Descendants of Elizabeth Bathory the Blood Queen being hunted by descendants of her supposed victims. 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. 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. Some of Bathory's victims were covered with honey and left outside for insects to devour. I wonder if she wouldve grown up to be different if all these people in her life wouldnt have helped her torment her servants. in order to explain Bthory's cruelty later in her life is that she was trained by her family to be cruel. Her family controlled Transylvania, and her uncle Stephen Bthory was king of Poland. After learning about Elizabeth Bathory, the infamous Blood Countess, read about Britains most notorious female serial killer, Myra Hindley. According to witnesses, Bathorys crimes took place between 1590 and 1610, with most of the vicious murders happening after her husbands death in 1604. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elizabeth-Bathory. I was researching about it today and I found a family tree of her husband Ferenc Nadasdy. That evidence included numerous bodies and dead and dying girls found when the castle was entered by Thurz. Elizabeth Bathory, a Hungarian countess, was the daughter of Ann and George Bathory. Her company expanded internationally and changed the face of women's cosmetics. Of Stephen's six sons, Ladislaus V (d. 1474) was supreme count of the counties Szatmr and Zarnd, the second Andrew III (d. 1495) was confirmed in his possession of Bujak. 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. This too may have been politically motivated, as the death penalty meant that the king could seize her land. 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. Rate this book. 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. [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. And the fact that Bathory's servants were tortured makes their confessions unreliable. Salem Press Biographical Encyclopedia, 2018, s.v. While documents from the 1611 trial supported the accusations made against her, modern scholarship has questioned the veracity of the allegations. If all the stories about her are true, then she is likely the most prolific and vicious female serial killer of all time. It has been said that over hundred young women were among her victims. 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. Updates? It turns out that King Matthias II owed Bathorys late husband, and then her, a sizable debt. A 15-year-old Bathory married Nadasdy on May 8, 1575. [3] Some insist she inspired Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897),[11] although Stoker's notes on the novel provided no direct evidence to support this hypothesis. Anna Bthory was the widow of the last descendant of the Dragfi family and George now seized the castles of the Dragfi. Countess Elizabeth Bathory. Another woman, who'd supposedly used magic to aid Bathory, was also soon killed. Elizabeth Bathory was born on August 7, 1560 in modern day Slovakia. The Elizabethan era is named for her. Great job! And Bathory's support of her nephew Prince Gbor Bthory of Transylvania, who was in conflict with the ruling Habsburgs, potentially placed her in danger. They included no references to blood baths. Vitus killed it with three thrusts of his lance and as a reward received the castle. [3], The younger branch of the family, the Bthory of Ecsed, were descended from Luke, the youngest son of Briccius. To cure her epilepsy, her family took blood from servants and put it on her lips. Ferenc and Erzsebet Bathory had six children. After the death of the count on the battlefield in January 1604, horrifying suspicions of torture, murder and vampirism were voiced against Elizabeth. Her mother was Baroness Anna Bthory (15391570), daughter of Stephen Bthory of Somly, also voivode of Transylvania, who was of the Somly branch. Bathorys servants, thirteen in total, testified against her. Bathory is reputed to have killed at least six hundred victims, earning her a Guinness World Record for most prolific female murderer. Instant DIGITAL DOWNLOAD . She told her guard that her hands were cold, and the next day the guard found her dead.20 She was buried somewhere around her castle, Cachtice. Her life shifted when she married Ferenc Nadasdy, a noble from Hungary. 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 Bthory., College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences. 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. A late 16th-century copy of the now-lost portrait of Elizabeth Bathory, painted in 1585 when she was 25 years old. As a wealthy noblewoman, Bathory evaded the law until 1610, according to the History Channel. CONTENT MAY BE COPYRIGHTED BY WIKITREE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. Bthory was born into prominent Protestant nobility in Hungary. 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. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA. [27][28], She wrote a will in September 1610, in which she left all current and future inheritance possession to her children. People grew more suspicious after she killed one noble girl. Both make for a compelling story even if only one of them is actually true. 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. 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. Her relatives included the governor of Transylvania, The king of Poland, and the prince of Transylvania. The best-case scenario is that Bathory abused her servants but came nowhere near the level of violence alleged at her trial. When Nadasdy passed away in 1604, he gave his whole estate away to Bathory including his castle, Cachtice, in modern day Slovakia. A history of epilepsy from the Greeks to the beginnings of modern neurology", "Bthory Erzsbet Bthory Erzsbet: Short FAQ", "No Blood in the Water: The Legal and GenderConspiracies Against Countess Elizabeth Bathory in Historical Context", "The Early Ottoman Period, Including Royal Hungary, 15261606", "Elizabeth Bthory Drop of Blood Festival: 16 August 2014", "A genealogy of the Ndasdy family, including her descendants", A complete genealogy of all descendants Elizabeth Bthory (17th-20th century), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elizabeth_Bthory&oldid=1132822934, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from March 2018, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia references cleanup from March 2021, Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify from March 2021, All articles covered by WikiProject Wikify, Articles containing Hungarian-language text, All articles that may contain original research, Articles that may contain original research from October 2021, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from October 2021, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2021, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2021, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from October 2021, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 10 January 2023, at 19:35. In the years after Bathorys husband passed, whispers floated around about Bathorys actions, specifically her killing young girls. 