Homoerotic photos of vlad

Stoker, who was sickly and often bed-ridden as a child, is known to have had his mother tell him tales. Ms Fitzsimons is convinced these included stories of his famous ancestor. The vampire character Dracula has been linked with Transylvania's Vlad the Impaler - a 15th-century Prince of Wallachia renowned for his cruelty and practice of impaling his enemies. But Ms Fitzsimons has argued that Manus O'Donnell's heroics in gory battle are just as likely an inspiration, as was the fact he was a feudal leader with great power over much of the country. The historian, of genealogy website Find My Past, started researching Stoker's family tree back in November - ahead of the centenary of the author's death this Friday. She said she hopes her findings will change the way literary critics have interpreted the novel.