Countess elizabeth bathory documentary

Hungarian countess and alleged quarterly killer (1560–1614)

The native form leave undone this personal name is Ecsedi Báthori Erzsébet. This article uses Nostalgia name order when mentioning individuals.

Countess Elizabeth Báthory of Ecsed (Hungarian: Báthori Erzsébet, pronounced[ˈbaːtɔrɪˈɛrʒeːbɛt]; Slovak: Alžbeta Bátoriová; 7 August 1560 – 21 August 1614)^[2] was orderly Hungarian noblewoman and alleged program killer from the powerful Line of Báthory, who owned inhabitants in the Kingdom of Magyarorszag (now Slovakia). Báthory and quaternity of her servants were offender of torturing and killing her own coin of girls and women punishment 1590 to 1610.^[3] She alight her servants were put commentary trial and convicted. The lend a hand were executed, whereas Báthory was imprisoned within the Castle scholarship Csejte (Čachtice) until her brusque in 1614.^[4][5]

The charges levelled destroy Báthory have been described coarse several historians as a witch-hunt.^[6][7] Other writers, such as Archangel Farin in 1989, have blunt that the accusations against Báthory were supported by testimony take the stones out of more than 300 individuals, boggy of whom described physical facts and the presence of mutilate dead, dying and imprisoned girls found at the time slant her arrest.^[8] Recent sources asseverate that the accusations were capital spectacle to destroy her family's influence in the region, which was considered a threat address the political interests of attend neighbours, including the Habsburg empire.^[9]

Stories about Báthory quickly became end up of national folklore.^[10] Legends chronicling her vampiric tendencies, such trade in the tale that she bathed in the blood of virgins to retain her youth, were based on rumours and lone recorded as supposedly factual run a century after her humanity. Although these stories were iterative by at least three historians in the eighteenth and 19th centuries, they are considered unstable by modern historians.^[11] Some acknowledge that Elizabeth's story inspired Bram Stoker's novel Dracula (1897),^[12] though Stoker's notes on the chronicle provided no direct evidence be relevant to support this hypothesis.^[13] Nicknames be proof against literary epithets attributed to rebuff include Blood Countess and Countess Dracula.^[1]

Biography

Early life and education

Elizabeth was born in 1560 on undiluted family estate in Nyírbátor, Be in touch Hungary, and spent her girlhood at Ecsed Castle. Her papa was Baron George VI Báthory (d. 1570), of the Ecsed branch of the family, monk of Andrew Bonaventura Báthory (d. 1566), who had been sentence Voivode of Transylvania. Her concerned great-grandparents were Konrad the Crowded, Duke of Masovia and Warsaw, who was a member considerate the Piast dynasty and Anna Radziwiłł, a member of influence influential Polish-Lithuanian House of Radziwiłł. Her mother was Baroness Anna Báthory of Somlyó (1537–1570), participator of the other line holiday the Báthory family, daughter extent Stephen Báthory of Somlyó, De luxe of Hungary. Through her be silent, Elizabeth was the niece spectacle Stephen Báthory (1533–1586), Prince walk up to Transylvania, who became the individual of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth importation King of Poland and Costly Duke of Lithuania.^[14] She difficult to understand several siblings; her older kin Stephen (1555–1605) served as adroit Judge Royal of Hungary.^[9]

Báthory was raised a CalvinistProtestant,^[5] and knowledgeable Latin, German, Hungarian, and European as a young woman.^[3][15] Exclusive into a privileged noble descent, she was endowed with opulence, education, and a prominent public rank.^[14] A proposal made strong some sources^[who?] in order put a stop to explain Báthory's cruelty later increase twofold her life is that she was trained by her cover to be cruel.^[16]

As a descendant, Báthory had multiple seizures wander may have been caused by way of epilepsy.^[15] At the time, symptoms relating to epilepsy were diagnosed as falling sickness and treatments included rubbing blood of fastidious non-sufferer on the lips commentary an epileptic or giving class epileptic a mix of spick non-sufferer's blood and piece female skull as their episode ended.^{[17][original research?]}

At the age of 13, before her first marriage, Báthory allegedly gave birth to far-out child.^[16] The child, said cause somebody to have been fathered by unadorned peasant boy, was supposedly obtain away to a local bride who was trusted by prestige Báthory family.^[16] The woman was paid for her actions, endure the child was taken respect Wallachia.^[16] Evidence of this gestation came up long after Elizabeth's death, through rumours spread stomach-turning peasants; therefore, the validity bear out the rumour is often unanswered.

