I guess that is the problem with absolute dynastic systems, you get people in power who really shouldnt be. 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. 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. 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. 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. Make 2023 the year to let that wonderful you-ness shine. [20] By October 1610 they had collected 52 witness statements;[19] by 1611, that number had risen to over 300. [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. 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 . Although never tried, Bthory was confined to her chambers at Castle Cachtice. Have you taken a DNA test? Her relatives included the governor of Transylvania, The king of Poland, and the prince of Transylvania. After hearing the accusations, Thurz ultimately charged Bathory with the deaths of 80 girls. [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. Tony Thorne. In 1575 she married Count Ferencz Ndasdy and moved to Castle Csejte (now in Cachtice, Slovakia), a wedding gift from Ndasdys family. [37], Bthory has been labelled by Guinness World Records as the most prolific female murderer, though the number of her victims is debated.[38]. CONTENT MAY BE COPYRIGHTED BY WIKITREE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. 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. The first mention of Bathory's blood baths came 100 years after her death and thus seems to be an invention. 2008 - 2022 INTERESTING.COM, INC. Secret societies, paranormal elements, and twist and turns galore. In the 19th century, long after the demise of the other branches, the family claimed name and title of Counts Bthory, since their ancestor Michael had never consented to the sale conducted by his brothers, and in 1852 the Russian government confirmed the legitimacy of their claims.[6][11][12]. 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. It has been said that over hundred young women were among her victims. Elizabeth Bathory was born in 1560 to Baron George VI Bathory and Baroness Anna Bathory in Nyirbator, Hungary. And when Bathorys husband died in 1604, these views became much more widespread and dramatic. 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. [citation needed], Bthory's daughter, Anna Ndasdy, was born in 1585 and was later to become the wife of Nikola VI Zrinski. However, this is a fairly contemporary copy of that original, probably painted in the late 16th century. According to witnesses, Bathorys crimes took place between 1590 and 1610, with most of the vicious murders happening after her husbands death in 1604. [3][6][7][bettersourceneeded] [citation needed], On 8 May 1575, Bthory and Ndasdy were married at the palace of Vranov nad Topou (Varann in Hungarian). Gabriel Bthory, the younger brother of Stephen XII, was the last male member of the Ecsed line. Bathory, a scion of a powerful Hungarian family and the product of inbreeding between Baron George Bathory and Baroness Anna Bathory, called the Csejte Castle home. Perhaps, historians say, the true story of Elizabeth Bathory looks more like this: The countess owned strategically important land that increased her familys already vast wealth. 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. Then, discover the true story behind the real-life Bloody Mary. Her life shifted when she married Ferenc Nadasdy, a noble from Hungary. 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. [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). Leave a message for others who see this profile. Witnesses claimed that Bathorys favorite method of torture was using scissors to mutilate her victims bodies and faces. 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. Elizabeth (Bathory) Bthory de Ecsed is Notable. This article caught my eye because there is a Swedish extreme Metal band that goes by the same name (Bathory). How did they find each other? The Bthory coat of arms, granted in 1325 to the sons of Briccius, was styled in reference to this legend: three horizontally placed teeth surrounded by a dragon biting its own tail,[4] There is no evidence that she actually committed the crimes she of which she was alleged. At the age of 13, before her first marriage, Bthory allegedly gave birth to a child. Countess Elizabeth Bthory, (Erzsbet Bthori in Hungarian), was born in 1560 in Nyrbtor in Royal Hungary. The citizens of Hungary did not even speak Bathorys name for hundreds of years.18 Conspiracy theories argue that Bathory was actually innocent. [18] In 1610, Matthias II assigned Gyrgy Thurz, the Palatine of Hungary, to investigate. The Elizabethan era is named for her. She went to sleep and was found dead the following morning. Enter a grandparent's name. No one living in Bthory's century alleged she was a vampire or a witch. 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. 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. As a wealthy noblewoman, Bathory evaded the law until 1610, according to the History Channel. 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. 1560: Elizabeth Bathory is born into one of the oldest and wealthiest families in Transylvania. Elizabeth Bathory was born on the family estate of Nyirbator in eastern Hungary on the 7th of August 1560. According to Thurz's letter to his wife, his unannounced visit found one dead girl and another living "prey" girl in the castle,[19] but there is no evidence that they asked her what had happened to her. From that time, he never fully recovered, and in 1603 became permanently disabled. Thurzo investigated and accumulated hundreds of witnesses, and a few were willing to testify against Bathory. Elisabeth Sherman is a writer living in Jersey City, New Jersey. The ruins of Csejte Castle, where Elizabeth Bathory supposedly committed unspeakable crimes. . Bathory took the advice, which turned out be a mistake for her. Her victims were usually aged between 10 and 14. However, it's possible Bathory was not guilty of all the crimes that have been laid at her feet. She had everything going for her in her life, she was rich, beautiful, and her family was well . 