Shades of her legend drift through Grimm and Once upon a Time. Reading about Joan of Arc, and drew some parallels. Future topics; the 17t c. witch hunts and persecution of women as witches and heretics. Will find woodcuts and other images. She is more in line with Anne Boleyn, Anne Askew, even Anne Hutchinson and others persecuted for having different religious beliefs. Even a Mary Magdalene. Some brainstorming food for thought; ideas?
cf; Colin Wilson, The History of Murder and The Mammoth Book of Crime; also, what happened in Vienna?
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Thank you to my Viewers
Thanks to all Viewing this new blog. I hope to have more information about the Snow White/Erzebet exhibit soon. We plan on this fall. I am also interested in hearing from Ingrid Pitt fans, and from those who love Countess Dracula, which is available on net flicks.
Also, there is the archtypical image of The Lady in the Tower, also a book about Anne Boleyn, and the image of Rapunzel and other damsels locked in towers, very similar to the legends of Erzebet. What justice would she have today? Here are some images of Anne Boleyn, who lived and died a generation or two before Erzebet.
The last image is of Mary Stuart.
Headless Historicals and Anne Rice; what do you think of Erzebet?
Also, there is the archtypical image of The Lady in the Tower, also a book about Anne Boleyn, and the image of Rapunzel and other damsels locked in towers, very similar to the legends of Erzebet. What justice would she have today? Here are some images of Anne Boleyn, who lived and died a generation or two before Erzebet.
The last image is of Mary Stuart.
Headless Historicals and Anne Rice; what do you think of Erzebet?
Monday, March 19, 2012
Images of Erzebet and Her Times
Here are some images inspired by, and associated with Erzebet. Snow White is being remade and retold, with more and more allusions to her. There is even a Dr. Who episode that makes a reference or two. Enjoy, and please comment. More to come;
Miss Charlotte Bronte meets Miss Barbara Pym: The Woman in Black
Miss Charlotte Bronte meets Miss Barbara Pym: The Woman in Black: I am dying to see this film, and I would love to hear from anyone who has. It is based on a book by Susan Hill, who wrote a sequel to Rebec...
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Some Sources
Here is another blog, with free newsletters, also written by a lawyer; Infamous Lady.com. http://www.infamouslady.com/files/COBSAE_Fall_2011.pdf,
You can sign up for the newsletters, or read them online. There are also things to buy, such as a custm made pewter figure of Erzebet. You can find many items with her image, including music by a rock band with her name on eBay and ETSY. The Ripley Museum at the Dells recently did an exhibit on vampires with a wax figure of Erzebet.
I also recommend the works of Ann Rosalind Jones, and my teacher, Mary Ellen Lamb, for criticism about women of Erzebet's time who were writers, and outspoken in their own right. They are women of the aristocracy and royal families of the early Renaissance to the early 17th century. Most were able to speak out from the subject positions of impending death or madness.
You can sign up for the newsletters, or read them online. There are also things to buy, such as a custm made pewter figure of Erzebet. You can find many items with her image, including music by a rock band with her name on eBay and ETSY. The Ripley Museum at the Dells recently did an exhibit on vampires with a wax figure of Erzebet.
I also recommend the works of Ann Rosalind Jones, and my teacher, Mary Ellen Lamb, for criticism about women of Erzebet's time who were writers, and outspoken in their own right. They are women of the aristocracy and royal families of the early Renaissance to the early 17th century. Most were able to speak out from the subject positions of impending death or madness.
Ezebet and the Legend of Snow White
This is the first of several blogs comparing the legend of Snow White to the legend of Erzebet. There are similarities between Erzebet and Maleficent, the Evil Queen. So, brush up on your Brothers Grimm, the adult and kiddie versions, and pay attention to the use of mirrors and imagery.
Also, we'll look at historical cults of eternal beauty, including legends of The Fountain of Youth, and home remedies for cosmetics that go back thousands of years. Remember that the home of Erzebet was steeped in legend and folklore. Read The Forests of the Vampire to learn more. Also, Umbert Eco's book, On Beauty is instructive and a wonderful read.
I will include my bibligraphy of vampire sources, which will be turned into a book.
