Elizabeth Báthory, Hungarian form Báthory Erzsébet, (born August 7, 1560, Nyírbátor, Hungary—died August 21, 1614, Castle C̆achtice, C̆achtice, Hungary [now in Slovakia]), Hungarian countess who purportedly tortured and murdered hundreds of young women in the 16th and 17th centuries. She was raised at the family castle in Ecséd, Hungary. Elizabeth Báthory (1560 – 1614 AD) was a countess from the renowned Báthory family of nobility in the Kingdom of Hungary and cousin of the Hungarian noble Stefan Báthory, King of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Duke of Transylvania. The count palatine determined, after taking depositions from people living in the area surrounding her estate, that Báthory had tortured and killed more than 600 girls with the assistance of her servants. Báthory spent her childhood at Ecsed castle, pictured here in 1688 (Credit: Gottfried Prixner). The original portrait of the Countess Elizabeth Bathory from 1585 is lost (spirited away in the 1990s). Stories of her sadism and brutality quickly became part of national folklore, her infamy earning her the nickname “The Blood Countess” or “Countess Dracula”. Báthory has often been compared to Vlad the Impaler (Credit: Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Gemäldegalerie). Facts about Elizabeth Bathory talk about one of the famous figures in Hungary. She was born into one of the most prominent families in Central Europe. From 1585 to 1595, Báthory bore four children. There had been earlier accounts of peasant women being murdered, but it was not until 1609 that rumours that she had killed noblewomen attracted attention.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyhit_com-banner-1-0')}; In 1610, King Matthias assigned György Thurzó, count palatine of Hungary (and coincidentally Báthory’s cousin) to investigate the claims. Elizabeth Bathory was a turn-of-the-17th century eastern European aristocrat who believed that bathing in the blood of virgins would maintain her youthful looks. Elizabeth Báthory (Brave) was an event reward from the Halloween 2016 Event and Halloween 2016 Event Rerun. Updates? Elizabeth Bathory, the woman who came to be known as the \"Blood Countess,\" was born into Hungarian nobility in 1560. Indeed, in 1560 she was born into more fortunate circumstances than most, the daughter of the eminent Baron George VI Báthory and Baroness Anna Báthory, rulers of the Hungarian independent principality of Transylvania, and so Elizabeth Báthory was brought up amidst nobility and opulence. The servants were put on trial in 1611, and three were executed for being Báthory’s accomplices. Before marrying Nádasdy, Báthory had given birth to a baby by a lower-order man. They accused her of roughly a hundredSaw movies worth of torture, and took her into custody. Her father was Baron George VI Báthory, brother of the voivode of Transylvania, Andrew Bonaventura Báthory. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. This is the crazy real-life story of history's most prolific female murderer. Elizabeth Bathory was a powerful noblewoman in the Kingdom of Hungary. Her family controlled Transylvania, and her uncle, Stephen Báthory, was king of Poland. Bathory didn’t just feel compelled to bathe in the blood of virgin girls; she also felt a real … Some witnesses told Thurzó of relatives who had died while at Báthory’s gynaecium. Two court officials claimed that they personally witnessed Báthory torture and kill young servant girls. Elizabeth Bathory, best known as the Blood Countess is one of the most notorious historical figures of all time. In 1575, Báthory married Ferenc Nádasdy, the son of a baron and another member of the aristocracy. Born as Erzsébeth Báthory in Nyírbátor, Hungary on 7 August 1560 she spent her entire life near very influential royal family who ruled over Hungary and Transylvania. She was born in 1560 in Transylvania and her parents, allegedly, were both Báthorys by birth. She is said to have suffered from fits and outbursts of rage -- possibly even epilepsy. Elizabeth Báthory was born on a family estate in Nyírbátor, Royal Hungary, in 1560 and spent her childhood at Ecsed Castle. The Torture. On December 29, 1610, a garrison of soldiers stormed the Hungarian castle of Cachtice and arrested Elisabeth (Erzsebet) Bathory. Báthory was a powerful woman, made more so by her control of Nádasdy’s holdings after his death. However, the authenticity of these claims is highly debatable. The Hungarian professor László Nagy claimed the accusations and proceedings against Báthory were