The testimony against Bathory could have included true tales about how harshly she acted with lower classes. I have never heard of this story, it was very interesting to read and learn about! Just one grandparent can lead you to many CONTENT MAY BE COPYRIGHTED BY WIKITREE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. After Nadasdy died in January 1604, Bathory took control of her extensive estates. The first mention of Bathory's blood baths came 100 years after her death and thus seems to be an invention. Liz Torture Throw Pillow. Another indication that I am an irrelevant old fart! The intimate nature of Bathory's attacks suggests a sexual motivation, though it's impossible to know with certainty what compelled her to act. However, this is a fairly contemporary copy of that original, probably painted in the late 16th century. [33] Moreover, Matthias owed a large debt to Bthory, which was cancelled after she was arrested. Countess Erzsbet Bthory, also known as Elizabeth Bathory, was a member of a powerful family from an estate at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains, the Bathory family. [20] By October 1610 they had collected 52 witness statements;[19] by 1611, that number had risen to over 300. 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 . George and Anna Bthory produced the most infamous member of the family, Elizabeth, a widow Countess who was eventually tried and found guilty of murdering hundreds of young peasant girls over the course of twenty years, making her the most prolific serial killer in history. Katarna Benick received a life sentence after evidence showed that she'd been abused by the other women. They descended from George II, the younger son of John I, through the George's grandson Michael. 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 ). Why might Bathory have been subject to outside machinations? In 1602 a priest wrote a letter that discussed the excessive cruelty exhibited by Bathory and her husband towards their servants. Also known as Bthori Erzsbet, Elizabeth Bathory was born to an incredibly powerful family on August 7, 1560, in Hungary. the surrounding dragon being the emblem of the Order of the Dragon. [citation needed], After the wedding, the couple lived in Nadasdy's castle at Srvr. Elizabeth Bathory was born on August 7th 1560 in Nyrbtor, Kingdom of Hungary, Habsburg . Legend has it that. discoveries. Ancient Origins - Elizabeth Bathory 16th century deranged serial killer or victim of betrayal. She remained there until she died. All of Elizabeth's children were cared for by governesses, as Bthory herself had been. [9], In 1578, three years into their marriage, Ndasdy became the chief commander of Hungarian troops, leading them to war against the Ottomans. The evidence against Bathory has flaws: Of 289 witness accounts, more than 250 offered either hearsay or no information whatsoever. Bthory is said to have begun killing daughters of the lesser gentry, who were sent to her gynaeceum by their parents to learn courtly etiquette. No, Bthory was not a doctor/scientist/midwife. [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. Elizabeth Bathory Home & Living. So, Hungarian King Matthias II sent his highest-ranking representative, Gyrgy Thurz, to investigate the complaints against her. It is more likely that the stories were made up by rival families. She was brought up in the rarefied atmosphere of 16th century elites - her every whim was satisfied, and people from all walks of life fawned over the beautiful aristocrat. 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. I guess that is the problem with absolute dynastic systems, you get people in power who really shouldnt be. 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. I had never heard of this story/person prior to reading this article, how disturbing! 1 She was born on August 7th, 1590, in Transylvania. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. After taking a lover at age 13 and giving birth to a secret love child, Elizabeth was married shortly before turning 15 to a nobleman named Ferenc Nadasdy. She suffered from epilepsy as a child, possibly from familial inbreeding. The count palatine determined, after taking depositions from people living in the area surrounding her estate, that Bthory had tortured and killed more than 600 girls with the assistance of her servants. [citation needed], Bthory's daughter, Anna Ndasdy, was born in 1585 and was later to become the wife of Nikola VI Zrinski. 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. Their court proceedings began early in January 1611. It is interesting to read how her childhood and husband shaped her into the serial killer that she became. [15], Bthory was raised a Calvinist Protestant. Gabriel Bthory, the younger brother of Stephen XII, was the last male member of the Ecsed line. 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. 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. After this, Briccius and his descendants named themselves Bthory, i.e. I wouldve expected her to get decapitated or more severely punished. It was a political arrangement within the circles of the aristocracy. Then, discover the true story behind the real-life Bloody Mary. Many of the witnesses who spoke against Bathory were beholden to Thurz, who oversaw the entire investigation. The countess is also known as one of the bloodiest women in . The servants, accused of aiding her in torture and murder, were put on trial in 1611; three were executed. ", in, This page was last edited on 19 August 2022, at 17:33. No one living in Bthory's century alleged she was a vampire or a witch. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). She sometimes even used scissors to slice open the skin between her victims fingers. [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. 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. 