Vlad the Impaler (1431-1476), ruler of Wallachia, also known by his patronymic name Dracula. He ruled as Vlad III, succeeding his father as Voivode of Wallachia in what is now part of modern Romania. He was named 'the Impaler' after he gained a reputation for cruel executions, though he is revered as a folk hero in Romania. It is thought that Vlad III's patronymic inspired the name of the vampire in Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' (1897). Artwork from the title page of the 1491 Bamberg edition of the work known as 'Dracole Wayda'.