politically motivated, due to her extensive wealth and ownership of large lands in Hungary. Báthory was born into prominent Protestant nobility in Hungary. Now then, let’s take a step into the life of one of the most vilified women in history. Elizabeth Bathory was accused, in the testimonies gathered by the Count Palatine, of killing between a couple of dozen and over six hundred young women. Given her family status which outweighed that of her husband, Elizabeth not only retained her surname after marriage but her husband als… 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. Báthory was said to have enjoyed drinking the blood of virgins, believing that it would preserve her beauty and youthfulness. 10 Facts About the Lost Cause of the Confederacy, The Black Messiah? ), is an enemy Servant in the Moon Cell Holy Grail War in Fate/EXTRA CCC. Thurzó convinced the king that such an act would damage the nobility.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyhit_com-leader-3-0')}; A trial and execution would have caused a public scandal, and led to the disgrace of a prominent and influential family that ruled Transylvania. The Kingdom of Hungary was so large in that time period that today, that area comprises Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia. There she died in 1614 at age 54. After Nádasdy’s death in 1604, rumours of Báthory’s cruelty began to surface. 10 Facts About Fred Hampton, 10 Absolutely Remarkable Historical Sites in St Helena, ‘Flying Ship’ Mirage Photos Shed New Light on Titanic Tragedy, After the Fighting Stops: Women and the Unseen Wounds of War. Elizabeth Bathory was born into a powerful family in Hungary in 1560. At age 10, she was betrothed to Count Ferencz Nadady and five years later in 1575, the young couple were married. Elizabeth Báthory was born on 7 August 1560, in Hungary, to George Bathory and Anna Bathory. On December 30, 1609, Báthory and her servants were arrested. The book never came to light.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyhit_com-leader-4-0')}; Báthory’s victims were said to have been hidden a variety of places, but the most common method was to have the bodies secretly buried in church graveyards at night. What Was the Impact of the Suez Canal and Why Is It so Important? She was initially buried in the castle church, however an uproar among local villagers meant her body was moved to her birth home at Ecsed. She was from the famous Bathory family of nobility. Photo: Anthonie Blocklandt van Montfoort / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain. Ancient Origins - Elizabeth Bathory – 16th century deranged serial killer or victim of betrayal. Because Elizabeth socially outranked her husband, she kept the surname Bathory, which he added to his own. Copy of the lost 1585 original portrait of Elizabeth Bathory. Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed (1560-1614) was a Hungarian noblewoman and reputed serial killer of hundreds of young women in the 16th and 17th centuries. Clotting time is estimated to be around 5 and … 15 Disturbing Facts About Elizabeth Bathory, History's Most Murderous Woman. Approximately 4,500 guests were invited to their wedding. She remained there until she died. She was born on a family estate in Nyírbátor, Hungary, and spent her childhood at Ecsed Castle. The story goes that she developed this penchant after slapping a female servant in rage, and discovered her skin looked younger where the servant’s blood has splashed on. She was 25 when the original portrait -- the only known image of her -- was painted. According to the Guinness Book of Records, Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Bathory was the most murderous woman in history. At the age of 14 she married Ferenc Nádasdy, with whom she remained in marriage for … Báthory, though never tried, was confined to Castle Csejte (now C̆achtice), reportedly kept in a bricked-in room. Almost all were of noble birth and had been sent to the gynaecium. She lived from 1560-1614. In 1575 she married Count Ferencz Nádasdy and moved to Castle Csejte (now in C̆achtice, Slovakia), a wedding gift from Nádasdy’s family. On 30 December 1609, Báthory and her servants were arrested under orders by Thurzó. These were almost all of noble birth and had been sent to the court for learning and advancement. Over time, the facts of Bathory’s life have mingled with myth. Elizabeth Báthory (born Ecsedi Báthory Erzsébet in Hungarian) came from the noble Protestant family Báthory, who owned land in the Kingdom of Hungary. Elizabeth Báthory was a Hungarian countess who purportedly tortured and murdered more than 600 young women in the 16th–17th century. Báthory married Ferenc Nadasdy when she was 15 (Credit: Hungarian National Museum). She was born on August 7th, 1560 and died on August 21st, 1614. Portrait of Elizabeth Báthory, c. 1630 (Credit: Public domain). While Nádasdy was away on his frequent trips, his wife ran the estates and took various lovers. However this number came from a claim by a servant girl that Báthory’s court official had seen the figure in one of her private books. Nádasdy died in 1604 after developing a debilitating pain in his legs eventually becoming permanently disabled. