Dracula, Prince of Many Faces : His Life and His Times

From Publishers Weekly: The fictional Dracula of Bram Stoker's novel is better known than the actual Vlad Dracula the Impaler, who ruled as prince of Wallachia for three brief periods in the mid-15th century. This study by two Boston College professors who have written other books about Dracula explores how the legend of the Transylvanian vampire arose. As a ruler, Dracula spread terror far and wide, inflicting appalling tortures on his victims, killing them by impalement, by boiling or skinning them alive. Yet when the time came to defend Europe against Turkish invaders, he led the battle, and the authors view him as "the first modern Renaissance prince of the land.'' Florescu and McNally offer so much detail about the battles of kings, princes, princelings and claimants to thrones that the book will appeal only to the most ardent Dracula fanatics.;Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- Note on spelling -- Prologue: From the fictional to the factual -- 1: World of the real Dracula -- 2: Education of a prince: 1431-1448 -- 3: Thorny road to power -- 4: Machiavellian ruler at home -- 5: Transylvanian terror -- 6: Struggle against Mehmed the conqueror -- 7: Imprisonment and death -- 8: Mystery of the grave -- 9: Dracula's descendants -- 10: Beyond the grave: the many faces of Dracula -- 11: Stoker's Count Dracula, the vampire -- Conclusion: Who was the real Dracula? -- Brief annotated bibliography -- Index. A Biography Of The Real 15th-century Wallachian Leader Known As Vlad The Impaler, Who Inspired The Classic Horror Novel By Bram Stoker. Dreaded By His Enemies, Emulated By Later Rulers Like Ivan The Terrible, Honored By His Countrymen Even Today, Vlad Dracula Was Surely One Of The Most Intriguing Figures To Have Stalked The Corridors Of European And Asian Capitals In The Fifteenth Century. Vlad Dracula Also Served As The Inspiration For Bram Stoker’s Classic Vampire Tale. However, As This Biography Proves, “the Real Dracula Is Far More Interesting Than The Fictional Vampire” (houston Chronicle). Covering Vlad Dracula’s Entire Life And Subsequent Legend, This Book Includes “a Fascinating Chapter On The Mystery Of Dracula’s Empty Grave” (new York Times Book Review). Praise For Dracula, Prince Of Many Faces “florescu And Mcnally Manage To Capture The Ruthlessness, Romance, And Courage That Characterized Dracula’s Ultimately Pitiable Life. . . . A Fascinating Look At Political Intrigue In Fifteenth-century Eastern Europe.” —lamar B. Graham, Boston Phoenix Literary Supplement Dracula, Prince of Many Faces reveals the extraordinary life and times of the infamous Vlad Dracula of Romania (1431 - 1476), nicknamed the Impaler. Dreaded by his enemies, emulated by later rulers like Ivan the Terrible, honored by his countrymen even today, Vlad Dracula was surely one of the most intriguing figures to have stalked the corridors of European and Asian capitals in the fifteenth century.