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Elizabeth Bathory
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 | Elizabeth Bathory was born in 1560 to George and Anna Bathory. Though frequently cited as Hungarian, Elizabeth is more likely to belong to the Slovak Republic (During this time, her land shifted hands between the armies of Europe.) Most of her adult life was spent at Castle Cachtice, near the intersection of Austria, Hungary, and the Slovak Republic. Bathory was born during a time of war between the Turks and Austria-Hungary armies. In 1571, her cousin Stephen became Prince of Transylvania and additionally assumed the throne of Poland. He was a very effective ruler, but his plans of uniting Europe against the Ottoman Empire were foiled by the invading armies of Ivan the Terrible.
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| Count Nadasdy |
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In 1574, at the age of 14, Elizabeth was pregnant with a peasant's child. Her family hid her from the public until after the pregnancy because she was engaged to Count Ferenc Nadasdy. The marriage took place in May 1575. Count Nadasdy was frequently away from home, leaving Elizabeth alone with her servants at Castle Sarvar, the Nadasdy family estate. It was in this castle that her evil torturings took place, and it is here that her legend begins.
| | The Emergence of Evil |
| In this day, maltreatment of peasants was commonplace. However, the "treatment" which Elizabeth's servants went through is far worse than maltreatment. The correct term is torture. She did not only torture those who disobeyed her, she also tortured those who had done no wrong to her. She often put pins in sensitive body parts such as underneath fingernails, in armpits, and is rumored to have done the same to genitals of some of her victims. Elizabeth usually tortured young women, but was known to go after all ages and sexes in her early days of torture. In the winter she would kill peasants by having them stripped, drawn out into the snow, and drenched with water until they froze to death. Today, this would have been dealt with harshly, but back then peasants were almost viewed as possessions, and no one would mind you burning a book, or killing a peasant. Both were your possessions, and you could do anything you wanted with them. |
| A Loyal Husband |
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Count Nadasdy was known to join in her torturous excursions. In fact, it is rumored that after Elizabeth was pouting about not being able to kill peasants during the summer like she does in the winter, Count Nadasdy gave her a new method of death. The woman would be stripped, covered with honey or syrup, and left outside to be bitten by numerous insects. This process could take days and was quite a spectacle to Mrs. Bathory. Count Nadasdy died in 1604, and Elizabeth moved to Vienna a short time after his funeral. She also spent time at her estate at Beckov and at a manor house at Cachtice, both in present-day Slovakia. It seems that her husbands death had a significant impact on her crimes, for they became worse after her death. |
| A Devil's Downfall |
| After the Count's death, Elizabeth sought a woman named Anna Darvulia for her cohort in crime. However this alliance of murder lasted for only four years when in 1609, her health finally failed her. Elizabeth then turned to Erzsi Majorova, the widow of a local tenant farmer. Majorova would turn out to be Elizabeth's downfall. After advising Elizabeth to include more noble women in her torturings (She was having trouble finding young peasant women after some incriminating rumors got out, saving countless lives), Elizabeth killed a young noble woman in the year 1609. An trial was held in 1610, and a register was entered by the prosecution to the courtroom. The register was found in Elizabeth's quarters and listed the 650 names, including the noble woman, that Elizabeth had tortured and/or killed. Elizabeth was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment which lasted for only 3 years; she died on August 21, 1614. Her cohorts were sentenced to be executed (Power has its perks, and these people had no power.) |
| The Fountain of Youth |
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Her image was not built on the mentioned torturings. It was built on what could not be proven about the rumors that surrounded her peasants death. She is rumored to have bathed in the blood of her murdered young women servants because she thought that bathing in the blood of the young would rejuvenate her flesh. It was said that one day, the aging countess was having her hair combed by a young servant girl. The girl accidentally pulled her hair, and Elizabeth turned and slapped the girl cutting the servant with her rings. The blood spurted onto Elizabeth's hands. As she rubbed it on her hands, they seemed to take on the girl's youthful appearance. This is how the baths started, and it was not until a priest uncovered the trial's manuscripts that these events were known to have been publicly written down instead of word of mouth. Although most vampires are considered to be blood drinkers, Elizabeth qualifies due to the beleived absorption of blood through the 200+ baths she is believed to have had. |
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