# Vlad Dracula- III or IV?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vlad-dracula-iii-or-iv/453696>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 21, 2008, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vlad-dracula-iii-or-iv/453696 "2008-06-21T16:39:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2008, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vlad-dracula-iii-or-iv/453696/1 "2008-06-21T16:39:55Z")

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When the 1973 (?) MacNally-Florescu book IN SEARCH OF DRACULA introduced Vlad the Impaler into popular culture, he was called Vlad IV. However, over the past decade, I see him referred to as Vlad III. So what’s the deal with the number change?

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**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2008, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vlad-dracula-iii-or-iv/453696/2 "2008-06-21T17:44:23Z")

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According to [Wkipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlad_Tepes) he’s Vlad III. Vlad IV was his half-brother.

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**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2008, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vlad-dracula-iii-or-iv/453696/3 "2008-06-21T17:50:56Z")

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Yeah, I did look there, but what I want to know is what the deal was with him being referred to as Vlad IV in the 1970’s accounts, and then it being changed to Vlad III. Did the earlier researchers just misread things?

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**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2008, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/vlad-dracula-iii-or-iv/453696/4 "2008-06-21T18:54:22Z")

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As far as I can tell, it comes from a confusion between the names “Vlad” and “Vladislav”. Specifically, there was a ruler of Wallachia, who used to be referred to as Vlad I, but now is called Valdislav I. So obviously, that changes the numbering.