The Shadow of a Prince in History by Aurel Danescu - HTML preview

to Cozia Monastery

Baiazid Ildirim (Baiazid “the Lightning”) came with the army of

approximately 40.000 soldiers to cross the Danube in Walachia, in order to hunt away

Mircea the Elder. Because he had a small army of only 12.000 soldiers, Mircea thought

that a battle in wide field would have been a real suicide for his army and chose to use the

tactics of harassing the Ottoman army during its road, weakening its strength. In the same

time, he tried to lead the enemy to a place where he could have more success.

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Finally, he succeeded to attract the Ottoman army in a wooden and boggy place named

Rovine, where in 17th of May 1395, took place one of the greatest battles in the Romanian

history! After a long and bloody battle, Mircea the Elder succeeded to defeat the Ottomans,

obliging them to retreat over the Danube, with serious damages. This great victory over

such a force as the Ottoman Empire brought him the fame to all the other kings from

Europe! Later, in 1396 he participated to the anti-ottoman crusade organized by a part of

European kings, ruled by Sigismund de Luxembourg, King of Hungary. Because of some

strategically errors of western European rulers, the crusade had stranded in the fight in 25

September 1396, by being defeated by the Ottomans to Nicopole (at present, in Bulgaria).

During his reign, Mircea the Elder waged more struggles in 1397 and 1400 against the

ottomans in purpose to keep Walachia‟s independence. Moreover, Mircea the Elder has

even been involved in the domestical struggles from the Ottoman Empire against

Mahomed the First, supporting in turn more pretenders to throne as Mustafa Celebi (who

became sultan for a short period), Musa Celebi and Bedr Ed Din. The German historian

Leunclavius (1533-1593) had written about Mircea the Elder: “the prince among Christians,

the bravest and the most skilful”2. During his times, Walachia knew a prosperous age, great

economical development, good administration and army organization. He also had given a

great care of religion, building more churches and monasteries, the most famous being the

Cozia Monastery, built by the edge of Olt river. In fact, right in this monastery, he was

buried after his death in 31 of January 1418. After the death of Mircea the Elder, an age of

confusion and instability had begun in Walachia: there were many struggles for

government, disunions between the boyars, intrigues followed by all their bad

consequences as treasons, crimes, etc.

In those times, normally the ruler prince had unlimited jurisdiction, but in fact he had to

take in consideration the boyars opinions too, regarding both domestic and external policy.

The boyars were wealthy landowners that formed country‟s administration, but they were

not paid for this. Their main income came from the taxes levied to the paisants and simply

people. According to the succession system existed that age in Walachia, normally the

throne was inherited hereditary, but not by the law of primogeniture. The boyars had the

right to elect the prince from the various eligible members of the royal family. For many

years, the sons of Mircea the Elder have disputed the throne of the country against the

descendants of his brother, Dan, called Danesti. Therefore, more princes passed to the

throne of Walachia for 18 years but for short periods and with no important fulfillments.

2 Constantin C. Giurescu, “The History of Romanians” - Volume II, Part I, Bucharest, 1943

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Meanwhile, the country has severely declined both economical and military and it

was soon subdued by the ottomans, which regularly robed it, pretended the annually tribute,

and often used it for their inroads in Transylvania.

1.2 Prince Vlad Dracul (1390-1447). One of Mircea the Elder‟s sons, Vlad, has

drawn back after his father death, to the court of Sigismund de Luxemburg, Emperor of

Germany and King of Hungary; Sigismund appreciated so much Mircea the Elder that in 8th

of February 1431, at Nuremberg Cathedral, received his son Vlad, among Dragon Order’s

Knights! In those times, only five kings in Europe were members of this order, so that

keeping the Dragon‟s Order ( Ordo Draconis- in latin), were a great honour! This Order was

symbolized by a golden medallion representing a coiled dragon with a cross above, whom

were written in horizontal: “Justus et pius” (Fair and faithful), and in vertical: “O, quam

misericors este Deus” (O, how merciful is God!)3. It is interesting to notice that Vlad have

not been a ruler yet, when he received the Order, a rare thing in that time!

