Popular culture has widely accepted Countess Elizabeth Bathory as one of the most sadistic serial killers in history. She became infamous for her torture methods and, according to some accounts, even bathing in her victims’ blood. The crimes attributed to Bathory have captivated people’s interest for many years and have been depicted through various forms of entertainment throughout centuries. Nevertheless, with the emergence of new evidence and a reevaluation of past information, our understanding of Bathory’s crimes has recently been revised.
The Countess’s life is viewed in a new light with this information, shifting the focus away from her crimes and towards the reconstruction of her history. Two different interpretations of the Countess have emerged. One paints her as a prolific, narcissistic serial killer, while the other portrays her as a vulnerable widow with vast property holdings who falls victim to high-level scheming – as noted by Kimberly Craft. The widespread perception of Elizabeth Bathory as a notorious serial killer has been glamorized in films, books, and plays. “The Bloody Countess” by Valentine Penrose is an example of this, wherein the historian promotes the belief that Elizabeth was solely a sadistic killer. Penrose suggests that the Countess’s murderous tendencies originated from lesbian desires she experienced during her youth (“Blood Countess,” par. 1).
According to various sources, including the book mentioned and “True vampires of history” by Donald Glut, Bathory believed that using the blood of her young victims could preserve her beautiful complexion. In the pursuit of vanity and beauty, she tortured her slaves and drained their blood to use it for bathing. Additionally, it is suggested that Bathory practiced witchcraft and possessed a protective incantation on parchment (Ramsland, par. 1).
Countess Elizabeth Bathory continued to engage in her torture rituals and corresponded with someone about them. The book “Bathory – Memoir of a Countess” by A. Mordeaux also portrays Elizabeth as a witch and vampire. The book focuses on the crimes she was accused of, describing in detail her acts of torture and bathing in her victims’ blood. Mordeaux attributes Elizabeth’s crimes to a combination of her family background, sadistic nature, and lonely childhood (“Blood Countess,” par.). It is likely that the information in these books is based on testimonies from individuals who cooperated with the Countess during her trials. However, it should be noted that the accounts provided by these accomplices, who were often tortured before their deaths, may not be entirely reliable (“Bathory’s Accomplices,” par. 3). In order to avoid pain or escape the death penalty, they may have said anything during their trials.
Furthermore, despite a large number of witnesses providing testimonies, the majority of these accounts were based on third-hand hearsay, rumors, or even gossip (Gelhaar, par. 5). Additionally, Elizabeth never had the opportunity to defend herself or have anyone defend her against the accusations made against her. As a result, the truth regarding the crimes she may have committed remains unknown (Craft 203). The context surrounding her conviction also plays a significant role in determining whether the Countess should be considered a sadistic killer. During the late 16th century, the region where Elizabeth resided had experienced years of brutal warfare, resulting in a state of turmoil (“Blood Countess,” par. ). This era was marked by a lack of mercy and frequent occurrences of torture and execution. Even within households, methods of punishment and torture that would horrify us today were regularly used to control servants. Cruel punishments were also carried out in front of other staff members, sometimes leading to death shortly after the punishment was inflicted. Tony Thorne, author of “Countess Dracula: Life and time of Elizabeth Bathory,” speaks to the prevalent use of torture during that period, which was generally accepted. The Countess herself is said to have utilized torture frequently and instructed others to do the same.
However, the writer argues that some of the witness testimony used to incriminate Countess Bathory were actually accounts of her failed torture methods. During a time when a servant’s death resulting from a beating was considered an unfortunate accident and the use of these torture techniques was widespread, it is highly unlikely that someone accused of malpractice would be accused of sadistic murder. Countess Bathory is often portrayed in many books as being fixated on her age and appearance, and she allegedly resorted to draining the blood of young peasant girls and bathing in it as a means to restore her youthfulness and maintain her beauty (“Blood Countess,” par. 4).
Despite three hundred witnesses and even confessions under torture from the Countess’s four accomplices, none of the allegations specifically mentioned her bathing in the blood of victims (“Bathory’s Accomplices,” par. 3). Surprisingly, the idea that Elizabeth bathed in blood only emerged in the 1700s, two centuries after her death (Craft 81). This notion gained popularity during that time because of a priest named Laszlo Turoczi, coinciding with the widespread “vampire mania” sweeping Europe during the mid-1700s.
