Historical Facts in Myths and Legends

1. Historical Facts in Myths and Legends Key Action 2 Nr. 2016-1-CZ01-KA219-023883This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.“This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein."

2. Peles castle Location: Sinaia, Walachia – Southern Romania considered by many one of the most stunning castles in Europe. Commissioned by King Carol I in 1873 and completed in 1883, Its 160 rooms are adorned with the finest examples of European art, Murano crystal chandeliers, German stained-glass windows and Cordoba leather-covered walls. The first European castle entirely lit by electrical current. The electricity was produced by the castle's own plant. The first movie projection in Romania took place in 1906 in the castle's Theater Room.

3. Karel Zdeněk LímanThe Czech architect to the Romanian Royal Court.Límanconductedextensiverenovationsof Bran and Pelescastles

4. This castle is connected with the myth about Count Dracula. Bram Stoker’s character, Dracula, is a Transylvanian Count with a castle located high above a valley perched on a rock with a flowing river below in the Principality of Transylvania. This character is often confused with Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), sometimes known as Vlad Dracul, who was a Walachian Prince with a castle, now in ruins, located in the Principality of Wallachia. BRAN CASTLE

5. BRAM STOKER Bram Stoker , was an Irish author, best known today for his 1897 Gothic novel Dracula. Stokernever visited Romania. He depicted the imaginary Dracula’s castle based upon a description of Bran Castle that was available to him in turn-of-the-century Britain. Indeed, the imaginary depiction of Dracula’s Castle from the etching in the first edition of “Dracula” is strikingly similar to Bran Castle and no other in all of Romania. Stoker is widely purported to have used the illustration of Bran Castle in Charles Boner’s book, "Transylvania: Its Product and Its People", (London: Longmans, 1865) to describe his imaginary Dracula's Castle.

6. "Vlad Țepeș„ Vlad's reputation for cruelty and his patronymic gave rise to the name of the vampire Count Dracula in Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula. Vlad Dracula, a medieval ruler of Wallachia. BORN1431Sighișoara, Romania Vlad III (the Impaler; reigned 1448, 1456–62, and 1476–77) DIED1476 (aged 45)Bucharest, Romania Vlad was the second of four brothers born into the noble family of Vlad II Dracul. His sobriquet Dracula (meaning “son of Dracul”) was derived from the Latin draco (“dragon”) after his father’s induction into the Order of the Dragon, created by Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund for the defense of Christian Europe against the Ottoman Empire.

7. Marie of Romania, grand-daughter of Queen Victoria of Great BritainShe was born on 29 October 1875 at Eastwell Park in Kent, the eldest daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, and Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia.Her father was the second-eldest son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Her mother was the only surviving daughter of Alexander II of Russia and Maria Alexandrovna of Hesse. As her letters to a close friend show her marriage was a disaster. However, she gave birth to three daughters and three sons. Historians say that not all the children were Ferdinand’s. Marie of Romania died at the age of 62, in Peleş Castle Queen Marie, also known as Marie of Romania, was one of the most beloved royals in this country. She was the was Queen consort of Romania from 1914 to 1927, as the wife of Ferdinand I of Romania.

8. Famous Personalities in Slovak HistoryLudovit Stur* October 28, 1815 Uhrovec† January 12, 1856 ModraThe most notable figure of the second half of the 19th century, a member of the Hungarian Diet, and codifier of the Slovak language in 1843, politician, linguist, teacher, writer, and a journalist.

9. The Carpathians, at that time, are a wild area, a key crossing-point between two powerful empires, very dangerous region, teeming with highwaymen of all sorts. Other famous outlaws, more or less known, also contributed to this reputation of "European Wild West", like Ondraszek (1680-1715, Polish), often confused with Jánošík, or Portasz Martyn, Wojciech and Mateusz Klimczakowie, Wasyl Bajurak, Iwan Bojczuk or Oleksa Dowbusz, who terrorized regions further east, till the Hutsul countries (Carpathians of Ruthenia). These brigrands never operated alone, but within a very hierarchical group, "Wataha", some of them collecting dozens of guerrilleros (the "Zbójnicki" (PL) / "Zbojníci" (CS)), and on whose head reigns the "watażka". Janosik, Carpathian Robin Hood • . Janosik is a kind of mountain hero for many Poles, Slovaks and Czechs, who know him through various stories and legends in their childhood, and a bunch of film adaptations, the latest in 2009. But unlike Robin Hood, to which is often compared, Janosik really existed. His true story, if not as romantic, provides us however a fascinating history and geography lesson..

10. Juraj Jánošík was a young captured soldier, who was enroled by force into the Austrian army, where random made him a prison guard. He didn't need so much to fly away, helping on the way Tomas Uhorcik, dangerous robber to escape as well, with whom he eventually founded his band of mercenaries (which we call "Harnaś", name taken by a famous Polish beer brand, whose logo stamps a stylized Jánošík). Many other Slovak oulaws joined the "dream team" afterwhile, as well as some Poles like Gavora, Satori and Oresiak.

11. Jánošík did not hesitate to get rid of disturbing "employees" or rivals within his own clan, whose success led occasional machinations of all kinds. Detail which is not the least: although the rich local gentry made its main target, he did not redistribute money to the poor. Worse, contemporary accounts describe him as a very cruel and violent character. The adventure ends in 1713 when, following a betrayal, he is arrested in a hostel of Valašská Dubová, and eventually tried, imprisoned and hanged on a hook in Liptovský Mikuláš castle. The legend says he taunted his judges and executioners until the last moment and, to remove their insane pleasure to witness his agony, he threw himself on the hook, uttering a final insult. Keď ste si ma upiekli, tak si ma aj zjedztete!!! When you baked me, eat me !!!

12. Milan Rastislav Stefanik • * July 21, 1880, Košariská • † May 4, 1919, Vajnory – Bratislava • An astronomer (interests: observing the Sun eclipse); took part in several educational and experimental trips to Brazil, Tahiti, Algeria etc.; he climbed the Mont Blanc; a politician, General of the French army, organizer of the East Front legions, co-founder of the Czechoslovakia, the first Czechoslovak Minister of War. Stefanik died when his plane crashed on the way from France to Slovakia.

13. Polish national „legends and heroes“ • Inventor: Marie Curie (aka Marie Sklodowska) • Contribution: Study of radioactivity, discoverer of polonium and radium • Birth: November 7, 1867 in Warsaw, Poland • Death: July 4, 1934 in Haute Savoie • Nationality: Polish

14. Fryderyk Chopin A Polish composer of the 19th century whose adult life centred mainly on Paris. A Romantic composer who wrote almost entirely for the piano, Chopin changed the world of keyboard music forever. His distinctively expressive style is reflected in his many small-scale works and two concertos he created for the piano.

15. John Paul II (1920-2005) • Probably the most famous Pole ever, Pope John Paul II was born Karol Jozef Wojtyla in the small town of Wadowice in Poland. By being elected pope by the Catholic Church in 1978, he became the first non-Italian pope in 455 years. This pope modernised the papacy and spread his reach internationally through massive gatherings of Catholics and frequent consultations with heads of state.