The Order of the Dragon
"In the year 1431 Vlad Basarab was involved in a ritual that took place in the Imperial fortress of Nuremberg -- his induction into the Order of the Dragon, giving him the name Dracul in his home country. The order had been founded by the Holy Roman Emperor in 1387 and was similar to other orders such as the Teutonic Order of Knights in their duties of defending Sigismund I and the Empire, shielding orphans and widows and the like. Not widely known was the undeclared aim of the Society of gaining political supremacy for the house of Luxemburg, and thus only a select number were chosen for the honour. At Vlad Dracul's death in 1447 (yes, he was assassinated) he was the only member of the order who had remained loyal to his oath, at least in fighting the Turks. Dracula inherited membership and his family were proud of the nickname, despite the double meaning of 'Devil' -- his brothers were also referred to by some as Dracula, their descendants as Draculestis (the line died out in the seventeenth century).
Each member of the order wore a medallion showing a dragon and a cross, with the inscriptions O quam misericors est Deus and Justus et Pius -- 'Oh how merciful is God' and 'Just and Faithful'.