Would love to hear from Mr. Andre Codrescu, and other Bathory scholars and writers.
Also, we'll look at historical cults of eternal beauty, including legends of The Fountain of Youth, and home remedies for cosmetics that go back thousands of years. Remember that the home of Erzebet was steeped in legend and folklore. Read The Forests of the Vampire to learn more. Also, Umbert Eco's book, On Beauty is instructive and a wonderful read.
I will include my bibligraphy of vampire sources, which will be turned into a book.
Would love to hear from Mr. Andre Codrescu, and other Bathory scholars and writers.
Saturday, March 3, 2012
A Vindication of the Rights of Women
A link for Mary Wollstonecraft's famous essay. It was an inspirtation for her famous daughter, Mary Shelley, author of Frankensetein. Too late for Erzebet, but still many issues faced by women in her time. http://www.bartleby.com/144/
Also, here is some informaton on Erzebet from Wikipedia, which is fairly credible, with good references:
Elizabeth Báthory From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Erzebet Bathory)
Jump to: navigation, search This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2008)
This article needs attention from an expert on the subject. See the talk page for details. WikiProject Criminal Biography may be able to help recruit an expert. (February 2010)
Erzsébet/Elizabeth Báthory
Background information
Birth name Erzsébet Báthory
Also known as The Blood Countess
The Bloody Lady of Čachtice
Born 7 August 1560(1560-08-07)
Nyírbátor, Hungary
Died August 21, 1614(1614-08-21) (aged 54)
Csejte, Kingdom of Hungary (today Čachtice, Slovakia)
Killings
Number of victims 714
Span of killings 1590–1610
Country Hungary
Date apprehended 30 December 1610
The native form of this personal name is ecsedi Báthory Erzsébet. This article uses the Western name order.
Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed (Báthory Erzsébet in Hungarian, Alžbeta Bátoriová in Slovak; 7 August 1560 – 21 August 1614) was a countess from the renowned Báthory family of Hungarian nobility. Although in modern times she has been labeled the most prolific female serial killer in history, the number of murders and even her guilt is debated. She is nevertheless remembered as the "Blood Countess."
After her husband's death, she and four collaborators were accused of torturing and killing hundreds of girls, with one source attributing to them over 650 victims, though the number for which they were convicted was 80.[1] Elizabeth herself was neither tried nor convicted. In 1610, however, she was imprisoned in the Csejte Castle, now in Slovakia and known as Čachtice, where she remained bricked in a set of rooms until her death four years later.
Later writings about the case have led to legendary accounts of the Countess bathing in the blood of virgins in order to retain her youth and subsequently also to comparisons with Vlad III the Impaler of Wallachia, on whom the fictional Count Dracula is partly based, and to modern nicknames of the Blood Countess and Countess Dracula.
Contents [hide]
1 Life
1.1 Early years
1.2 Married life
2 Trial
2.1 Early investigation
2.2 Arrest and trial
2.3 Last years and death
3 Accusations
4 Folklore and popular culture
5 See also
6 References
7 Further reading
8 External links
[edit] Life[edit] Early yearsElizabeth Báthory was born on a family estate in Nyírbátor, Hungary on 7 August 1560, and spent her childhood at Ecsed Castle. Her father was George Báthory of the Ecsed branch of the family, brother of Andrew Bonaventura Báthory, who had been Voivod of Transylvania, while her mother was Anna Báthory (1539–1570), daughter of Stephen Báthory of Somlyó, another Voivod of Transylvania, was of the Somlyó branch. Through her mother, Elizabeth was the niece of the Hungarian noble Stefan Báthory, King of Poland and Duke of Transylvania.
As a young woman she learned Latin, German and Greek.[2]
[edit] Married lifeElizabeth was engaged to Ferenc Nádasdy, in what was probably a political arrangement within the circles of the aristocracy. The couple married on 8 May 1575 when she was 14 and a half years old, in the little palace of Varannó. There were approximately 4,500 guests at the wedding. Elizabeth moved to Nádasdy Castle in Sárvár and spent much time on her own, while her husband studied in Vienna. Ferenc was the son of Baron Tamás Nádasdy de Nádasd et Fogarasföld and his wife, Orsolya Kanizsai.
