What was the name of Vlad the Impaler's father?

Vlad the Impaler’s father was Vlad Dracul, also known as Vlad II Dracul. He ruled Wallachia during the fifteenth century and was the father of the historical ruler whose life later helped inspire the Dracula legend.

The name “Dracul” came from Vlad II’s membership in the Order of the Dragon, a chivalric order founded by Sigismund of Luxembourg to defend Christian Europe against the Ottoman Empire. In the historical context, “Dracul” meant “dragon,” while the later form “Dracula” could mean “son of Dracul.” Vlad III therefore became known as Vlad Dracula because he was Vlad Dracul’s son.

Vlad II ruled Wallachia from 1436 to 1442 and again from 1443 to 1447. He and his eldest son Mircea were killed in 1447 during a political struggle, helping create the turbulent circumstances in which Vlad III later fought for the Wallachian throne. “Vlad Țepeș,” one of the wrong options, refers to Vlad III himself, not his father.