By the 1300s, the emperors had lost control of northern Italy. But they remained powerful rulers of Germany and Austria. In 1356, the emperor decreed that his successors should no longer be chosen by the pope and should instead be elected by a council of German princes. But until the 1500s, the emperor continued to go to Rome to be crowned.

Napoleon I of France defeated Austria and southern Germany in 1806. The emperor, Francis II of Austria, renounced his ancient title and the Holy Roman Empire collapsed. After his death, no more Holy Roman Emperors were elected.

The first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire was Charlemagne, king of the Franks. Charlemagne conquered the lands that later became known as the Holy Roman Empire. In Italy, he helped to defend Rome against a barbarian invasion. In return, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne “Emperor of the Romans” in 800 A.D.

In the 900s, a powerful German king, Otto I, gained control over all of Germany, Austria, and northern Italy. He helped the pope put down a rebellion in Rome and was crowned “Roman Emperor.” The word “holy” was not added to the emperor’s title until some years later.

After several more clashes with the Romans, continuing until 9 A.D., the Germani again managed to regain some land on the western bank of the Rhine. The Roman Empire and the Germani, both having strongly defended borders, had generally peaceful relations during the first and second centuries A.D. These 200 relatively peaceful years were of great importance. The Germanic tribes began to group into nations. Included among them were the Goths, Lombards, Vandals, Saxons and Franks.

With the decline of Roman power in the fifth century A.D., some of these tribal groups again overran Roman territory. The kingdom of the Franks became the Frankish empire, which included most of present-day France and Germany. The greatest of all the Frankish emperors was Charlemagne. After his death in 814 A.D., the empire was divided among his three grandsons.

The western portion eventually became modern-day France. The eastern portion, which eventually became modern-day Germany, was ruled by Louis II. But neither Louis, his son “Charles the Fat,” nor any of the other leaders who succeeded them could keep Germany united for any long period.

Tribal chieftains continued to have absolute control over their lands. Other tribes, especially the Hungarian Magyars, threatened to overrun the country. One leader, Otto I, successfully invaded Italy in 962 A.D. and joined Italy with Germany to become the Holy Roman Empire. But like all the other “united” Germanies, this too eventually collapsed. Germany was the scene of immense turmoil for many centuries.

Grave of Conrad II at Cathedral of Speyer

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    The Saxon Dynasty had served as kings of Germany and emperors of the Holy Roman Empire for many years. Then in the year 1024 A.D. Henry II died childless.

     The German monarchy was an elective office at that time. Germanic peoples historically chose the most capable man as their leader, but royal blood was also highly esteemed by this time. Conrad, who ruled over the counties of Worms and Speyer, possessed these qualifications. He was capable; and as a descendant of a daughter of Emperor Otto I, he had royal blood in his veins. So he was chosen to be the next German king. Conrad II was the first king of the Salian or Franconian Dynasty.

     The German Monarchy and the Holy Roman Empire were theoretically separate institutions. The latter entity had been invented by the papacy in 800 A.D., when Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne on Christmas Day. Since the papacy created the office, the current pope theoretically could have chosen someone else as emperor besides Conrad. Nevertheless, ever since the days of Otto I, the German king had also enjoyed the office of emperor

     While tradition is a formidable factor in world history, other factors also played a role. First, Pope John XIX favored Conrad when German dignitaries were trying to decide who should be their king, so he would naturally be disposed to give him the imperial crown. Secondly, Conrad’s military prowess was a decisive factor. Conrad had to face armed opposition to his rule. Ernest of Swabia did not think Conrad should be king, and powers in Lotharingia and Italy had the same opinion. Nevertheless, Conrad subdued all his opponents, appeared in Rome, and received the imperial crown from Pope John XIX in 1027.

     Conrad lost a little land in a dispute with Hungary, but he acquired extensive territory elsewhere. In 1031, he regained Upper and Lower Lusatia, which Poland had wrested from imperial control after the death of Emperor Otto III in 1002. These territories are currently in eastern Germany and western Poland. Moreover, When Rudolph III, the king of Arles, died without heirs in 1034, Conrad succeeded him as king. The Kingdom of Arles occupied extensive territory currently in southeastern France and western Switzerland. It was also called the Kingdom of Burgundy.

     Conrad had to return to northern Italy in 1036 to deal with a war between nobles. In 1038, he visited southern Italy and strengthened imperial influence in the region.