Vlad lived for a while (1431-1435) in Sighisoara, a beautiful town in Transylvania,

waiting for the right moment to come his rights as Prince of Walachia. Sigismund of

Luxemburg approved Vlad to create here a mint, making coins

that have been used in both Transylvania and Walachia. The

mint allowed him to gather enough money, ensuring the

support on the way to the Walachia‟s throne. As the ruler of

Walachia in that time, Alexandru Aldea - one of the Mircea the

Elder‟s sons - was extremely subdued to turks, a group of

boyars went in 1436 to the King of Hungary, Sigismund of

Luxemburg, asking him to change Aldea with Vlad, the other

Vlad Dracul, Prince of

son of Mircea the Elder.

Walachia (1437-1447), fresco

Thereby, in April 1437, being supported by the Hungarian King, Vlad fulfilled his

dream and came to the throne of Walachia, occupied sometime by his glorious father.

According to the time‟s custom, because of his membership in the Order of Dragons, his

nickname became Vlad Dragonul. But as the word “dragon” is phonetically very close to

the Romanian word “drac”, (meaning “devil”), it was easier for Romanian people to call him

simple, Vlad Dracul instead of Vlad Dragonul. The suffix “ul” is in Romanian grammar the

masculine singular of the Definite Article, so that, as a forced appliance to the English

language, “Dracul” means “The Drac”. Vlad were a very calm and quiet person and did not

3 Neagu Djuvara, “From Vlad Ţepeş to the vampire Dracula”- Bucharest, 2003

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emphasize by cruelty deeds, thus there were no reasons for the people to call him ” devil”.

Therefore, his nickname has nothing in common with the real sense of the Romanian word

“drac” but it was a popular chosen as a phonetically alternative to the word “dragon”.

Unfortunately, at his coming to the reign, he found the country in a very unhappy situation

at that time: already subdued by the ottomans, paying the annually tribute in money,

domestic animals (cows, sheep and horses) and children for the “ieniceri” corps of Ottoman

Turkish army. The “ieniceri” (janissaries) corps was created based on Christian children of

10-12 years, received as tribute, kidnapped from the countries subdued to Ottoman Empire,

or attacked during its campaigns (Walachia, Moldavia, Transylvania, Serbia, Rumelia (now,

Bulgaria), Hungary). These children had have grown in the Ottoman Empire in Muslim

religion and was military trained, so that at the age of 20 years they were ready to be

incorporated in the janissaries corps of the army. The janissaries‟ corps was famous in

Balkans as one of the most terrible corps of Ottoman army, its soldiers being very rough

and fanatics! Paradoxical, during the Ottoman military campaigns, these soldiers often

participated to the inroads even against their origin countries!

Coming back to the situation of Walachia, Vlad Dracul as a new ruler had to decide

if continued to subdue the country to Ottomans or opposed. According to the Byzantine

chronicler Dukas, Vlad Dracul together with 300 persons (boyars and soldiers) had gone to

Bursa town, Ottoman Empire. Here, he executed a peace treaty in which he ensured Murat

the Second, that he will not participate to military campaigns against him, will continue to

pay the tribute to Ottoman Empire and will ensure free road for Ottoman army though

Walachia, for its inroads against Hungary and Transylvania. This pact satisfied the Sultan

who did not need any disorders in this region, as he planned to conquer Hungary and

further Europe. However, considering later the country‟s interests, Vlad Dracul changed his

minds and passed to the Christians armies‟ side. In 1444, he aborted the peace treaty and

sent an army of 4.000 soldiers led by his

son of 16 years Mircea, for supporting the

Christian

Crusade,

started

against

Ottomans by the King Vladislav of

Hungary and Poland, together with Iancu

of Hunedoara, the ruler of Transilvania

(Romanian, as origins). In 10th of

November 1444, a great battle took place

in Varna (Bulgaria) where the Sultan

Murat the Second succeeded a better

strategically position, by occupying the hills Battle of Varna 1444- Polish chronicle from 1564

