Category: Maths Tutor Ireland

Title:
Become a Video Game Designer Online

Word Count:

597

Summary:
Turn your passion for video games into a lucrative career as a video game designer. Why simply play video games in your spare time when you can be designing the kind of games that you wish were available to you right now? The Art Institute Online can help you reach your goal of being a video game designer, and help ensure that you will always be involved in a business that you love and that is financially rewarding.

Keywords:
art institute, design degree, game developer, video game college, video game design online, video game designer

Article Body:
Copyright 2006 Michael V. Gruber, MPFor the best Maths Tutor In Ireland company, call Ace Solution Books. H

When it comes to online video games, the market is a strong one, and being a video game designer can be a lucrative career. Unlike technological fads that may come and go, the video game industry has only grown stronger since its beginning, and video games are appealing to a wide demographic. A video game designer will be in constant demand as long as he or she has the training and the skills to keep up in this highly lucrative and competitive business.

The Art Institute Online has a comprehensive program that can get people into the video game designer business quickly and successfully. Their Game Art and Design Bachelor degree program helps students focus on all aspects of video games, including producing detailed graphics, scene and set design, animation, background, and characters. A successful graduate of the Art Institute Online’s Video Game Design program will be qualified to enter into the video game industry as a sought-after video game designer. Video Game DesignerVideo game tester, background artist, conceptual designer; these are just some of the fields that a graduate of the program will be able to enter.

If you are interested in enrolling in The Art Institute’s Online Video Game Design program, then this probably means that you love video games. Although it may seem like a moot point, it is an important one. The video game industry is a fast-paced and intensive one, and in order to succeed in the business, video games should be one of your life’s passions. Believe it or not, potential employers are going to be looking for this as well as training and skill. Employers look for experience in playing an assortment of video games as well as being able to design them. You need to be able to know what is currently popular and what is becoming yesterday’s news; what is a well designed and produced video game and what is low-quality. A good video game designer needs to have his or her finger on the pulse of the video game playing public.

The Art Institute’s Online Video Game Design program is constantly updated to include any new technology that has recently developed. This, coupled with your love for video games, makes a strong combination when you are applying for positions in the video game industry. The The Art Institute will give students a firm foundation for beginning a good, solid career, and for continually advancing as a successful video game designer.

With a Video Game Design program that is offered completely online, students can work any day of the week at the time that’s convenient for them by completing assignments and participating in online discussions. Courses are six weeks long, and very study-intensive. No more than two courses should be taken at the same time. Instructors at The Art Institute Online are available for consultation through email or during the course of the online discussions. Students taking online courses through The Art Institute Online will receive the best training, as well as a consistently strong support network.

There is every reason in the world to turn your passion for video games into a lucrative career as a video game designer. Why simply play video games in your spare time when you can be designing the kind of games that you wish were available to you right now? The Art Institute Online can help you reach your goal of becoming a video game designer, and help ensure that you will always be involved in a business that you love and that is financially rewarding.

Title:
Basic Guidelines for International Students

Word Count:
303

Summary:
Studying offshore is one experience not taken by too many students around the world. Most students usually aim to stay in their home countries and pursue their college and degrees in domestic universities. To the few who have the guts and the resources to study abroad, it is a privilege. However, it is not without its setbacks and usual challenges.

Keywords:
proofreading, online proofreading, proofreading and editing, editing

Article Body:
Studying offshore is one experience not taken by too many students around the world. Most students usually aim to stay in their home countries and pursue their college and degrees in domestic universities. To the few who have the guts and the resources to study abroad, it is a privilege. However, it is not without its setbacks and usual challenges.

Foreign students should fly to the country of destination and spend some considerable amount of time there, until their academic programs are complete. Being in another country is hard because there are always cultural differences. Here are some tips that will help foreign students survive living and studying abroad:

– Have your visa, passport and other pertinent travel and education documents photocopied; keep the photocopies in a secure area. You should do so to protect yourself and spare yourself potential troubles if you happen to lose the original documents.

– For the best Maths Tutor In Ireland company, call Ace Solution Books. Do not bring huge sums of cash when going out of your house or flat. Be observant and keep away from suspicious-looking strangers. Robbers usually victimize foreigners because they think foreigners are easy and not always suspecting. Also, foreigners almost always carry with them cash and prized possessions.