     His wife was the widow Gisela of Swabia. Their marriage drew heavy criticism because they were too closely related according to the laws of the Church. He was also criticized for interference in the affairs of the Church. However, there was no major fight between pope and emperor till the reign of Henry IV, the grandson of Conrad II.

     Conrad died in the year 1039. His son Henry III became king and emperor in his place. His dynasty ruled until 1125.

References

Wikipedia: Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conrad_II,_Holy_Roman_Emperor

Wikipedia: Salian Dynasty

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salian_dynasty

Global Security: Salic Dynasty/Franconian Dynasty (1924-1125)

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/de-salic.htm

Wikipedia: Kingdom of Arles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Arles

The Free Dictionary by Farlex: Conrad II, Ruler of the Holy Roman Empire

http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Conrad+II,+Holy+Roman+Emperor

Inheriting the Spanish throne meant that he became the ruler of a vast empire in Asia and the Americas. Closer to home it meant that he would spend most of his life fighting the French over disputed areas of Italy and his native Netherlands. The excellence of the Spanish infantry meant such wars were usually won. The death of his grandfather Maximilian led to his election as Holy Roman Emperor in 1519.

Charles found that the sheer size of his empire was more often a hindrance than of any great assistance. The unprecedented wealth generated in the Americas was frittered away in almost endless conflicts with the French as well as the Ottoman Turks. Things had got even more complicated with the onset of the Reformation whilst Charles was distracted by fighting in Italy.

Unlike the French, Charles never proved capable of defeating the Protestants, their survival being something he always regretted. Lutheranism survived because enough of the German princes were prepared to protect.

A burnt out Charles abdicated in 1556, leaving the Holy Roman Empire to his younger brother, and the rest of his realms to his son.

Bibliography

Lenman B (2004) The Chambers Dictionary of World History

Maland D (1986) Europe in the Sixteenth Century

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The Crusades Affect on Medieval Europe

    In the middle ages during the years from 1096 to 1294 there were constant wars called the Crusades or holy wars of the cross. Pope Urban the 2nd called the Christians from Europe to fight against the Muslims to regain control of Jerusalem. The total of 4 crusades brought much change to medieval Europe; the barbaric Europeans were brought into contact with their fellow Christians in the Byzantine Empire and their enemies the Muslims in the east.

    Medieval Europe’s economy changed from Manorialism to Capitalism after the crusades. Before the crusades lords controlled manors while their serfs worked their self sufficient lands called manors for protection.  The crusades brought a change onto this economic system because pope urban the 2nd called all Christians of medieval Europe to fight against the Muslims. The serfs that worked their lord’s land left to fight for their religion and never returned to work for their lords again. After the crusades the now free serfs looked to trade to make a living since they now had contact with the Byzantine Empire and the Muslim lands.  This form of economy was known as capitalism and the merchants freely traded with other areas competing with other companies.  Many more luxury goods were traded rather than just necessary goods.  Europe’s form of government also changed after the crusades from feudalism to monarchy. Self sufficient manors were no longer needed after the revival of trade and lords lost their power as a result government became more centralized and kings rose in power. Nations began to rise as kings began to gain power over their lords and citizens. Citizens began to pay taxes to their kings to repair roads and cities that had declined under feudalism. The strongest nations that rose as a result were England, the Holy Roman Empire and France.  Since the revival of trade cities began to arise instead of small villages and manors. Merchants and artisans began to move to old roman cities and they became centers of commerce and art. The citizens of these developed schools and areas to work and trade and develop businesses that traded with other areas to the east. This was a big change from small self sufficient manors.

    As you can see the crusades brought many changes to medieval Europe. Contact with nations to the east altered Medieval Europe’s economy, government and social environment.  Manors changed to cities, kings gained power, nations rose, serfs gained their freedom and trading was revived all because the crusades brought medieval Europe in contact with the Byzantine and Muslim empires

In 957, Otto’s and Edith’s son Liudolf died, making Otto’s and Adelheid’s son Otto II the apparent heir to the throne. When Otto II was seven years old, he was crowned co-king to his father, and in 967 at the age of 12 he was crowned as co-emperor. Otto I and Adelheid unsurprisingly looked to the highest places to find a wife for a crowned emperor.

