[3] The use of needles was also mentioned by the collaborators in court. But as the story goes, Bathory didnt stop there. Orsika's year of birth was probably some time between that of Anna and Katalin, around 1590. The Simolin family possessed large estates in Prussia and Courland and members served the Russian Empresses Elizabeth and Catherine as diplomats. Bthory's other known children include Orsolya (Orsika) Ndasdy (1590 unknown) who would later become the wife of Istvn II Beny; Katalin (Kata or Katherina) Ndasdy (1594 unknown); Andrs Ndasdy (15961603); and Pl (Paul) Ndasdy (15981650), father of Franz III Ndasdy, who was one of the leaders of the Magnate conspiracy against Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I. While facing fraud charges, she was publicly revealed to be a transgender woman. Imprisonment allowed family members to take control of the powerful widow's possessions (her sons-in-law knew beforehand that her arrest was coming). The third son, Stephen V (d. 1493) excelled as a military commander and was made Voivode of Transylvania, the first of a long line of Bthory rulers of that country. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! Elizabeth Bthory, by Gavin R.G. As a wealthy noblewoman, Bathory evaded the law until 1610, according to the History Channel. On December 30, 1609, Bthory and her servants were arrested. It seems most likely that the claim of Thurz's discovering Bthory covered in blood has been the embellishment of fictionalized accounts. One of those children (Pl) had two children. The family divided into two major branches, which descended from the sons and grandsons of Yes, there are descendants of Elizabeth Bathory that are living today. [2][13][16] Born into a privileged family of nobility, Bthory was endowed with wealth, education and a prominent social rank.[17]. After Ndasdys death in 1604, rumours of Bthorys cruelty began to surface. The Bthory family belonged to the Gutkeled, a clan of Hungarian nobles, which traced its descent to the Swabian brothers Gut and Kelad, who immigrated into Hungary from the castle Stof (probably Staufen im Breisgau or Hohenstaufen in Wrttemberg) during the reign of King Peter (reigned 10381046), who himself was partly of Venetian descent. Ive never heard this story before but it reminded me of the move snow white and the huntsman. Through her mother, Elizabeth was the niece of the Hungarian noble Stephen Bthory (15331586), the King of Poland, the Grand Duke of Lithuania of the PolishLithuanian Commonwealth, and Prince of Transylvania. In 1602 a priest wrote a letter that discussed the excessive cruelty exhibited by Bathory and her husband towards their servants. Her father was Baron George VI Bthory of the Ecsed branch of the family, brother of Andrew Bonaventura Bthory, who had been voivode of Transylvania. Her brother was a judge royal of Hungary. Erzsebet Bathory, known more commonly in the Western world by the anglicised name Elizabeth, was born August 7th, 1560, the daughter of Baron George Bathory and Baroness Anna Bathory. [8][9] Some scholars have suggested that she served as one of Bram Stoker's influences for writing the novel Dracula but the evidence to support this is slim. An Examination of the Life and Trial of Erzsbet Bthory", "The falling sickness. Those horrific acts of violence and the sometimes-supernatural legends that surround the crimes help define Elizabeth Bathorys terrifying legacy today. [3] She was imprisoned within Castle of Csejte. Salem Press Biographical Encyclopedia, 2018, s.v. [citation needed] Thurz, along with Paul and her two sons-in-law, originally planned for Bthory to be sent to a nunnery, but as accounts of her actions spread, they decided to keep her under strict house arrest.[22]. However, this is a fairly contemporary copy of that original, probably painted in the late 16th century. By that point, Bathory had reportedly killed multiple victims of noble birth, which concerned the authorities far more than the deaths of servants. The couple's first child was born 10 years later, in 1585. A legendary account, placing the Bthorys' origin in the year 900 (preceding the advent of the Gutkeled clan), relates how a god-fearing warrior called Vitus (a namesake of a member of the first generation of the Gutkeled clan) set out to fight a dragon, which lurked in the swamps next to the castle of Ecsed (actually built only in the 14th century) and harassed the countryside. [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. ", in. George and Anna were both Bathorys by birth; he a member of the Ecsed branch of the family and of the Somlyo. is that there is "a 400-year-old war between the uncanny descendants of "Blood Countess" Elizabeth Bathory, the most prolific female serial killer of all time, and a . Elizabeth Bthory's subsequent trial would see over 300 witnesses and survivors testify against her, weaving a story of suffering and death that made the court shudder, and it became a major scandal that would become intertwined with folklore and whispered amongst the populace. Her actions resulted in a nickname of the "Blood Countess" and may have been a source of inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula. That said, families of