Vlad the Impaler

Vlad III assumed the throne of Wallachia for the first time, with Ottoman support, after the death of his father Vlad Dracul. His reign lasted only two months before he was deposed by John Hunyadi of Hungary.

Vlad executed thousands of boyars, merchants, and peasants through impalement to consolidate power and eliminate opposition. This brutal method became his hallmark, earning him the posthumous name 'the Impaler' and inspiring the Dracula legend.

Vlad launched a surprise night attack on the Ottoman camp of Sultan Mehmed II near T

After being captured by Hungarian forces, Vlad was imprisoned by King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary for about 12 years. He was held in captivity at Visegr

Vlad was killed in combat near Bucharest while fighting against Ottoman forces, possibly betrayed by his own men. His head was sent to Constantinople as a trophy, ending his third and final reign as Voivode of Wallachia.