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In Italy, they were direct neighbours to the Byzantine Empire which still held the South of Italy. Border squabbles and frictions about spheres of influence there kept relationships frosty between the two realms. But Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas of Byzantium’s western army was no match for Otto. Nikephoros’ kinsman, murderer, and successor John I Tzimiskes entered into negotiations with Otto. John refused point blank to marry off Princess Anna, the only princess porphyrogeneta (born under the purple, i.e. daughter of an emperor) outside of his realm. In a compromise, Otto finally accepted Princess Theophanu, a niece of John’s, as wife for his son. John on the other hand agreed to an immediate marriage for the 12 year old princess in lieu of waiting for her 16th birthday as usual in Byzantium.

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For the arrival of Theophanu in Rome in 972 a show of Byzantine splendour was put on. In elaborate ceremonies, the princess was first married to Otto II and then crowned as Empress of Rome. AS part of the festivities, Theophanu was issued with a document outlining her rights and the donations of lands as part of her dowry. The document is one of the most beautiful parchment documents that has come down to us from the Middle Ages. It was produced on purple parchment and written in gold ink, a process reserved for Imperial decrees of the highest order.

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The document held at the State Archive of Wolfenbüttel in Germany is probably only a copy, though it might be Theophanu’s personal copy at that. The archive is the legal successor to the dissolved convent at Gandersheim where the Imperial family deposited their personal documents. The document lists the lands that passed to Theophanu by marriage and her rights as Empress and as a member of the Imperial Council. In fact, Theophanu received the same amount of power as her mother-in-law Empress Adelheid.

A copy of the document may be viewed in the Café Theophanu in Quedlinburg, in case you don’t want to go through the hassle of gaining access to the State Archive in Wolfenbüttel.

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The Teutonic Knights were kept ready and poised for a further crusade into the Holy Land but differences of opinion between the Pope and the Emperor kept that from happening. As Hermann von Salza was also acting as a travelling go between for Pope and Emperor, he knew exactly how the negotiations were going. Obviously, these negotiations didn’t progress very rapidly as he felt safe to pledge his knights to King Andrew II of Hungary in 1211 in his fight against the Kipchak. The Kipchak were of Turkish origin and occupied land in Transylvania from where they frequently raided into Hungary and the Byzantine Empire.

The king offered the Teutonic Knights to hold and own the lands of the Kipchak after conquest, to take tithes, to build stone castles, and to issue their own money. Within these grants and an omission probably lies the misunderstanding between King Andrew and Hermann von Salza. The Hungarian king didn’t claim Transylvania as his land, he just wanted to be rid of the Kipchak; taxation and coinage are two of the sovereign rights that define a state. It is little wonder that their opinion on independence later diverged noticeably.

That King Andrew called on the Teutonic Order rather than on one of the other militant orders was no coincidence; his wife Queen Gertrud was born as Duchess of Meran and Countess of Andechs. She vastly influenced Hungarian politics until she was murdered in 1213. Her German oriented interior politics granting many lands and titles within Hungary proper to Germans led to the uprising of the Hungarian nobility and the slaughter of Pilis. It was an early indication of growing anti-German resentment that would eventually catch up with the knights.

The Teutonic Knights moved into the lands of the Kipchak and conquered them in short order. They erected castles and founded towns which were mainly populated with German expatriates recruited from the Holy Roman Empire. In 1223, Pope Honorius III granted them an Indulgence of Exemption thereby removing them from the influence of the Hungarian bishop. This was definitely too much for King Andrew. In 1225, he rather pointedly asked the order to leave; his request was backed up by a large Hungarian army that travelled with him to Transylvania. The army ousted the knights from their lands and tore down their castles. Hermann von Salza’s dream of an independent country lay in tatters.

The order, though, was not one to hold grudges. When Andrew’s daughter Princess Elisabeth of Hungary, Margravine of Thuringia, was canonized in 1235, they adopted her as patron saint besides Saint Mary.

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Little is known about the early years of the life of Vlad III, had two brothers Mircea Radu who was older and the Beautiful, who was a minor. Vlad studies were conducted by his mother, a Transylvanian nobleman, but his real education began in 1436 after his father successfully reclaimed Wallachian throne by killing his rival Danesti.

His training was typical of young noblemen throughout Europe, his first tutor float was an old gentleman who fought the Turks at the Battle of Nicolopolis. Vlad then learned all the skills of war and peace needed to be a Knight Christian. 1444, at the age of thirteen, young Vlad and his younger brother Radu were sent to Adrianople as hostages to appease the Sultan.