Nádasdy’s wedding gift to Báthory was his home, Csejte Castle which was bought by his mother in 1569 and given to Ferenc who transferred it to Elizabeth during their nuptials[3] situated in the Little Carpathians near Trencsén (now Trenčín), together with the Csejte country house and 17 adjacent villages. The castle itself was surrounded by a village and agricultural lands, bordered by outcrops of the Little Carpathians. In 1578, Nádasdy became the chief commander of Hungarian troops, leading them to war against the Ottomans. With her husband away at war, Elizabeth Báthory managed business affairs and the estates. That role usually included providing for the Hungarian and Slovak peasants, even medical care.
During the height of the Long War (1593–1606), she was charged with the defence of her husband's estates, which lay on the route to Vienna.[2] The threat was significant, for the village of Csejte had previously been plundered by the Ottomans while Sárvár, located near the border that divided Royal Hungary and Ottoman occupied Hungary, was in even greater danger.
She was an educated woman who could read and write in four languages.[2] There were several instances where she intervened on behalf of destitute women, including a woman whose husband was captured by the Turks and a woman whose daughter was raped and impregnated.
Around 1585, Elizabeth gave birth to a daughter, Anna wife of Miklós (Nicolas) Zrinyi VI. (she died after 1605). Katalin (Katherine), György (George) Homonnai Drugeth's wife was born around 1594. A third daughter, Orsoly (Ursula), and her two sons, Pál (Paul) (1593/1597-1633/1650) father of Ferenc Nádasdy II.) and András (Andrew) (1598-1603). After this, Elizabeth had just more a son, Miklós (Nicholas) Zsuzsanna (Susanna) Zrinyi's husband).[4] All of her children were cared for by governesses as Elizabeth had been.
Elizabeth's husband died in 1604 at the age of 47, reportedly due to an injury sustained in battle. The couple had been married for 29 years.
[edit] Trial[edit] Early investigationBetween 1602 and 1604, Lutheran minister István Magyari complained about atrocities both publicly and with the court in Vienna, after rumors had spread.[5]
The Hungarian authorities took some time to respond to Magyari's complaints. Finally, in 1610, King Matthias assigned György Thurzo, the Palatine of Hungary, to investigate. Thurzó ordered two notaries to collect evidence in March 1610.[6] Even before obtaining the results,[7] Thurzó debated further proceedings with Elizabeth's son Paul and two of her sons-in-law. A trial and execution would have caused a public scandal and disgraced a noble and influential family (which at the time ruled Transylvania), and Elizabeth's considerable property would have been seized by the crown. Thurzó, along with Paul and her two sons-in-law, originally planned for Elizabeth to be spirited away to a nunnery, but as accounts of her murder of the daughters of lesser nobility spread, it was agreed that Elizabeth Báthory should be kept under strict house arrest, but that further punishment should be avoided.[8] It was also determined that Matthias would not have to repay his large debt to her, for which he lacked sufficient funds.[9]
[edit] Arrest and trialThurzó went to Csejte Castle on 30 December 1610 and arrested Báthory and four of her servants, who were accused of being her accomplices. Thurzó's men reportedly found one girl dead and one dying. They reported that another woman was found wounded, others locked up.[10]
While the countess was put under house arrest (and remained so walled up within the tower with only but one slit to give her provisions till death four years later),
King Matthias requested that Elizabeth be sentenced to death. However, Thurzó successfully convinced the king that such an act would negatively affect the nobility. Hence, a trial was postponed indefinitely. Thurzo's motivation for such an intervention is debated by scholars.
The countess' associates however were brought to court. A trial was held on 7 January 1611 at Bicse, presided over by Royal Supreme Court judge Theodosious Syrmiensis de Szulo and 20 associate judges. Bathory herself did not appear at the trial.[9]
The defendants at that trial were Dorotya Semtész, Ilona Jó, Kataínka Benická, and János Újváry ("Ibis" or Ficko).
