| Vampires stalk our collective imaginations. | | | | murdered in a political intrigue, and Vlad |
| The stars of books, movies, and even role | | | | apparently was determined not to suffer the |
| playing games, they are at once both | | | | same fate.In one story, he is said to have |
| dangerous and alluring. No Halloween | | | | invited his political enemies to a meeting at |
| celebration would be complete without wax | | | | his castle. Vlad then locked the doors and |
| teeth, fake blood and a black cape.But were | | | | burned it to the ground.Another story tells |
| there ever any real Vampires? Probably not, | | | | of the visit of an Ottoman ambassador. When |
| although there are any number of historical | | | | the ambassador refused to remove his turban |
| figures whose bloodthirstiness may have | | | | as a sign of respect, Vlad had it nailed to |
| provided a basis for the legend.Countess | | | | the poor man's head. That surely did not do |
| Elizabeth Bathory certainly stands as a prime | | | | anything to improve relations between his |
| example.Born in Hungary in 1560, Bathory was | | | | Kingdom and the Turks.But the cruelty for |
| married at age 15 to a warlord who apparently | | | | which Vlad is best known also gave him his |
| spent much of his time away fighting the | | | | nickname: Tepes, which means "impaler."To |
| Turks. Left at home, Bathory satisfied her | | | | serve as a warning to his enemies, Vlad would |
| own bloodlust by torturing and killing young | | | | impale his prisoners on long poles, leaving |
| girls.Her victims at first were peasants, but | | | | them to twitch and rot in the sun. It is said |
| as her sadistic urges grew, Bathory expanded | | | | that the roads to his kingdom were lined with |
| her prey to include the daughters of minor | | | | these poor unfortunates.So much of Vlad's |
| gentry.It was this that proved to be her | | | | history is mixed with legend that it is |
| undoing. Missing peasant girls is one thing, | | | | imposible to know how many of these stories |
| but the gentry were wealthy and educated. | | | | are true. But contemporary reports seem to |
| Local priests brought their suspicions to | | | | verify many of them.Accounts vary as to the |
| Emperor Matthias II, and an investigation was | | | | circumstances of Vlad's death. Tradition |
| launched.George Thurzo, the Palatine of | | | | holds that he died in battle with the Turks |
| Hungary, led the inquest, and on December 29, | | | | and that his head was sent as a gift to the |
| 1610, caught Bathory in the act. The Countess | | | | Sultan of Turkey. Another version claims that |
| and four suspected accomplices were | | | | he was killed by the Hungarians. It's also |
| arrested.Over the next three years, more than | | | | possible that he was killed accidentally by |
| 300 people were interviewed and a chilling | | | | his own troops.Strange as it may seem, Vlad |
| story emerged. Always a harsh mistress, | | | | Tepes is seen as a folk hero to many in that |
| Bathory apparently came to truly enjoy the | | | | part of the world.Vlad may have been lost to |
| pain she inflicted on her servants. Her | | | | history, except for the research of a writer |
| cruelty was regrettable, but certainly not | | | | named Bram Stoker. Planning a novel on |
| unheard of.One day, a servant pulled | | | | vampires, Stoker rediscovered Vlad and made |
| Bathory's hair while brushing it. The | | | | him the central figure in the novel that |
| Countess raked the girl's cheeks with her | | | | bears his name: Dracula.In more modern times, |
| long nails, spilling blood on her wrinkled | | | | several serial killers have been dubbed |
| hand. Bathory imagined that the drops of | | | | "vampires" by the press.Fritz Haarmann |
| blood smoothed away her wrinkes, and | | | | committed at least 24 murders in Germany |
| concluded that the blood of young girls could | | | | between 1919 and 1924. He killed his victims |
| restore the beauty of her youth.That's when | | | | by biting their necks. During his trial, |
| the horror really began. Bathory began to | | | | which became a media circus, Haarmann was |
| kill young girls to bathe in, and drink their | | | | variously called a werewolf and a vampire. He |
| blood. Evidence at the trial put the body | | | | was beheaded in 1925.Haarman wasn't the only |
| count at more than 600.Following the trial, | | | | "vampire" in Germany at that time. Peter |
| Bathory's accomplices were burned alive. | | | | Kurten, a serial killer who was beheaded in |
| Because she was nobility, Bathory escaped | | | | 1932, was known as the "Vampire of |
| execution, and was instead walled up in a | | | | Dusseldorf." He was charged with nine murders |
| room in her own castle, where she died three | | | | and a variety of other offenses, including |
| years later.But horrible as it is, Bathory's | | | | sexual assaults.It is said that Fritz Lang's |
| story is usually overshadowed by that of | | | | movie "M" was based on the Haarmann and |
| another Eastern European noble.Vlad III was a | | | | Kurten stories.In England, John George Haigh, |
| Romanian nobleman who lived from 1431 to | | | | the infamous "Acid Bath Murderer," also was |
| 1476. Held hostage by the Turks as a child, | | | | known as the "Vampire of London." Haigh, who |
| Vlad later came to rule his father's kingdom, | | | | was hanged in 1949, claimed to have drunk the |
| which has variously been identified as | | | | blood of his victims before destroying their |
| Transylvania and Wallachia. He was also known | | | | bodies in a vat of sulfuric acid.Are there |
| as the Son of the Dragon (Dracula) in | | | | real vampires?Again, probably not. But there |
| reference to his father's position as a | | | | are those whose monstrous crimes make us |
| Knight of the Order of the Dragon.Because his | | | | wonder about the terrible creatures of night |
| kingdom served as a buffer zone between | | | | and legend.More on the haunted history of |
| Moslem Turkey and Christian Europe, Vlad's | | | | Halloween can be found at Top Halloween Links |
| life was one of constant warfare. Leading | | | | at .This article is derived from his |
| frequent raids into Turkish territory, he | | | | lectures on the haunted history of |
| burned crops, pillaged, and poisoned wells. | | | | Halloween.John Retzer has worked as a |
| Legend has it that one of these excursions | | | | professional journalist, photographer, |
| resulted in the deaths of 20,000 Turks.Both | | | | editor, public relations professional and |
| home and abroad, Vlad gained a reputation for | | | | golf coach. He currently teaches economics, |
| cruelty and ruthlessness. His father was | | | | political science and history. |