For four years remained as prisoners and after being released by the Turks, Vlad supported as a candidate for the throne of Wallachia, while Radu chose to remain in Turkey, where he grew up, later Radu was also supported by the Turks as a candidate Wallachian throne in opposition to his brother Vlad to overthrow him.

As noted above the first reign of Vlad III was very short (two months according to the story), but it was in 1456 with the support of Hunyadi and the Kingdom of Hungary that he returned to the throne. Tirgoviste was established as its capital and thus began the construction of his castle at a distance relevant in the mountains near the Arges River. Most of the atrocities associated with Vlad III took them out during this período.Vlad the EmpaladorDrácula is known in history for his inhuman cruelty, the impalement became the preferred method of torture and execution of Vlad III, which also was known as Vlad Tepes (Vlad on Impaler).

Death by impalement is one of the worst ways to die, usually was a slow and painful death. To make this torture Vlad usually tied each leg of the victim to a horse, which threw the stake body was forced into the body. The tip of the stake was oiled and care was that the tip was not very sharp, so that the victim would not perish too fast and pounding pain increase instead of drilling.

Normally the stake was introduced into the body through the buttocks through the body and out the mouth. Still other victims were impaled through holes in the abdomen or chest. In cases where children impaled, were impaled through the chest of their mothers, the records indicated that the victims were impaled in a position where their bodies end up hanging upside abajo.Se that when the invading Turkish army came across the fields of impaled by Vlad Tepes, such was the terror that produced the vision of 20,000 Turkish prisoners impaled on the banks of the Danube and the outskirts of the town of Tirgoviste, which in 1461 Mohammed II, the conqueror of Constantinople, the city returned to full terrified.

This unpleasant landscape is remembered in history as the “Forest of the Impaler.” Although impalement was the preferred method of torture Vlad Dracula, this was not their only means. The list of tortures employed by the cruel prince reads like an inventory of the tools of hell nails on the heads, cut off limbs, blindness, choking, burns, cuts his nose and ears, mutilation of sexual organs (especially in the for women), skinned people, exposure to the elements and wild animals and prisoners burned alive.

No one was immune to Vlad’s attention, among his victims were women, children, peasants and great lords, ambassadors of foreign powers and merchants. But much of his victims came from merchants boyars of Transylvania and his own Wallachia. Vlad Dracula’s actions have sought to be justified by nationalism and political expediency, many of the merchants in Transylvania at that time were German Saxons who were seen as parasites, while the rich landowners owned their own boyars who exercised his influence to other ruling princes.

The same father and older brother were murdered by boyars Vlad infidels. However, many of the victims were Vlachs Vlad and few deny that the prince had a perverse pleasure from their origin acciones.El DragónEl King Sigismund of Hungary, who after becoming emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in 1410, founded a secret order knights called the Order of the Dragon “, whose duty was to defend Christianity and the Empire against the Ottoman Turks. Its emblem was a dragon with wings outstretched as it hangs on a cross.

Impaler’s father, Vlad Dracul II was admitted to the Order in the year of 1431 for his bravery in fighting the Turks. From 1431 onward Vlad II wore the emblem of the order and later, as ruler of Wallachia, had its currency symbol of the dragon. The word dragon in Romanian is “drac” and “ul.” Impaler’s father, was known as “Vlad Dracul” or “Vlad the dragon.” In Romanian the ending “ulea” means “son of”, under this interpretation, Vlad III became “Vlad Dracula” and “son of the dragon”, although the word “drac” also means “devil” in Romanian thus the nickname thus took a double meaning for enemies of Vlad Tepes and his father.

The character of Dracula in Bram Stoker’s novel was based on the historical figure of Vlad Dracula (Vlad III), who ruled the Balkans area (located south of present-day Romania) called Wallachia in the mid-fifteenth century. This character had various names among these were: Vlad Tepes, Vlad Dracula and Vlad III, or called by the Turks as Kaziglu Bey “Impaler Prince”, which by their cruel punishments he received the nickname, the “Dracula” is credited death 40,000 to 100,000 people in the fields of impaled.

The reign of terror of the Impaler began as soon as he came to power, his first major act of cruelty may have been motivated by revenge and the need to solidify their power. Early in his reign principal offered a feast for the boyars and their families for the celebration of Easter. Vlad was well aware that many of these same nobles were part of the conspiracy to murder his father and his brother live training Mircea.

Several of them had helped in the overthrow of numerous Wallachian princes, and during the feast Vlad asked his noble guests how many princes had been governing for their lives. All the nobles present had outlived many princes, none had been less than seven reigns.