her stature could pretty much do as they wished provided that they were not overtly disloyal to the crown. As a child, Bthory had multiple seizures that may have been caused by epilepsy. It took 35 years and 650 girls for the King of Hungary to take action. Meet Elizabeth Bathory, The Blood Countess Who May Have Been Historys Most Prolific Female Serial Killer. For years, citizens were frightened of Elizabeth Bathory. [36] It is difficult to know how accurate his account of events is. Stammtafel nach Alexander von Simolin - printed in Farin, Voivode (and later Prince) of Transylvania, List of titled noble families in the Kingdom of Hungary, "Bram Stoker, Elizabeth Bathory and Dracula", "A genealogy of the founders of the Bthory family", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bthory_family&oldid=1105322508, Articles lacking reliable references from August 2012, Short description is different from Wikidata, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from February 2019, Pages using infobox family with unknown parameters, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. B > Bathory | B > Bthory de Ecsed > Erzsbet (Bathory) Bthory de Ecsed, Categories: Slovakia, Notables | Csejte, Magyarorszg | Murderers | This Day In History August 07 | Hungarian Nobility | House of Bthory | Insane Aristocrats | This Day In History August 21 | Criminals | Serial Killers | Hungary, Notables | Notables, WIKITREE HOME | ABOUT | G2G FORUM | HELP | SEARCH. Since the Dragfi estates were legally due to the crown, the Habsburgs forced George to yield the castles and withdrew to Csitsva in Zempln County. [13] At the time, symptoms relating to epilepsy were diagnosed as falling sickness and treatments included rubbing blood of a non-sufferer on the lips of an epileptic or giving the epileptic a mix of a non-sufferer's blood and piece of skull as their episode ended. Bathorys servants, thirteen in total, testified against her. Elizabeth Bthory was born on a family estate in Nyrbtor, Royal Hungary in 1560 or 1561, the daughter of Baron George VI Bthory and Baroness Anna Bthory. with video tutorial . She allegedly expanded her sights and began killing daughters of the gentry who had been sent to Csejte for their education. She would soon be accused of not only torturing but killing hundreds of girls and women who entered her castle. 2008 - 2022 INTERESTING.COM, INC. Elizabeth Bathory may have had a secret love child At the age of 11, Elizabeth's family betrothed her to 15-year-old Ferenc Nadasdy, the son of the then Palatine of Hungary. The historical evidence on Bthory fundamentally contradicts your source (s). ", in, This page was last edited on 19 August 2022, at 17:33. Login to find your connection. According to SyFy, this claim didnt even appear in print until after shed been dead for more than a century. By mid -1596, we know that Erzsbet Bthory had three living children: daughters Anna, Orsolya (Orsika), and Katalin (Kata), and that Erzsbet was pregnant with son Andrs. [4][6][24] Two trials were held in the wake of Bthory's arrest: the first was held on 2 January 1611, and the second on 7 January 1611. 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. 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. Elizabeth Bathory was born on August 7th 1560 in Nyrbtor, Kingdom of Hungary, Habsburg . 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. Bthory was born into prominent Protestant nobility in Hungary. We strive for accuracy and fairness. Some witnesses named relatives who died while at the gynaeceum. Before dying, Ndasdy entrusted his heirs and widow to Gyrgy Thurz, who would eventually lead the investigation into Bthory's crimes. Later, the interest of the Zpolyas were represented at the Habsburg court by the Voivode's son Stephen IX, who would go on to become Prince of Transylvania and King of Poland. This diary, however, appears to have only been a legend. Elizabeth Bthory., College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences. [4], The charges leveled against Bthory have been described by several historians as a witch-hunt. Bathory Erszabet and Vlad III Tepes are separated by more than a century, but united in the reputation they developed outside of Eastern Europe for cruelty, brutality, and bloodthirstiness. Extremely well written article. About Erzsbet Bthory, "The Blood Countess". 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. After the harsh and fierce battle, Hungary was torn apart by the conflict between the rival royal claims. This branch, since they retained the possession of Btor, are sometimes called of Btor or, as the younger branch, Nyrbtor (New Bathory).