Crimson † Chess (Vlad Dracula)

The Childhood & Youth of Vlad the Impaler

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The childhood and youth of Vlad the Impaler. An Imperial Rape

MARTIE 7, 2014 ISTORICE 3 COMENTARII

The first written proof of the existence of Vlad the Impaler dates back to 1432. His father, Vlad Dracul was proud to mention the existence of „my first born sons Mircea and Vladul" in a document conferring fiscal exemptions for some Romanian noblemen in Făgăraş. In 1439 Vlad Dracul had a third son, Radu, also included in official documents.

How old must have been Vlad the Impaler in 1432? Most probably an infant at that time. His father was about forty and was fighting his brother Alexandru Aldea for the throne of Wallachia. The politics of the time were harsh and brutal and brothers often contended for the throne of their father. Being a ruler of Wallachia during the 15th century was a tricky business: one had to carefully balance between the Kingdom of Hungary and the Ottoman Empire, choosing and switching sides being a common recurrence. The concept of neutrality was still to be invented and there was no lack of princes willing to risk their lives for a crown.

Prisoner at an early age

Born in Sighişoara around 1430, Vlad the Impaler had the usual childhood of a prince raised to rule, sharing at the same time the dangers of this position. In 1442 Vlad Dracul was asked by Sultan Murad the Great to present his homage and was imprisoned in Gallipoli fortress, while his sons Vlad and Radu („not of age" according to a Turkish chronicler) were sent to Egrigoz fortress in Anatolia. Vlad Dracul's oldest son Mircea most probably found refuge in Transylvania. In 1443 Vlad Dracul was allowed by the Sultan to rule again Wallachia under the condition to remain faithful to the Ottoman Empire, while his children stayed „in service of the Sultan Court", basically hostages guaranteeing the good conduct of their father. I almost felt the pain of Vlad Dracul in a letter to the Senate of Braşov in 1444, writing „I left my little children to be slaughtered for the peace of Christians". It seems that Vlad Dracul considered his two younger sons as dead and had no refrain in sending his oldest son Mircea to take part along a few thousands knights in the battle of Varna. During the winter of 1447 Vlad Dracul was killed by the regent of Hungary John Hunyadi who suspected him of siding with the Ottomans. During the battles of this time, his oldest son Mircea was captured, first blinded and then buried alive by the citizens of Târgovişte. In the end it proved to be safer for Vlad the Impaler and his brother Radu to be hostages.

The Imperial Rape

Life for high born hostages at the court of the Sultans was not that hard - except for the permanent danger of being killed in case the father did not behave. At the same time those hostages were regarded as possible replacements for ruling the vassal countries. In all other respects a hostage prince would have a luxurious life and be educated for a military and ruling career. There are no references on the life of Vlad the Impaler at the court of Sultans, but the contemporary Greek historian Laonic Chalkokondiles tells us a story regarding his brother Radu, happened around 1451-1452:

(...) The Emperor had with him the brother of Vlad, son of Dracul, and was his favourite, living with him. And so it happened that when he began to rule, the Emperor wanted to have a relation with this boy that almost killed him. Because he liked the boy, he invited him to parties and raised the cup with lust asking him into his bedchamber. And the boy was taken by surprise to see the Emperor rushing on him for such a thing and stood against it and did not concede to the Emperor's craving. But the Emperor kissed him against his will and the boy sheathed a dagger and cut the Emperor's thigh and then ran away. The doctors healed the Emperor's wound. And the boy climbed a tree nearby and stayed hidden. Only after the Emperor left, the boy descended and walked away and then came back to the court and again he was the Emperor's favourite. (...)