Soon after this Vlad ordered the arrest of all the nobles met most of the old boyars and their families were impaled at that time and place. While younger and healthier nobles were sent to northern Tirgoviste, to the ruins of his castle in the mountains above the Arges River. The enslaved boyars and their families were forced to work for months to rebuild the old castle with materials obtained from some nearby ruins. According to reports these slaves worked until the clothes were falling off their bodies after that were being forced to work naked. Very few survived this ordeal

. The terror that this story brings is essential to understand the social and political forces in the region during the fifteenth century, is the story of the struggle to obtain control of Wallachia, lying between the two forces of Hungary and the Ottoman Empire . For over a thousand years Constantinople was a bastion of protection of the Byzantine Empire or Eastern Roman Empire, Islam blocking access to Europe. The Ottomans, however managed to enter the Balkans during this time.

With the fall of Constantinople in 1453 under the command of Sultan Mohammed the Conqueror, Christendom was suddenly threatened by the might of the Ottoman Turks. But it was the Kingdom of Hungary in the north and west of Wallachia, which reached its zenith during this century, so he assumed the ancient mantle as defender of Christendom.

It is for this reason that the rulers of Wallachia were forced to appease these two empires, so that they can survive, often forged alliances with one or another, it depended on the needs of the moment. Vlad III is best known for the Romanian people for his successful campaign to defend the invasion of the Ottoman Turks and establishing relative independence and sovereignty, whether it has been for a short time.

The end of VladAunque Vlad the Impaler was successful defending against the Turks, his achievements were short lived. Upon receiving little support from their leader holder, Mathius Corvinus, King of Hungary (the son of John Hunyadi) and had few resources to maintain the resistance against the powerful Turks. When the Turks finally moved, Vlad fled to Transylvania in 1462, reports indicate that his first wife committed suicide by jumping from the towers of Vlad’s castle into the Arges River rather than surrender to the Turks. Vlad escaped through a secret tunnel in Transylvania requested the help of Matthias Corvinus, but King immediately arrested him

. According to Russian pamphlets, Vlad was a prisoner of 1462 to 1474, but during this period managed to earn the favor of Matthias and later married a sister of the king with whom he had two children when her eldest son was ten Vlad regained the throne Wallachia in 1476, was probably released before or during 1466y remained in court this time.

Vlad recovery was also due to the new successor to the throne of Wallachia was his brother, Radu the Handsome, who had instituted a policy in favor of the Turks. Vlad Corvinus saw as a possible candidate to retake the throne and the fact that Vlad renounced the Orthodox religion Catholicism gave more weight to his decision. In 1476 Vlad regained the throne with the help of Prince Stephen Bathory of Transylvania invaded Wallachia with a number of army troops. Radu had died and was replaced by Basarab the Elder, a member of the clan Danesti.

When the army approached Vlad Basarab fled, but shortly after regaining the throne Prince Bathory and most of Vlad’s forces returned to Transylvania, leaving the Impaler in a vulnerable situation. Before he could rally support, a large Turkish army entered Wallachia, and Vlad was forced to meet the Turks with less than four thousand hombres.Vlad Dracula died in the battle against the Turks near the town of Bucharest in December 1476 .

Some reports said he was killed by infidels Wallachian boyars just as he was to drive the Turks from the field. Other reports indicate it was surrounded only by his loyal Moldavian bodyguard to the enemy, even stories that are at the moment of victory was mistaken for an enemy and killed by his own soldiers.

The only truth is that his body was decapitated by the Turks who took his head to Constantinople where the Sultan’s stake as proof that the horrible Impaler eventually died. He was buried at Snagov monastery near an island Bucarest.La historical evidence and anecdotes The three main sources of reports of Vlad the Impaler was obtained from brochures obtained Germans shortly after the death of Vlad, pamphlets published in Russia shortly after the leave and also Germans in the Romanian oral tradition .-

The German pamphlets rescue at the time of the death of Vlad Dracula, Matthias Corvinus tries to strengthen its reputation in the Holy Roman Empire, and fast printing of the brochures are seen as a justification to get the support of their vassals. In the pamphlets Vlad is depicted as an inhuman monster who terrorized the land and massacred innocent people with sadistic joy. These pamphlets were also a means of entertainment, so it was reprinted once menudo.En two ambassadors refused to remove their hats, Vlad key commands to the head so that never again will the flyers removed .- While Russians tested that at the time of Vlad III, the princes of Moscow were the basis of the hierarchy of the future autocracy of the tsars, who, like Vlad had problems with unfair boyardosque revealed that even before the King for his own gain by allying with Turks at times.