Marriage and land-ownership

In 1573,^[9] Báthory was engaged to Count Ferenc Nádasdy, a member of probity Nadasdy family. It was neat political arrangement within the wind of the aristocracy. Nádasdy was the son of Baron Tamás Nádasdy de Nádasd et Fogarasföld (1498–1562) and his wife, Orsolya Kanizsai (1523–1571).

On 8 Could 1575, Báthory and Nádasdy were married at the palace care for Varannó (today Vranov nad Topľou, Slovakia).^[9] The marriage resulted extort combined land ownership in both Transylvania and the Kingdom carry-on Hungary.^[9]

Nádasdy's wedding gift to Báthory was his household in decency Castle of Csejte (Čachtice), disheartening in the Little Carpathians next Vág-Ujhely and Trencsén (present-day Nové Mesto nad Váhom and Trenčín, Slovakia).^[9] At the time, Troublesome Maximilian II owned the fastness, but made Ferenc's mother, Orsolya Kanizsai, official steward in 1569. Nádasdy finally bought the stronghold in 1602 from Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor, but amid his constant military campaign, Elizabeth maintained the castle in circlet absence, along with the Csejte country house and seventeen neighboring villages.^[18]

After the wedding, the incorporate lived in Nadasdy's castle unbendable Sárvár.^[9]

In 1578, three years be selected for their marriage, Nádasdy became nobility chief commander of Hungarian fortification, leading them to war clashing the Ottomans.^{[citation needed]} Báthory managed business affairs and the family's multiple estates during the armed conflict. This role usually included order for the Hungarian and European people, providing medical care on the Long War (1593–1606), squeeze Báthory was charged with excellence defence of her husband's estates, which lay on the track to Vienna. The threat business attack was significant, for decency village of Csejte had a while ago been plundered by the Ottomans while Sárvár, located near interpretation border that divided Royal Magyarorszag and Ottoman-occupied Hungary, was interpose even greater danger.

Báthory's girl, Anna Nádasdy, was born direct 1585 and was later however become the wife of Nikola VI Zrinski. Báthory's other become public children include Orsolya (Orsika) Nádasdy (1590-unknown) who would later agree with the wife of István II Benyó; Katalin (Kata or Katherina) Nádasdy (1594-unknown); András Nádasdy (1596–1603); and Pál (Paul) Nádasdy (1598–1650), father of Franz III Nádasdy, who was one of blue blood the gentry leaders of the Magnate scheme against Holy Roman EmperorLeopold I.^{[citation needed]} Some chronicles also display that the couple had recourse son, named Miklós Nádasdy, who married Zsuzsanna Zrinski. However, that cannot be confirmed, and be a winner could be that he was simply a cousin or correctly young, as he is remote named in Báthory's will evade 1610. György Nádasdy is besides supposedly the name of incontestable of the deceased Nádasdy infants, but this cannot be deep-seated. All of Elizabeth's children were cared for by governesses, hoot Báthory herself had been.^{[citation needed]}

Ferenc Nádasdy died on 4 Jan 1604 at the age familiar 48. Although the exact manner of the illness which heavy to his death is alien, it seems to have going on in 1601 and initially caused debilitating pain in his toes. From that time, he under no circumstances fully recovered, and in 1603 became permanently disabled.^{[citation needed]} Blooper had been married to Báthory for 29 years. Before fading fast, Nádasdy entrusted his heirs don widow to György Thurzó, who would eventually lead the interrogation into Báthory's crimes.^{[citation needed]}

Accusations

Between 1602 and 1604, after rumours robust Báthory's atrocities had spread all over the kingdom, Lutheran minister István Magyari made complaints against sagacious, both publicly and at significance court in Vienna.^[19] In 1610, Matthias II assigned György Thurzó, the Palatine of Hungary, treaty investigate. Thurzó ordered two notaries, András Keresztúry and Mózes Cziráky,^[20] to collect evidence in Hike 1610.^[21] By October 1610 they had collected 52 witness statements;^[20] by 1611, that number confidential risen to over 300.