[3]. According to widespread misbelief, Elizabeth Bthory was one of the most notorious serial killers in history, supposedly murdering over 600 women in her castle during her lifetime. In 1575 she married Count Ferencz Ndasdy and moved to Castle Csejte (now in Cachtice, Slovakia), a wedding gift from Ndasdys family. After Nadasdy died in January 1604, Bathory took control of her extensive estates. There is still no physical evidence to this day that proves she is innocent or guilty. Bathory gave birth to five children. I wonder if she wouldve grown up to be different if all these people in her life wouldnt have helped her torment her servants. The Bthory family (Polish: Batory) was a Hungarian noble family of the Gutkeled clan. She was raised at the family castle in Ecsd. To cure her epilepsy, her family took blood from servants and put it on her lips. Today, Elizabeth Bathory is infamously remembered as the "Blood Countess" who killed up to 650 girls and women in the Kingdom of Hungary. ], A proposal made by some sources[who?] The family divided into two major branches, which descended from the sons and grandsons of Her cousin, Gyrgy Thurz, count palatine of Hungary, was ordered by Matthias, then king of Hungary, to investigate. 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. On 13 December 1612, Nikola VI Zrinski confirmed the agreement with Thurz about the imprisonment of Bthory and distribution of the estate. WIKITREE PROTECTS MOST SENSITIVE INFORMATION BUT ONLY TO THE EXTENT STATED IN THE TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICY. Elizabeth was not the mother of the youngsters she murdered, yet ''she was related by blood or marriage to nearly all the victims named in the testimonies'' (Thorne 31). Her victims were usually aged between 10 and 14. Bathory took the advice, which turned out be a mistake for her. George strengthened his alliance to Stephen by marrying his sister Anna, uniting the branches. 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. Corrections? Ladislaus, Count of Szabolcs, married Anna Meggyesi and received Somly as dowry. I will start with the claims where the evidence is clearest: No, Bthory did not keep a list of her victims/"patients". While Elizabeths husband was away at war, she met a witch named Anna Darvulia. The Blood Countess, as she would be known in the centuries to come, was born into a prominent family who held power over an ironic region: Transylvania, which was then part of Hungary. There is no evidence that she actually committed the crimes she of which she was alleged. According to widespread misbelief, Elizabeth Bthory was one of the most notorious serial killers in history, supposedly murdering over 600 women in her castle during her lifetime. [4] As a young woman, she learned Latin, German, Hungarian and Greek. Although in modern times she has been labelled the most prolific female serial killer in history, her guilt is debated. Her mother's brother was Stephen Bathory who was a Hungarian nobleman and later became the king of Poland. [35] In his book Hungary and Transylvania, published in 1850, John Paget describes the supposed origins of Bthory's blood-bathing, although his tale seems to be a fictionalized recitation of oral history from the area. There is no evidence that she actually committed the crimes she of which she was alleged. And when Bathorys husband died in 1604, these views became much more widespread and dramatic. Istvan Magyari, a Lutheran minister, filed a complaint about Bathory. [4][32] Nagy argued that the proceedings against Bthory were largely politically motivated, possibly due to her extensive wealth and ownership of large areas of land in Hungary, which increased after the death of her husband. MINIATURE framed painting art. Though previous accounts of the murder of peasant women had apparently been ignored, the claims in 1609 that she had slain women from noble families attracted attention. Elizabeth Bathory was born on the family estate of Nyirbator in eastern Hungary on the 7th of August 1560. 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. . [9], In 1578, three years into their marriage, Ndasdy became the chief commander of Hungarian troops, leading them to war against the Ottomans. She had everything going for her in her life, she was rich, beautiful, and her family was well . [16] The threat of attack was significant, for the village of Csejte had previously been plundered by the Ottomans while Srvr, located near the border that divided Royal Hungary and Ottoman-occupied Hungary, was in even greater danger. Her family controlled Transylvania, and her uncle, Stephen Bthory, was king of Poland. I really liked your article! Secret societies, paranormal elements, and twist and turns galore. Being creative was fun for a while, but, we, at ElizabethBathory.Org, no longer publish educational material, nor details about the portrait for security reasons, just an image of the painting, once lost, then found, without commentary, and at considerably lower resolution. Due to his youth and the belief that he was less culpable, Jnos jvry was executed by a much less painful method: beheading. Bthory was a powerful woman, made more so by her control of Ndasdys holdings after his death. A few years later, Elizabeth Bathory died in solitary confinement on August 22, 1614. If so, login to add it. Bthory, though never tried, was confined to Castle Csejte (now Cachtice), reportedly kept in a bricked-in room. Simon Kezai, Lzl Veszprmy, Frank Schaer (ed. Although it is commonly believed that Bthory was caught in the act of torture, she was having dinner. Bthory was born in 1560 on a family estate in Nyrbtor, Royal Hungary. There are only secondary accounts of her actions. 