The couple's first child was born 10 years later, in 1585. 2023 Biography and the Biography logo are registered trademarks of A&E Television Networks, LLC. This diary, however, appears to have only been a legend. Elizabeth Warren is a Democrat from Massachusetts who was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012 and ran for her party's presidential nomination in 2020. ", in, This page was last edited on 19 August 2022, at 17:33. She supposedly used the instrument to cut off their hands, noses, and genitals. [8] Szdeczky-Kardoss argues that the physical evidence was exaggerated and Thurz misrepresented dead and wounded patients as victims of Bthory, as disgracing her would greatly benefit his political state ambitions. In 1575 she married Count Ferencz Ndasdy, a member of another powerful Hungarian family, and subsequently moved to Castle Cachtice, a wedding gift from the Ndasdy family. I recognize that most people took little interest in their servants, but I feel like someone would have noticed the mass disappearance of young girls, regardless of their social standing. Four of Bathory's servants three females and one male were then arrested, questioned, and subjected to torture. I truly never realized how sadistic she wasshe definitely puts some of the modern centurys serial killers to shame. 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars. She had an elder brother named Stephen. As a child, Bthory had multiple seizures that may have been caused by epilepsy. Her family had many powerful relatives -- a cardinal, princes, and a cousin who was prime minister of Hungary are among these relatives. Bthory was a powerful woman, made more so by her control of Ndasdys holdings after his death. It pains my mind just to think of it! The countess is also known as one of the bloodiest women in . A 15-year-old Bathory married Nadasdy on May 8, 1575. Overall, I believe the author did a good job telling a tragic story. When Nadasdy passed away in 1604, he gave his whole estate away to Bathory including his castle, Cachtice, in modern day Slovakia. If all the stories about her are true, then she is likely the most prolific and vicious female serial killer of all time. Wertner, Moritz, "Urgeschlechter in Siebenbrgen. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Check out our elizabeth bathory selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our patches shops. The possible causes were very well documented and the cruelty leaves me to wonder how many innocent people died at the hands of sadistic powerful rulers who enjoyed torture. In fact, some modern Hungarian scholars say that it may have been motivated more by others power and greed than her supposed evil. [45] Countess Elizabeth Bthory de Ecsed (Bthory Erzsbet in Hungarian, Albeta Btoriov in Slovak; 7 August 1560 - 21 August 1614) was a countess from the renowned Bthory family of Hungarian nobility. Elizabeth Bthory, or Bthory Erzsbet in her native Hungarian, was born in Nyrbtor on August 7, 1560. The two branches of the family positioned themselves on the opposing sides of the conflict. Elizabeth Bthory, Hungarian form Bthory Erzsbet, (born August 7, 1560, Nyrbtor, Hungarydied August 21, 1614, Castle Cachtice, Cachtice, Hungary [now in Slovakia]), Hungarian countess who purportedly tortured and murdered hundreds of young women in the 16th and 17th centuries. Instead, she was diagnosed as criminally insane.17. A real person, born in 1560, died in 1614. Therefore, the idea of evil inside the family bond emerges in the Countess's massacres. That said, families of her stature could pretty much do as they wished provided that they were not overtly disloyal to the crown. Her actions resulted in a nickname of the "Blood Countess" and may have been a source of inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula. While Elizabeths husband was away at war, she met a witch named Anna Darvulia. Thurz collected evidence from some 300 witnesses who leveled a bevy of truly horrifying charges against the countess. Bthory was born into prominent Protestant nobility in Hungary. Liz Torture Throw Pillow. It is not known if Elizabeth was actually caught in the act of harming her servants. However, Thurzo ordered her bricked into a windowless room in Cjsethe Castle. [9] The marriage resulted in combined land ownership in both Transylvania and the Kingdom of Hungary. George and Anna Bthory produced the most infamous member of the family, Elizabeth, a widow Countess who was eventually tried and found guilty of murdering hundreds of young peasant girls over the course of twenty years, making her the most prolific serial killer in history. No, Bthory was not a doctor/scientist/midwife. Elizabeth Bathory, a Hungarian countess, was the daughter of Ann and George Bathory.1 She was born on August 7th, 1590, in Transylvania.2 She came from a wealthy, Protestant family that were significant landowners in Hungary. During her childhood, Bathory had a neurological disorder, and the environment around her only contributed to her sadistic ways. Her brother was a judge royal of Hungary. [14][original research? Elizabeth Bathory was the Countess of Ecsed, born on August 7, 1560, in Hungary. 