Dracula — the immortal vampire, cloaked in darkness, sleeping in coffins, and thirsting for blood. But what if behind the legend of Count Dracula lies a man even more terrifying than the myth?

In this episode, we travel back to 15th-century Eastern Europe to uncover the truth behind the name that inspired Bram Stoker’s iconic vampire. Meet Vlad III, also known as Vlad the Impaler and Dracula, a Wallachian prince born into a world of political betrayal, shifting alliances, and brutal warfare. Sent as a hostage to the Ottoman Empire as a child, Vlad would emerge with a hardened soul and a ruthless sense of justice. His rise to power was swift and merciless. He impaled thousands, enslaved the nobility, and even defied the Ottoman Sultan with horrific displays of cruelty meant to terrify entire armies.

We explore how this real-life figure, whose cruelty knew no bounds, became the inspiration for one of fiction’s most enduring villains. Centuries after Vlad’s death, his story was resurrected by Bram Stoker, who stumbled across the name “Dracula” and used it to create a character that would haunt books, films, and nightmares for generations. But just how much of the bloodsucking Count matches the real voivode who once ruled Wallachia?

You’ll learn about Vlad’s notorious acts — from forests of impaled enemies to his defiant night attacks against the Ottoman Empire — and discover how these historical accounts morphed into the chilling features of the fictional Dracula: the aristocratic bearing, the Transylvanian castle, and the eerie connection to blood and death. We’ll also trace how Dracula evolved on stage and screen, transforming from warlord to vampire king, horror icon, and pop culture legend.

So—was Dracula real, or merely a monster of fiction? This episode pulls back the cloak to reveal the twisted truth at the heart of a legend.

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