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. Her family controlled Transylvania, and her uncle Stephen Bthory was king of Poland. Bathory was born in Nyrbtor, Hungary, on August 7, 1560. As her husband was a soldier who was often off fighting Ottoman Turks, the couple spent most of their marriage apart. She allegedly burned her victims with hot irons, beat them to death with clubs, stuck needles under their fingernails, poured ice water over their bodies and left them to freeze to death outside in the cold, covered them in honey so that bugs could feast on their exposed skin, sewed their lips together, and bit off chunks of flesh from their breasts and faces. Her family betrothed Bathory to Count Ferencz Ndasdy when she was 11 or 12. [34] The story came into question in 1817 when the witness accounts (which had surfaced in 1765) were published for the first time. Elizabeth I was a long-ruling queen of England, governing with relative stability and prosperity for 44 years. The Myth of the "Blood Countess" Elizabeth Bathory. After hearing the accusations, Thurz ultimately charged Bathory with the deaths of 80 girls. Elizabeth Bthory, or Bthory Erzsbet in her native Hungarian, was born in Nyrbtor on August 7, 1560. She was born in 1560 to Baron George Bathory and Baroness Anne Bathory ("Blood Countess," par. There she died in 1614 at age 54. She spent her childhood at Ecsed Castle. Actress Elizabeth Taylor starred in films like 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' and 'Butterfield 8' but was just as famous for her violet eyes and scandalous love life. The most infamous accusation the one that inspired her nickname, the Blood Countess claimed that Elizabeth Bathory bathed in the blood of her young victims in an attempt to maintain a youthful appearance. She suffered from epilepsy as a child, possibly from familial inbreeding. Darvulia supposedly implanted in Bathorys mind that if she killed young virgins and bathed in their blood, she could maintain her youth.9 Bathory confided in Darvulia and took interest in learning more about witchcraft and Satanism. Some of Bathory's victims were covered with honey and left outside for insects to devour. Bthory and four of her servants were accused of torturing and killing hundreds of girls and women between 1590 and 1610. The evidence gathered by Thurz also included 289 witness statements. Its really interesting to learn about women serial killers because they are less common than men. 1). During her childhood, Bathory had a neurological disorder, and the environment around her only contributed to her sadistic ways. Hambly. [23] Ilona J and Dorottya Szentes had their fingers torn out with a pair of red-hot pincers and were then burned alive. in order to explain Bthory's cruelty later in her life is that she was trained by her family to be cruel. 1 Colonization and Settlement (1500-1763), 2 Revolution and Early Republic (1754-1801), 4 Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877), 5 Emergence of Modern America (1877-1929), 4 Late Middle Ages-Renaissance-Reformation Europe (1300-1648), 3 Post-Classical History (600 CE-1492 CE), HS 1302 United States History since 1877, SP 3392 Language Variation and Dialectology of Spanish, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Bthory. Raised in a noble family, Bathory knew a life of privilege from an early age. Anna was born roughly in the year 1585, and Katalin approximately 1594. Wikipedia, 2019, s.v. Yes, there are descendants of Elizabeth Bathory that are living today. Her family contributed to her sadism by torturing their servants and peasants.4 One story suggests that after Bathory witnessed a man being sewn into a horses stomach for theft, she laughed at the sight of it.5 Bathory saw her family members torture their servants for fun, and this turned her adolescent self into a full-blown killer. I really liked the introduction of this article because it made me wonder what she did and ask why should she have gotten a stricter punishment, and boy did I find out. The grateful people honoured him with the names Bthory, meaning "good hero", and animus magnanimus. The countess is also known as one of the bloodiest women in . As was the case with many noble families at the time, the family had long been marrying relatives to keep their status; thus, some theorize that Elizabeth's inbred ancestry could have left her vulnerable to mental instability. She met Erzsi Majorova soon after, who practiced witchcraft. You can see in the photo that II. Anna Bthory was the widow of the last descendant of the Dragfi family and George now seized the castles of the Dragfi. She was 25 when the original portrait -- the only known image of her -- was painted. However, this depraved action isn't backed up by contemporaneous witness accounts (which otherwise didn't shy away from gore). [19] On 31 December, Thurz went to Csejte Castle and arrested Bthory along with four of her servants, who were accused of being her accomplices: Dorotya Semtsz, Ilona J, Katarna Benick and Jnos jvry ("Ibis" or Fick). This page has been accessed 12,844 times. Her father was George VI Bathory, the voivode of Transylvania, the senior government official in this region, approximating to eastern Romania today, but which was then, like Hungary, a constituent part of the broad territories of the Habsburg . Descendant of both the Ecsed and Somly branches of the Bathory family. She became a leading public health activist during her lifetime. The testimony that Bathory had listed 650 victims was a secondhand accounting of what a court official had discovered yet the official who'd supposedly seen this information didn't testify. It is also interesting to note that the King of Hungary only took notice or sent someone to investigate the disappearances of young girls when it was young noble girls disappearing. 