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"If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance."
So spoke George Bernard Shaw. But in the case of Elizabeth Bathory, one can't help feeling that his words would have been of small comfort to the next of kin. So vile were the Countess's crimes that her relatives must have feared that the family name would be eternally blackened. Indeed, it's said that after her death it was forbidden to mention the Countess's name in Hungarian society. But even if that were so, there was little the family could do to prevent her ghost from leaping into a dance macabre of preposterous proportions.
Pretty much every slander imaginable has been thrown at 'The Blood Countess'. The milder accusations are that she engaged in abduction, torture, witchcraft and sexual perversion. The harsher ones claim that she mutilated young girls and bathed in their blood (apparently believing that it would preserve her beauty). They're not the kinds of things that you'd want to read over the breakfast table. Conservative estimates suggest that Bathory was responsible for the deaths of fifty girls, although some witnesses claimed that her victims ran into the hundreds. Several accomplices were involved, including one of the most unpleasant dwarves to have emerged from the pages of history, a highly unsavoury character named Ficko. 
Above: The ruins of Castle Cachtice in northern Slovakia. It was here that Bathory committed many of her crimes, and where she was eventually arrested on December 29th, 1610
Unsurprisingly, the basics of the Bathory tale have provided plenty of fodder for chroniclers and balladeers. The bloody Bathory myth has had several centuries to snowball as it rolled down the Slovakian slopes into the Western imagination. Indeed, it's perhaps only those not so charming chaps Ivan the Terrible and Vlad the Impaler who can rival the Countess in the East European villain stakes. A favourite of the Hammer House of Horror, Bathory has inspired dozens of movies of dubious merit, and in 2007, two more producers threw their hats into the ring. In light of all this gothic embroidery, the job of separating fact from fiction is a fairly hefty one.
The Life of Elizabeth Bathory
Elizabeth Bathory (Erzebet Bathory) was born in August 1560 into one of the grandest Hungarian families. Owing to defeat at the hands of the Turks forty years earlier, Hungary had been absorbed into the Ottoman and Habsburg Empires. Nevertheless, Hungarian Transylvania clung on to independence, and one branch of the Bathorys managed to secure the throne of that land. Later, in 1572, Stefan Bathory was elected King of Poland.
Elizabeth Bathory was technically a subject of the Habsburg crown. Her family lands, dotted across today's Slovakia, were part of the 'Kingdom of Hungary' that was absorbed by the Habsburgs in 1536. That said, families of her stature could pretty much do as they wished provided that they were not overtly disloyal to the crown. This partly explains why the authorities were so slow to investigate Bathory's crimes.
The young Countess was educated to be conversant in many languages. However, childhood was not a drawn out affair. Bathory was married off young, as was the custom, to a nobleman named Ferenc Nadasdy. Her main home then became Cachtice Castle, about 100 kilometres northeast of Bratislava. She was 15 at the time. Three years later Bathory's husband was proclaimed Chief Commander of the Hungarian troops, and he had to spend much of his time campaigning against the Turk. This gave the Countess a free rein - effectively she was answerable to no one for miles around.
Can anything vaguely normal be said about 'the Blood Countess' before the catalogue of criminality is rolled out? Well, she did manage to give birth to a son, Paul, and three daughters, who as far as we know, were not deranged serial killers. And letters reveal that she used her power to intervene on behalf of Hungarian war widows who had fallen into dire straits. However, it's unlikely that St. Peter would consider such acts redeeming in the light of the charges laid against her.
Witnesses testified that Bathory's favourite ruse was letting it be known that work was on offer. For miles around, most of the village dwellers were her own personal serfs with little in the way of rights. However, for a Slovakian peasant girl, the offer of work at a castle was nothing to be sniffed at. The Countess had properties dotted about Hungary and Austria, and she often travelled to Vienna and elsewhere. It was similar to entering service in a princess's court. (However, court witnesses later revealed that Bathory killed women just about anywhere and everywhere, regardless of where she was headed).
Historians claim that the Countess got embroiled with a host of sinister characters. The kinds of women that might have been burnt as witches by other nobles were especially sought after by Bathory. It has been suggested that the Countess had a relationship with one of these witches, a woman by the name of Darvula, who is said to have helped commit the crimes.