In Russia, Vlad is portrayed as a cruel prince, but his actions were faded to benefit its people .- The legends surrounding Vlad the Impaler are part of the folklore of the Romanian peasantry, stories passed down from generation to generation more than five hundred years, but these sources can provide valuable information about Vlad Dracula and his relationship with his people.

Many of these claim that Vlad is remembered as a prince who defended his people from foreigners, is also remembered as a champion of the common man against the oppression of the boyars, and insist that Vlad demanded honesty and work to eliminate crime and immorality of their region. However, the most positive interpretation of their life that is still remembered as a cruel ruler and caprichoso.Hay about nine anecdotes that are almost universal in the literature of Vlad Dracul: 1 – The golden cup over their lands Vlad was known for his strong emphasis on honesty and order.

Thieves stole while they were rarely in their domains, because they knew that Vlad the capture. The Impaler was so confident in the efficiency of its law that left a gold cup tied in the central square of Tirgoviste for any thirsty could drink from the well that was Ali. The cup was never stolen and remained unmolested throughout Vlad’s reign Dracul.2-The burning of the sick and poor, Dracula was very concerned that his subjects work and contribute to the common welfare. When he realized that the poor, vagrants, beggars and others had become numerous in their city, made a great feast, to which I invite all of Wallachia to attend the meal at Tirgoviste.

The Impaler then claimed that no one would go hungry in his land, while the guests ate and drank late into the night, then Vlad himself came up and asked, “What more could you want?, Do you want to live carefree and not lacking nothing in the world?. When his guest responded positively, Vlad ordered that the entire room is barricaded and set on fire, none of the guests escaped the flames. Vlad explained his action to the boyars by saying “so they do not constitute a nuisance to other men, and nobody will be poor in my kingdom”

Foreign ambassadors, according to the story two ambassadors of a foreign power visited Vlad’s court in Tirgoviste. When in the presence of the prince, they refused to remove their hats. Vlad then ordered that the hats be nailed in the head, so you never have to take them off again.

The foreign merchant, who was passing by Tirgoviste, well aware of the reputation of Vlad promoted honesty in his kingdom, left unprotected a basket with many coins in your cart in the morning the merchant was surprised to see that 160 golden ducats missing. Abroad complained about their loss to the prince, Vlad assured him that his money would be returned. Dracul issued a mandate to find the thief and return the money or the city would be destroyed. At night he ordered that 160 ducats plus one extra coin to be made in their own money. The next morning the merchant enuentra money in his car and realizes tell after having a extra ducat, the merchant returned to Vlad and reported that his money had been returned more than a duchy. The thief had also been captured along with the stolen money. Vlad ordered the thief impaled and informed the merchant that if he had not said about the extra ducat, also have been impaled alongside the thief.

The lazy woman, this story came when Vlad noticed a man working in the fields, who wore a caftan (shirt). The prince determined that the shirt was too short, man approached and asked to see his wife when the woman came to see the Impaler, the queried this I was doing all day. The poor, frightened woman said that she spent her days washing, cooking and sewing. Vlad pointed out her husband’s short caftan as evidence of her laziness and dishonesty and ordered her impaled despite the protests of her husband.

Vlad then ordered another woman to marry the farmer but said he had to work hard or suffer the same fate.

The nobleman with a keen sense of smell, on the day of St. Bartholomew in 1459, Dracula impaled control to 30,000 merchants and nobles of the Transylvanian city of Brasov. To see how they fulfilled their orders, the prince had to prepare his desk in the forest of impaled, inviting the boyars to a banquet. While eating, Vlad noticed that one of the boyars was covering his nose to avoid the terrible smell of offal and blood. Dracula then ordered that the sensitive nobleman impaled on a stake is higher than the rest so you can avoid the smell of other impaled.

The muse of Vlad Dracula, he had a mistress who lived in a house in the back streets of Tirgoviste. This woman seemed to love the prince and was always eager to please. Vlad was almost always a bad mood or depressed women to their best to lift the spirits of their beloved. Once in particular that the prince was depressed woman dared to tell the lie that she was pregnant. Vlad sent his lover to be reviewed by the matrons of the bathrooms. When informed that the woman was lying, Dracula drew his knife and cut the woman from her genitals to the chest, leaving her to die in agony.