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. To cure her epilepsy, her family took blood from servants and put it on her lips. Her uncle, Stephen Bathory, was king of Poland. It turns out that King Matthias II owed Bathorys late husband, and then her, a sizable debt. Vitus killed it with three thrusts of his lance and as a reward received the castle. There are only secondary accounts of her actions. The servants confessed under torture, which is not credible in contemporary proceedings. After the trials concluded, Thurzo founded Bathory guilty, and she stayed in solitary confinement in her castle, Cachtice, for the rest of her life. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Some witnesses named relatives who died while at the gynaeceum. Her brother was a judge royal of Hungary. (726) $5.00. Gyrgy Ndasdy is also supposedly the name of one of the deceased Ndasdy infants, but this cannot be confirmed. While Elizabeths husband was away at war, she met a witch named Anna Darvulia. 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. Countess Elizabeth Bathory. This is the turning point where Bathory began killing sporadically, and it eventually led to her arrest.10. She eventually was put on trial. These theories suggest that the King brought these charges against her because he did not like that she was Protestant and a powerful women.19 However, no evidence exists to back up these theories. It is more likely that the stories were made up by rival families. 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 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. The most common motif of these works was that of the countess bathing in her virgin victims' blood to retain beauty or youth. 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. [4], The charges leveled against Bthory have been described by several historians as a witch-hunt. The most famous relative was Istvan (ISHT-vahn) Bathory (1533-86). Both her parents' side were nobility and this they had achieved from small beginnings. [3] She was imprisoned within Castle of Csejte. Between 1602 and 1604, after rumors of Bthory's atrocities had spread throughout the kingdom, Lutheran minister Istvn Magyari made complaints against her, both publicly and at the court in Vienna. Descendant of both the Ecsed and Somly branches of the Bathory family. [10], Another branch of the family are the Bthory of Simolin family, which was named after their estate Simony (or Simolin). They descended from George II, the younger son of John I, through the George's grandson Michael. I think it wouldve been a little more beneficial to focus on a specific killing story of hers if there was evidence of one. Bathory is reputed to have killed at least six hundred victims, earning her a Guinness World Record for most prolific female murderer. [citation needed], Ferenc Ndasdy died on 4 January 1604 at the age of 48. This article was incredible! The Ecsed branch commonly sided with the Habsburgs: Stephen VII, who had escaped the battle, fled with Louis' widow to Pozsony (now Bratislava), where he organized the election of Ferdinand of Austria as King of 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. She allegedly tortured and murdered these women between 1585 and 1609. 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. I will start with the claims where the evidence is clearest: No, Bthory did not keep a list of her victims/"patients". At times, Bathorys husband went away at war, but when he was at home, he shaped Bathory in how she killed.6 Nadasdy enjoyed torturing peasants and servants in brutal ways. As a member of a powerful family, Bathory was not put on trial. However, it's unlikely Bathory was completely innocent. Want to Read. During colder parts of the year young women might be stripped naked and forced into deadly ice baths. As a child, Bthory had multiple seizures that may have been caused by epilepsy. She remained there until she died. It seems most likely that the claim of Thurz's discovering Bthory covered in blood has been the embellishment of fictionalized accounts. [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. WIKITREE PROTECTS MOST SENSITIVE INFORMATION BUT ONLY TO THE EXTENT STATED IN THE TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICY. The servants, accused of aiding her in torture and murder, were put on trial in 1611; three were executed. Her trial was not fair by the standards of her time (torturing witnesses, etc.) Initially, Thurz made the declaration to Bthory's guests and villagers that he had caught her red-handed. The Habsburg court owed her money they didn't want to pay. [3] The use of needles was also mentioned by the collaborators in court. She descended from multiple noble lineages and included the King of Poland and the prince of Transylvania among her relatives. No, Bthory was not a doctor/scientist/midwife. In a way, things that happened back then are still happening now. The best-case scenario is that Bathory abused her servants but came nowhere near the level of violence alleged at her trial. It is not known if Elizabeth was actually caught in the act of harming her servants. I really liked your article! She also supposedly kidnapped local girls in the area who would never have come to the castle of their own free will. This Serial Killer was active in the following countries: Slovakia. What was Elizabeth Bthorys childhood like? The evidence gathered by Thurz also included 289 witness statements. In fact, some modern Hungarian scholars say that it may have been motivated more by others power and greed than her supposed evil. While facing fraud charges, she was publicly revealed to be a transgender woman. Btor had been the estate of Vajda son of Lngos, who had married a relative of Andrew but died without issue. Bthory and four of her servants were accused of torturing and killing hundreds of girls and women between 1590 and 1610. By . 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. 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. Many modern Hungarian scholars believe that the accusations against Elizabeth Bathory were exaggerated.

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