Official complaints started to come in in 1602 when the Lutheran priest Istvan Magyari lodged papers in Vienna. Two years later the Countess's husband died while away on campaign - reports vary as to whether he fell in battle, was assassinated or died from a disease picked up from a prostitute. Whatever it was, the complaints continued grow against Elizabeth Bathory in the following years.
After about eight years of turning a blind eye, an investigation was launched. This followed much toing and froing between Bathory's extended family, who were desperate to avoid being tarnished by such a twisted brush. It seems that the decisive factor was that well-born girls had begun to fall victim to the Countess. Bathory had set up a sort of finishing school for the daughters of the lesser gentry, teaching them courtly etiquette. When well-born ladies started to go amiss, time was up for Bathory.
On December 29th 1610, Count Gyorgy Thurzo burst into Cachtice Castle following an order to investigate from King Mathias himself. Two slain women were tracked down and several more were relieved, gaining what was a belated, but no doubt the best Christmas present they'd ever had. Bathory herself was arrested, along with several accomplices.
Trial and Demise
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 | | "Also, there's a new book out about Elizabeth Bathory, in case you're interested. It's called, "Bathory: Memoir of a Countess" and the ISBN is 1439201749." | Beth McDaniel
United States
Aug.06.2008
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "Elizabeth Bathory is a piece of work. She may have been a murderer, a serial killer, and just plain crazed , but in actually she was just trying to cure aging like almost all women do now. Many people have fetishes. Some vulgar, some very unusual, and some that are just plain incredible. Elizabeths fetishes fell intothe incredible category. Her main issue was that no one told her no. I believe that she was a ela live vampire and should forever be remembered" | Raven
United States
Jul.31.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "ELIZABETH IS SCARY!" | KARREN
United States
Jul.13.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "Watch 'Stay Alive'
It's a recent movie based on Elizabeth Bathory and she looks sooo scary in the movie.It gives me the shivers." | Zahra
United Kingdom
Jul.01.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "hahahaaa, 'Mercedes'...what a name!!!" |
United Kingdom
Jul.01.2008
rates this page 3/5
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| | "Aunque hay que reconocer que Bathory era una psicopata obsesionada por preservar su belleza y una despota malvada,es tambien un personaje historico muy interesante y sobre todo fascinante.Tambien podia permitirse el "lujo" de hacer lo que hacia gracias a su posicion;en otras circunstancias tal vez no hubiese podido.Su hermano Istvan,su preferido,era aun mas malo que ella.Casi toda la familia Bathory,aunque de gran linaje eran en su mayoria unos tarados.Un tio de Erzebet se dedicaba a morderse su propio cuerpo a bocados,casi todos tenian problemas mentales.No es de extrañar q esta mujer tambien los padeciera.Tambien sufria toda la familia de ataques de dolor en la cabeza y ojos,curioso verdad?
" | mercedes
Spain
Jun.29.2008
rates this page 2/5 |
| | "Aunque hay que reconocer que Bathory era una psicopata obsesionada por preservar su belleza y una despota malvada,es tambien un personaje historico muy interesante y sobre todo fascinante.Tambien podia permitirse el "lujo" de hacer lo que hacia gracias a su posicion;en otras circunstancias tal vez no hubiese podido.Su hermano Istvan,su preferido,era aun mas malo que ella.Casi toda la familia Bathory,aunque de gran linaje eran en su mayoria unos tarados.Un tio de Erzebet se dedicaba a morderse su propio cuerpo a bocados,casi todos tenian problemas mentales.No es de extrañar q esta mujer tambien los padeciera.Tambien sufria toda la familia de ataques de dolor en la cabeza y ojos,curioso verdad?
" | mercedes
Spain
Jun.29.2008
rates this page 2/5 |
| | "I think its very interesting reading peoples opinions on miss Elizabet... I've been fascinated about her for years and I've even written a short story on her life - part truth, part fiction.
What I'm drawn too with her is the utter power she had and the fact that she got away with such crimes because she was so highly born...
Now I'm not saying any of what she did was right at all - but it deeply fascinates me. I love learning about torture methods and serial killers - NOT because I look up to them, but because its SO interesting to learn about the darker side of the human psyhe.
