Mircea II of Wallachia
Encyclopedia
Mircea II was a one time ruler of the principality
of Wallachia
, in the year 1442. He was the oldest son of Vlad II Dracul
and brother of Vlad Ţepeş and Radu the Handsome
. He was grandson of his namesake Mircea cel Bătrân
.
. Mircea II ruled in his father's absence beginning in 1442, when his father was away at the Ottoman court. His father's allied stance with the Ottoman Empire
made him an enemy to Hungarian hero John Hunyadi
. In 1443 Hunyadi launched an attack on Wallachia, defeating both the Ottoman forces and those loyal to Vlad Dracul, forcing the latter to negotiate with the Ottoman court for support, with Mircea II fleeing and going into hiding. However, Mircea II had a strong following, and retained a strong army during this period. Hunyadi placed Basarab II
on the throne, but with the support of the Ottomans Vlad Dracul would regain the throne shortly thereafter. Mircea II supported his father, but did not support his stance of siding with the Ottomans. Vlad Dracul signed a treaty
with the Ottomans which stated he would pay the usual annual tribute, as well as allowing two of his sons, Vlad Ţepeş and Radu the Handsome (Fair), to be held as captives.
In October 1444 Vlad Dracul arrived near Nicopolis and tried to dissuade Vladislav III, king of Poland and Hungary, from continuing the Crusade of Varna
. Polish historian Callimachus tells that the leaders of the crusade would not listen, so Vlad II went back to Wallachia, but not before he had left Mircea II in command of an auxiliary unit of 4 000 Wallachian cavalrymen. The unit participated in the Battle of Varna
on 10 November 1444 and after the defeat Mircea led the remainder of his unit and the Christian forces across the Danube. An able military commander, he successfully recaptured the fortress of Giurgiu
in 1445. However, in yet another treaty with the Ottomans, his father allowed the Ottomans to again have control of the fortress in an effort to retain their support of his having the throne, and in an effort to keep his two captive sons safe. In 1447, Hunyadi launched yet another attack against Wallachia, again defeating the armies supporting Vlad Dracul and Mircea II, forcing Vlad Dracul to flee. Mircea II, however, was captured by boyars from Tirgoviste, and was blinded with a red-hot poker, then buried alive. His father was captured and killed shortly thereafter.
Following their deaths, his brother Vlad Ţepeş was placed on the throne by the Ottomans, but was soon forced out. Vlad Ţepeş would regain the throne in 1456, and would fight successfully against the Ottomans for a number of years afterward, during which time he would begin his reign of terror for which he would become best known, and which would lead to his being the inspiration for the novel
Dracula
by Bram Stoker
. Vlad Ţepeş would also carry out vengeance against the boyars who he held responsible for his father and brothers deaths.
Principality
A principality is a monarchical feudatory or sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of prince or princess, or by a monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince....
of Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
, in the year 1442. He was the oldest son of Vlad II Dracul
Vlad II Dracul
Vlad II , known as Vlad Dracul , was a voivode of Wallachia. He reigned from 1436 to 1442, and again from 1443 to 1447...
and brother of Vlad Ţepeş and Radu the Handsome
Radu cel Frumos
Radu III the Fair, Radu III the Handsome or Radu III the Beautiful , also known by his Turkish name Radu Bey , was the younger brother of Vlad Ţepeş and voivode of the principality of Wallachia, of the four brothers he converted to Islam and entered Ottoman service...
. He was grandson of his namesake Mircea cel Bătrân
Mircea I of Wallachia
Mircea the Elder was ruler of Wallachia from 1386 until his death. The byname "elder" was given to him after his death in order to distinguish him from his grandson Mircea II...
.
Struggles for the throne of Wallachia
In 1436, Mircea II's father Vlad Dracul succeeded in regaining the throne of Wallachia following the death of his half brother Alexandru I AldeaAlexandru I Aldea
Alexander I Aldea was Prince of Wallachia .Alexandru I was the brother of Vlad II Dracul, father to Mircea II and Vlad Tepes . He came to rule Wallachia during an extremely turbulent time, when rule of the country changed hands by violence eighteen times during the 15th century...