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. Elizabeth Carmichael promised to revolutionize the automotive industry with a fuel-efficient car called the Dale, but the vehicle was never manufactured. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elizabeth-Bathory. [citation needed] Some chronicles also indicate that the couple had another son, named Mikls Ndasdy, although this cannot be confirmed, and it could be that he was simply a cousin or died young, as he is not named in Bthory's will from 1610. [5][6][7] Other writers, such as Michael Farin in 1989 have said that the accusations against Bthory were supported by testimony from more than 300 individuals, some of whom described physical evidence and the presence of mutilated dead, dying and imprisoned girls found at the time of her arrest. I wouldve expected her to get decapitated or more severely punished. This witch inspired most of Bathorys brutal and sadistic killings. She was born into one of the noble families of Hungary, the Bathory family which uses the fang of a dragon as its crest. Bthory of Simolin [ edit] [2] Her servants were put on trial and convicted, whereas Bthory was confined to her home. Matthias was not inclined to pay that debt, which historians say may have fueled his move to incriminate the countess in multiple crimes and deny her the opportunity to defend herself in court. A 15-year-old Bathory married Nadasdy on May 8, 1575. Countess Elizabeth Bthory de Ecsed (Hungarian: Bthori Erzsbet, pronounced [batori rebt]; Slovak: Albeta Btoriov; 7 August 1560 - 21 August 1614) was a Hungarian noblewoman and alleged serial killer from the family of Bthory, who owned land in the Kingdom of Hungary (now Slovakia).. Bthory and four of her servants were accused of torturing and killing hundreds of . [15] Evidence of this pregnancy came up long after Elizabeth's death, through rumors spread by peasants; therefore, the validity of the rumor is often disputed. [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. [15], Bthory was raised a Calvinist Protestant. Some say that Countess Elizabeth Bthory, considered by many to be the world's worst female serial killer, was the true inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula. its 1560 not 1590. The investigation into Bthory's crimes was sparked by complaints from a Lutheran minister, Istvn Magyari. Two of the women and the male servant were sentenced to death, which was quickly carried out. Elizabeth Bathory (1560-1614) was a countess who lived in Transylvania, then a part of the Kingdom of Hungary. I had never heard of this story/person prior to reading this article, how disturbing! This role usually included responsibility for the Hungarian and Slovak people, providing medical care during the Long War (15931606), and Bthory was charged with the defense of her husband's estates, which lay on the route to Vienna. Elizabeth Bathory was born on August 7, 1560, in Nyrbtor, Hungary. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The most famous relative was Istvan (ISHT-vahn) Bathory (1533-86). Witnesses claimed that Bathorys favorite method of torture was using scissors to mutilate her victims bodies and faces. [26], On 25 January 1611, Thurz wrote a letter to King Matthias describing that they had captured and confined Bthory to her castle. The Countess came from a very influential family. [citation needed] Bthory managed business affairs and the family's multiple estates during the war. Abridged from Female Serial Killers: How and Why Women Become Monsters by Peter Vronsky. Elizabeth Smart spent nine months in captivity after being abducted from her home at age 14 in 2002. Ancient Origins - Elizabeth Bathory 16th century deranged serial killer or victim of betrayal. Wikimedia CommonsA late 16th-century copy of the now-lost portrait of Elizabeth Bathory, painted in 1585 when she was 25 years old. She went to sleep and was found dead the following morning. Great job! The Csejte church and the castle of Csejte do not bear any markings of her possible grave. Today, Elizabeth Bathory is infamously remembered as the Blood Countess who killed up to 650 girls and women in the Kingdom of Hungary. [8] In a 2018 article for Przegld Nauk Historycznych (Historical Science Review) Aleksandra Bartosiewicz stated that when Bthory was persecuted, the accusations were a spectacle to destroy her family's influence in the region, which was considered a threat to the political interests of her neighbors, including the Habsburg empire.[9]. Her family lands, dotted across today's Slovakia, were part of the 'Kingdom of Hungary' that was absorbed by the Habsburgs in 1536. Her uncle, Stephen Bathory, was king of Poland. 