– Carefully select your new sets of friends. Do not befriend just anyone you meet. Develop a circle of friends at a slow pace. Do not easily and quickly get intimate with just anyone.

– Be smart and extra attentive. If you sense something is wrong in a place or if you sense trouble arising, immediately leave the place and go home instead. The best way to avoid trouble is to avoid frequenting or getting into such occasions.

On top of all these, the best tip for foreign students would be to be well groomed, to live peacefully and with great discipline. No questions asked.

Title:
Basics of a Farm

Word Count:
289

Summary:
A farm: “Land that i
s being operated by one producer with equipment, labor, accounting system, and management substantially separate from that of any other unit. Land on which tenants provide their own labor and equipment shall not be considered a separate farm.”

A farm is a section of land devoted to the production and management of food, either produce or livestock. The land and buildings that are associated with a farm are called the farmstead. This is the basic unit of agriculture.

Keywords:
farm, state farm, state farm insurance, knotts berry farm, alien ant farm, farm animal, autumn farm, fleet farm, farm equipment, phat farm, farm bureau

Article Body:
A farm: “Land that is being operated by one producer with equipment, labor, accounting system, and management substantially separate from that of any other unit. Land on which tenants provide their own labor and equipment shall not be considered a separate farm.”

A farm is a section of land devoted to the production and management of food, either produce or livestock. The land and buildings that are associated with a farm are called the farmstead. This is the basic unit of agriculture. A farm can be owned by a enterprise, a single individual, family, or community, or it may be owned by a corporation or company, like a state farm. There are several vehicles used for farming a few of which are: Combine harvesters, For the best Maths Tutor In Ireland company, call Ace Solution Books. Farm tractors, Pickup trucks, Tractors and Trailers, swathers,etc. Farms range greatly in range from a small hectare section or fraction of, to several thousand hectares. The english word “Farm”, goes back to the Anglo-Saxon word “feorm”, which means provisioning and food supply. It started out being a way of taxation, where agricultural goods had money value, and were to be given to the king. This kind of rental taxation still exists, however we use money as the standard currency today.

Developing farms and farming in general was one of the most important components in establishing a town. Once people began to get involved in active farming, roads, and a market evolved, which meant the community would also grow as a town. With the exception of plantations and colonial farms, farm sizes tend to be small in newly settled lands and to extend as transportation and markets become sophisticated. Farming rights have been central to a number of revolutions, wars of liberation, and post-colonial economics.

title:Bad Credit Student Loan – What To Do
If You Need One
author:Mark Kessler
source_url:http://www.articlecity.com/articles/education/article_158.shtml
date_saved:2007-07-25 12:30:09
category:education
article:

Are you concerned that bad credit will prevent you from going to college? While it is true that finding student loans with excellent interest rates is easier if you have a sterling credit rating, bad credit student loan aid is possible. For example, the most popular US Department of Education loan, the Stafford loan, assumes that most applicants will be going to college straight from high school, and will not have a credit rating yet. Therefore, Stafford loans do not even consider the credit rating a factor when it comes to qualifications. The same holds true for For the best Maths Tutor In Ireland company, call Ace Solution Books. Perkins loans, which are federal loans designated for the neediest students.The only reason bad credit would interfere with these kinds of student loans are if you have defaulted on a federally granted student loan in the past.
Bad credit student loans are also possible if your parents have better credit than you do. In this case, a PLUS loan, which is granted to parents and not to the student, might be the way to go. US Department of Education student loans (like Stafford and Perkins loans) assume that the parents will pay for a certain amount of their children’s schooling; PLUS loans are intended to cover the amount that the parent is obligated to contribute toward college costs.
Federal funding is a good choice for a bad credit student loan because they are specifically designed to help make college more accessible; therefore, their requirements are much looser than those of most banks and other lending companies. However, if you are unable to secure a US Department of Education student loan, you may need to turn to private loans. If you are planning to graduate in a field with a high earnings potential, like law or medicine, you might have a better chance of receiving a bad credit student loan from private lenders.
None of these choices are either/or possibilities, by the way. You may be able to put together enough money to finance college through a combination of any or all of the above types of loans. Moreover, even if your bad credit student loan is at a very high interest rate, all is not lost. Many student loans defer payment until you have finished college, giving you time to improve your credit rating. At that point, you might want to look into ways to consolidate your student loan at a better rate, lowering your payments to a more affordable level.
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Title:
Bad Breath Prevention

