Vlad the Impaler (1431–1476), also known as Vlad III or Vlad Dracula, was the Voivode of Wallachia and is notorious for his brutal methods, particularly impalement. A fierce ruler, he defended his lands from the Ottoman Empire and sought to consolidate power through extreme measures. His life inspired the Dracula legend due to his violent reputation. Vlad’s reign saw conflict with both the Ottomans and the Hungarian nobility, leading to his eventual downfall and death in battle.