The conflict between Ţepeş and Mehmed continues until 1461, when Mehmed asks the Prince to come to Constantinople and negotiate with him.

At the end of November 1461, Ţepeş writes to Mehmed that he cannot afford to pay him tribute, as his war against the Saxons of Transylvania has emptied his resources, and that he cannot leave Wallachia and risk having the Hungarian king take over his domains.

He further promises to send the Sultan plenty of gold when he can afford to and that he will go to Constantinople if the Sultan will send him a pasha to rule over Wallachia in his absence.

Meanwhile, the Sultan receives intelligence reports that reveal Ţepeş's alliance with Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus.

He dispatches the bey of Nicopolis, Hamza Pasha, to stage a diplomatic meeting with Vlad at Giurgiu, but with orders to ambush him there; and thereafter, take him to Constantinople.

Ţepeş, forewarned about the ambush, plans to set an ambush of his own.

Hamza brings with him one thousand cavalry and when passing through a narrow pass north of Giurgiu, Ţepeş launches a surprise-attack.

The Wallachians have the Turks surrounded and fire with their handgunners until the entire expeditionary force is killed.

Historians credit Ţepeş as one of the first European crusaders to use gunpowder in a "deadly artistic way."