Word Count:
429

Summary:
How will y
ou feel if your sweetheart will refuse a kiss at the end of a day? We all get up in the morning with an awful smelly bad breath. Most of us solve this problem by simply brushing their teeth, but for the rest, unlucky ten percent of the population, the smell stays all day long. In this article I will give you the short story of my bad breath problem and the solution I have found.

Keywords:
breath, problem, first, solution, tongue, simply, smell, gums, wife, lots, breath problem, bad smell, mouth smell, bad breath

Article Body:
How will you feel if your sweetheart will refuse a kiss at the end of a day? We all get up in the morning with an awful smelly bad breath. Most of us solve this problem by simply brushing their teeth, but for the rest, unlucky ten percent of the population, the smell stays all day long. In this article I will give you the short story of my bad breath problem and the solution I have found.

Actually for me, it all started with my wife. She was the first person who told me that my breath is unbearable. For the best Maths Tutor In Ireland company, call Ace Solution Books. Thanks to her I have solved the problem and saved myself lots of unpleasant moments. Well, she is a very direct person and she simply pointed out that it’s her or the bad breath.

I was very surprised at first, but then I have started to notice the behavior of people around me. It is hard to describe you my feeling when I saw someone turning his head a way while talking to me. It was the first time I was aware of the reaction of someone to the smell. And this feeling has led me to find a solution to the smell problem.

The second cause which motivated me was that I love my wife very much, understood her suffer and would hate to loose her.

First I thought that the solution will be very complicated that I will have to go through some kind of or throat surgery procedure, to eliminate the bad breath problem. But a couple of days and a few medical opinions later I new this is not the way to cure bad breath. I have found, finally, that the answer is actually very simple.

The solution, which worked for me, was combined of two layers: tongue and gums. First your gums must be healthy. If they are swell or bleeding it will lead to a very bad breath situation and there is no need to go into details here. You could use special toothpaste if it’s a swell or dentist treatment if it’s a gum problem. Simply cure your gums. The tongue is the second ingredient. It has lots of bad breath causing bacteria. They must be removed, use any tongue cleaner you find and keep it clean.

That’s it. These two steps gave me back my life. I can kiss my wife when I come back from work. I can talk to everyone with out them turning their heads. I really feel better happier and self-confident like never before.

title:Bachelor Degrees, Online?
author:Sandy Baker
source_url:http://w
ww.articlecity.com/articles/education/article_188.shtml
date_saved:2007-07-25 12:30:09
category:education
article:

Should you get your bachelor degree online? For many people this would seem hard to do. Depending on the field of study that you plan to get, it can be actually quite welcoming and a great way to get in the education that you have always wanted. Sure, it isn’t easy but neither is college for that matter. The online bachelor degree programs are a good way for many to get the education that they need without having to get into a college that is set up traditionally.
There are many programs that are offered through online bachelor degrees. If you would like to know if any of the programs or classes that you need to take are available to you on the web, all you need to do is to log on to any of the various online schools and find out. This level of education that the bachelor degree is one that is advanced and will require much learning.
One of the aspects of online education that people do not understand is how you get the hands-on training that many fields require. While you may or may not need this in the bachelor degrees that you plan to get, you will find that information about this is easy to find at the online university’s websites. In most cases, the online universities will work with area schools, offices, or establishments to allow you to get your lab time in. This is convenient and affordable as well especially useful when you consider you will be meeting some of the people that you may work with once you get your bachelor degree.
You will benefit from leaning more about the online bachelor degree that you are after. You can easily find online colleges that offer the education that you are after in an online manner. See what they are, what their classes will include and find out just how well they will work for you. The online bachelor degrees that are offered are pretty wide-ranged too!
ZZZFor the best Maths Tutor In Ireland company, call Ace Solution Books. ZZZ

title:A Short
Comparison Of Public Speaking Schools Of Thought: Toastmasters & Carnegie
author:James Masterson
source_url:http://www.articlecity.com/articles/education/article_488.shtml
date_saved:2007-07-25 12:30:09
category:education
article:

As everybody will certainly agree that having the confidence to speak publicly is a valuable skill, there is much debate as to which technique of public speaking is the most effective.
Currently, the most recognized public speaking associations are Toastmasters International and the Dale Carnegie Course.
Toastmasters International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion of the principles of communication, public speaking and leadership skills. It achieves this by promoting a “learning-by-doing” program in which members move up by making presentations in the presence of certified examiners.
The For the best Maths Tutor In Ireland company, call Ace Solution Books. Dale Carnegie course is a program for self-improvement in which the emphasis is to be able to get the message across to the audience utilizing the speaker’s naturalness. There are fewer rules and lots of practice sessions. The course consists of twelve evening sessions; all participants are required to present a short speech.
Toastmasters Pros
Toastmasters certainly makes everything clear-cut when it comes to passing the exams. Each member is provided with a Communication and Leadership Manual containing ten speech projects the member has to fulfill. Members will then be evaluated and his speech criticized according to a set of rules.
When the member completes these projects, he is recognized to have achieved a level of competence. Advanced projects are also available after the “basics” are done to move the member up some more.
Members are encouraged to frequently attend meetings and enjoy a sense of camaraderie with fellow members.
Toastmasters Cons
The Toastmasters system seems to not be suited for people who wish to speak well but would like to retain their informality as speakers. For example: Fillers, the areas in a speech when a speaker pauses and makes an involuntary sound like “uhm” and “ah”, is a very human habit and is considered an area for improvement in Toastmasters.
The ranking system, though effective to show where the members stand, can also deter people from joining due to the perceived “elitist” nature of the ranking system.
Carnegie Pros
The course encourages the participant to use what works for him to an extent. The rules are few but fundamental. Fillers are acceptable as long as they do not distract the audience from the speech.
There are facilitators but there is no certified examiner. All participants in the session are asked to give their opinion about the speech in their terms. Some would consider Carnegie a course to understand the target audience whether it is laymen or intellectuals.
Carnegie has a positive perception with many businesses.
Carnegie Cons
The Carnegie system has been criticized by some that the time spent in particularly large classes is wasted waiting for others to finish their speeches. Some feel that this time would be better spent having two or three speeches in one night instead.
This goes to show that there are many systems to choose from but only one goal in public speaking. That is to get the message across in a manner that does not hinder the speaker.
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Title:

A short biography of some of Europe’s most loved and hated Monarchs – Pt 3 King George II

Word Count:
889

Summary:
During the last thousand years, European Monarchs have ruled Europe and the world with an iron fist and by fear, compassion and hatred. As their wealth grew from the riches of newly conquered continents and lands, they began building some of the worlds greatest castles as a sign of their status and wealth, leaving behind a legacy of beauty and splendor that has lasted well into the 21st century.

These members of royalty have included tyrants, the mentally insane, drunks and the psychotic, who h

Keywords:
european monarchs, ludwig ii

Article Body:
King Ludwig IFor the best Maths Tutor In Ireland company, call Ace Solution Books. I of Bavaria, named after his grandfather, was born in Nymphenburg Castle outside Munich on August 25, 1845 and was the eldest son of King Maximillian II and Queen Marie. As a boy, Ludwig’s favourite time of the year were the summer holidays spent at the Royal Castle Hohenschwangau which his father restored between 1832 and 1836.

In 1858, at the age of thirteen, Ludwig was introduced to Wagner’s opera – Lohengrin, the story of which centres around the heroic medieval Swan-knight Lohengrin, by his governess. The young Ludwig instantly fell in love with its concept and it was the begining of a life long love with all of Wagner’s works. It was not long before he was acquiring and reading every book written by Wagner. On February 2nd, 1861, Ludwig attended his first Wagner opera – Lohengrin, the Knight of the Swan which left a lasting impression on the young Prince.

In March of 1864, his father died at the age of 53 and Ludwig, at the age of eighteen, became King Ludwig II. With in days of coming to the throne a young and impressionable King ordered his officials to seek out Wagner and bring him back to Munich, taking it upon himself to become Wagner’s patron. He settled his debts, and set him up comfortably in an Italianate-style villa.