. Mircea II ruled in his father's absence beginning in 1442, when his father was away at the Ottoman court. His father's allied stance with the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
made him an enemy to Hungarian hero John Hunyadi
John Hunyadi
John Hunyadi John Hunyadi (Hungarian: Hunyadi János , Medieval Latin: Ioannes Corvinus or Ioannes de Hunyad, Romanian: Iancu (Ioan) de Hunedoara, Croatian: Janko Hunjadi, Serbian: Сибињанин Јанко / Sibinjanin Janko, Slovak: Ján Huňady) John Hunyadi (Hungarian: Hunyadi János , Medieval Latin: ...
. In 1443 Hunyadi launched an attack on Wallachia, defeating both the Ottoman forces and those loyal to Vlad Dracul, forcing the latter to negotiate with the Ottoman court for support, with Mircea II fleeing and going into hiding. However, Mircea II had a strong following, and retained a strong army during this period. Hunyadi placed Basarab II
Basarab II
Basarab II was a ruler of the principality of Wallachia , and the son of former Wallachian ruler Dan II of Wallachia. Basarab II ruled during a turbulent time in Wallachia, now part of present day Romania, with his rule falling between that of the father and son rule of Vlad Dracul and Mircea II...
on the throne, but with the support of the Ottomans Vlad Dracul would regain the throne shortly thereafter. Mircea II supported his father, but did not support his stance of siding with the Ottomans. Vlad Dracul signed a treaty
Treaty
A treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms...
with the Ottomans which stated he would pay the usual annual tribute, as well as allowing two of his sons, Vlad Ţepeş and Radu the Handsome (Fair), to be held as captives.
In October 1444 Vlad Dracul arrived near Nicopolis and tried to dissuade Vladislav III, king of Poland and Hungary, from continuing the Crusade of Varna
Crusade of Varna
The Crusade of Varna was a string of events in 1443–44 between the Kingdom of Hungary, the Serbian Despotate, the Principality of Wallachia and the Ottoman Empire...
. Polish historian Callimachus tells that the leaders of the crusade would not listen, so Vlad II went back to Wallachia, but not before he had left Mircea II in command of an auxiliary unit of 4 000 Wallachian cavalrymen. The unit participated in the Battle of Varna
Battle of Varna
The Battle of Varna took place on November 10, 1444 near Varna in eastern Bulgaria. In this battle the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Murad II defeated the Polish and Hungarian armies under Władysław III of Poland and János Hunyadi...
on 10 November 1444 and after the defeat Mircea led the remainder of his unit and the Christian forces across the Danube. An able military commander, he successfully recaptured the fortress of Giurgiu
Giurgiu
Giurgiu is the capital city of Giurgiu County, Romania, in the Greater Wallachia. It is situated amid mud-flats and marshes on the left bank of the Danube facing the Bulgarian city of Rousse on the opposite bank. Three small islands face the city, and a larger one shelters its port, Smarda...
in 1445. However, in yet another treaty with the Ottomans, his father allowed the Ottomans to again have control of the fortress in an effort to retain their support of his having the throne, and in an effort to keep his two captive sons safe. In 1447, Hunyadi launched yet another attack against Wallachia, again defeating the armies supporting Vlad Dracul and Mircea II, forcing Vlad Dracul to flee. Mircea II, however, was captured by boyars from Tirgoviste, and was blinded with a red-hot poker, then buried alive. His father was captured and killed shortly thereafter.
Following their deaths, his brother Vlad Ţepeş was placed on the throne by the Ottomans, but was soon forced out. Vlad Ţepeş would regain the throne in 1456, and would fight successfully against the Ottomans for a number of years afterward, during which time he would begin his reign of terror for which he would become best known, and which would lead to his being the inspiration for the novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
Dracula
Dracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
by Bram Stoker
Bram Stoker
Abraham "Bram" Stoker was an Irish novelist and short story writer, best known today for his 1897 Gothic novel Dracula...
. Vlad Ţepeş would also carry out vengeance against the boyars who he held responsible for his father and brothers deaths.