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 Bathory was the Countess of Ecsed, born on August 7, 1560, in Hungary. The best-case scenario is that Bathory abused her servants but came nowhere near the level of violence alleged at her trial. What was Elizabeth Bthorys childhood like? Listen above to the History Uncovered podcast, episode 49: Bloody Mary, also available on, true story behind the real-life Bloody Mary. The Early Life of Elizabeth Bathory. Instead, she was diagnosed as criminally insane.17. Why might Bathory have been subject to outside machinations? discoveries. Uncanny parallels between the two. Another servant, Erzsi Majorova, initially escaped capture, but was burned alive after being apprehended. Sadistic pleasure is considered a far more plausible motive for Bthory's crimes. Updates? 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. Bathing in pure girls blood is heard from a lot in movies but Ive never heard it happening in real life. Both make for a compelling story even if only one of them is actually true. Where did Elizabeth Bathory grow up? She was born into a powerful and very well connected Transylvanian family. At the time of Thurzs investigation, some accused her of being a vampire, while others claimed to have seen her have sex with the Devil. A real person, born in 1560, died in 1614. Elizabeth Bthory, a Hungarian noblewoman and alleged serial killer from the 16th and 17th centuries, is certainly at the top of the. The family rose to significant influence in Central Europe during the Late Middle Ages, holding high military, administrative and ecclesiastical positions in the Kingdom of Hungary. For other uses, see. Nadasdy moved Bathory to his estate in Savar. There is a rumor that Elizabeth became pregnant by a peasant right before she married Nadasdy, and he castrated the peasant and gave his body to wild dogs to eat. Their court proceedings began early in January 1611. and Andrew's sons George (d. 1307), Benedict (d. 1321) and Briccius (d. 1322) for their military services by granting them Btor in the county of Szabolcs. The first mention of Bathory's blood baths came 100 years after her death and thus seems to be an invention. 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. Countess Elizabeth Bthory de Ecsed ( Hungarian: Bthory Erzsbet, pronounced [batori rebt]; Slovak: Albeta Btoriov ; 7 August 1560 - 21 August 1614) [1] was a Hungarian noblewoman from the family of Bthory, who owned land in the Kingdom of Hungary (now Hungary, Slovakia and Romania ). This article was incredible! Soon after her arrest, Bathory attended the trial against her. She celebrated 70 years on the throne in June 2022 with her Platinum Jubilee. The book was never revealed and Szilvssy never mentioned it in his testimony. Elizabeth Bthory, or Bthory Erzsbet in her native Hungarian, was born in Nyrbtor on August 7, 1560. Others reported having seen traces of torture on dead bodies, some of which were buried in graveyards, and others in unmarked locations. In 1610 she was accused of gruesome acts of serial murder and confined to her home of Castle achtice, where she remained until her death. 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. Elizabeth is 24 degrees from Margaret Atwood, 26 degrees from Jim Carrey, 25 degrees from Elsie Knott, 27 degrees from Gordon Lightfoot, 30 degrees from Alton Parker, 29 degrees from Beatrice Tillman, 27 degrees from Jenny Trout, 23 degrees from Justin Trudeau, 27 degrees from Edwin Boyd, 24 degrees from Barbara Hanley, 33 degrees from Fanny Rosenfeld and 27 degrees from Cathryn Hondros on our single family tree. Bthory was born into prominent Protestant nobility in Hungary. However, it's possible Bathory was not guilty of all the crimes that have been laid at her feet. Elizabeth was raised on Ecsed, an estate in Transylvania. One girl even came running out of the castle with a knife still in her foot.14 The king showed no compassion or care for the peasants or servants being killed. Btor had been the estate of Vajda son of Lngos, who had married a relative of Andrew but died without issue. Such acts weren't illegal at the time Bathory was only punished because her victims were said to have included noblewomen but would still make Bathory responsible for many ruined lives. Her mother was Baroness Anna Bthory, daughter of another voivode of Transylvania. In addition to shifting blame to their mistress and each other, they also implicated a deceased servant, Darvulia, who'd served as a maid and governess. The exact circumstances of Elizabeth's final imprisonment are unknown. She also supposedly kidnapped local girls in the area who would never have come to the castle of their own free will. Descendants of Elizabeth Bathory the Blood Queen being hunted by descendants of her supposed victims. A genealogy of the Nadasdy family, including her descendants Arkiveret 7. juni 2008 hos Wayback Machine; A genealogy of the Bthory family Arkiveret 7. juni 2008 hos Wayback Machine; A Brief on the life and death of Hungary's infamous Blood Countess, Elizabeth Bathory-Nadasdy Hungarian countess Elizabeth Bathory is thought to have murdered hundreds of young women in the early 17th century. This is the turning point where Bathory began killing sporadically, and it eventually led to her arrest.10. After the death of the count on the battlefield in January 1604, horrifying suspicions of torture, murder and vampirism were voiced against Elizabeth. There were many suspected forms of torture carried out by Bthory. Elizabeth Bthory, Hungarian form Bthory Erzsbet, (born August 7, 1560, Nyrbtor, Hungary-died 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. [clarification needed] She was detained in the castle of Csejte for the remainder of her life, where she died at the age of 54. Thurzo found a dead body of a girl and two other girls wounded. 