More or Less Halloween special: How many people did the real Dracula impale?
20 snips
Oct 31, 2025 
Historian Dénes Harai, known for his work on early modern history, dives into the dark legacy of Vlad III Dracula, famously dubbed 'Vlad the Impaler.' He explores whether the claim of over 20,000 impalements is fact or fiction. Harai dissects contemporary accounts versus exaggerated pamphlets, revealing that a more accurate estimate is around 2,000 victims. He discusses the political context of Vlad's reign and the brutal medieval punishment of impalement, giving listeners an intriguing glimpse into the math behind the myth.
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The 20,000 Figure Is Questioned
- Chroniclers claim Vlad III impaled over 20,000 people, a number that became legendary.
- The podcast questions that figure and seeks to separate math from myth.
Impalement Was A Regional Practice
- Impalement was a known medieval capital punishment across Europe and the Ottoman world.
- Vlad practiced a common method, so the act itself wasn't unique to him.
Saxon Pamphlet's Grim Claims
- A 1463 Saxon pamphlet lists extreme numbers: 500 nobles at a banquet and a "Forest of the Impaled" of 20,000.
- Dénes Harai points out the Saxons had political motives and likely exaggerated those figures.
