Romanian Royal Legends

Vampire and the undead superstitions in ancient and modern Romania

The first undead superstitions starting circulating a few years after the death of Vlad III, Prince of Walachia (also known as Vlad the Impaler) December 14th, 1476 who ruled over Walachia (now present day southern Romania). Folklore tells a tale of on the nights Vlad Tepes and his older brother Mircea II were born, holy statues bled through the eyes and mouths dripping as if to send a message to the priests who witness the royal birthing. Though Vlads methods were cruel, unprecedented and horrid the people of Romania saw him as a savior. Not long after his death people who worked at Bran Castle and the Bran Estates (the extended family living quarters) claimed to have seen Vlad walking around and near the properties. Vlad had 3 sons, the first son whom was born to his first wife, who committed suicide, (and who’s name is not recorded though spoken of in Romanian folk tales) named Mihnea cel Rău. His other two sons born to his second wife Ilona Szilágyi, named Vlad Dracul and the third son whose name is not recorded but died in 1482. Both second and 3rd born sons failed to rule Walachia.

Many years later under much aggravation and to assure the people his father did die in battle against the Turkish forces Vlad’s first son Mihnea cel Rău aka Mihnea the Wrong-Doer, returned to Snagov, a monastery where his father’s remains were buried, sometime between 1508 and 1510. The Bucharest priests however forbid the opening of his tomb.
Many rumored that Vlad was not in fact dead and his family placed the bones of dead animals in his grave to give the illusion that their great prince was dead. Vlad is still said to this day to be seen wandering the forests, halls and residence at Bran Castle, Bran Estates and Poienari Castle.

More superstitions and tales began circulating around all the children of the Dracul Dynasty the oldest son of the Dracul Dynasty being Mircea II, Vlad Călugărul aka Vlad the Monk, Vlad Tepes aka Vlad the Impaler and Radu Cel Frumos aka Radu the Handsome. Only a small portion of their children were able to rule over Walachia. Though some of the more popular ones did gain military standings, most popular of these was the third son of Mircea II who’s real name is not documented but he gained the nickname Voivode Colviez Cel Violeventi also known as Prince General The Violent, he was notorious for his brutal tactics in combat, he was vastly underestimated since he was a shorter man probably standing no taller than 5’8. He was a wise man and well trained when it came to the battle ground. He was married 3 times, though no documented offspring is recorded. Colviez has no record of death, though it is rumored he died sometime in 1506 between the age of 20-24 during a battle with the Ottoman Empire. The second popular son of the Dracul Dynasty Princes would be Voivode Craftuious Cel Intelepti also known as Prince Craftuious the Wise, 4th son of Radu Cel Frumos, he was wise in his many attempts to assume the thrown though never succeeded and was wounded by his uncle Vlad Tepes during one of his many attempts to over throw him. No one knows if he fled the country or was banished by Vlad Tepes with his wife Irina of Walachia and child Radic Copelanvia, no record of death or where he fled to was recorded. Vlad took great pride in his sons and nephews most notably Mircea II’s children, Culvert, Cristovi, Iona (the only female), Colviez and youngest son Radu. Though in fear of his thrown he sent all male heirs except 3 to live in Moldavia which was Vlad’s only alai at the time. The three that were allowed to remain were his most prized son Mihnea cel Rău, his second son Vlad Dracul and his destructive nephew Colviez.

The last ruling Prince of Dracul Dysnasty was Mircea II’s youngest son Coradvic Radu cel Badica Copelanvia aka Captain Radu the Bad Copelanvia 1523 - 1524, given that name during his service in the Walachian military, younger brother to Colviez Cel Violeventi. He was given this name because of his excessive alcohol abuse and often blasphemy to the Orthodox Church. He’s believed to have died shortly after his reign though no certain time of death is recorded and was succeeded by his son Vladisov Carsoni cel Blistzi Mivon aka Vladisov Carsoni the Blood Thirsty. Most of the Dracul descendents had a reputation for being power hungry and cruel, except for the wives who married into the family, most of which had fallen into a mental state of delusion and lunacy.

     Where Folklore meets Truth   

Vlad Tepes was the only Dracul praised for his reign over Walachia, the rest of his family were seen as demons and evil-doers. All of the Draculs managed to escape their death being properly recorded which is what spiked many of the rumors that the family was that of devils or demons sent to bring destruction over Romania. Years after all these rulers, princes and princesses are believed to have died they were said to have been seen roaming the lands and throwing outlandish parties in their private quarters, reveling over their deceit of death. Many men and woman were believed to go missing near the family property and the carcasses of animals said to have been drained of their blood were scattered all over the Vania and Bran surrounding forests.

In an attempt to put the cruelty of these rumors to rest in April of 1654 Prince Constatin Serban had all of the Dracul Graves that were known of opened, though he never spoke of what he found, it’s believed it was nothing more then dog bones. Thus the rumors were never able to be disproved.

The vampire rumors continued to circulate giving this family everlasting life. Nothing has ever been proven to suggest these men and woman of the Dracul Dysnasty were any form of supernatural.

Today modern day Romanians still tell stories of missing men, woman and children, taken by the Dracul princes and princesses; warning all who dare enter the Bran and Vania forest that undead rulers and ancestors still roam the forests seeking victims. Many times Romanians will break the legs of their recently deceased relatives so they are not claimed by the members of the Dracul Dynasty or Undead and used to feed on their remaining living family members. It’s said that these Walachia Princes seek out the dead and use them to gain entrance into the deceased living family member’s home to feed off them in the night and sometimes taking the family member with them. Vlad, Craftuious, Colviez, Coradvic Radu are usually the main suspects in these folklores, leading their other family members on this vicious crusade of night stalking, blood thirst and demonic actions.

Though this is just folklore of course, it is still a rumor that is fed by the Romanian Govt. when they deemed the Bran Estates condemned property due to what they claim is plagued soil. The reason they claim the soil is plagued is because the massive amount of animal bones found in and around the property, once again giving life to the rumors.