I’ve always had a thing for Transylvania, I’ll tell you. I’m not sure where or how it started. Maybe it was the song, “Transylvania, 6-5000.” Or possibly it began with the whole Dracula, Frankenstein, Werewolf, Mummy thing. I mean, Transylvania is where it all began.
But I’m only thinking of this place because it was on this date, September 18, 1437, when the famous peasant uprising took place in Transylvania.
The whole thing is wonky if you ask me. I won’t delve into all the dirty details of the 1437 affair, but essentially it all began because of money. Isn’t that the reason most of the time for all the scuffles in the world? Money or religion.
Anyway, The revolt broke out after the Bishop of Transylvania, a man named George Lépes, had failed to collect the tithe from peasants. For many years he did make the rounds for their payments because of a temporary debasement of the coinage.
You may be wondering what debasement is.
Well, it is the opposite of de attic.
But in this case, debasement is the process of reducing the quality or value of something. So the coins had been reduced in value according to this.
Eventually, things evened out when coins of higher value were again issued. So George demanded the arrears in one big lump sum payment. Most of the peasants were unable to pay the piper. But the Bishop of Transylvania demanded the money. “Show me the money,” he shouted.
A lot more happened around this nasty situation, which eventually led to the peasants revolting. An uprising. Pitchforks and torches, I’m sure.
There were two main battles and two compromises, but in the end, it all went poorly for the peasants, as nine leaders of the revolt were executed and many others tortured.
The Transylvania, I never knew.
I think I prefer the one that is swarming with vampires, werewolves, and mummies, the one of scary myths.
But the legend of Dracula is based on true historical facts. The real man’s name was Count Vlad Tepes — also known as Vlad III, or the really bad one — Vlad the Impaler. Yes, the Impaler. He lived in a creepy castle about 20 miles away from Brasov, where Count Dracula supposedly lived.
Misty forests, haunted castles, and, of course, vampires. The mere thought of Transylvania lets our imaginations run wild. This province in Romania, in Eastern Europe, is a beautiful place in fact. Hopefully, there will be no more revolts. And they claim to have no real vampires. But I’m not going out walking after dark if I ever visit.
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“That’s the best part about legends: tons of holes and discrepancies just waiting to be theorized.”
― Erin Bowman, Vengeance Road
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“Calling it lunacy makes it easier to explain away the things we don’t understand.”
― Megan Chance, The Spiritualist
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“In a world of diminishing mystery, the unknown persists.”
― Jhumpa Lahiri, The Lowland
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The Transylvania we never knew.