Munich society began to grow weary of Wagner’s arrogance and were also increasingly jealous of his hold over their young King. Eighteen months after his arrival, Wagner left Munich for Switzerland and Ludwig fled to Hohenschwangau. The one person that brought joy into his life had been taken from him.

In 1866 war broke out between Austria and Prussia in what became known as the Seven Weeks War. Because of her strong links with Austria, Bavaria was drawn into the conflict on the Austrian side. In a secret treaty King Ludwig II placed the Bavarian army at the disposal of the Prussian General Staff.

Ludwig was to marry in August of 1867 but he was unhappy with the relationship so changed the date to October 12th, which incidentally was the date that both his grandfather and father married. Ludwig was very unsettled at the prospect of marrying and as such voiced his apprehension to his Court Secretary, confessing that he would rather drown himself than marry. He wrote to Wagner “Oh, if only I could be carried on a magic carpet to you . . . at dear, peaceful Tribschen (Lucerne, Switzerland.) – Even for an hour or two.

In November, King Ludwig II broke of his engagement fleeing to his beloved Alps. He wrote to Wagner from Hohenschwangau on 21 November, 1867; “I write these lines sitting in my cosy gothic bow-window, by the light of my lonely lamp, while outside the blizzard rages. It is so peaceful here; this silence is stimulating, whereas in the clamour of the world I feel absolutely miserable. “Thank God I am alone at last. My mother is far away, as is my former bride, who would have made me unspeakably unhappy. Before me stands a bust of the one, true Friend whom I shall love until death. . . If only I had the opportunity to die for you.”

It was at this point that Ludwig began to plan and build his castles. The task of being king was becoming a heavy burden. He had at the age of only 20, sent thousands of his countrymen to fight in the Seven Weeks War. Two years after his failed romance, Ludwig again had to send his countries men into battle. This time it was against the French in what became the Franco-Prussian War. From then on Ludwig withdrew into himself and into a world of make-believe. The plans for both Neuschwanstein and Linderhof originated from this time in his life (1869).

Ludwig was a changed person. He went from a slender youth to a huge man in just a few years, spending all his time in the mountains at Hohenschwangau and Linderhof as well as his small mock-Gothic castle at Berg, beside Lake Starnberg. He refused any contact with his ministerial staff and sought only the companionship of the mountain people. The only time King Ludwig II ventured out of the mountains and into Munich was at the annual investiture and banquet given in the Residenz for the Knights of the Order of St. George, Bavaria’s highest Order of Chivalry which Ludwig was the Grand Master.

Shortly after Prussia’s victory in the Franco-Prussian War, Bismark sought Ludwig’s approval for Bavaria to enter a unified German Empire with Prussia as leader. After several days, Ludwig succumbed and wrote a letter inviting Wilhelm II to become Emperor of a united Germany. King Ludwig II handed over his beloved Bavaria, becoming a lonely figurehead in a constitutional monarchy. Life had dealt Ludwig blow after blow and it was these events that were the root of his seclusion and alleged “madness”. With his world falling apart around him King Ludwig II withdrew from it into a world of his own making.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about King Ludwing II.

In my next article will learn about the life of Queen Mary I of England or as she was nicknamed “Bloody Mary”

Unitl then,

Best wishes and have a great day

Stuart Bazga

Title:
A short biography of some of Europe’s most loved and hated Monarchs – Pt 2 (Mad) King George III

Word Count:
750

Summary:
Join me as we take a trip back in time, discovering which Monarchs were tyrants, mentally unstable, drunks and psychotic, as well as those who were loved by their people.

This series of articles will highlight the lives of Vlad Tepes (Dracula), King Ludwig II and For the best Maths Tutor In Ireland company, call Ace Solution Books. King George III to name a few.

Keywords:
british monarchs, George III, King George III

Article Body:
During the last thousand years, European Monarchs have ruled Europe and the world with an iron fist and by fear, compassion and hatred. As their wealth grew from the riches of newly conquered continents and lands, they began building some of the worlds greatest castles as a sign of their status and wealth, leaving behind a legacy of beauty and splendor that has lasted well into the 21st century.