2008 - 2022 INTERESTING.COM, INC. Descendants of Elizabeth Bathory the Blood Queen being hunted by descendants of her supposed victims. The family divided into two major branches, which descended from the sons and grandsons of However, this depraved action isn't backed up by contemporaneous witness accounts (which otherwise didn't shy away from gore). [citation needed], After the wedding, the couple lived in Nadasdy's castle at Srvr. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! During the time she lived, she was one of the most powerful women in Hungary.21 She gained notoriety and received the nickname Blood Countess through her deviant acts.22 Bathory is known today for being one of the worst female, serial killers. They included no references to blood baths. Elizabeth Bthory., College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences. The servants confessed under torture, which is not credible in contemporary proceedings. WIKITREE PROTECTS MOST SENSITIVE INFORMATION BUT ONLY TO THE EXTENT STATED IN THE TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICY. She pled innocent to each crime. The King of Hungary, King Matthias II, ordered Gyorgy Thurzo, Palatine of Hungary, to look into the rumors and accusations about Bathory. I was also struck by the punishment she got because from everything she did, I would have thought she would have gotten a stricter punishment. Wikimedia CommonsMany modern Hungarian scholars believe that the accusations against Elizabeth Bathory were exaggerated. She suffered from epilepsy as a child, possibly from familial inbreeding. The book was never revealed and Szilvssy never mentioned it in his testimony. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elizabeth-Bathory. The Ecsed branch commonly sided with the Habsburgs: Stephen VII, who had escaped the battle, fled with Louis' widow to Pozsony (now Bratislava), where he organized the election of Ferdinand of Austria as King of Hungary. In the early 17th century, rumors began to circulate around the village of Trenn in present-day Slovakia. Elizabeth Bthory (or Erzsbet, to use the Hungarian spelling) was born into a Hungarian noble family on the 7th August, 1560. ", in. Countess Dracula: The Life and Times of Elisabeth Bathory, the Blood Countess (Unknown Binding) by. [3][6][7][bettersourceneeded] After the harsh and fierce battle, Hungary was torn apart by the conflict between the rival royal claims. In 1526, he fought in the disastrous Battle of Mohcs against the Ottomans, in which King Louis II fell. Elizabeth Bthory (Hungarian Noblewoman and Serial Killer) Elizabeth Bthory or Erzsebet Bathory was a feared Hungarian countess who became infamous as a torturer and a vicious serial murderer. The intimate nature of Bathory's attacks suggests a sexual motivation, though it's impossible to know with certainty what compelled her to act. Today, Elizabeth Bathory is infamously remembered as the Blood Countess who killed up to 650 girls and women in the Kingdom of Hungary. During the trial, witnesses explained how Bathory would lure in servant girls to kill. On 13 December 1612, Nikola VI Zrinski confirmed the agreement with Thurz about the imprisonment of Bthory and distribution of the estate. Bathory took the advice, which turned out be a mistake for her. The fact that her parents started this sadistic behavior instead of helping her. Before dying, Ndasdy entrusted his heirs and widow to Gyrgy Thurz, who would eventually lead the investigation into Bthory's crimes. Elizabeth Bthory, by Gavin R.G. While historical documents seem to support the accusations against her, modern research indicates that Bthory, a powerful woman, might have been the target of politically motivated slander that allowed relatives to appropriate her lands. Initially, Thurz made the declaration to Bthory's guests and villagers that he had caught her red-handed. Some of Bathory's victims were covered with honey and left outside for insects to devour. Some witnesses named relatives who died while at the gynaeceum. This page has been accessed 12,844 times. Bathory sometimes tortured girls by driving needles into their fingers, cutting their noses or lips or whipping them with stinging nettles. It took 35 years and 650 girls for the King of Hungary to take action. The exact circumstances of Elizabeth's final imprisonment are unknown. [23] Ilona J and Dorottya Szentes had their fingers torn out with a pair of red-hot pincers and were then burned alive. These theories suggest that the King brought these charges against her because he did not like that she was Protestant and a powerful women.19 However, no evidence exists to back up these theories. Instant DIGITAL DOWNLOAD . Wikimedia CommonsA late 16th-century copy of the now-lost portrait of Elizabeth