Semtész, Jó and Ficko were found guilty and condemned to death, the sentence being carried out immediately. Before being burned at the stake, Semtész and Jó had their fingers ripped off their hands with hot pokers, while Ficko, who was deemed less culpable, was beheaded before being consigned to the flames. A red gallows was erected near the castle to show the public that justice had been done. Benická was sentenced to life imprisonment, since recorded testimony indicated that she was dominated and bullied by the other women.
[edit] Last years and deathDuring the trial of her primary servants, Báthory was placed on house arrest where she was immured in her castle. She remained there for four years, until her death.
King Matthias had urged Thurzo to bring her to court and two notaries were sent to collect further evidence,[11] but in the end no court proceedings against her were ever commenced.
On 21 August 1614, Elizabeth Báthory was found dead in her castle. Since there were several plates of food untouched, her actual date of death is unknown. She was buried in the church of Csejte, but due to the villagers' uproar over having "The Tigress of Csejte" buried in their cemetery, her body was moved to her birth home at Ecsed, where it is interred at the Báthory family crypt.[12]
[edit] AccusationsIn 1610 and 1611, the notaries collected testimony from more than 300 witnesses. The trial records include the testimony of the four defendants, as well as thirteen witnesses. Priests, noblemen and commoners were questioned. Witnesses included the castellan and other personnel of Sárvár castle.
According to all this testimony, her initial victims were the adolescent daughters of local peasants, many of whom were lured to Csejte by offers of well-paid work as maidservants in the castle. Later, she is said to have begun to kill daughters of the lesser gentry, who were sent to her gynaeceum by their parents to learn courtly etiquette. Abductions were said to have occurred as well.
The descriptions of torture that emerged during the trials were often based on hearsay. The atrocities described most consistently included severe beatings, burning, mutilation and starvation.
Some witnesses named relatives who died while at the gynaeceum. Others reported having seen traces of torture on dead bodies, some of which were buried in graveyards, and others in unmarked locations. According to the testimony of the defendants, Elizabeth Báthory tortured and killed her victims not only at Csejte but also on her properties in Sárvár, Németkeresztúr, Bratislava, (then Pozsony, Pressburg), and Vienna, and even between these locations. In addition to the defendants, several people were named for supplying Elizabeth Báthory with young women. The girls had been procured either by deception or by force. A little-known figure named Anna Darvulia was rumored to have influenced Báthory, but Darvulia was dead long before the trial.
The exact number of young women tortured and killed by Elizabeth Báthory is unknown, though it is often speculated to be as high as 650. The estimates differ greatly. During the trial and before their execution, Szentes and Ficko reported 36 and 37 respectively, during their periods of service. The other defendants estimated a number of 50 or higher. Many Sárvár castle personnel estimated the number of bodies removed from the castle at between 100 to 200. There was a rumor of a book in which a total of over 650 victims was supposed to have been listed by Báthory herself. This number became part of the legend surrounding Báthory. Reportedly, the location of the diaries, if they ever existed, is unknown, but 32 letters written by Báthory are stored in the Hungarian state archives in Budapest.[13]
László Nagy has argued that Elizabeth Báthory was a victim of a conspiracy,[14] a view opposed by others.[15] Nagy argued that the proceedings were largely politically motivated. The theory is consistent with Hungarian history at that time. There was great conflict between religions, including Protestant ones, and this was related to the extension of Habsburg power over Hungary.[16] As a Transylvanian Protestant aristocrat, Elizabeth belonged to a group generally opposed to the Habsburgs.
[edit] Folklore and popular cultureMain article: Elizabeth Báthory in popular culture
The case of Elizabeth Báthory inspired numerous stories during the eighteenth and 19th centuries. The most common motif of these works was that of the countess bathing in her victims' blood in order to retain beauty or youth.
This legend appeared in print for the first time in 1729, in the Jesuit scholar László Turóczi’s Tragica Historia,[17] the first written account of the Báthory case. At the beginning of the 19th century, this certainty was questioned, and sadistic pleasure was considered a far more plausible motive for Elizabeth Báthory's crimes.[18] In 1817, the witness accounts (which had surfaced in 1765) were published for the first time,[19] which included no references to bloodbaths.