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 Wertner, Moritz, "Urgeschlechter in Siebenbrgen. There were several instances where Bthory intervened on behalf of destitute women, including a woman whose husband was captured by the Ottomans and a woman whose daughter was raped and impregnated. After all, legend has it that she bathed in the blood of at least 650 servant girls she had tortured and killed. One of those children (Pl) had two children. Said bloodline was also one of generational inbreeding. This article was incredible! One day, Thurzo showed up to Bathorys castle with armed guards. 2 She came from a wealthy, Protestant family that were significant landowners in Hungary. This witch inspired most of Bathorys brutal and sadistic killings. During colder parts of the year young women might be stripped naked and forced into deadly ice baths. Elizabeth Bthory, by Gavin R.G. [citation needed], Several authors, such as Lszl Nagy and Dr. Irma Szdeczky-Kardoss, have argued that Elizabeth Bthory was a victim of a conspiracy. Bthory was born into prominent Protestant nobility in Hungary. 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. Her mother was Baroness Anna Bthory, daughter of another voivode of Transylvania. Countess Dracula: The Life and Times of Elisabeth Bathory, the Blood Countess (Unknown Binding) by. The citizens of Hungary did not even speak Bathorys name for hundreds of years.18 Conspiracy theories argue that Bathory was actually innocent. Her family controlled Transylvania, and her uncle, Stephen Bthory, was king of Poland. It is only when problems start affecting the rich that governments actually take action. Bathory is reputed to have killed at least six hundred victims, earning her a Guinness World Record for most prolific female murderer. Two died as infants, but two daughters and a son survived. After the death of the count on the battlefield in January 1604, horrifying suspicions of torture, murder and vampirism were voiced against Elizabeth. This too may have been politically motivated, as the death penalty meant that the king could seize her land. [26], On 25 January 1611, Thurz wrote a letter to King Matthias describing that they had captured and confined Bthory to her castle. The youngest son, Nicolaus III (d. 1506), bishop first of Syrmia and after 1474 of Vc, excelled as a renaissance scholar and served as counselor to King Matthias Corvinus. The Habsburg court owed her money they didn't want to pay. In Hungarian the word btor means "brave". Her victims were usually aged between 10 and 14. Stephen VII first proved himself as Count of Temesvr and in 1519 was elected Palatine of Hungary, as which he had to contend with the opposition of the nobility. Elizabeth Bthory was a Hungarian countess who purportedly tortured and murdered more than 600 young women in the 16th17th century. Four of Bathory's servants three females and one male were then arrested, questioned, and subjected to torture. Inside her castles, there were torture chambers. Their hands showed burn marks, or their faces were disfigured. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Most of her alleged assaults and murders took place after she was widowed in 1604. 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. Elizabeth Bthory (or Erzsbet, to use the Hungarian spelling) was born into a Hungarian noble family on the 7th August, 1560. [31] The location of her body today is unknown but believed to be buried deep in the church area of the 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. A student organization of St. Marys University of San Antonio, Texas, featuring scholarly research, writing, and media from students of all disciplines. This Serial Killer was active in the following countries: Slovakia. In the 15th century, Michael's brothers George and Ladislaus, who both died without issue, had sold their heritage to the then-head of the Somly branch, Nicolaus. I will start with the claims where the evidence is clearest: No, Bthory did not keep a list of her victims/"patients". [10], Another branch of the family are the Bthory of Simolin family, which was named after their estate Simony (or Simolin). Raised in a noble family, Bathory knew a life of privilege from an early age. Leave a message for others who see this profile. And some say she would later use that power to commit heinous acts. However, it's unlikely Bathory was completely innocent. Hambly. On December 30, 1609, Elizabeth Bthory and her servants were arrested. Answer (1 of 8): Jesus Christ of Nazareth is God, He is more than a prophet or a saint, He never married because He considered all women as His sisters and daughters and men as His sons and brothers, He is pure hearted and completely innocent unlike people today. Elizabeth Bthory (or Erzsbet, to use the Hungarian spelling) was born into a Hungarian noble family on the 7th August, 1560. The theory is consistent with Hungarian history at that time, which included religious and political conflicts, especially relating to the wars with the Ottoman Empire, the spread of Protestantism and the extension of Habsburg power over Hungary. and it is widely believed that the case was to seize her assets. [clarification needed] She was detained in the castle of Csejte for the remainder of her life, where she died at the age of 54. It has been said that over hundred young women were among her victims. Although it is commonly believed that Bthory was caught in the act of torture, she was having dinner. I was also struck by the punishment she got because from everything she did, I would have thought she would have gotten a stricter punishment. Elizabeth Bathory was born on August 7, 1560 in modern day Slovakia. 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. [14][original research? 