Vampires Flashcards
(11 cards)
What are common traits of vampires?
Vampires are the living dead, consume life force to sustain themselves, are warded off by crucifixes and garlic, and can be killed with a stake through the heart.
What are some traditional types of vampires from various cultures?
Examples include Lamashtu (Mesopotamia), Penanggalan (Malaysia), Manananggal (Philippines), Striges (Greece), and Yara-ma-yha-who (First Nations Australia).
What is the significance of the skeleton with an iron rod through its heart and teeth pulled out?
This burial, from the 14th century in Bulgaria, was a pagan ritual to prevent someone from becoming a vampire (whether forcefully or asked to), likely targeting a nobleman.
What does the skeleton with a brick in its mouth indicate?
The brick was placed in the mouth of an elderly woman in 16th-century Venice to prevent her from feeding on plague victims, part of a symbolic burial ritual.
Who was Vlad III, and how is he related to the Dracula legend?
Vlad III, also known as Vlad the Impaler, was a 15th-century ruler whose brutal methods, including impalement, and his association with Transylvania inspired the fictional character Dracula.
What is the connection between Vlad II and the name “Dracula”?
Vlad II, inducted into the Order of the Dragon, gave his son, Vlad III, the name “Drăculea,” meaning son of the dragon, which later influenced the Dracula name.
How did Vlad III’s captivity by the Ottoman Empire affect his later actions?
Captured in 1442, Vlad III’s imprisonment fueled his desire for revenge against the Ottomans and shaped his brutal tactics.
What was Vlad III’s reign like?
Vlad III reclaimed his father’s throne but faced political instability, often switching sides in the Ottoman-Hungarian conflict, and refused to pay tribute to the Ottomans.
Why is Vlad III known as “Vlad the Impaler”?
He gained notoriety for impaling his enemies, a gruesome execution method that contributed to his fearsome reputation.
How did Vlad III die?
Vlad III was killed in battle in 1476 after being imprisoned and exiled, with uncertainty surrounding the location of his burial.
How did Vlad III inspire the Dracula legend?
Vlad’s brutal methods, especially impalement, and his association with Transylvania and the name “Dracula” heavily influenced Bram Stoker’s fictional Dracula.