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Through her mother, Elizabeth was the niece of the Hunga… According to the Budapest City Archives, victims would be covered in honey and live ants, or burned with hot tongs and then placed in freezing water.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyhit_com-leader-2-0')}; Báthory was said to have stuck needles into her victims’ lips or body parts, stabbing at them with scissors or biting off their breasts, faces, and limbs. Her parents were George and Anna Bathroy and belonged to one of the oldest, wealthiest aristorcratic families in Hungary. 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. As A Child, She Witnessed Terrible Scenes Of Torture. Her mother was Baroness Anna Báthory, daughter of another voivode of Transylvania. And so despite the overwhelming evidence and testimony against her, Báthory was saved from execution. 1560: Elizabeth Bathory is born into one of the oldest and wealthiest families in Transylvania. Upon collecting testimony from 300 witnesses, Thurzó determined that Báthory had tortured and killed more than 600 victims – the highest number cited was 650. Thurzó never put her on… The woman who we know as Elizabeth Bathory was born Erzsebet Bathory on August 7th, 1560 in Nyirbator in the Kingdom of Hungary. While documents from the 1611 trial supported the accusations made against her, modern scholarship has questioned the veracity of the allegations. Wallis Simpson: The Most Vilified Woman in British History? Born with a silver spoon, she was of a noble and very distinguished family that held high ranking social positions in Transylvania. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. If you're looking for other variations, please see Elizabeth (Disambiguation). Báthory’s cousin György Thurzó was assigned to investigate the claims against her (Credit: Public domain). Her cousin, György Thurzó, count palatine of Hungary, was ordered by Matthias, then king of Hungary, to investigate. She was raised at the family castle in Ecséd. The human blood coagulates rapidly. Her victims were mainly young girls. Since her death, Báthory has become a prominent figure in folklore, literature and music, often compared to Vlad the Impaler of Wallachia. Her older brother was Stephen Bathory, who went on to become the judge royal of Hungary. Her family had many powerful relatives -- a cardinal, princes, and a cousin who was prime minister of Hungary are among these relatives. Her family controlled Transylvania, and her uncle Stephen Báthory was king of Poland. While historical documents seem to support the accusations against her, modern research indicates that Báthory, a powerful woman, might have been the target of politically motivated slander that allowed relatives to appropriate her lands. Elizabeth Báthory was a Hungarian countess who purportedly tortured and murdered more than 600 young women in the 16th–17th century. The two were separated by more than a century, but had a common reputation for cruelty, brutality and bloodthirstiness across Eastern Europe.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyhit_com-mobile-leaderboard-2-0')}; 1817 saw the publishing of witness accounts for the first time, showing that the stories of Báthory’s blood-drinking or bathing were legend rather than fact. Báthory would stay in the castle until her death in 1614 at the age of 54. Bathory was born in Nyírbátor, which is still in Hungary. Elizabeth was born on a family estate in Nyírbátor and spent her childhood at Ecsed Castle. She had a cousin who became Prime Minister and her Uncle, Stephan Bathory, became the King of Poland reigning between 1575 - 1586. A late 16th century copy of an original portrait of the Countess Elizabeth Báthory (Credit: Public domain). in English from Illinois State University in 2005. Most historical analysis of the countess includes young Elizabeth as witness to a captured thief being sewn into the st… It was not uncommon to accuse a wealthy widow or murder, witchcraft, or sexual misconduct to seize her lands. Though she counted many … The young couple lived in the Nádasdy castles in Hungary at Sárvár and Csetje (now in Slovakia), but Ferenc was an ambitious soldier and was often away. 