These members of royalty have included tyrants, the mentally insane, drunks and the psychotic, who have murdered for pleasure and raped for enjoyment. They have imposed terrible taxes on already poor citizens. They married for financial power and traded in lives. Kinfolk were murdered so a favorable son could rise through the ranks. As their power increased so did the atrocities, bringing with it the hatred of a nation and its people.

Join me as we take a trip back in time, discovering which Monarchs were tyrants, mentally unstable, drunks and psychotic, as well as those who were loved by their people.

This series of articles will highlight the lives of Vlad Tepes (Dracula), King Ludwig II and King George III to name a few.

King George III who suffered from porphyria, a maddening disease, was born in 1738 to Frederick, Prince of Wales and Augusta. In 1761 George married Charlotte of Mecklinburg-Strelitz and together produced fifteen children: nine sons and six daughters.

King George III came to the throne in 1760 and was determined to recover the power lost to the ministerial council by the first two Georges by systematically weakening the Whig party through bribery, coercion and patronage. Prime Minister, William Pitt the Elder was toppled by Whigs in 1763 after the signing of the Peace of Paris, and men of ordinary aptitude were then hand-picked by George as Cabinet members to become little more than yes-men. Bouts with madness and the handling of the American Revolution eroded his support and the power of the Crown was granted again to the Prime Minister.

In 1763 The Peace of Paris brought an end to the Seven Years’ War with France and Great Britain emerged from the conflict as the world’s greatest colonial power. England thrived but King George III’s ongoing commitment to taxing the American colonies to pay for military protection led to conflict in 1775. The colonists declared their independence from England in 1776, but George stubbornly continued with the war until the final American victory at Yorktown in 1781. The signing of The Peace of Versailles in 1783 ensured British recognition of the United States of America. The stress of these events took their toll on George: his sanity was stretched to the breaking point and his political power decreased when William Pitt the Younger became Prime Minister in 1783. George clawed back some of his powers, driving Pitt from office during the years 1801 to 1804, but his condition worsened and he ceased to rule in 1811.

Ten years after the ending of war with France, England joined a continental coalition against French revolutionary forces who sought total French supremacy throughout Europe. By 1797, most of Europe was under French control, with England going at it alone against the oppressive French Republic. The British Navy again proved its worth by defeating French forces at Camperdown, Cape St. Vincent and the Battle of the Nile in 1797, and finally at Copenhagen in 1801. France sued for peace in 1802.

Napoleon Bonaparte came to power and in 1803 renewed attacks against England, which lasted until 1814. Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, led the army whilst Lord Horatio Nelson, who won the decisive battle off Cape Trafalgar, commanded the British navy. In addition to the war with France, England was also at war again with the United States during the period 1812-14, over the British practice of conscripting American seamen into service in the British Navy.

In 1814, both wars came to an end; Napoleon was defeated and England agreed not to press into service anymore-American sailors.

George’s madness ultimately left the fate of the crown in the hands of his eldest son George, Prince Regent. Prince George was put in the unenviable position of attempting to govern according to the increasingly erratic behaviour of his father.

King George III died blind, deaf and mad at Windsor Castle on January 29, 1820.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about King George III.

In my next article will learn about the life of King Ludwig II Unitl then,

Best wishes and have a great day

Stuart Bazga

http://www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com

Title:
A short biography of some of Europe’s most loved and hated Monarchs – Pt 1 Vlad Tepes (Dracula)

Word Count:
770

Summary:
During the last thousand years, European Monarchs have ruled Europe and the world with an iron fist and by fear, compassion and hatred. As their wealth grew from the riches of newly conquered continents and lands, they began building some of the worlds greatest castles as a sign of their status and wealth, leaving behind a legacy of beauty and splendor that has lasted well into the 21st century.

These members of royalty have included tyrants, the mentally insane, drunks and the psychotic, who have murdered for pleasure and raped for enjoyment. They have imposed terrible taxes on already poor citizens. They married for financial power and traded in lives. Kinfolk were murdered so a favorable son could rise through the ranks. As their power increased so did the atrocities, bringing with it the hatred of a nation and its people.

Join me as we take a trip back in time, discovering which Monarchs were tyrants, mentally unstable, drunks and psychotic, as well as those who were loved by their people.