The legend nonetheless persisted in the popular imagination. Some versions of the story were told with the purpose of denouncing female vanity, while other versions aimed to entertain or thrill their audience. The ethnic divisions in Eastern Europe and financial incentives for tourism contribute to the problems with historical accuracy in understanding Elizabeth Báthory. During the twentieth and 21st centuries, Elizabeth Báthory has continued to appear as a character in music, film, plays, books, games and toys and to serve as an inspiration for similar characters.
[edit] See also Hungary portal
Biography portal
Politics portal
Darya Nikolayevna Saltykova
Delphine LaLaurie
Gilles de Rais
Hungarian nobility
La Quintrala
Vlad Dracula
[edit] References1.^ "Countess Elizabeth Bathory – The Blood Countess." The Crime Library.
2.^ a b c Báthory Erzsébet – Báthory Erzsébet: Short FAQ
3.^ Craft,Kimberly L."Infamous Lady the true story of countess Erzsebet Bathory" first edition Kimberly L. Craft Esq, 2009, p.35.
4.^ Genealogy of the Nádasdy family
5.^ Farin, Heroine des Grauens, p. 234–237.
6.^ Letters from Thurzó to both men on 5 March 1610, printed in Farin, Heroine des Grauens, p. 265–266, 276–278.
7.^ On 19 September 1610, Andreas of Keresztúr sent 34 witness accounts to Thurzó. On 27 October 1610, Mózes Cziráky sent 18 accounts.
8.^ Letter from 12 December 1610 by Elizabeth's son-in-law Zrínyi to Thurzo refers to agreement made earlier. See Farin, Heroine des Grauens, p. 291.
9.^ a b McNally, Raymond T. (1983). Dracula Was a Woman: In Search of the Blood Countess of Transylvania. New York: McGraw Hill. ISBN 0-07-045671-2.
10.^ Letter from Thurzó to his wife, 30 December 1610, printed in Farin, Heroine des Grauens, p. 293.
11.^ 224 Witness accounts were sent to Matthias on 28 July 1611 by A. of Keresztúr, 12 by M. Cziraky on 14 December 1611,
12.^ Farin, Heroine des Grauens, p. 246.
13.^ FAQ. bathory.org.
14.^ Nagy, László. A rossz hirü Báthoryak. Budapest: Kossuth Könyvkiadó 1984
15.^ Pollák, György. Az irástudók felelötlensége. In: Kritika. Müvelödéspollitikai és kritikai lap. Budapest, January 1986, p. 21–22.
16.^ Sugar, P.F., etal:A History of Hungary. Indiana University Press, 1990, p. 97
17.^ in Ungaria suis *** regibus compendia data, Typis Academicis Soc. Jesu per Fridericum Gall. Anno MCCCXXIX. Mense Sepembri Die 8. p 188–193, quoted by Farin
18.^ Alois Freyherr von Mednyansky: Elisabeth Báthory, in Hesperus, Prague, October 1812, vol. 2, No. 59, p. 470–472, quoted by Farin, Heroine des Grauens, p. 61–65.
19.^ Hesperus, Prague, June 1817, Vol. 1, No. 31, p. 241–248 and July 1817, Vol. 2, No. 34, p. 270–272
[edit] Further readingIn English:
Craft, Kimberly (2009). Infamous Lady: The True Story of Countess Erzsébet Báthory. ISBN 1-4495-1344-1.
McNally, Raymond T. (1983). Dracula Was a Woman: In Search of the Blood Countess of Transylvania. New York: McGraw Hill. ISBN 0-07-045671-2.
Penrose, Valentine (trans. Alexander Trocchi) (2006). The Bloody Countess: Atrocities of Erzsébet Báthory. Solar Books. ISBN 0-9714578-2-4.
Thorne, Tony (1997). Countess Dracula. Bloomsbury. ISBN 0-7475-2900-0.
In French:
Périsset, Maurice (2001). La comtesse de sang. Pygmalion. ISBN 2-85704-700-2.
In German:
Farin, Michael (2003). Heroine des Grauens. Elisabeth Báthory. Munich: P. Kirchheim. ISBN 3-87410-038-3.
In Hungarian:
Bessenyei, József (2005). A Nádasdyak. General Press Kiadó. ISBN 963-9598-65-8.
