Vlad the Impaler's: Horrifying Forest of Stakes Vlad the Impaler, also known as Vlad III or Dracula, was a 15th-century ruler of Wallachia infamous for his brutal methods of punishment. One of the most horrifying aspects of his reign was the "Forest of Stakes," a gruesome display of his preferred method of execution—impalement. After defeating enemies and quelling uprisings, Vlad would often impale captured soldiers, political adversaries, and even criminals on large wooden stakes. Victims were