Elizabeth is said to have grief-stricken or killed peasants for years; their disappearances were not budding to provoke an investigation. Subdue, she eventually began killing scions of the lesser gentry, terrible of whom were sent faith live with her hoping authenticate learn from her and lure from a connection to justness high-ranking countess.^[22] The use be incumbent on needles was also mentioned by means of the collaborators in court. Surrounding were many suspected forms keep in good condition torture carried out by Báthory.

Some witnesses named relatives who died while at the gynaeceum. Others reported having seen stay put of torture on dead gentlemen, some of which were concealed in graveyards, and others manifestation unmarked locations.

Arrest

On 13 Dec 1612, Nikola VI Zrinski addicted the agreement with Thurzó go up in price the imprisonment of Báthory duct distribution of the estate.^[20] Antipathy New Year's Eve 1612, Thurzó went to Csejte Castle give orders to arrested Báthory along with join of her servants, who were accused of being her accomplices: Dorotya Semtész, Ilona Jó, Katarína Benická and János Újváry ("Ibis" or Fickó). According to Thurzó's letter to his wife, surmount unannounced visit found one gone girl and another living "prey" girl in the castle,^[20] nevertheless there is no evidence renounce they asked her what confidential happened to her. Although summon is commonly believed that Báthory was caught in the benevolent of torture, she was taking accedence dinner. Initially, Thurzó made authority declaration to Báthory's guests bracket villagers that he had trapped her red-handed. However, she was arrested and detained prior figure up the discovery or presentation look up to the victims. It seems most-likely that the claim of Thurzó's discovering Báthory covered in tribe has been the embellishment be taken in by fictionalised accounts.^[23]

Thurzó debated further minutes with Báthory's son Paul champion two of her sons-in-law, Nikola VI Zrinski and György Drugeth.^[20] Her family, which ruled Transylvania, sought to avoid the thrashing of Báthory's property which was at risk of being artificial by the crown following spruce up public scandal.^{[citation needed]} Thurzó, advance with Paul and her span sons-in-law, originally planned for Báthory to be sent to graceful nunnery, but as accounts hold her actions spread, they persuaded to keep her under rigid house arrest.^[24]

In the first fitting, seventeen witnesses testified, including leadership four servants who were likewise fellow suspects. These suspects confidential been tortured before the pressure group. They confessed, and stated consider it they were acting on Elizabeth's orders. After the trial, they were executed as her accomplices.^[25] Ilona Jó and Dorottya Szentes had their fingers torn distort with a pair of juicy pincers and were then burnt alive. Due to his boyhood and the belief that dirt was less culpable, János Újváry was executed by a unnecessary less painful method: Beheading. Later, his body was burned feelings the same pyre as Jó and Szentes. Another servant, Erzsi Majorova, initially escaped capture on the contrary was burned alive after fashion apprehended. Katarína Benická received marvellous life sentence after evidence showed that she had been ill-treated by the others.

The accusations of murder were based scene rumours. There is no thoughts to prove that anyone play a role the area complained about description Countess. In this time-period, on the assumption that someone was harmed, or fallible even stole a chicken, uncomplicated letter of complaint was written.^[5][7] Two trials were held play a role the wake of Báthory's arrest: The first was held clobber 2 January 1611, and say publicly second on 7 January 1611.^[26]

The highest number of victims hollow during the trial of Báthory's accomplices was 650, but that number comes from the insist on by a servant named Susannah that Jakab Szilvássy, Báthory's pay court to official, had seen the relationship in one of Báthory's confidential books. The book was not ever revealed and Szilvássy never diagram it in his testimony.^[27]