Good site and great to read others comments. x" | Rachel
United Kingdom
Jun.23.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "What's her problem? Like really that woman is pyscho." | GG
United States
Jun.07.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "i would just like to mention that Elizaeth didnt really come from the greatest family... they were extremly interred (incest) and though some were ok, the vast majority had various mental defects" | Roni
United States
May.20.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "I reaseach Serial Killers and murder mysteries in me free time, not because I'm sick or twisted, but because the facts interest me. I have found this particular story to be rather interesting. Elizabeth killed over 600 innocent women, all for beauty and so on. Time and time again my friends asked me why this interests me so, it just proves what a terrible world we live in. There is no God, because he wouldn't let people like this rule his Earth" | Jess
United States
May.16.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "hola me parese ver un histotia lo de elizabet fabuloza ya que ella era una mujer total mente loca por matar si misericordia a fortunados aquellos los que viviero para contarlo.. la verdad es todos los que viero a elizabet muriero extrañamente despues de que ella murio con el rey que queria decapitarla y el que la en cerro en su castillo " | pardo
Mexico
Apr.20.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "This woman MURDERED people... what is it about people idolising a psychopath? She killed over 600 INNOCENT girls all for pleasure and beauty. How sad is that. Well just goes to show that there are A LOT of sad people out there. I listen to my metal and I have piercings and tattoos but you people seriously need help if you think this chick is cool. Bet you wouldn't think she is so cool if she slit your throat and tortured you. I also find this stuff extremely interesting but I really dont think that what she did was right and I dont think that she is cool either. And dude... how can you think she is 'sexy' I am so glad that I dont live in those times cos the people were so UGLY back then. You are just as much of a freak as she is...come on people grow up and get a life for F**K sakes. " | Sam
South Africa
Apr.15.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "I have been reasearching a bunch of serial killers lately not bcuz i am a freak but bcuz i like to see the reasons of why they thought this and how they went on doing it...." | sarah
United States
Mar.30.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "countess elizabeth bathory is back and she just moved to amarica" | tyquan fleming
United States
Mar.19.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "well i have been reseaching her 4 a while she has prombles and now today im best friends with her great great great super great granddaughter im going to keep studing her i really wish i could see her point of view well thats it im going to study her more. bye" | Raquel ramirez
United States
Mar.17.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "I have been studying Elizabeth Bathory for quite some time now, and Elizabeth had a great life, but it kind made it seem like she was afraid of the unlived life that she didn't won't to grow old and die. She does seem very wierd, but she was just mainly scared her whole life." | Nikki Davis
United States
Mar.11.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "hi she is very evil and im kind of fascinated with her life she didn't come from a very bad family but she turns out to be weird and pyschotic and it wasn't fair for the other victim and im glad that one of her descendants have actually apologize for what she did.
" | shierlyn clacio
Canada
Mar.07.2008
rates this page 4/5 |
| | "I am 18 and study serial killers, not because i am sick or twisted, because it is interesting to see how some people function, what they believe is right and wrong and how they act on those beliefs. Just because someone studies these certain things does not make them weird. In some cases yes that is true but for some it's more interesting than studying a president. And people who thought Elizabeth Bathory was "sexy" or think they are "in love with her" honestly, get a life. The person who mentioned Charlie Manson, correct. Idolizing these persons is a grave mistake, what about the Moors, Dahmer the list goes on. Some people study, that is ok, but worshiping? get a life. Kim" | Kim
Australia
Feb.16.2008
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "i think she had mental problems " | victoria w.
United States
Feb.14.2008
rates this page 1/5 |
| | "People that idolize this serial killer may as well idolize Charles Manson. Killer, lunatic, and chrismatic. Get a life. Wuold you idolize the person that killed your family just because its oh so gothic to do so? You people that like this person have no true clue." | Christopher
United States
Jan.31.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "I think that anyone who condones this woman should be put away. Yes, it's a fascinating story, but she isn't someone to model your life after. What freaks." | Kristie
United States
Jan.28.2008
rates this page 3/5 |
| | "bethanee wants to marry Elizabeth Bathory..and I'm in love with her." | Chelsea
United States
Jan.17.2008
rates this page 5/5 |
| | "i think she was sexy" | rj
United States
Jan.03.2008
rates this page 1/5 |
| | "I would just like to add that her Ladyship indulged in witchcraft, as her letters revaal. Also, she used many different and outrageous forms of torture/torture devides including a clockwork iron maiden that embraced then stabbed it's victim when certain jewels were touched on her breast. Her Ladyship was also a bi-sexual, with many affairs with both sexes...including a cross-dressing noblewoman who visited frequently. " | alexander demay
United States
Dec.29.2007
rates this page 3/5 |
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