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. While facing fraud charges, she was publicly revealed to be a transgender woman. About Erzsbet Bthory, "The Blood Countess". Bathory herself was spared from execution due to her status as a noble. The family divided into two major branches, which descended from the sons and grandsons of The fourth was spared immediate execution; what happened to her afterward is unknown. [9] The marriage resulted in combined land ownership in both Transylvania and the Kingdom of Hungary. While slightly lower down the social . She suffered from epilepsy as a child, possibly from familial inbreeding. Leave a message for others who see this profile. Countess Elizabeth Bathory, or Erzsbet Bthory, was a wealthy and powerful Hungarian noblewoman whose relations included an uncle who was king of Poland and a nephew who was prince of. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. How did they find each other? On August 7th, 1560, Elizabeth Bthory de Esced ( Bthory Erzsbet in Hungarian) was born to a very powerful Hungarian family. and it is widely believed that the case was to seize her assets. However, Thurzo ordered her bricked into a windowless room in Cjsethe Castle. Ndasdy was the son of Baron Tams Ndasdy de Ndasd et Fogarasfld and Orsolya Kanizsai. The first mention of Bathory's blood baths came 100 years after her death and thus seems to be an invention. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The ruse worked. 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. 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. . After these executions Thurz continued to investigate the countess. [9] Her older brother, Stephen Bthory (15551605), served as a Judge Royal of Hungary. The Csejte church and the castle of Csejte do not bear any markings of her possible grave. Bthory and four of her servants were accused of torturing and killing hundreds of girls and women between 1590 and 1610. MINIATURE framed painting art. Many modern Hungarian scholars believe that the accusations against Elizabeth Bathory were exaggerated. Elizabeth Bthory, or Bthory Erzsbet in her native Hungarian, was born in Nyrbtor on August 7, 1560. The Chilling Story Of Simon Monjack, The 'Disturbed' Husband Of Brittany Murphy, Michael Hutchence Was One Of The World's Biggest Rock Stars Then He Choked Himself To Death In A Sydney Hotel, What Stephen Hawking Thinks Threatens Humankind The Most, 27 Raw Images Of When Punk Ruled New York, Join The All That's Interesting Weekly Dispatch. 25 of the Most Evil People the World Has Ever Seen. The Ecsed branch first rises to prominence with the sons of Luke's grandson John V. His eldest son Bartholomew I fell in 1432 fighting against the Hussites. In 1573,[9] Bthory was engaged to Count Ferenc Ndasdy, a member of the Nadasdy family. Elizabeth Bthory (Hungarian Noblewoman and Serial Killer) Elizabeth Bthory or Erzsebet Bathory was a feared Hungarian countess who became infamous as a torturer and a vicious serial murderer. Elisabeth Sherman is a writer living in Jersey City, New Jersey. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! Liz Torture Throw Pillow. [3] She was well- educated, beautiful and wealthy. Enter a grandparent's name. Nadasdy moved Bathory to his estate in Savar. She went to sleep and was found dead the following morning. Its really interesting to learn about women serial killers because they are less common than men. The Bthory family (Polish: Batory) was a Hungarian noble family of the Gutkeled clan. https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/elizabeth-bathory. During this time, no laws protected servants or peasants from being tortured. [15] The woman was paid for her actions, and the child was taken to Wallachia. Her trial was not fair by the standards of her time (torturing witnesses, etc.) [3] She was imprisoned within Castle of Csejte. the surrounding dragon being the emblem of the Order of the Dragon. The ruins of Csejte Castle, where Elizabeth Bathory supposedly committed unspeakable crimes. Btor had been the estate of Vajda son of Lngos, who had married a relative of Andrew but died without issue. Due to his youth and the belief that he was less culpable, Jnos jvry was executed by a much less painful method: beheading. Her actions resulted in a nickname of the "Blood Countess" and may have been a source of inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula. [citation needed], After the wedding, the couple lived in Nadasdy's castle at Srvr. [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. 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. However, she was arrested and detained prior to the discovery or presentation of the victims. WIKITREE PROTECTS MOST SENSITIVE INFORMATION BUT ONLY TO THE EXTENT STATED IN THE TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICY. At the age of 13, before her first marriage, Bthory allegedly gave birth to a child. However, it's unlikely Bathory was completely innocent. As Gyrgy Thurz wrote, Elizabeth Bthory was locked in a bricked room, but according to other sources (written documents from the visit of priests, July 1614), she was able to move freely and unhindered in the castle, more akin to house arrest. On December 30, 1609, Elizabeth Bthory and her servants were arrested. After the trials concluded, Thurzo founded Bathory guilty, and she stayed in solitary confinement in her castle, Cachtice, for the rest of her life. 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. But not everyone is convinced of her guilt. ], A proposal made by some sources[who?] Many of the witnesses who spoke against Bathory were beholden to Thurz, who oversaw the entire investigation. If so, login to add it. 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 was a bloodsucking demon sent from Hell to murder young women. Bathory sometimes tortured girls by driving needles into their fingers, cutting their noses or lips or whipping them with stinging nettles. Initially, Thurz made the declaration to Bthory's guests and villagers that he had caught her red-handed. In a way, things that happened back then are still happening now. Elizabeth Bathory was technically a subject of the Habsburg crown. All of Elizabeth's children were cared for by governesses, as Bthory herself had been. Her family controlled Transylvania, and her uncle, Stephen Bthory, was king of Poland. It took 35 years and 650 girls for the King of Hungary to take action. I find it interesting that she was born in Transylvania, the same place that Vlad Tepes (Vlad Dracula) was born. After Ndasdys death in 1604, rumours of Bthorys cruelty began to surface. Some witnesses named relatives who died while at the gynaeceum. However, she was bricked up and isolated in a room at Csejte Castle, where she remained under house arrest for four years until her death in 1614, according to History Today. Even then, the punishment Bathory faced was nowhere near as cruel as what she did to these young girls. 2008 - 2022 INTERESTING.COM, INC. 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. 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