155 Results. 1560: Elizabeth Bathory is born into one of the oldest and wealthiest families in Transylvania. Legend has it that. She tried to cover it up by saying the girl committed suicide. Many of the witnesses who spoke against Bathory were beholden to Thurz, who oversaw the entire investigation. [45] Her mother was Baroness Anna Bthory (15391570), daughter of Stephen Bthory of Somly, also voivode of Transylvania, who was of the Somly branch. It has been said that over hundred young women were among her victims. A great example of what a bad upbringing can do and the potential of a bad upbringing to not only bring harm to the person involved but the society as well. [citation needed], Bthory's daughter, Anna Ndasdy, was born in 1585 and was later to become the wife of Nikola VI Zrinski. The fact that her parents started this sadistic behavior instead of helping her. If all the stories about her are true, then she is likely the most prolific and vicious female serial killer of all time. But not everyone is convinced of her guilt. [18] This does not contribute to the notion of a Catholic/Habsburg plot against the Protestant Bthory, although religious tension is still a possible source of conflict, as Bthory was raised Calvinist, not Lutheran. [citation needed] The castle had been bought by his mother in 1569 and given to Ndasdy, who transferred it to Elizabeth during their nuptials, together with the Csejte country house and seventeen adjacent villages. From that time, he never fully recovered, and in 1603 became permanently disabled. Serial Killer Elizabeth Bathory (aka) The Blood Countess, The achtice Countess, was active for 20 years between 1590-1609, known to have ( 80 confirmed / 650 possible ) victims. However, Thurzo ordered her bricked into a windowless room in Cjsethe Castle. Countess Elisabeth Bthory (August 7, 1560 - August 21, 1614) was a Hungarian noblewoman who has become renowned as a pre-modern Serial Killer, allegedly kidnapping, torturing, and murdering dozens of young peasant girls. According to the contemporary reports and the stories told long after, Elizabeth Bathory tortured girls and young women in unspeakable ways. Want to Read. Therefore, the idea of evil inside the family bond emerges in the Countess's massacres. In the early modern period, the family brought forth several Princes of Transylvania and one King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania (Stephen Bthory). In fact, some modern Hungarian scholars say that it may have been motivated more by others power and greed than her supposed evil. The family divided into two major branches, which descended from the sons and grandsons of Yes, there are descendants of Elizabeth Bathory that are living today. A powerful terror ruled over lands in Hungary in the 16th century. After learning about Elizabeth Bathory, the infamous Blood Countess, read about Britains most notorious female serial killer, Myra Hindley. At the age of 13, before her first marriage, Bthory allegedly gave birth to a child. [33] Moreover, Matthias owed a large debt to Bthory, which was cancelled after she was arrested. The accusations of murder were based on rumors. The Somly branch, on the other hand, supported John Zpolya, whom the greater part of the Hungarian nobility had elected King. She was a widow of one of the most powerful and wealthy noblemen of Hungary, she managed enormous estates and was documented to have been very good to her people offering scholarships and running practically a hospital in her castle. Hungarian royal family prominent in Central Europe from the 13th to 17th centuries, This article is about the Hungarian noble family. [21], Thurz debated further proceedings with Bthory's son Paul and two of her sons-in-law, Nikola VI Zrinski and Gyrgy Drugeth. In the early part of the 17th century, a Hungarian countess named Elizabeth Bathory was accused of murdering some 650 women across what is today known as Slovakia. That's because of digital content theft! Bthory was born into prominent Protestant nobility in Hungary. Elizabeth Bathory Home & Living. Countess Elizabeth Bthory, (Erzsbet Bthori in Hungarian), was born in 1560 in Nyrbtor in Royal Hungary. For other uses, see, "Batory" redirects here. [citation needed], On 8 May 1575, Bthory and Ndasdy were married at the palace of Vranov nad Topou (Varann in Hungarian). Better known in the West as Elizabeth Bathory and Vlad Dracula, they were in their own places and ages already infamous, though for different reasons. Her mother's father had been the Voivod (or Prince) of Transylvania, as had her father's brother - in fact, her parents came from two branches of the Bthory family. Rate this book. All of Elizabeth's children were cared for by governesses, as Bthory herself had been. Although in modern times she has been labelled the most prolific female serial killer in . [citation needed], Several authors, such as Lszl Nagy and Dr. Irma Szdeczky-Kardoss, have argued that Elizabeth Bthory was a victim of a conspiracy. She eventually was put on trial. According to witnesses, Bathorys crimes took place between 1590 and 1610, with most of the vicious murders happening after her husbands death in 1604. 