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around the town. After the first struggle led by Iancu of Hunedoara, the Christians resisted

to the strong attacks of the Ottomans but soon, eager of glory and fame, the King Vladislav

ignored the advices of Iancu of Hunedoara to wait for the enemy‟s attacks and started

himself a rashly attack. The result was catastrophic for the crusaders: the Ottoman army,

more numerous and using the field‟s strategy not only rejected the attacks but also

succeeded to defeat the Christian army. During the battle, King Vladislav dropped down

the horse and has been recognized by a janissary soldier, who beheaded him. The

janissary raised victorious king‟s head in the lance‟s spike; when the Christian soldiers saw

that, began to panic themselves and to drop out in mess. Thus, the Ottoman Empire

obtained a great victory and this Christian Crusade, that expected to be revenge for the

defeat to Nicopole in 1356, had finished in a bad defeat.4 Vlad Dracul had participated

alongside Iancu of Hunedoara to more campaigns against Ottomans in the next two years.

Meanwhile Iancu of Hunedoara became King of Hungary, a very brave and wise military

ruler, who signified for many years, the Christian fight against Ottoman‟s expansion in

Europe. During his reign, Iancu of Hunedoara succeeded many victories over Sultan‟s

army and has been soon considered in Europe a symbol of anti-Ottoman struggle; his

victories assured for many years the quietness in the other European countries, frightened

by the possible Ottoman‟s invasion. Even if Vlad Dracul has supported Iancu of

Hunedoara in many battles, the Walachia‟s prince never gained his trust but more, in 1446

he fell in disgrace, suspected of establishing secret relationships with the Ottoman Turks!

At the beginning of 1447, Iancu of Hunedoara decided to hunt away Vlad Dracul

from the throne of Walachia, thus in November 1447 he came with the army and a new

ruler for Walachia, Vladislav II. There took place a fight but the army of Vlad Dracul did not

resist to the Transylvanians and has been soon defeated. Betrayed by a part of the boyars,

the walachian prince was cought together with his son Mircea, in the Balteni village and

killed: Vlad Dracul has been beheaded and his son Mircea was buried alive! Even he had

not the greatness of his father Mircea the Elder, Vlad Dracul had some attributes that

brought him respect and recognition from his contemporaries. Walerand de Vavrin, a

French duke, who participated in 1445 alongside Vlad Dracul to a military campaign in the

South Danube, has spoken about him as “very famous by bravery and wisdom”. The

Hungarian chronicle Bonifinius speaking about his army, said: “15.000 horsemen, of the

most redoubtable soldiers in the world!”5

4 Neagu Djuvara, “From Vlad Ţepeş to the vampire Dracula”- Bucharest, 2003

5 Constantin C. Giurescu, “The History of Romanians” - Volume II, Part I, Bucharest, 1943

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Chapter II - VLAD ŢEPEŞ (1431-1476)

(Fragment)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

2.2 Vlad Ţepeş and the merchants from Southern Transilvania. In all the

analysis of Vlad Ţepeş‟s reign, is allocated a special attention to the matter of his

relationships with the transilvanian merchants that, excepting few short periods was very

conflicting. In fact, the influence and connections of these merchants to the Hungarian

court together with their tricks to lay the things, will have later a big influence in the running

of Vlad Ţepeş‟s life, and to the stories that will be told later about him.

