20. Date with a Vampire

Vampires have existed in popular lore for centuries across cultures. However, the world’s most famous vampire is easily Bram Stoker’s Dracula (sorry, Edward). This terrifying king of horror is based on a real person, which makes him even more terrifying. It’s said that the character of Dracula is based on Vlad the Impaler, a 15th-century warlord. 

Vlad the Impaler was the Prince of Wallachia, most likely born in Transylvania around 1430. He was known for being a brutal warlord who never showed mercy to his enemies. In addition to his ruthless personality, one of his nicknames also influenced Stoker’s Dracula character. Vlad was known as the “son of Dracul,” a title his father had earned from the Holy Roman Emperor. In old Romanian, “son of Dracul” is pronounced as Drăculea.