Meet the polygamists of the Bible
Elizabeth Báthory, also known as Báthory Erzsébet, was born on August 7, 1560, in Nyírbátor. She came from a respected Protestant noble family in Hungary, and her family held power in Transylvania.
The King of Poland was Stephen Báthory, as shown in the picture.
She is recognized by the Guinness World Records as the most prolific female murderer.
Until the age of 15, she was brought up at the family castle in Ecséd before getting married.
She wed Count Ferenc Nádasdy, a wealthy and noble member of a family similar to hers in 1575. However, her family held more influence.
After getting married, Báthory relocated to Čachtice Castle, her husband's residence, which is located in the Little Carpathians near Nové Mesto nad Váhom and Trenčín in present-day Slovakia.
During the Ottoman-Hungarian Wars, Nádasdy served as a soldier while Elizabeth Báthory efficiently handled business matters and the estates, showcasing her notable competence in these areas.
Despite long-standing rumors about her cruel behavior, these claims were consistently ignored due to the victims belonging to the peasant class.
Evidence of Elizabeth Báthory's crimes started to emerge after Nádasdy's death in 1604, when she was around forty years old. Testimonies revealed that her first victims were young servant girls, aged between ten and fourteen years old.
She faced charges for committing heinous acts such as brutal beatings, inflicting burns, mutilating hands, tearing flesh from faces, arms, and other body parts, subjecting victims to freezing conditions, and causing death due to starvation. Testimonies from other individuals mentioned her utilization of needles as a means of torment.
Furthermore, it was claimed by some individuals that she subjected the girls to painful burns using heated tongs before immersing them into icy water. Additionally, a number of sources reported that certain girls were coated in honey and subjected to live ants.
The Countess gained renown in popular culture for supposedly consuming the blood of her victims.
According to legends, it is said that she immersed herself in the blood of her young victims to maintain her youth.
In 1610, King Matthias II appointed György Thurzó, the Palatine of Hungary, to conduct an investigation.
Thurzó commanded two notaries to assemble facts, as they recorded statements from over 300 witnesses from 1610 to 1611.
Thurzó detained Báthory at the castle with four supposed associates in custody.
Thurzó's men reportedly found one girl dead, one dying, and another wounded, while others were locked up.
Báthory's servants faced allegations of complicity and were subjected to legal proceedings, but the Countess evaded prosecution due to her social standing and influence. Numerous witnesses provided testimonies against Báthory. Although Thurzó's investigation revealed that the Countess had inflicted torture and caused the death of over 600 individuals, the official count at the trial was reduced to 80.
Báthory was never brought to trial, but was kept in her chambers at Castle Čachtice.
According to reports, the Countess was confined to a set of rooms, where only small slits were left open for ventilation and food. She stayed there until her death three years later, on August 21, 1614.
The evidence presented during the trial supported the accusations made against Báthory; however, modern scholars have raised doubts regarding the truthfulness of these allegations. It is worth noting that she was a skilled and effective woman in managing her property, which hints at potential political motivations behind her removal.
There is no evidence supporting the claim that Elizabeth Báthory engaged in cannibalism, though it is suspected.
According to reports, the victims were the daughters of nearby farmers who were enticed to the Čachtice by promises of decently paid jobs as maids and servants in the castle. It is also claimed that the Countess began to murder daughters of lower-ranking nobility, who were sent by their parents to her castle for etiquette lessons.
It has been suggested that King Matthias II owed a significant amount of money to the Báthory family. This debt was subsequently erased as a result of the scandal. This supports the theory that the accusations against her were false and were made in order to slander her, allowing her relatives to take control of her lands.
History often transforms influential women into legends and Elizabeth Báthory, a Hungarian aristocrat accused of being a serial killer in the 16th and 17th centuries, is no exception. Her legacy continues to inspire chilling stories of horror and cruelty, even four centuries after her death.
Recognized by Guinness World Records as the most prolific female murderer in history, Báthory is alleged to have taken the lives of over 600 young girls to satisfy her bloodlust. However, like many historical events, her story is far from straightforward.
Was she a merciless and tormented murderer, or was she a victim of an elaborate conspiracy? Take a look at the gallery and form your own judgment.
The infamous 'blood countess' who reportedly killed hundreds of girls
Unraveling the crimes of Elizabeth Báthory, Hungary's murderous aristocrat
LIFESTYLE Criminals
History often transforms influential women into legends and Elizabeth Báthory, a Hungarian aristocrat accused of being a serial killer in the 16th and 17th centuries, is no exception. Her legacy continues to inspire chilling stories of horror and cruelty, even four centuries after her death.
Recognized by Guinness World Records as the most prolific female murderer in history, Báthory is alleged to have taken the lives of over 600 young girls to satisfy her bloodlust. However, like many historical events, her story is far from straightforward.
Was she a merciless and tormented murderer, or was she a victim of an elaborate conspiracy? Take a look at the gallery and form your own judgment.