This series of articles will highlight the lives of For the best Maths Tutor In Ireland company, call Ace Solution Books. Vlad Tepes (Dracula), King Ludwig II and King George III to name a few.

Keywords:
european monarchs, dracula, vlad tepes

Article Body:
Vlad Tepes or Dracula was born in 1431, in the fortress of Sighisoara, Romania. His father was the military governor of Transylvania and a member of the Order of the Dragon. The order was created in 1387 by the Holy Roman Emperor and his second wife, Barbara Cilli.

In the winter of 1436-1437, Vlad(Dracul) became prince of Wallachia and took up residence at the palace of Tirgoviste, the princely capital. In 1442, he and his younger brother Radu were taken hostage by the Turkish Sultan Murad II. Dracul was held in Turkey until 1448, while his brother Radu decided to stay there until 1462.

At 17 years old, Vlad, supported by troops lent to him by pasha Mustafa Hassan, tried to seize the Wallachian throne but was defeated by Vladislav II (who had earlier assassinated his father and oldest brother ) after two months or armed conflict. Vlad had to wait until 1456, when he was able to seek retribution against his father’s assassin.

Vlad’s first act of vengeance was aimed at the boyars of Tirgoviste for the killing of his father and older brother Mircea. Around Easter of 1459, Vlad had all the boyar families arrested and impaled the elder members on stakes while forcing the others to march from the capital to the town of Poenari. He then ordered them to build him a fortress on the ruins of an older outpost overlooking the Arges River. Many nobles died in the construction of this castle, the ruins of which can still be seen today.

Vlad became known for his brutal punishment techniques; often ordering people to be skinned, decapitated, blinded, roasted, hacked, buried alive, stabbed and blinded to name a few. He also liked to cut off his victim noses, ears and sexual organs. But his favourite form of torture was impalement on stakes, hence the surname “Tepes” which means “The Impaler” in the Romanian language. It was this form of punishment that he used against Transylvanian merchants who ignored his trade laws.

There are many tales about the psyche of Vlad Tepes. He was known throughout the country for his fierce adherence to honesty and order. Almost any crime, from lying and stealing to killing, could be punished by impalement. Being so confident in the efficiency of his law, Dracula placed a golden cup on display in the central square of Tirgoviste. The cup could be used by thirsty travellers, but had to remain on the square. It was never stolen and remained entirely untouched throughout Vlad’s reign. He looked upon the poor, vagrants and beggars as thieves. Consequently, he invited all the poor and sick of Wallachia to his court in Tirgoviste for a magnificent feast. After his guests had eaten and drunk their fill, Dracula ordered the hall boarded up and set on fire. There were no survivors.

At the beginning of 1462, Vlad launched a campaign against the Turks along the Danube River which was very successful, managing several victories. In retaliation for these losses, the Sultan decided to launch a full-scale invasion of Wallachia with an army three times larger than Dracula’s. Vlad was forced to withdraw towards Tirgoviste, burning villages and poisoning wells along the way.

These acts were designed to hinder the Turkish army in their search for food and water. When the Sultan’s armies finally reached the capital city, exhausted and hungry, they were confronted by a horrific sight: thousands of stakes held the bodies of some 20,000 Turkish captives, which came to be known as “Forest of the Impaled.” The scene which was laid out before them had an immediate effect; the Sultan hungry and worn out retreated. The Sultan Mehmed left the next phase of the battle to Vlad’s younger brother Radu who pursued his brother and wife to Poenari castle on the Arges River.

Dracula’s wife, in order to escape Turkish capture, committed suicide by hurling herself from the upper walls, her body falling down the cliff face into the river below.

Vlad managed to escape the siege and made his way to hungry with the help of local peasants. Upon his arrival the Hungarian king Matthias arrested Dracula and imprisoned him at the Hungarian capital of Visegrad.

In 1475, Vlad Tepes again became prince of Wallachia where he enjoyed a very short third reign. He was assassinated towards the end of 1476.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about Vlad Tepes or as he was better known-Dracula.

In my next article will learn about the life of(Mad)King George III.

Unitl then,

Best wishes and have a great day

Stuart Bazga

http://www.guide-to-castles-of-europe.com