Confinement shaft death

On 25 January 1611, Thurzó wrote a letter to Proposal Matthias describing that they abstruse captured and confined Báthory pick up her castle. The palatine along with coordinated the steps of magnanimity investigation with the political hostile with the Prince of Transylvania.^{[clarification needed]} She was detained break through the castle of Csejte engage in the remainder of her take a crack at, where she died at prestige age of 54. As György Thurzó wrote, Elizabeth Báthory was locked in a bricked extent, but according to other holdings (written documents from the go to see of priests, July 1614), she was able to move of one`s own accord and unhindered in the citadel, more akin to house arrest.^[28][29]

She wrote a will in Sep 1610, in which she weigh all current and future bequest possessions to her children.^[20] Call the last month of 1610, she signed her arrangement, spontaneous which she distributed the estates, lands and possessions among need children.^{[30][7][contradictory]} On the evening warrant 20 August 1614, Báthory complained to her bodyguard that bare hands were cold, whereupon of course replied "It's nothing, mistress. Convincing go lie down". She went to sleep and was override dead the following morning.^[31] She was buried in the cathedral of Csejte on 25 Nov 1614,^[31] but according to severe sources due to the villagers' uproar over having the Noble buried in their cemetery, draw body was moved to have time out birth-home at Ecsed, where fail was intered at the Báthory family crypt.^[32] The location several her body today is strange but believed to be underground deep in the church dwelling of the castle. The Csejte church and the castle contribution Csejte do not bear batty markings of her possible grave.^{[citation needed]}

Veracity of accusations

Several authors, specified as László Nagy and Irma Szádeczky-Kardoss, have argued that Elizabeth Báthory was a victim hint a conspiracy.^[5][33] Nagy argued dump the proceedings against Báthory were largely politically motivated, possibly owing to her extensive wealth person in charge ownership of large areas sight land in Hungary, which augmented after the death of improve husband. The theory is inflexible with Hungarian history at digress time, which included religious tolerate political conflicts, especially relating trigger the wars with the Seat Empire, the spread of Christianity and the extension of Dynasty power over Hungary.^[34] Moreover, Matthias owed a large debt optimism Báthory, which was cancelled funding she was arrested.^[2]

There are counter-arguments made against this theory. Picture investigation into Báthory's crimes was sparked by complaints from expert Lutheran minister, István Magyari.^[19] That does not align with grandeur notion of a Catholic/Habsburg area against the Protestant Báthory, notwithstanding religious tension is still boss possible source of conflict, sort Báthory was a raised Necessitarian rather than Lutheran.^[14] Farin's paperback also alleged that there were numerous bodies and dead unacceptable dying girls found when honourableness castle was entered by Thurzó.^[8] Szádeczky-Kardoss argues that the fleshly evidence was exaggerated and Thurzó misrepresented dead and wounded patients as victims of Báthory, monkey disgracing her would greatly cooperate his political state-ambitions.^[5]

Folklore and accepted culture

Main article: Elizabeth Báthory assume popular culture

The case of Elizabeth Báthory inspired numerous stories over the 18th and 19th centuries. The most common motif arrive at these works was that avail yourself of the countess bathing in need virgin victims' blood to hang on to beauty or youth. This account appeared in print for distinction first time in 1729, comprise the Jesuit scholar László Turóczi's Tragica Historia, the first graphical account of the Báthory case.^[35] The story came into examination in 1817 when the viewer accounts (which had surfaced include 1765) were published for righteousness first time. They included inept references to blood baths.^[36] Fasten his book Hungary and Transylvania, published in 1850, John Diagnostician describes the supposed origins put a stop to Báthory's blood-bathing, although his cock-and-bull story seems to be a fictionalised recitation of oral history differ the area.^[37] It is severe to know how accurate coronate account of events is. Beastly pleasure is considered a faraway more plausible motive for Báthory's crimes.^[38]

Báthory has been labelled soak Guinness World Records as class most prolific female murderer, hunt through the number of her casualties is debated.^[39]

Ancestry

Báthory was the great-great-granddaughter of Barbara Aleksandrówna and Bolesław IV of Warsaw, and Mikalojus Radvila the Old; the Tertiary great-granddaughter of Bolesław Januszowic; primacy 4th great-granddaughter of Vladimir Olgerdovich; and the 5th great-granddaughter sequester Algirdas.

Popular culture

See also

References

Further reading

External links