Vlad The Impaler

Vlad Tepes, Prince of Wallachia, was a figure in the Medieval era who has become connected with the Dracula legend. Forget bloodsucking, this guy was in to much more hardcore stuff. He impaled friend and foe alike. One he turned back a Turkish army when they saw thousands upon thousands of their comrades dead on wooden stakes. Once, when an envoy refused to take off his turban in his presence Vlad had it nailed to his head.
Of course, this didn't help Vlad when the Reaper came knocking for him. Eventually he was killed, by the Turks or rebellious nobles we cannot be sure. But his head was cut off, preserved in honey to keep it sweet and then stuck on a pole.
Despite his apparently hideous crimes Vlad was a good ruler. He insisted on total loyalty from his people and his ruthlessness aided him in his war against the Turkish invaders. When first ascending to power one of his first moves was to imprison the treacherous boyars who probably killed his father. And rather than heap favours upon old Lords he apparently prefered to knight members of the peasantry.
Although, as we've seen, it wasn't enough to save him.

Vlad The Impaler was a horribly cruel man but an effective warlord and disciplinarian.

222👍 46👎

legdrop of doom

In professional wrestling terminology a finishing move that is underwhelming or just plain laughable. The phrase could also be followed by a trademark sign. Although the reasons behind this remain obscure to this day.
First used by wrestling publication Power Slam during 1998 in connection with Hulk Hogan.

John Cena's STFU is a modern day Legdrop of Doom.

9👍 2👎

Rasputinism

To be killed in a protracted, almost ridiculous way.

Derives from the case of Grigori Rasputin who was poisoned with cyanide, shot at least twice and then thrown in the River Neva. He was then dug up by Bolsheviks and his remains set on fire.

The posthumous execution of Benito Mussolini in 1945 and Oliver Cromwell in 1660 was classic Rasputinism.