his excellent diplomatic skills, and lauded for his merit and loyalty, Vlad II was appointed military governor of Transylvania with its headquarters in the fortress of Sighișoara, and received the Order of the Dragon, a 24-member secret fraternal society whose main objectives were “protecting the German king and his family, defending the empire, shielding widows and orphans, and going into mourning an praying for the deceased members of society” (p. 40). Florescu and McNally argue that the order was established with the “undeclared ultimate aim of gaining for the house of Luxemburg political supremacy in Europe”. Due to the fact that the dragon on his shield alluded to the one slain by St. George, which in Orthodox tradition was tantamount…show more content… As Florescu and McNally put it, “the Prince’s extraordinary exploits were greeted in western Europe by mixed awe, admiration, and praise” (p. 136). Vlad Dracula was a great strategist and tactician, a skilled diplomat and negotiator, well-educated and knowledgeable, much like his father. According to Florescu and McNally, Pope Pius II “had high regard for the Romanian warlord” (p. 129), as he was the only ruler who responded to the Pope’s call to fight against Europe’s Muslim enemies. Vlad Dracula took on his father’s legacy with great responsibility, honor, and loyalty. As a member of the Order of the Dragon, Vlad Dracula chose to fearlessly fight against sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror. Nonetheless, as an influential diplomat, he was willing to remain the sultan’s ally. Vlad Dracula wrote that he wished for mutually convenient terms; he was willing to “provide many children and horses, so that the sultan may not reproach me for not having served him well, and I will count the amount of the tribute and add gifts of my own” (p. 132). Convinced of Vlad Dracula’s insincerity and alliance with Hungary, sultan Mehmed II turned hostile. Vlad Dracula was an artful tactician and strategist, always suspecting incoming attacks and traps, and devising successful plans. He even managed to recapture the fortress of Giurgiu by disguising himself as a Turk, speaking fluently to the Turkish commander. Vlad Dracula wrote how “our men, mixing with theirs, entered and destroyed the fortress, which I immediately burned” (p. 133). According to Donado de Lezze, he “personally cut the noses and ears off the slaves” (ibid), and much of his success is owed to his “speed, boldness, and ruthlessness” (p. 134). He systematically razed Bulgarian towns and villages, weakening Turkish defense lines. A proud ruler, Vlad
