Vlad the Impaler

About Vlad the Impaler

Vlad III, better known as Vlad the Impaler, was the Prince of Wallachia (a region in modern-day Romania) who reigned intermittently in the mid-15th century. His historical importance stems from his ferocious defense of Wallachia against the Ottoman Empire, earning him a rank of #304 in MIT's Pantheon project for cultural influence. His preferred, and notorious, method of execution was impalement, which he used extensively against perceived enemies and invaders, establishing a brutal reputation that profoundly shaped regional politics of the era.

Despite his considerable historical standing, Vlad the Impaler commands significant modern attention online, registering 2.4 million annualized Wikipedia views in 2025. This level of attention represents a substantial +6x overattention relative to his #304 historical importance ranking, suggesting a significant modern fascination, likely fueled by his connection to the Dracula mythos. His viewership in 2025 is also outpacing figures of greater documented historical weight, such as Giuseppe Verdi (#137, 335K views) and Louis XIV (#42, 213K views), illustrating a gap where cultural legacy eclipses established historical influence.

Furthermore, interest in the figure is actively growing, evidenced by a strong +18% positive momentum shift between the first and third quarters of 2025, alongside a solid year-over-year increase of +7.8%. This upward trajectory suggests a continued public appetite for exploring his dark and dramatic life story.