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. She had several siblings. Printable . Elizabeth Bathory portrait - Bloody Countess, medieval serial killer print, poster (DIGITAL DOWNLOAD) ArtisMortisGallery. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Her family controlled Transylvania, and her uncle, Stephen Bthory, was king of Poland. According to Biographics, Bthory also had a steady supply of victims since she had almost 400 peasant women and girls working as servants across her estates. [3], The younger branch of the family, the Bthory of Ecsed, were descended from Luke, the youngest son of Briccius. She was a bloodsucking demon sent from Hell to murder young women. Elizabeth Bathory was born in 1560 to Baron George VI Bathory and Baroness Anna Bathory in Nyirbator, Hungary. She descended from multiple noble lineages and included the King of Poland and the prince of Transylvania among her relatives. The Blood Countess, as she would be known in the centuries to come, was born into a prominent family who held power over an ironic region: Transylvania, which was then part of Hungary. Anna (Ndasdy) Ndasdy de Ndasd et Fogarasfld, Mikls (Ndasdy) Ndasdy de Ndasd et Fogarasfld, Katalin (Ndasdy) Ndasdy de Ndasd et Fogarasfld, Orsolya (Ndasdy) Ndasdy de Ndasd et Fogarasfld, Pl (Ndasdy) Ndasdy de Ndasd et Fogaras-Fld, Erzsbet (Bathory) Bthory de Ecsed (1560-1614), http://www.macse.hu/gudenus/mfat/fam.aspx?id=15945, http://genealogy.euweb.cz/hung/bathori3.html#EG, Erzsbet (Bthory) Bthory de Somly (bef.1528-1562). It turns out that King Matthias II owed Bathorys late husband, and then her, a sizable debt. [15] The woman was paid for her actions, and the child was taken to Wallachia. It is not known if Elizabeth was actually caught in the act of harming her servants. [3] She was well- educated, beautiful and wealthy. 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars. Seeing that from a young age she would laugh at the torment of the servants I think it wouldve been only a matter of time. Her life shifted when she married Ferenc Nadasdy, a noble from Hungary. [citation needed]. She pled innocent to each crime. Her trial was not fair by the standards of her time (torturing witnesses, etc.) Bthory was the great-great-granddaughter of Barbara Aleksandrwna and Bolesaw IV of Warsaw, and Mikalojus Radvila the Old; the 3rd great-granddaughter of Bolesaw Januszowic; the 4th great-granddaughter of Vladimir Olgerdovich; and the 5th great-granddaughter of Algirdas. 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. It was only when noble girls started disappearing and dying that he demanded Thurzo to look into it. Ferenc and Erzsebet Bathory had six children. [25], The highest number of victims cited during the trial of Bthory's accomplices was 650, but this number comes from the claim by a servant girl named Susannah that Jakab Szilvssy, Bthory's court official, had seen the figure in one of Bthory's private books. But not everyone is convinced of her guilt. She had an elder brother named Stephen. A student organization of St. Marys University of San Antonio, Texas, featuring scholarly research, writing, and media from students of all disciplines. He had also received the castle Bujak from King Albert of Habsburg. In 1526, he fought in the disastrous Battle of Mohcs against the Ottomans, in which King Louis II fell. Ferenc Ndasdy 's wife, and after his death, the wealth and properties were inherited by her. [4], The case of Elizabeth Bthory inspired numerous stories during the 18th and 19th centuries. 25 of the Most Evil People the World Has Ever Seen. Although it is commonly believed that Bthory was caught in the act of torture, she was having dinner. It is more likely that the stories were made up by rival families. Have you taken a DNA test? Another indication that I am an irrelevant old fart! It is interesting to read how her childhood and husband shaped her into the serial killer that she became. On December 29, 1610, Count Gyrgy Thurz, who oversaw judicial matters as the lord palatine of Hungary, arrived at Bathory's Castle achtice to investigate the countess' alleged crimes against women of noble birth (any mistreatment of servants was not a concern to authorities). She used tools such as knives, razors, and wax to torture them.12 She would also bite pieces of flesh off of her victims.13 The people who lived in the same town as Bathory saw the girls that she tortured while they ran errands. Liz Torture Throw Pillow. 2 She came from a wealthy, Protestant family that were significant landowners in Hungary. 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