Southern Transilvania is a beautiful and pitoresque region of wooden hills, situated

in the center of present Romania, amazingly combining its quietly hills landscapes with the

greatness of craggy and massive Carpathian Mountains, rising the gorgeous Massifs of

Făgăraş, Piatra Craiului and Postăvaru. It is important to notice that, even if Transylvania

as region is often considered the entire western Romania, geographically Transylvania is

only the region inside the Carpathian Mountains arch! That is why after the Romans

conquered Dacia (the ancient Romanian country) in the II century, they gave its name: in

latin language, Trans means “over” and Silvania means “the country of forests”. Therefore,

the name Transylvania means, according to romans, “the country over the forests”. In the

XIII century, this region was colonized by Saxons brought from Prussia (present Germany)

in order to defend the South Eastern of Hungary. The most part of them settled here,

developing two important towns on the places of some ancient daco-roman settlements.

These towns are Sibiu or Hermannstadt (ger.) situated in Amlaş County and

Braşov, or Kronstadt (ger.) situated in Bârsa County. Due to their strategical positions and

to the fact they enssured the commercial and military connection between Walachia,

Transilvania and Hungary, these two towns have soon become the most importants in

Transylvania of the Middle Age. The transylvanian saxons had succeeded to develop here

great commercial centers, so that according to the documents, in 1353 the economical

activity in region became very prosperous. The craftsmen from region were organized in

„ guilds”, in 1376 only in Sibiu being known at least 19 guilds, but the most powerful guilds

existed in Braşov; these guilds included different craftsmen as goldsmiths, weavers,

locksmiths, drapers, coppersmiths, etc. The artisans from Braşov town were well known in

Transylvania but also in Walachia and Moldavia for the quality of their merchandises,

especially for the arms produced here. In fact, they dominated the commercial life in area,

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between XIV and XVI centuries. Even it was obviously part of Transylvania country,

Southern Transylvania were entrusted for few times by the transilvanian princes, to the

protection of Walachian rulers. They have had done this as a proof of the trust they had put

in their southern neighbors, which they often helped to became rulers of Walachia. As soon

as Vlad Ţepeş took over the administration of Walachia, Iancu of Hunedoara, the King of

Hungary and Prince of Transylvania, entrusted him with taking care of the regions from

Southern Transylvania including also the two main towns, Sibiu and Brasov. Iancu of

Hunedoara even sent a letter to the merchandisers from these towns, advising them to

entrust in the new ruler of Wallachia, who will be their protector. In 3rd of July 1456, Vlad

Ţepeş concluded an agreement with the merchandisers from Braşov in which he promised

to defend them against a possible Otoman invasion. As a change, he demanded them to

give him shelter in any case of danger. In the same time, he continued to give them the

privilege to commercialize their merchandises in Walachia‟s markets. The relationships

between these two parts flew normaly until the autumn of 1456, when the saxons and

Hungarians instigated the people from Braşov to sustain a new pretender to Walachia‟s

throne, named Dan. Consequently, in 14th of February 1457 Vlad Ţepeş wrote a letter to

Braşov‟s merchandisers, protesting against their double-dealing, and claiming: “I did not

start this enmity….and I will hunt away Dan from Amlaş County”. This protest had had

effect, as the merchandisers stopped to plot against him, keeping good commercial

relationships with Walachia for one year more.

However, at the end of 1457, beginning of 1458, South Transylvanian people

supported again other new pretenders to Walachia‟s throne who intended to fight and exile

Vlad Ţepeş. These continous actions of supporting the different pretenders to Walachia‟s

leading, got angry Vlad Ţepeş who suddenly started in January-February 1458 a strong

campaign of bloody reprisals against the population of Southern Transylvania from Amlaş

County , Bârsa County and Făgăraş County. Matei Corvin, the son of Iancu of Hunedoara

(who died, meanwhile), succesor as King of Hungary and Prince of Transylvania,

supported Vlad Ţepeş in his campaign. He wrote to the transylvanian saxons

merchandisers on 6 March 1458: „ ...you are very guilty in this matter...cultivate peace with

this prince (Vlad) and his people”.6 Obviously, after all of these, the relationships between

