Dracul of Piatrava

Dracul of Piatrava (c. 1e159- c. 2e24) was a Lord of the Middish City-State of Piatrava and the fabled first king who ruled over the Middish Confederacy. He is known primarily for conquering the Cimbric Peninsula and incorporating the tribes of the area into a larger hierarchical federation.

At some point before the turn of the Second Era in 1e212, he was married by his mother, Lady Dorota of Piatrava, to Lady Vanda of Câmpilej, the daughter of Lord Rasvan of Câmpilej. This marriage was arranged to complete the formation of a political alliance between Câmpilej House and his own Piatrava House, which he had assumed lordship of after the death of his father, Jan of Piatrava, supposedly died due to an outbreak of White Plague in the 1e160s.

According to Middish tradition, Dracul of Piatrava met with Waxwaerlian Caesar John Waxwiller at the end of the First Era. He was a young ruler then and saw the heirarchical structure of the Kingdom of Waxwaerlia as an ingenious idea. After becoming a personal friend of Caesar Waxwiller, he would go on to wage the Wars of Cimbric Unification. These wars lasted for the rest of his reign until 2e20, when the Cimbric Concordat was signed by the eight major Houses of Middgard, negotiated by Piatrava House and backed by the Waxwaerlian Imperial Army. It ceded all authority over the lands of the eight houses primarily to Piatrava House, the ruler of which would delegate power over the outlying fiefs how he saw fit.

Mythic Status
Dracul of Piatrava's life is surrounded in mythology. His legendary status stems from later Middish tradition, primarily in folklore that developed after his founding of the original confederacy. He was a battlefield commander in his wars, and as such his feats in battle have been heavily embellished.

According to legend, Dracul laid siege to the city of Andocastra for 40 days. He supposedly had numerical superiority and could have overwhelmed the city, but wished instead for the city's lord, Neculai III of Andocastra, to settle the ownership of the city between him with a duel of blades. He appeared before the city gates after writing to Neculai III, expecting the lord to meet him fairly. He was then met by a group of soldiers (some accounts say 30, others say 60 or 300 men) that sallied forth to apprehend him. He singlehandedly slew all of the guards, entered the city, and beheaded Neculai III before his court. According to the ancient law and customs of the Middish people, ownership of the city was then to be rightfully transferred to him.