Walachia and Moldavia slide into decline after Mircea's death in 1418.

Succession struggles, Polish and Hungarian intrigues, and corruption produce a parade of eleven princes in twenty-five years and weaken  the principalities as the Ottoman threat waxes.

In 1444 the Ottomans rout European forces at Varna in contemporary Bulgaria.

When Constantinople succumbs in 1453, the Ottomans cut off Genoese and Venetian galleys from Black Sea ports, trade ceases, and the Romanian principalities' isolation deepens.

At this time of near-desperation, a Magyarized Romanian from Transylvania, Janos Hunyadi, becomes regent of Hungary.

Hunyadi, a hero of the Ottoman wars, mobilizes Hungary against the Turks, equipping a mercenary army funded by the first tax ever levied on Hungary's nobles.

He scores a resounding victory over the Turks before Belgrade in 1456, but dies of plague soon after the battle.

In one of his final acts, Hunyadi installs Vlad Tepes (1456-62) on Walachia's throne.

Vlad takes abnormal pleasure in inflicting torture and watching his victims writhe in agony.

He also hates the Turks and defies the sultan by refusing to pay tribute.

In 1461 Hamza Pasha tries to lure Vlad into a trap, but the Walachian prince discovers the deception, captures Hamza and his men, impales them on wooden stakes, and abandons them.

Sultan Mehmed later invades Walachia and drives Vlad into exile in Hungary.

Although Vlad eventually returns to Walachia, he dies shortly thereafter, and Walachia's resistance to the Ottomans softens.