As a sign of appreciation, the emperor gave Vlad a necklace with a dragon medallion. This dragon (Latin: draconis) became the emblem of the state of Valachia and Vlad was nicknamed Vlad Dracula. Vlad ruled Valachia for a decade and had a son whom he also called Vlad.

When his son Vlad became the ruler of Valachia, he had to defend the south border against the Turks and the northern one against the Hungarian army; in the meantime, he also had to face his inside enemies. He reestablished the order in Valachia by judging and killing thieves, beggars, traitors, but also boyars and nobles in public executions, generally by impaling.

His cruelty and ruthlessness made him famous and he was surnamed Vlad the Impaler, but he also used his father’s name, Dracula, which came perfectly in line with the meaning of its name in the Romanian language: Dracul  or Satan. It was this Vlad that inspired Bran Stoker’s novel.

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