Bathory, painted in 1585 when she was 25 years old. [10], Another branch of the family are the Bthory of Simolin family, which was named after their estate Simony (or Simolin). The best-case scenario is that Bathory abused her servants but came nowhere near the level of violence alleged at her trial. All of Elizabeth's children were cared for by governesses, as Bthory herself had been. When the trial ended, Bathorys alleged accomplices one of whom had worked as a wet nurse for the countess children were convicted of witchcraft and burned at the stake. Her first targets were said to have been poor girls and young women who were lured to the castle with the promise of servant work. Together with four of her servants, she was accused of . She was forty-three at the time of Ferencz's death and known to be terrified of growing old and losing her beauty. However, it's unlikely Bathory was completely innocent. Many modern Hungarian scholars believe that the accusations against Elizabeth Bathory were exaggerated. Her company expanded internationally and changed the face of women's cosmetics. [31] The location of her body today is unknown but believed to be buried deep in the church area of the castle. Elizabeth I was a long-ruling queen of England, governing with relative stability and prosperity for 44 years. Instead, she was isolated perhaps walled up in Castle achtice, where she remained until her death in 1614. What struck me the most was how they had seen a girl run out of her castle with a knife still in her foot but did nothing because she was a peasant and only did something once she killed a noble girl. Elizabeth Smart spent nine months in captivity after being abducted from her home at age 14 in 2002. There is no evidence that she actually committed the crimes she of which she was alleged. Bathorys husband enjoyed killing so much, especially during wars, that he received the nickname Black Knight of Hungary.7 Nadasdy taught Bathory new techniques or tricks when torturing her servants. Elizabeth Bthory was born in 1560 to Protestant nobility in Hungary. [clarification needed] She was detained in the castle of Csejte for the remainder of her life, where she died at the age of 54. The testimony against Bathory could have included true tales about how harshly she acted with lower classes. The second son, Stephen III rose to become Palatine of Hungary and in 1444 fell in the Battle of Varna as flag-bearer of Wadysaw, King of Poland and Hungary. These servants denied their culpability in the murders but admitted to burying multiple victims, though the number in their accounts varied between 36 and 51. Today, Elizabeth Bathory is infamously remembered as the "Blood Countess" who killed up to 650 girls and women in the Kingdom of Hungary. Great job! Bathing in pure girls blood is heard from a lot in movies but Ive never heard it happening in real life. I really liked your article! But as time went on, rumors that Bathory tortured her servants began to spread. [33] Moreover, Matthias owed a large debt to Bthory, which was cancelled after she was arrested. Elizabeth Bathory's Chilling Secret to Eternal Youth. Bathory was accused of a haunting litany of crimes against both female servants and minor noblewomen who'd come to her for training and education. [citation needed], Bthory's daughter, Anna Ndasdy, was born in 1585 and was later to become the wife of Nikola VI Zrinski. [15] The child, said to have been fathered by a peasant boy, was supposedly given away to a local woman who was trusted by the Bthory family. Enter a grandparent's name. Her cousin, Gyrgy Thurz, count palatine of Hungary, was ordered by Matthias, then king of Hungary, to investigate. But not everyone is convinced of her guilt. Lancer's True Name is Elizabeth Bthory (, "Erzsbet Bthory"), the virginal fourteen year old aspect that had yet to become the monster Carmilla like her older aspect. But before long, many locals began to point their fingers at Countess Elizabeth Bathory. Elizabeth received a strong education, and she became fluent in several languages.3 Although she seemed to be a regular noble woman, there was a dark truth behind her family and her. After learning about Elizabeth Bathory, the infamous Blood Countess, read about Britains most notorious female serial killer, Myra Hindley. I do wonder though, how coincidental is it that she found a husband that was practicing the same satanist things as her family? Soon after her arrest, Bathory attended the trial against her. [citation needed] He had been married to Bthory for 29 years. [6] A further division occurred under the great-grandsons of Ladislaus (latter half of the 15th century): John and Stephen dropped the name Bthory and founded the Szaniszlfi family, while Nikolaus continued the Somly branch. It is sad to know the number is so high for the number of deaths caused by her, but she was noticeably, permanently ill in the head from a young age. 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