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. Corrections? With all the evidence surfacing against her, Elizabeth knew that she could no longer be free. From an early age, she witnessed her father's officers torture the peasantry that lived near her family's estate. Omissions? Richard Pallardy received a B.A. As a result, she was lavished with the very best education and classic upbringing. However stories attesting to her vampiric tendencies were recorded years after her death, and are considered unreliable.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyhit_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0')}; Modern historians have claimed that these stories originated from the widespread disbelief that women were not capable of violence for its own sake. The child was hidden from view. Elizabeth Freeman: The Enslaved Woman Who Sued For Her Freedom and Won, Married Love: The Controversial Legacy of Marie Stopes. The young couple lived in the Nádasdy castles in Hungary at Sárvár and Csetje (in present-day Slovakia). Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The most famous relative was Istvan (ISHT-vahn) Bathory (1533-86). She was also rumoured to bathe in the blood of her young victims. In 1575 she married Count Ferencz Nádasdy, a member of another powerful Hungarian family, and subsequently moved to Castle C̆achtice, a wedding gift from the Nádasdy family. IN 1602, RUMORS BEGAN TO CIRCULATE around the village of Trenčín, present-day Slovakia: Peasant girls looking for servant work in the Csejte Castle were disappearing. A new online only channel for history lovers, Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Gemäldegalerie, Why Charles I’s 11 Years’ Tyranny Wasn’t Tyrannical Enough. She died in Csejthe in what is now Slovakia. The daughters of local peasants, these victims had been lured to the estate by offers of work as maids or servants in the castle. At that time, people suspected her as a serial killer. This is despite the precise number of her victims remaining unknown and debated. Abductions were said to have also taken place.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyhit_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0')}; In all, Báthory was accused of having killed between a couple of dozen and over 600 young women. The servants were put on trial in 1611, and three were executed. Elizabeth Báthory(エリザベート・バートリー, Erizabēto Bātorī?, lit. The couple had 4 children.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyhit_com-box-4-0')}; After her husband’s death, rumours of Báthory’s cruelty began to surface. "Erzsébet Báthory"), Class Name Lancer(ランサー, Ransā? While historical documents seem to support the accusations against her, modern research indicates that Báthory, a powerful woman, might have been the target of politically motivated slander that allowed relatives to appropriate her lands. Countess Elizabeth Báthory was accused of murdering over 600 young women, which earned her the title of the most prolific female serial killer of all time. Although never tried, Báthory was confined to her chambers at Castle C̆achtice. According to the testimonies, Báthory’s initial … Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elizabeth-Bathory. As a child, Báthory suffered from multiple seizures that may have been caused by epilepsy. … Apparently, some 600 young women came to a premature end in order to keep her macabre fountain of youth flowing. Between 1610 and 1611, Thurzó took depositions from people living in the area surrounding her estate, including the testimony of more than 300 witnesses and survivors.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyhit_com-large-leaderboard-2-0')}; The stories of Báthory’s murders were further verified by physical evidence of mutilated, dying or dead victims at the time of her arrest.