Excerpt
The subject of “Dracula” is one of the most fascinating and interesting in the world being always presented as a fictional character that during the day lives a normal life, while in the midnight transfigures in a cruel vampire, attacking people, sucking their blood and transfiguring them to their turn, in evil persons. Even the real character that lived in the XV century and inspired the creation of the fictional Dracula, the Walachian Prince Vlad Ţepeş (or Vlad the Impaler), is also often shown as a cruel despot, that led his people with a heavy hand, punishing with very rough methods everyone who breaks the laws. In these summary descriptions, his harshness terrible frightened both his people and the country’s enemies, spreading his fame in the world. The most presented describes of Prince Vlad Ţepeş are those of his cruelty deeds, his so-called pleasure to torture people, the use of most horrible torture methods of that Age, in order to get right the society, or to horrify the enemies that dare to invade his country. I think every time the people read this type of description of the legendary character, wonder themselves: Was Vlad Ţepeş really like this? Of course, some of these things are true, some are exaggerated and there is a seed of truth in everywhere. However, I hope that until the end of this book, you will find the answer to this question and to others more! The character of Dracula was during the time, treated in so many books, movies, articles, etc, that it seems everything was told about him. Many writers, journalists, fictional researchers, film producers, more or less known, have chosen the fictional character Dracula as the subject for their work. So that, why another book of Dracula to be written”? Well, first of all, the book you are holding now is not about the character of Dracula anymore! There is nothing fictional in this book, nothing about the bloody sucker vampires, or mysterious counts; nothing of all these! This book is a historically documented description of the real life and facts of the real Prince Vlad Ţepeş (Vlad the Impaler), that ruled Walachia (the region of Southern Romania, today) for three times in the XV century. Vlad Ţepeş is simply treated as he truly historicaly was: the ruler of Walachia, with his decisions and deeds, the man with all his goods and bads, with his fulfillments and failures. Everything written - as I like to believe - in an opened and friendly manner, easy to read and understand, accessible to every reader. The main reason, for which I have chosen to write this book, was that despite of his popularity, many people in the world have in my opinion, a wrong imagine of the Walachian Prince Vlad Ţepeş! Moreover, most of them know almost nothing about his real life, excepting his custom of impaling. There are many English books or Internet sites that refer to his character, but weak of them treat his deeds according to the historical facts! Or use to present them distorted! I also think there are many important details of Vlad Ţepeş’s life unknown to the large readers, and it is pity to not be brought to the light, as they are representative for the importance of this ruler in the Romanian history. For example, I bet that less of Dracula passionates, know there is a strong connection between Vlad Ţepeş and the birth of the capital of Romania, Bucharest city! Or which is the real Vlad Ţepeş’s castle and where is it? There are important things that happened during to the prince’ reign but in this case, they are hidden behind the imagine of just an impaler! It is unfair to concern Vlad Ţepeş only from this point of view, we should look at him correctly and to have an overall imagine of his personality and his historical special part. In this book, I tried to simply approach the real life of the Romanian Prince Vlad Ţepeş, his real deeds, reigns, tumultuous life, and the importance of his personality in the Romanian history. You must know that Vlad Ţepeş is one of the Romanian rulers that successfully fought against the main threat for the existence of Romanian provinces (Walachia, Transylvania, Moldavia) during the centuries: the Ottoman Empire. Since the end of XIII century until the beginning of XX century (1922), the Ottoman Empire represented great administrative and military force in the world, developing its domination from Middle Orient, Elbrus, and Northern Africa until the Southeastern Europe, in Balkans. As it had a numerous and well-trained army, the Ottoman Empire was guided during its entire existence, by the policy of continuous expansion, often threatening Europe by the invasion. In the XV century, the Ottoman Empire developed such a strong military force, thus in May 1453 the Sultan Mahomed II, succeeded to conquer the fortress of Constantinople after few weeks of besiege, generating the fall of the great Byzantine Empire, another important administrative and military structure of the world’s history. This resounding success, made the Sultan to fully hope to the conquest of Europe, thinking the way to the heart of Old Continent, is now opened. In fact, this was the most greatly desired dream of the Ottoman Sultans ever: to conquer the entire Europe and to subdue the symbol of Christianity, Vatican Fortress! This meant that the entire world should bow to them, and nothing should hinder from the world domination for many years! Nevertheless, for conquering Europe, the Ottomans needed to solve or better, to avoid the problems in the most sensible region: the Balkans, in South-Eastern Europe. For fulfilling their dream of touching Center Europe, they had to pass few countries as Bulgaria, Serbia, Moldavia, Walachia, Transylvania and Hungaria. In this respect, they often tried to put as the leaders of these countries, kings or princes to be subdued to the Ottoman Empire, for two important reasons: first, these little and subdued countries had to pay their annual tribute to Sultan, as he need this for sustaining the wars of expansion. Second, they strongly needed quiet in this part of the continent and nobody to oppose them, to their march towards the supreme domination in Europe! In the spite of the military force and influence of the Ottoman Empire in Balkans, during the time it have often appeared here, some brave prince rulers, that successfully opposed to the Ottoman army in its attempt of conquering their countries and advancing towards the Center Europe. In the XV century, three princes gained their fame around Europe, by bravery fighting against the Ottomans and foiling their plans of expansion: Iancu of Hunedoara, Prince