Dracula and King Matthias

Most historians maintain that Vlad Tepes was born between 1428 and 1431 in Segesvár ( today Sigisoara, Romania) The name „Dracula” comes from his father’s name Vlad Dracul who, as his son later was a member of the Order  of the Dragon founded by  Holy Roman Emperor and King of Hungary Sigismund. The Romanian word dracul meant „dragon” or „demon” in Vlas’s time. But the name Dracul probably originally referred to the Order of the Dragon.Draco is Latin for dragon.

After Matthias took the throne , Vlad Tepes , Voivode of Havaselve ( Havasalföld, meaning  snowy lands, today Wallachia in Romania ), stormed into Bulgarian land occupied by the Ottomans – as an ally of the King where allegedly he had 25 000 people put on spikes. It is no wonder he gained the name Impaler ( Tepes  ). In spring 1462, the Sultan defeated Dracula, who then sought refuge in Hungary. As serious concerns had arisen regarding his loyalty, in 1462, Matthias had him brought to Buda with his  younger sister and two sons where they were held under house arrest in conditions befitting their rank. During his imprisonment , Matthias even gave him  a house in Pest plus 400 golden forints for its upkeep. In 1475, Matthias returned Vlad Tepes to Power, but during an attack against the Ottomans only a couple of months ter ó, his own Boyars speared him, so must have experienced some of the pain he had caused many thousand of people. Allegedly his head was taken to Constantinapole ( today Istanbul) . 

When you are strolling in the longest street ( Úri utca ) of the Buda Castle and want to learn more about Dracula while visiting Budapest you should definietly visit the Labyrinth of the Buda Castle.

Do you feel brave enough to go on a vampire hunt? Go in the footsteps of the medieval Vampire culture, discover the premises of the Black Count…