Walachia and the saxons of Southern Transylvania essentially got bad and never were the

same again. In 1459, Vlad Ţepeş decided to change the former prerogatives conferred to

them and has forbidden the Transylvanian merchandisers to roam Walachia for selling their

goods. He ordered them to sell their goods in Walachia only once per year, in three fairs he

6 Ilie Minea, “ Vlad Ţepeş and his times”, Iaşi 1929

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set up at the border with Transylvania. Here, they felt free to sell their goods to Walachian

merchandisers who will spread them further in the country. He took this decision for more

reasons: first, he considered that the old way of making commerce with the Transylvanians

was a beaten one, as the things had changed in Europe last time. In fact, the method of

“border fairs” commerce was used in most of Western Europe countries in order to protect

the indigenous merchandisers. Vlad Ţepeş considered also that allowing Transylvanian

merchandisers to do business all around Walachia like before, it was against the interests

of country‟s economy. Taking this decision, he intended to protect the walachian

merchandisers, as he had wanted to reorganize the trade in the country. On the other hand,

he needed a growing economy in order to prepare the future fights with the Ottomans for

Walachia‟s independence. Of course, this change was not on Transylvanian

merchandisers liking. Some of them ignored the new order of Vlad Ţepeş and continued to

sell their goods in Walachia; soon, 41 people of them together with their 300 servants -

among there were informers, too - were caught and impaled or burned alive!

In March 1460, the transilvanian saxons supported again the pretender Dan that

passed the frontier with an army, in his attempt to conquer Walachia, but in the struggle

that followed walachian army led by Vlad Ţepeş, defeated him. Than, Prince Vlad ordered

Dan to dig himself his own tomb; a priest made him the funeral service alive; afterward Dan

was killed and buried in the place of fight. Because they supported Dan in this attempt of

killing Vlad Ţepeş, the habitants of Amlaş County and Făgăraş County will have a lot to

suffer: in August 1460, Vlad Ţepeş has sent an army which as reprisals, has burned more

villages from these counties, impaling or beheading the most of the habitants. However, he

did not do badly to the citizens of Braşov town. In a

letter from July 1460, he ensured them to stay quite

regarding these reprisals because he will not touch

them: „ We have to settle accounts only with Amlaş and

Făgăraş Counties, our possesions”, he wrote. Because

their commercial interests were seriously affected by

Vlad Ţepeş‟s policy and their tumultuous relationship

with him, the Saxons merchandisers from Braşov town

did all their best to disparage him. As revenge, they

Vlad Ţepeş and his impaling

have chosen to spread everywhere they have gone,

victims- German engraving

bad rumors - most of them exaggerated - about his

deeds. They were urged by their leaders to tell everybody they met – commercial parteners

or unknown people - that “Vlad Ţepeş is a tyrant, a thirsty of blood devil; his only pleasure

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is to impale innocent people; he use to party down to his impaled victims, etc.” In the letters

they sent to their Germanrelatives, the Transylvanian saxons often mentioned all these

things, more and more insistently. Based on all these exaggerated rumors, has appeared

few decades later in Germany, the well-known “German Stories” about Vlad Ţepeş‟s deeds,

most of them describing horrible things. For example, the german engraving above

suggests that Vlad Ţepeş used to “take the meal down the impaled victims”. Because there

are no other historically proofs to tell about his bloody deeds described in these stories,

there exists the opinion that some of them are purposely amplified and it is possible not to

be happened in reality. But as the oral communication always makes the stories to be more

exaggerated as long as they are told, these so called deeds of Vlad Ţepeş had spread all

over Europe. Thus, they have constituted the base of appearance after years, of the

legends that transformed Vlad Ţepeş in the well-known character, Dracula. Coming back to

the Saxons Transylvanian merchandisers, as you will see, their great influence in region

will prove to be decisive for the destiny of Vlad Ţepeş, in the later events. Nevertheless, I

will tell you about this on the right time!

…………?