Vlad Țepeș — Vlad the Impaler, also called Dracula, since he was the son of Vlad Dracul– had a reputation for cruelty even during his lifetime, due to the fact that Germany had the printing press and he had impaled the Transylvanian Saxons after destroying much of southern Transylvania. Nowadays, he’s conflated with Dracula the Vampire, but Bram Stoker made that up. But it was a war crime, even by late medieval standards, to impale an entire population on stakes. In this episode, Anne discusses history and medieval war crimes, and Michelle discusses vampires. Because of Bram Stoker.
Found your discussion re Vlad/Dracula fascinating. Also, highly recommend _The Historian_ by Elizabeth Kostova (2005) – using many of Stoker’s devices (letters, first person narrative), she manages to write a fun tome. Anne, let me know if you want to borrow my copy.
Yes, I do! Maybe we can work out a plague-friendly exchange, if I’ve got a book you want to read. Interested in a history of Richard III?