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. Lancer's True Name is Elizabeth Bthory (, "Erzsbet Bthory"), the virginal fourteen year old aspect that had yet to become the monster Carmilla like her older aspect. Worst case? Impressed by Stephen, George VI Bthory, of the Ecsed branch, was persuaded to change his allegiance from the Habsburgs to Zpolya, for which the Habsburg king deprived him of his castle Bujak. She was 25 when the original portrait -- the only known image of her -- was painted. In 1573,[9] Bthory was engaged to Count Ferenc Ndasdy, a member of the Nadasdy family. We strive for accuracy and fairness. Likewise, some historians say that witnesses probably provided the incriminating yet contradictory testimonies under duress and that the king called for the death penalty before Bathorys family could intervene on her behalf. [citation needed], Ferenc Ndasdy died on 4 January 1604 at the age of 48. 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. She was born on a family estate in Nyrbtor, Hungary, and spent her childhood at Ecsed Castle. Elizabeth Warren is a Democrat from Massachusetts who was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2012 and ran for her party's presidential nomination in 2020. [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]. [2] Her family ruled Transylvania as an independent region within the Hungarian kingdom. Thurzo heard screaming, which led him to find one of Bathorys torture chambers. On August 7th, 1560, Elizabeth Bthory de Esced ( Bthory Erzsbet in Hungarian) was born to a very powerful Hungarian family. Almost everyone has heard the legend of cruel Elisabeth Bthory who bathed in the blood of young virgins to preserve eternal youth. There are only secondary accounts of her actions. Elisabeth Sherman is a writer living in Jersey City, New Jersey. According to the contemporary reports and the stories told long after, Elizabeth Bathory tortured girls and young women in unspeakable ways. [3], The younger branch of the family, the Bthory of Ecsed, were descended from Luke, the youngest son of Briccius. 1590 is when she was said to have started her crimes. Wikimedia CommonsA late 16th-century copy of the now-lost portrait of Elizabeth Bathory, painted in 1585 when she was 25 years old. 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. Bathory was born in Nyrbtor, Hungary, on August 7, 1560. [21], Thurz debated further proceedings with Bthory's son Paul and two of her sons-in-law, Nikola VI Zrinski and Gyrgy Drugeth. 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. Elizabeth pleaded her innocence to Thurzo, though he did not believe her, and he eventually arrested her.15 Bathory was only put on house arrest, because they did not want to cause a scene to the public, but rumors were already going around about what she did. Those horrific acts of violence and the sometimes-supernatural legends that surround the crimes help define Elizabeth Bathorys terrifying legacy today. It is crazy to think someone could find pleasure in killing and torturing other people, but crazier to find somebody you marry that have the same interests! She eventually was put on trial. An Examination of the Life and Trial of Erzsbet Bthory", "The falling sickness. The investigation into Bthory's crimes was sparked by complaints from a Lutheran minister, Istvn Magyari. Imprisonment allowed family members to take control of the powerful widow's possessions (her sons-in-law knew beforehand that her arrest was coming). Bthory and four of her servants were accused of torturing and killing hundreds of girls and women between 1590 and 1610. with video tutorial . And when Bathorys husband died in 1604, these views became much more widespread and dramatic. For example, he instructed her to strip her servants naked, cover them in honey, and let bugs eat at them.8 Elizabeths husband, Nadasdy, was yet another influence to why she became obsessed with torturing her servants. She did this by saying she would give them a higher salary.11 The testimonies included how she killed the girls by mutilating their bodies, starving them, freezing them, and torturing them. Her mother was Baroness Anna Bthory (15391570), daughter of Stephen Bthory of Somly, also voivode of Transylvania, who was of the Somly branch. Due to his youth and the belief that he was less culpable, Jnos jvry was executed by a much less painful method: beheading. It seems most likely that the claim of Thurz's discovering Bthory covered in blood has been the embellishment of fictionalized accounts. Elizabeth Bathory was born on August 7, 1560, in Nyrbtor, Hungary. The Elizabethan era is named for her. Bathory sometimes tortured girls by driving needles into their fingers, cutting their noses or lips or whipping them with stinging nettles. Today, Elizabeth Bathory is infamously remembered as the Blood Countess who killed up to 650 girls and women in the Kingdom of Hungary. It is sad to know the number is so high for the number of deaths caused by her, but she was noticeably, permanently ill in the head from a young age. 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. Initially, Thurz made the declaration to Bthory's guests and villagers that he had caught her red-handed. The most common motif of these works was that of the countess bathing in her virgin victims' blood to retain beauty or youth. As an intelligent, powerful woman who ruled without a man at her side, and as a member of a family whose wealth intimidated the king, his court went on a mission to discredit and ruin her. Could seize her assets she acted with lower classes independent region within the Hungarian Kingdom 1573, [ ]. 'S discovering Bthory covered in blood has been the embellishment of fictionalized accounts young virgins to preserve eternal youth is! Her servants were arrested to improve this article, how disturbing named themselves Bthory, was king of.! 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