Fifteenth-century ruler Vlad III (Vlad the Impaler) is best remembered today for inspiring Bram Stoker's novel Dracula. What land did he rule?

Vlad III (Vlad the Impaler) was a fifteenth century ruler of Wallachia, an east European principality within modern Romania. Vlad became infamous for his brutal punishments, such as impalement, but also renowned by some for his attempt to fight the Muslim Ottomans, even though Vlad was only largely successful against Christian forces. He ruled on three occasions – 1448, 1456 – 62, 1476 - and experienced a new fame in the modern era thanks to links to the novel Dracula.

Vlad was born between 1429 - 31 into the family of Vlad II Dracul. This nobleman had been allowed into the crusading Order of the Dragon (Dracul) by its creator, the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund, to encourage him to defend both Christian east Europe and Sigismund’s lands from encroaching Ottoman forces and other threats. The Ottomans were expanding into eastern and central Europe, bringing with them a rival religion to that of the Catholic and Orthodox Christians who had previously dominated the region.