Vlad the Impaler, the perils of absolute power

Few historical figures have a more sinister reputation than Vlad III, also known as Vlad the Preacher. His brutal rule in Wallachia in the 15th century inspired countless tales of horror, the most famous of which helped create Bram Stoker's iconic vampire character Count Dracula but beneath the senses, a man who he is power, noble ambition and the grim …