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LiveScience
LiveScience
Marc Lallanilla

Vlad the Impaler: The medieval prince who inspired Dracula

This portrait of Vlad III, or Vlad the Impaler, was painted in the early 16th century, hangs in the museum at Castle Ambras in Innsbruck, Austria.
QUICK FACTS

Name: Vlad Drăculea, Prince of Wallachia

Dates: 1431 to 1476

Accused of: Impaling up to 100,000 people

Claim to Fame: Bram Stoker's Dracula based loosely on his life

Legends of vampires go back centuries, but few names have cast more terror into the human heart than Dracula. However, the fictional character, created by author Bram Stoker, was inspired by a real historical figure called Vlad the Impaler.

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