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyhit_com-leader-1-0')}; According to the testimonies, Báthory’s initial targets were servant girls aged between 10 and 14. Elizabeth ran the estates, took various lovers and bore her husband four children. Báthory appeared to have supported her nephew, Gabor Báthory, ruler of Translyvania and rival to Hungary. Nádasdy is said to have had the lover castrated and torn to pieces by dogs. Her father was Baron George VI Báthory of the Ecsed branch of the family, brother of Andrew Bonaventura Báthory, who had been voivode of Transylvania, while her mother was Baroness Anna Báthory (1539–1570), daughter of Stephen Báthory of Somlyó, another voivode of Transylvania, who was of the Somlyó branch. She shares the exact HP values at minimum with Aśvatthāman and Hōzōin Inshun . By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Her name is Elizabeth Bathory. She was known as Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed. As a little girl, ... She Had A Secret Love Child At 13 And Married A Sadistic Husband. History Hit brings you the stories that shaped the world through our award winning podcast network and an online history channel. Báthory herself was never tried, despite King Matthias’ wishes. Both her parents were nobles and she was related to the Voivode of Transylvania, the King of Poland, the Grand Duke of Lithuania, and the Prince of Transylvania. As was the custom, the young bride to be left her own home once the betrothal was official and the family of her fiance took over her education. Survivors and witnesses reported victims experiencing severe beatings, burning or mutilation of hands, freezing or starving to death. The fact that a large debt owed by Matthias to Báthory was canceled by her family in exchange for permitting them to manage her captivity suggests that the acts attributed to her were politically motivated slander that allowed relatives to appropriate her lands. Later, Báthory was said to have killed the daughters of the lesser gentry sent by their parents to learn courtly etiquette and social advancement. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Her Noble Phantasm animation resembles the signature move of Combattler V from the mecha anime "Choudenji Robo ComBattler V". It is possible that Báthory’s wealth and power made her a perceived threat to leaders of Hungary, whose political landscape was overrun with major rivalries at the time. According to the Guinness World Records, Báthory is the most prolific female murderer and the most prolific murderer of the western world. She is reputed to have tortured and murdered young women in her charge during the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. He was a research editor with Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. from 2008 to 2016 and worked on Britannica Blog from 2010... Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. However, this is a fairly contemporary copy of that original, probably painted in the late 16th century. She was imprisoned within the Castle of Csejte, in Upper Hungary (now Slovakia). Ever since her childhood, Elizabeth was the witness of brutality and bloodshed performed by her family on petty criminals and wrongdoers. Elizabeth Bathory was born in 1560 in Transylvania, Hungary. Elizabeth Bathory redirects here. Báthory was said to have tortured and killed hundreds of young women at Čachtice Castle ‎(Credit: Jacomoman78 / CC). She was also the niece of Stephen Báthory, the king of Poland and the grand duke of Lithuania and the prince of Transylvania. She is unique in that she switches between four different Masters (Rin Tohsaka,Rani VIII,Shinji Matou, andHakuno Kishinami) as a Lancer-class Servant. On December 30, 1609, Elizabeth Báthory and her servants were arrested. Báthory’s bloodthirsty reputation coincided with the vampire scares that haunted Europe in the early 18th century. Elizabeth Báthory was born in 1560 to Protestant nobility in Hungary. It was said that in writing his 1897 book, Dracula, the novelist Bram Stoker was inspired by the legends of both Báthory and Vlad the Impaler.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyhit_com-mobile-leaderboard-1-0')}; Several historians have argued that far from being a cruel and barbaric killer, Báthory was in fact merely a victim of a conspiracy. The servants, accused of aiding her in torture and murder, were put on trial in 1611; three were executed. Báthory was suspected of having committed many forms of torture on her victims. Bathory was born in Transylvania in 1560 to a distinguished family that included kings, cardinals, knights, and judges. Who believed that bathing in the Nádasdy castles in Hungary freezing or starving to death and rival to Hungary her... Elizabeth Báthory and her uncle, Stephen Báthory, c. 1630 ( Credit: Public domain roughly... 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