of Transylvania and King of Hungary (1441-1456), Ştefan cel Mare (Ştefan The Great), Prince of Moldavia (1457-1504) and our main hero, Vlad Ţepeş, Prince of Walachia for three times between 1448 and 1476. After the conquest of the Byzantine Empire in 1453, in the moments of full swing for the Ottoman Empire, these three skillful and brave princes successfully fought during their reigns against this military force, for defending the independence and freedom of their countries. In the same time, by their army deeds they also foiled the Ottoman invasion towards Centre Europe, being considered in that age, fiery defenders of Christianity! The bravery and courage of Iancu of Hunedoara, Ştefan cel Mare and Vlad Ţepeş was recognized and well appreciated by their contemporaries, the princes of Western countries and to Vatican, by the Pope himself. Aware of the Ottoman danger for the European countries, these three rulers insistently demanded to Vatican and Princes of other countries in Europe to help them in their campaigns against the Ottoman Empire. Excepting Iancu of Hunedoara, the others two never received it, being in this situation, obliged to make extraordinary efforts and sometimes concessions, for facing out the force of the Ottomans! This is the main reason for which the personality of Vlad Ţepeş is so important and representative for the Romanian history and why is considered one of the heroe rulers of this country! My intention was to approach the subjects of this book from a realistically point of view, describing them according to the historically truth. First, I made some referrals to the main events of founding the Walachia country and to its first rulers, through which we can also find the founder of this country, Basarab The First, the glorious grandfather of Vlad Ţepeş, Mircea cel Bătrân (Mircea the Elder) but also his father, Vlad Dracul. I summarized their presentation, trying to put in value their personalities, making a point the typical representative and important historical deeds. In the second chapter, dedicated to the main subject of this book, personality, life and deeds of Prince Vlad Ţepeş, you can find some details about his youth, his first attempts to obtain the throne of Walachia, the main domestic decisions and the main events during his reigns, especially the second (1456-1462), which is the longest and the most representative. I also approached the subject of Vlad Ţepeş’s relationships with the Transylvanian Saxons merchandisers, with who he had numerous conflicts during his life. It is a special part of analyzing his life, as the merchandisers from Southern Transylvania had a great influence to the courts of Transylvania and Hungary, and finally proved to have an important part for the run of Vlad Ţepeş’s life! I continued by describing the fights of Walachian prince against the Ottoman Empire and to his efforts for keeping the independence and sovereignty of Walachia. Excepting the deeds and events from his life, in the second part of the book you will find the descriptions of all the places and constructions in Romania that are in strong connection with the personality of Prince Vlad Ţepeş. There is about churches, monasteries, fortresses, castles, towns that he built, consolidated or had things in common during his life. I put all of them together as I never found elsewhere, describing both according to the particularly information and my personal experience in visiting them. All of these buildings and places remained in time as symbols of Vlad Ţepeş reigns, as traces of his passing on the Earth. Of course, such an interesting and special character as Prince Vlad Ţepeş, could not escape to the attention of the Romanian writers and artists. Starting with the XIX century, he was subject of more literature and artist creations, so that I have continued the odyssey of Vlad Ţepeş personality by revealing some of these works. Finally, I have touched one of the most controversial subjects regarding Prince Vlad Ţepeş, the matter of his descendants; I have referred to this subject, starting with the presentation of his sons and grandsons, until his descendants from the XX century and those that even live today! Anyway, I hope that the information gathered in this book are enough interesting to raise your interest, will give you more answers and will clarify some doubts you (maybe) have about Vlad Ţepeş. I only tried to reveal to the reader, the real side of the historical personality of Prince Vlad Ţepeş, his deeds as they happened and all the things that remained over centuries as his heritage for the Romanian people. In the work of nine month for creating this book, I made researches to the National Romanian Library from Bucharest, and specific Internet sites, using the most trustful romanian authors and serious historical sources in order to present you everything according to the historical truth. I tried to approach all the respects regarding the life of Prince Vlad Ţepeş, joining also the pictures in order to strengthen every topic I referred. As never it has been told everything about the personality of Vlad Ţepeş, I do not pretend I did it in the present book. However, as everything has a value in the world, in my opinion the value of this book does not consist in its volume, but in the consistency of the information included! Even there are still many things to tell about Prince Vlad Ţepeş, I believe that after you will finish reading this book, you will be satisfied of the things discovered. I also hope you to have a nice reading and in the end, to be content that you have in mind the correct imagine of the Walachian Prince Vlad Tepes, as he deserves over centuries.

Table of Contents
PREFACE Chapter I: WALACHIA - THE BEGINNING AND THE FIRST RULERS. 1.1 The foundation of the country; Princes Basarab I and Mircea the Elder. 1.2 Prince Vlad Dracul (1390-1447) Chapter II: VLAD ŢEPEŞ (1431-1476) 2.1 Vlad Ţepeş becomes ruler Prince of Walachia 2.2 Vlad Ţepeş and the merchants from Southern Transylvania 2.3 Vlad Ţepeş and his fights for Walachia’s independence 2.4 The arrestment and detention of Vlad Ţepeş; his third reign in November – December 1476 Chapter III: THE TRACES OF VLAD ŢEPEŞ IN ROMANIA 3.1 Christian buildings, fortresses and towns related to Vlad Ţepeş’s life 3.1.1 The church of Târgşor 3.1.2 Comana Monastery 3.1.3 Snagov Monastery 3.1.4 Bucharest Fortress 3.1.5 Poienari Fortress 3.1.6 Târgovişte Fortress 3.1.7 Sighişoara Town 3.1.8 Bran Castle 3.2 Vlad Ţepeş in the Romanian culture Chapter IV: VLAD ŢEPEŞ’S DESCENDANTS CONCLUSIONS BIBLIOGRAPHY