Before vampires were sex symbols and sparkly. They were monstrous, bloodthirsty and downright terrifying. When Bram Stoker wrote the classic novel Dracula, he had Romanian Prince Vlad III in mind for his leading villain. This 15th century Prince of Wallachia was nicknamed “Vlad the Impaler” for his harsh tendencies and brutality against his victims; who he impaled on spikes.
Archeologists believe they have discovered the site where Vlad III was held captive with his brother at age twelve. The two sons were traveling with their father for political reasons, which lead them directly into a trap. The two sons were held captive as their father was released. He later died a brutal death; though the cause is unknown. After the Prince’s release he began impaling Ottoman enemies and is speculated to have murdered up to 80,000 people. Some of which were put on display to ward off invaders from Turkey. The harsh exposure of his imprisonment is speculated to have a direct link to the Prince’s malicious actions against his enemies in his later years.
Archeologist, Ibrahim Cetin, has been reconstructing Tokat Catle in Turkey since 2009 when they discovered several underground passageways, one leading to a prisonlike structure, with several cells where the Prince was supposedly held. It is unclear which cell Vlad III was held in.
Photo Via Dracula
