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Essays, Opinion, & Commentary |
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October 16, 2001
by David A. Yeagley, Ph.D.
Many people don't know that Dracula was a real man. He defended Eastern Europe against invading Turkish Muslims in the 15th century. If it weren't for warriors like Dracula, Europe would have been conquered by Turkish and Moorish Muslims. To save their lives, most Europeans would have converted to Islam, as did many Bosnians, Albanians and others. Many would now be speaking Turkish and Arabic. The average European today would likely have little need of sun-tan lotion. From the beginning, Islam spread through military conquest. Its goal was world domination. However, Europe successfully resisted, thanks in large part to men like Dracula. His real name was Vlad. Born in 1431, he died in battle, near Bucharest, in 1476. His father's name was also Vlad. Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund invested the father with the "Order of the Dragon" in 1431. The Order was a semi-monastic military machine dedicated to driving the Turks from European soil. Their official standard was the Red Dragon. Because the word "Dracul" means both devil and dragon in Romanian, Emperor Sigismund's invocation of the Dragon gave rise to rumors that he had called on the Devil himself to help him against the Turks. The conduct of Vlad's son -- Vlad Dracula (the diminutive "a," means son of the dragon) -- added fuel to this legend. Dracula was notoriously cruel -- a characteristic he may have acquired while a prisoner of the Turks in Egrigoz (Asia Minor). He was later called -- tsepesh -- "The Impaler," because of his favorite method of executing his enemies. In 1462 Dracula drove the Turks down to the Black Sea. His armies came within sight of Constantinople, the former Christian capital of the Roman Emperor Constantine, which had fallen to the Muslims in 1453. Dracula's 1462 campaign gave hope to Christians that Constantinople might be liberated. But it remains in Turkish hands to this day. In the end, it was the Mongols -- not the Europeans -- who broke the power of Islam. Mongol hordes overran the Muslims, as well as vast tracts of Europe. The Mongol armies of Batu had advanced to Vienna, as early as 1240. Mongols ruled Kiev until 1480. The Magyars of Hungary are of direct Mongolian descent. Europe's brush with annihilation changed it in many ways. People often accuse Christian Europe of being the preeminent imperialist culture in the world. However, Christian Europe did not actually begin its expansion until Europe itself had been nearly extinguished, first by the Muslims and then by Mongol invaders. I have a theory that once a people or nation survives a great threat of extinction, that people become themselves aggressive expansionists, in their determination never again to be so vulnerable. That is certainly what happened in Europe. For centuries, Muslims controlled much of Spain, southern France and Eastern Europe. The Turks besieged Vienna in 1529, and again, as late as 1683. The last of the Muslim Moors were not evicted from Spain until 1492. Only then did King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella send Columbus to explore the Atlantic. Today, Muslim aggressors are once again on the move. Once again, Muslims fight Christians in Eastern Europe. Once again, Muslims besiege the great cities of Christendom, this time through terrorism. Of course, I understand that not all Muslims aspire to world conquest. Most, I am sure, just want to live their lives peacefully. No doubt, the same was true centuries ago. It was not the poor fellahin scratching out a living in the Nile mud who lusted after Christian gold, but rather the pashas and sultans in their palaces. Similarly today, it is wealthy men such as Osama bin Laden who organize and finance the jihads. For Westerners, however, the problem remains the same. It is a question of survival. The last time the Christian West faced this problem, it was men like Dracula who saved us. As a Christian, I recoil from Dracula's bloody cruelties against the innocent. Yet there is something in his ruthless conviction that we need today. Pacifists of the Christian Left, be warned. Had your ancestors thought like you, you would have no freedom to practice Christianity today. Muslim Americans too should realize that the freedoms they enjoy were won by the likes of Dracula. Where is our Dracula today? We are still waiting for him to arise. Our leaders say they will bring the terrorists to "justice." But Dracula did not think in such terms. He annihilated his foes without mercy. He filled their hearts with fear. Where is Dracula when you need him?
Dr. David A. Yeagley teaches humanities at the College of Liberal Studies, University of Oklahoma. His opinions are independent. He holds degrees from Yale, Emory, Oberlin, University of Arizona and University of Hartford. He is a member of the Comanche Tribe, Lawton, OK. E-mail him at badeagle2000@yahoo.com. Feel free to respond to this article in The Radical Academy Forum.
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