Yes, there are people that really think they are vampires. They get caps and sometimes implants to resemble fangs. And some of them do actually drink blood. But I have some other people in mind. Real people throughout history that have been said to be the basis for Bram Stoker's Dracula....
There was a Prince of Wallachia (Romania), better known as Vlad III or Vlad the Impaler (1431-1476). He received this nickname because he was widely known and feared for impaling his enemies. During his ruling years (mainly 1456-1462) he campaigned against the Ottoman Empire. In Bulgaria, he was known as a hero for giving his protection. His overall total of victims is estimated to be in the tens of thousands.
Did you think women weren't capable of such cruelty? Think again!
There was a Countess of Hungary with an equally horrific reputation. Countess Elizabeth Bathory (Aug 1560-Aug 1614) has been labeled the "Blood Countess." She was accused of torturing and killing hundreds of girls (I'll leave out details of thumb screws and Iron Maidens). Later accounts tell tales of her bathing in the blood of virgins to retain her youth. With a victim count of over 650, she just may be the most infamous female serial killer in history.
There are numerous books on the lives of these two historical figures. My little blog is but a spit in the pond as far as doing them justice. But if I have piqued your interest with my brief descriptions, by all means, pick up a book or two.
Eww. You forgot to leave out the thumb screws and iron maidens.
ReplyDeleteWow.
LOL, Mardra! There were other various forms of tourture that I could have mentioned as well. But I had to create a visual. I wanted to make sure people knew what I was talking about when I said "tourture." :-)
DeleteAwesome post Kristi! An incredible amount of cool information about vampires. While you know I don't generally write about them, I absolutely read them :)
ReplyDeleteThanks! I love vampires. My favorite type of monster!
DeleteTime were tough back then! Stories like these are an interesting reminder that appalling violence has always existed in one form of another. Will there ever be a day when we can live in a violence-free world?
ReplyDeleteSo often people will say "times have changed." They say this with the undertone that the world and people were kinder and gentler in the past. I don't buy that. I think that with all of the technology we have today, it's just so much easier to know what's happening half-way around the world when it actually happens. We no longer need to hear about things days, months or years after they occur.
DeleteI'm loving your blog -- it's a great niche to fill in readers on the facts and historical fictions that we love to read about. Keep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Chris! There are a lot of people that claim to be vampire fans these days. The way I-and few-others differ is that I've studied the mythology and lore that surround the vampire. Oh, and I've also been a huge fan for over 25 years now!
DeleteElizabeth Bathory has always fascinated me. I hope to write a story about her someday, but I wanted it to be different.
ReplyDeleteShannon at The Warrior Muse
I first found out about Elizabeth Bathory while I was in high school. Like you, I have always been fascinated. With a Hungarian grandmother, I used to wonder if I could have been related, lol!
DeleteIt's amazing what people are able to do. When folks say things are getting worse these days, I think back to stories like this. There have always been bad people. But there wasn't always fb, twitter and the media. Makes a big difference what we are exposed to everyday! Such a fun post!
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