Lengyel, Tünde and Várkonyi, Gábor (2010). Báthory Erzsébet, Egy asszony élete. General Press Kiadó. ISBN 978-963-643-168-6.
Nagy, László (1984). A rossz hírű Báthoryak. Kossuth Könyvkiadó. ISBN 963-09-2308-4.
Nagy, László (1987). Az erős fekete bég: Nádasdy Ferenc. Zrínyi Katonai Könyv és Lapkiadó. ISBN 963-326-933-4.
Nemere, István (2009). Báthory Erzsébet magánélete. Könyvmolyképző Kiadó. ISBN 978-963-245-193-0.
Péter, Katalin (1985). A csejtei várúrnő: Báthory Erzsébet. Helikon. ISBN 963-207-652-4.
Rexa, Dezső (1908). Báthory Erzsébet Nádasdy Ferencné. Benkő Gyula Udvari Könyvkereskedése.
Supka, Géza (1940?). Az átkozott asszony: Nádasdy Ferencné, Báthory Erzsébet bűnügye. Erdélyi Egyetemes Könyvtár.
Szádeczky-Kardoss, Irma (1993). Báthory Erzsébet igazsága. Nestor Kiadó. ISBN 963-7523-26-X.
In Slovak:
Dvořák, Pavel (1999). Krvavá grófka: Alžbeta Bátoryová, fakty a výmysly. Slovart. ISBN 978-80-85501-07-0.
Nižnánsky, Jožo (2001). Čachtická pani. Media klub. ISBN 80-88963-52-4.
[edit] External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Elizabeth Báthory
Crime Library article on Erzsébet Báthory
BBC piece on Erzsébet Báthory
A genealogy of the Nádasdy family, including her descendants
A genealogy of the Báthory family
History and new research on Erzsébet Báthory
A complete genealogy of all descendants Elizabeth Báthory XVII – XX century
Persondata
Name Báthory, Elizabeth
Alternative names Báthory Erzsébet (Hungarian); Bátoriová(-Nádašdy), Alžbeta (Slovak); Bloody Lady of Csejte (nickname); Lady Dracula (nickname)
Short description Countess and serial killer
Date of birth 7 August?, 1560
Place of birth Nyírbátor, Hungary
Date of death 21 August 1614
Place of death Csejte, Hungary
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elizabeth_B%C3%A1thory&oldid=478900508"
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Also, here is some informaton on Erzebet from Wikipedia, which is fairly credible, with good references:
Elizabeth Báthory From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Erzebet Bathory)
Jump to: navigation, search This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2008)
This article needs attention from an expert on the subject. See the talk page for details. WikiProject Criminal Biography may be able to help recruit an expert. (February 2010)
Erzsébet/Elizabeth Báthory
Background information
Birth name Erzsébet Báthory
Also known as The Blood Countess
The Bloody Lady of Čachtice
Born 7 August 1560(1560-08-07)
Nyírbátor, Hungary
Died August 21, 1614(1614-08-21) (aged 54)
Csejte, Kingdom of Hungary (today Čachtice, Slovakia)
Killings
Number of victims 714
Span of killings 1590–1610
Country Hungary
Date apprehended 30 December 1610
The native form of this personal name is ecsedi Báthory Erzsébet. This article uses the Western name order.
Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed (Báthory Erzsébet in Hungarian, Alžbeta Bátoriová in Slovak; 7 August 1560 – 21 August 1614) was a countess from the renowned Báthory family of Hungarian nobility. Although in modern times she has been labeled the most prolific female serial killer in history, the number of murders and even her guilt is debated. She is nevertheless remembered as the "Blood Countess."
After her husband's death, she and four collaborators were accused of torturing and killing hundreds of girls, with one source attributing to them over 650 victims, though the number for which they were convicted was 80.[1] Elizabeth herself was neither tried nor convicted. In 1610, however, she was imprisoned in the Csejte Castle, now in Slovakia and known as Čachtice, where she remained bricked in a set of rooms until her death four years later.
Later writings about the case have led to legendary accounts of the Countess bathing in the blood of virgins in order to retain her youth and subsequently also to comparisons with Vlad III the Impaler of Wallachia, on whom the fictional Count Dracula is partly based, and to modern nicknames of the Blood Countess and Countess Dracula.
