logo
episode-header-image
Oct 2022
51m 58s

Vlad the Impaler

History Hit
About this episode

Vlad the Impaler - Vlad Dracula - is one of history’s most brutal figures, who has enjoyed a bizarre afterlife as a cult character. Although a hero to his Romanian countrymen, the name Dracula has since become a global byword for horror.


In this Hallowe’en edition of Gone Medieval, Matt Lewis finds out more about Vlad the Impaler’s dramatic life and career from Gavin Baddeley, co-author of Prince Dracula: The Bloody Legacy of Vlad the Impaler.


**WARNING: This episode contains graphic descriptions of impalement**


The Senior Producer on this episode was Elena Guthrie. It was edited by Aidan Lonergan and produced by Rob Weinberg.


For more Gone Medieval content, subscribe to our Medieval Monday newsletter here >


If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android > or Apple store >


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Sep 4
Grunwald: How Poland broke the Teutonic Knights
In July 1410, the formidable Teutonic Knights, rapacious crusaders clad in heavy plate armour, faced a massive Polish-Lithuanian alliance. After an insulting taunt involving two unsheathed swords, the Battle of Grunwald erupted into a bloody, day-long melee. Matt Lewis and Dr. Al ... Show More
57m 58s
Sep 1
The King Who Created Medieval Bohemia
In 12th-century Bohemia, every royal funeral sparked a civil war. Dr. Eleanor Janega discovers how Přemysl Otakar I survived backstabbing brothers, imperial betrayals, and a dodgy divorce to seize power. Find out how this 'spare' prince outmanoeuvred the Emperor to forge a powerf ... Show More
51m 21s
Aug 28
Tolkien: Middle Earth and the Middle Ages
From where did J.R.R. Tolkien get his ideas for the world of Middle Earth?For millions of readers, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are more than just fantasy fiction. Their rich mix of sacred mythology and archetypal saga stories draw deeply into history and legend and profo ... Show More
36m 16s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2024
Vlad The Impaler
Vlad the Impaler is one of history’s most terrifying villains. A leader who used torture, terrorism, and sadistic punishment to retain his grip on power. Though he was considered a folk hero by some in his homeland, for many, he’s the inspiration behind the most spine-chilling ta ... Show More
56m 1s
Aug 2008
Vlad Tepes: Who was the real Count Dracula?
<p>Vlad Tepes, a 15th-century Wallachian prince, was the notoriously blood-thirsty basis for Dracula, Bram Stoker's classic gothic horror character. Check out our HowStuffWorks article to learn more about Vlad Tepes.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href="https: ... Show More
10m 2s
Jun 2023
Vlad the Impaler is the (Partial) Inspiration for Count Dracula
Vampire lore goes back to the ancient world (revenant legends abound from Rome to China) but vampire mythology doesn't come into its own until at least the Renaissance period. Was the inspiration for it all the bloodthirsty Wallachian ruler Vlad Tepes, the ruler who impaled tens ... Show More
54m 39s
Mar 2020
Vlad the Impaler Pt. 1: Wallachia (Romania)
Born between 1428-1431, Vlad the Impaler was abandoned by his father as a boy and betrayed by everyone he trusted. He channeled his resentment into an unquenchable lust for power and violence—eventually becoming the ruler of Wallachia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podc ... Show More
42m 14s
Oct 2023
The True Story of Dracula
tail spinning
1h 44m
Dec 2020
Vlad the Impaler (Romania) and Mata Hari (Europe)
Adam starts looking at Dracula but his research takes him into the much darker world of his real life inspiration Vlad the Impaler. Isadora takes a swing at a beautiful spy with the world on a string, and a tragic backstory. 
1h 6m
Dec 2024
Nosferatu Rises Again (feat. Robert Eggers)
**For this HTW special feature, Sally interviews director Robert Eggers about his new historically inspired film, Nosferatu.**Winter, 1476. Vlad III is a prince in Wallachia, in present-day Romania. He is a violent man, so violent that he earns the nickname "Vlad the Impaler." He ... Show More
21m 30s