Laszlo’s story was later adapted by Matej Bel in his encyclopedia on Hungarian history and geography (Craft 82). Due to Matej being an academic and his work being considered credible, the blood-bathing legend remained uncontested until now. This prompts us to examine the previous books and plays about Elizabeth and question the fairness of this interpretation of her life and crimes. What do we truly know about Elizabeth Bathory? Recent books, such as “Countess Dracula: Life and Times of Elisabeth Bathory” by Tony Throne and “The Infamous Lady” by Kimberly L. Craft, aim to separate fact from myth instead of focusing on the gruesome aspects of Elizabeth’s crimes. Many previous books on Elizabeth fail to mention her exceptional education during childhood. She was fluent in four languages, had the ability to read and write fluently, and showed interest in religion and the sciences. Documents written by her own hand serve as evidence of her writing fluency (Craft 148). Countess Elizabeth, according to all accounts, demonstrated care towards her children and ensured their well-being.
She ensured that her two daughters had fantastic weddings by arranging them to marry young men from prestigious families. Elizabeth also ensured that her son received a high-quality education and would inherit her estate (Craft 52). Additionally, the Countess generously supported the church, sponsored scholars and artists, and even safeguarded the incomes of the clergy (Craft 148). Considering all this evidence, it is astonishing to think that someone as brilliant, elegant, and wealthy as Countess Bathory could have been a sadistic and highly prolific serial killer.
In “The Infamous Lady” written by Kiberly Craft, it is suggested that Elizabeth was a victim of a conspiracy orchestrated by the aristocracy. The individuals who initially accused her were likely motivated by political and financial reasons. It was well-known that Elizabeth’s husband, Ferenc Nadasdy, had loaned a considerable amount of money to the Hungarian Crown. By the time of his death, the Crown owed him a significant sum of nearly 18000 gulden. This amount was so substantial that even King Matyas II could not afford to repay it (Craft 67).
When Ferenc was away on duty, Elizabeth ran all her husband’s estates, which was costly due to increasing tax bills. After Ferenc’s death, the money began to run out and Elizabeth lost the protection she had enjoyed as his wife. It was during this period that the Countess frequently traveled to Court, demanding that the King himself repay the debts owed to her late husband (Craft 115). One theory proposed that, due to the stress of her loneliness and vulnerability, the Countess experienced a mental breakdown and sought solace in committing acts of murder.
As the number of victims continued to increase, rumors began to circulate. In response, King Matyas commanded Lord Palentine Thurzo in Hungary to conduct a covert investigation on the Countess (“Blood Countess,” par. 1). Despite the Countess being sentenced to life imprisonment by Thurzo, King Matyas persisted in seeking another trial (Craft 180). It is apparent that the King hoped that if Elizabeth was executed, her belongings would be seized by the Crown and his debt to her would be nullified.
On the other hand, further investigation uncovered damning evidence against Ferenc Nadasdy, a national hero of Hungary, as well as several other nobles (Craft 181). To protect the reputations of Bathory, Nadasdy, and the other nobles, the King ultimately agreed to Lord Thurzo’s decision on the condition that his debt would be forgiven and he would receive a small portion of the Countess’s lands. In fact, from the start of the investigation, Thurzo was secretly planning to either send the Countess to a convent or imprison her for life in Csejthe Castle.
Thurzo and Elizabeth’s sons-in-law were ready to take charge of her estates once she was apprehended. Zrinyi, one of the Countess’s sons-in-law, sent Thurzo a letter discussing a share of valuable property (Craft119). In essence, everyone would benefit except for Countess Elizabeth. Ultimately, the Countess was not entirely innocent, but her situation demonstrates political plotting that resulted in grave injustices.
Elizabeth, an archetype of a serial killer, possessed the power and status to kill numerous young servants, resulting in a clear exaggeration of her story. The complexity surrounding her case makes her an intriguing subject for study, as we gradually strive to comprehend her personality and the motives behind her crimes.