Contents [hide]
1 Life
1.1 Early years
1.2 Married life
2 Trial
2.1 Early investigation
2.2 Arrest and trial
2.3 Last years and death
3 Accusations
4 Folklore and popular culture
5 See also
6 References
7 Further reading
8 External links
[edit] Life[edit] Early yearsElizabeth Báthory was born on a family estate in Nyírbátor, Hungary on 7 August 1560, and spent her childhood at Ecsed Castle. Her father was George Báthory of the Ecsed branch of the family, brother of Andrew Bonaventura Báthory, who had been Voivod of Transylvania, while her mother was Anna Báthory (1539–1570), daughter of Stephen Báthory of Somlyó, another Voivod of Transylvania, was of the Somlyó branch. Through her mother, Elizabeth was the niece of the Hungarian noble Stefan Báthory, King of Poland and Duke of Transylvania.
As a young woman she learned Latin, German and Greek.[2]
[edit] Married lifeElizabeth was engaged to Ferenc Nádasdy, in what was probably a political arrangement within the circles of the aristocracy. The couple married on 8 May 1575 when she was 14 and a half years old, in the little palace of Varannó. There were approximately 4,500 guests at the wedding. Elizabeth moved to Nádasdy Castle in Sárvár and spent much time on her own, while her husband studied in Vienna. Ferenc was the son of Baron Tamás Nádasdy de Nádasd et Fogarasföld and his wife, Orsolya Kanizsai.
Nádasdy’s wedding gift to Báthory was his home, Csejte Castle which was bought by his mother in 1569 and given to Ferenc who transferred it to Elizabeth during their nuptials[3] situated in the Little Carpathians near Trencsén (now Trenčín), together with the Csejte country house and 17 adjacent villages. The castle itself was surrounded by a village and agricultural lands, bordered by outcrops of the Little Carpathians. In 1578, Nádasdy became the chief commander of Hungarian troops, leading them to war against the Ottomans. With her husband away at war, Elizabeth Báthory managed business affairs and the estates. That role usually included providing for the Hungarian and Slovak peasants, even medical care.
During the height of the Long War (1593–1606), she was charged with the defence of her husband's estates, which lay on the route to Vienna.[2] The threat was significant, for the village of Csejte had previously been plundered by the Ottomans while Sárvár, located near the border that divided Royal Hungary and Ottoman occupied Hungary, was in even greater danger.
She was an educated woman who could read and write in four languages.[2] There were several instances where she intervened on behalf of destitute women, including a woman whose husband was captured by the Turks and a woman whose daughter was raped and impregnated.
Around 1585, Elizabeth gave birth to a daughter, Anna wife of Miklós (Nicolas) Zrinyi VI. (she died after 1605). Katalin (Katherine), György (George) Homonnai Drugeth's wife was born around 1594. A third daughter, Orsoly (Ursula), and her two sons, Pál (Paul) (1593/1597-1633/1650) father of Ferenc Nádasdy II.) and András (Andrew) (1598-1603). After this, Elizabeth had just more a son, Miklós (Nicholas) Zsuzsanna (Susanna) Zrinyi's husband).[4] All of her children were cared for by governesses as Elizabeth had been.
Elizabeth's husband died in 1604 at the age of 47, reportedly due to an injury sustained in battle. The couple had been married for 29 years.
