Draculesti Family, Wallachian nobility
Vlad Dracul: Military governor of Transylvania, vaivode of Wallachia, father of Lada and Radu, father of Mircea, husband of Vasilissa
Vasilissa: Mother of Lada and Radu, princess of Moldova
Mircea: Oldest son of Vlad Dracul and his first, deceased wife
Lada: Daughter and second legitimate child of Vlad Dracul
Radu: Son and third legitimate child of Vlad Dracul
Vlad: Illegitimate son of Vlad Dracul with a mistress
Alexandru: Brother of Vlad Dracul, vaivode of Wallachia
Wallachian Court and Countryside Figures
Nurse: Mother of Bogdan, caretaker of Lada and Radu
Bogdan: Son of the nurse, friend of Lada
Andrei: Boyar child from rival Danesti family
Aron: Boyar child from rival Danesti family
Costin: A boy without shoes at the frozen river
Danesti family: Rival family for the Wallachian throne
Lazar: A Janissary soldier serving in Wallachia, friend of Radu
Edirne Court Figures
Murad: Ottoman sultan, father of Mehmed
Halima: One of Murad’s wives, mother of the infant Ahmet
Ahmet: Mehmed’s infant half brother
Mara Brankovic: One of Murad’s wives, the daughter of the Serbian king
Huma: One of of Murad’s concubines, the mother of Mehmed
Mehmed: The third and least favorite son of the sultan
Sitti Hatun: Daughter of an important emir, Mehmed’s first wife
Gulsa: Mehmed’s concubine, the mother of his second son
Beyazit: Mehmed’s firstborn son
Molla Gurani: Mehmed’s tutor
Halil Pasha: An important advisor in the Ottoman court
Salih: The second son of Halil Pasha, friend of Radu
Kumal: Devout vali of a small area outside of Edirne