The Polish nobleman, Benedict Boithor nobleman in the service of the King of Hungary, visited Vlad Dracula Tirgoviste in September 1458. At a dinner the Impaler ordered to bring a gold wand to be placed in front of the Polish envoy. Vlad then asked if he knew it had this spear, Benedict said that some boyar must have offended the prince and the spear was to honor him. Dracula replied that the spear was made to honor Benedict the Pole then responded that if he had done anything to deserve death, then Vlad should do what is best. Vlad Dracula was so pleased by the response he gave many gifts and said that if he had answered otherwise he would have been immediately impaled.

The two monks, in this story there is some discrepancy, according to the story two monks visited Dracula’s castle in Tirgoviste. Curious to see the reaction of the churchmen, Vlad showed them the forest of impaled, and asked their opinions. The first monk replied, “You are chosen by God to punish the wicked”, the other monk had the moral courage to condemn the cruel prince. In the German version of the story Vlad rewarded the sycophantic monk while in Russian pamphlets and the Romanian oral tradition claim that Vlad rewarded the honest monk for his integrity and courage, but monk impaled the sycophant for his dishonesty.

30 years war was a conflict that ravaged Europe, especially the Holy Roman Empire, between 1618 and 1648 and to extend between France and Spain until 1659.

Ernest Crofts – Scene of War of 30 years

The source of this conflict is political and religious instability of the Holy Roman Empire: to resist the progress of the Catholic Reformation, Protestant principles, some of whom have acceded to Calvinism, religion was not recognized by the Peace of Augsburg (1555), are grouped in a “evanghelca Union” in 1608. Principles Catholics will oppose “Holy German league” in 1609, headed by Duke Maximilian I of Bavaria. Bohemian Protestants rebelled against the Habsburgs in 1618 by Defenestratia in Prague that triggered the war of 30 years. 

After Ferdinand Habsburg is installed on the throne, became king in August 1619, under the name of Ferdinand II, the Czechs give the crown of Bohemia, Elector Palatine Frederick V, but are defeated at White Mountain in November 1620 by troops of the League led by Tilly. King Ferdinand II of Bohemia harsh repression then leads league deal and losing voters in favor Palatinate Bavaria in 1623. Christian IV, King of Denmark, occurs in Lower Saxony, with the support of Protestant princes in the north. But Wallenstein beat him in April 1626 near Dessau and Tilly defeats Christian IV at Lutter in August. 

Denmark should conclude peace at Lübeck in May 1629. Ferdinand II, who became master of northern Germany, an edict promulgated by secular property restitution in March 1629.Richelieu, who was already Valtellina in 1625, to prevent a union of Spain and the Habsburgs of Austria, succeeded by his intrigues to prevent him his son Ferdinand II to be elected king of the Romans. Principles of the Catholic League, the bending strength is king, they forced him to dismiss Wallenstein.

Richelieu trigger the intervention of Gustav II Adolf – King of Sweden and Protestant – in Germany. Tilly’s victory over him in September 1631 to pave the way Swedes Breitenfeld to southern Germany. Recalled by the Emperor, Wallenstein can not cope and is defeated at Lützen in November 1632 battle in which Gustav Adolf was killed.

Swedish army is now led by Bernard of Saxe-Weimar and G. Horn. Wallenstein, who was allied with the enemy, was assassinated in February 1634 by order of the king. After the victory of imperial troops, Spanish and Bavarian, at Nördlingen in September 1634, the Swedes retreated north of Main and Saxony signed the Treaty of Prague in 1635. Protestant disunity and make peace negotiations Richelieu him to intervene directly against the Spaniards and the imperialists. 

Threatened the Somme in 1636, France still occupying Alsace in 1639, Arras’s wins in 1640, Perpignan’s victory in 1642 and get the Rocroi in 1643. Swedish people succeed in a new campaign in Bohemia and Moravia and threatened Vienna in 1645. Turenne Bavaria obligation to seek peace in 1647. General exhaustion and the inability of everyone to go get a decisive advantage in negotiations that have resulted, in 1648, the Treaty of Westphalia. The conflict will continue, however, another ten years between France and Spain, which will have to accept the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659. But the war of 30 years would precipitate ruin – still incomplete but irreversible – the Holy Roman Empire. Regarding Germany, almost completely destroyed, lost 40% of the population.