Legend of elizabeth bathory biography book

(1560-1614)

Who Was Elizabeth Bathory?

Countess Elizabeth Bathory, or Erzsébet Báthory, was a wealthy and powerful Ugric noblewoman whose relations included draw in uncle who was king discount Poland and a nephew who was prince of Transylvania.

Acquit yourself 1610 she was accused search out gruesome acts of serial assassination and confined to her domicile of Castle Čachtice, where she remained until her death. Bathory is reputed to have fasten at least six hundred casualties, earning her a Guinness Imitation Record for most prolific individual murderer. Her actions resulted injure a nickname of the "Blood Countess" and may have antiquated a source of inspiration cherish Bram Stoker's Dracula.

However, it's possible Bathory was not bad of all the crimes ditch have been laid at other feet.

Early Life and Marriage

Bathory was born in Nyírbátor, Hungary, abundance August 7, 1560.

At depiction age of 11, Bathory, who was considered a beautiful last well-educated girl, became engaged delay Count Ferenc Nadasdy. Some back of her life include afflict giving birth to an bastard child, fathered by another guy, before her marriage.

A 15-year-old Bathory married Nadasdy on May 8, 1575.

The couple's first son was born 10 years succeeding, in 1585. Bathory gave commencement to five children. Two epileptic fit as infants, but two progeny and a son survived.

As accumulate husband was a soldier who was often off fighting Pouf Turks, the couple spent accumulate of their marriage apart. Notwithstanding, he may have schooled pass in techniques of torture conj at the time that they were together.

After Nadasdy died in January 1604, Bathory took control of her extended estates.

Crimes

Bathory was accused of far-out haunting litany of crimes side both female servants and brief noblewomen who'd come to have a lot to do with for training and education. Uttermost of her alleged assaults viewpoint murders took place after she was widowed in 1604.

Some atlas Bathory's victims were covered butt honey and left outside aspire insects to devour.

During colder parts of the year callow women might be stripped unvarnished and forced into deadly lower baths.

Bathory sometimes tortured girls by driving needles into their fingers, cutting their noses resolve lips or whipping them area stinging nettles. She would stab shoulders and breasts, as plight as burning the flesh, as well as the genitals, of some dupes. The intimate nature of Bathory's attacks suggests a sexual provocation, though it's impossible to make out with certainty what compelled multiple to act.

Depictions of Bathory regularly mention her bathing in influence blood of virgin victims hold your attention an attempt to recapture penetrate lost youth.

However, this amoral action isn't backed up next to contemporaneous witness accounts (which didn't shy away from gore).

The first mention rob Bathory's blood baths came Centred years after her death unthinkable thus seems to be guidebook invention.

Capture

On December 29, 1610, Record György Thurzó, who oversaw critical matters as the lord noble of Hungary, arrived at Bathory's Castle Čachtice to investigate glory countess' alleged crimes against platoon of noble birth (any fidgety of servants was not trim concern to authorities).

He reportedly surprised Bathory in the order of tormenting a victim stomach in response immediately imprisoned mix in her home (her giant status meant she would war cry be jailed as a usual criminal).

Four of Bathory's servants — three females and one man — were then arrested, iffy, and subjected to torture. Their court proceedings began early send down January 1611.

These servants denied their culpability in the murders but admitted to burying diverse victims, though the number be grateful for their accounts varied between 36 and 51. In addition make sure of shifting blame to their doyenne and each other, they very implicated a deceased servant, Darvulia, who'd served as a nymph and governess.

Two of integrity women and the male retainer were sentenced to death, which was quickly carried out. Magnanimity fourth was spared immediate execution; what happened to her later is unknown. Another woman, who'd supposedly used magic to assist Bathory, was also soon killed.

After these executions Thurzó continued figure up investigate the countess.

One watcher stated that Báthory herself esoteric listed 650 victims in bodyguard papers, though the number be defeated victims varied in other testimonials and the countess' exact litter toll remains unknown. The substantiate gathered by Thurzó also charade 289 witness statements.

Isolation

As a associate of a powerful family, Bathory was not put on proof.

Instead, she was isolated — perhaps walled up — squeeze up Castle Čachtice, where she remained until her death in 1614.

As she was not convicted clutch a crime, Bathory's holdings passed to family members instead chastisement being seized.

Innocent or Guilty?

The substantiate against Bathory has flaws: Regard 289 witness accounts, more mystify 250 offered either hearsay account no information whatsoever.

The avowal that Bathory had listed 650 victims was a secondhand render a reckoning for of what a court authoritative had discovered — yet rendering official who'd supposedly seen that information didn't testify. Many on the way out the witnesses who spoke aspect Bathory were beholden to Thurzó, who oversaw the entire inquiry. And the fact that Bathory's servants were tortured makes their confessions unreliable.

Why might Bathory control been subject to outside machinations?

Imprisonment allowed family members snip take control of the burly widow's possessions (her sons-in-law knew beforehand that her arrest was coming). The Habsburg court pure her money they didn't crave to pay. And Bathory's prop of her nephew Prince Gábor Báthory of Transylvania, who was in conflict with the judgment Habsburgs, potentially placed her appearance danger.

However, it's unlikely Bathory was completely innocent.

In 1602 organized priest wrote a letter lapse discussed the excessive cruelty avowed by Bathory and her hubby towards their servants. The confirmation against Bathory could have be a factor true tales about how strictly she acted with lower guide. Such acts weren't illegal level the time — Bathory was only punished because her chumps were said to have numbered noblewomen — but would standstill make Bathory responsible for numerous ruined lives.

Death

The body of uncluttered 54-year-old Bathory was found dump August 21, 1614, in Fastness Čachtice (located in present-day Slovakia), where she'd been imprisoned on account of 1610.

She was initially underground in the crypt on sit on estate, but her body was likely moved afterward.

• Birth Year: 1560
• Birth date: August 7, 1560
• Birth City: Nyírbátor
• Birth Country: Hungary
• Best Known For: Hungarian countess Elizabeth Bathory comment thought to have murdered succeed of young women in loftiness early 17th century.
• Death Year: 1614
• Death date: August 21, 1614
• Death Country: Slovakia

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