[edit] Trial[edit] Early investigationBetween 1602 and 1604, Lutheran minister István Magyari complained about atrocities both publicly and with the court in Vienna, after rumors had spread.[5]
The Hungarian authorities took some time to respond to Magyari's complaints. Finally, in 1610, King Matthias assigned György Thurzo, the Palatine of Hungary, to investigate. Thurzó ordered two notaries to collect evidence in March 1610.[6] Even before obtaining the results,[7] Thurzó debated further proceedings with Elizabeth's son Paul and two of her sons-in-law. A trial and execution would have caused a public scandal and disgraced a noble and influential family (which at the time ruled Transylvania), and Elizabeth's considerable property would have been seized by the crown. Thurzó, along with Paul and her two sons-in-law, originally planned for Elizabeth to be spirited away to a nunnery, but as accounts of her murder of the daughters of lesser nobility spread, it was agreed that Elizabeth Báthory should be kept under strict house arrest, but that further punishment should be avoided.[8] It was also determined that Matthias would not have to repay his large debt to her, for which he lacked sufficient funds.[9]
[edit] Arrest and trialThurzó went to Csejte Castle on 30 December 1610 and arrested Báthory and four of her servants, who were accused of being her accomplices. Thurzó's men reportedly found one girl dead and one dying. They reported that another woman was found wounded, others locked up.[10]
While the countess was put under house arrest (and remained so walled up within the tower with only but one slit to give her provisions till death four years later),
King Matthias requested that Elizabeth be sentenced to death. However, Thurzó successfully convinced the king that such an act would negatively affect the nobility. Hence, a trial was postponed indefinitely. Thurzo's motivation for such an intervention is debated by scholars.
The countess' associates however were brought to court. A trial was held on 7 January 1611 at Bicse, presided over by Royal Supreme Court judge Theodosious Syrmiensis de Szulo and 20 associate judges. Bathory herself did not appear at the trial.[9]
The defendants at that trial were Dorotya Semtész, Ilona Jó, Kataínka Benická, and János Újváry ("Ibis" or Ficko).
Semtész, Jó and Ficko were found guilty and condemned to death, the sentence being carried out immediately. Before being burned at the stake, Semtész and Jó had their fingers ripped off their hands with hot pokers, while Ficko, who was deemed less culpable, was beheaded before being consigned to the flames. A red gallows was erected near the castle to show the public that justice had been done. Benická was sentenced to life imprisonment, since recorded testimony indicated that she was dominated and bullied by the other women.
[edit] Last years and deathDuring the trial of her primary servants, Báthory was placed on house arrest where she was immured in her castle. She remained there for four years, until her death.
King Matthias had urged Thurzo to bring her to court and two notaries were sent to collect further evidence,[11] but in the end no court proceedings against her were ever commenced.
On 21 August 1614, Elizabeth Báthory was found dead in her castle. Since there were several plates of food untouched, her actual date of death is unknown. She was buried in the church of Csejte, but due to the villagers' uproar over having "The Tigress of Csejte" buried in their cemetery, her body was moved to her birth home at Ecsed, where it is interred at the Báthory family crypt.[12]
[edit] AccusationsIn 1610 and 1611, the notaries collected testimony from more than 300 witnesses. The trial records include the testimony of the four defendants, as well as thirteen witnesses. Priests, noblemen and commoners were questioned. Witnesses included the castellan and other personnel of Sárvár castle.
According to all this testimony, her initial victims were the adolescent daughters of local peasants, many of whom were lured to Csejte by offers of well-paid work as maidservants in the castle. Later, she is said to have begun to kill daughters of the lesser gentry, who were sent to her gynaeceum by their parents to learn courtly etiquette. Abductions were said to have occurred as well.
The descriptions of torture that emerged during the trials were often based on hearsay. The atrocities described most consistently included severe beatings, burning, mutilation and starvation.
Some witnesses named relatives who died while at the gynaeceum. Others reported having seen traces of torture on dead bodies, some of which were buried in graveyards, and others in unmarked locations. According to the testimony of the defendants, Elizabeth Báthory tortured and killed her victims not only at Csejte but also on her properties in Sárvár, Németkeresztúr, Bratislava, (then Pozsony, Pressburg), and Vienna, and even between these locations. In addition to the defendants, several people were named for supplying Elizabeth Báthory with young women. The girls had been procured either by deception or by force. A little-known figure named Anna Darvulia was rumored to have influenced Báthory, but Darvulia was dead long before the trial.
The exact number of young women tortured and killed by Elizabeth Báthory is unknown, though it is often speculated to be as high as 650. The estimates differ greatly. During the trial and before their execution, Szentes and Ficko reported 36 and 37 respectively, during their periods of service. The other defendants estimated a number of 50 or higher. Many Sárvár castle personnel estimated the number of bodies removed from the castle at between 100 to 200. There was a rumor of a book in which a total of over 650 victims was supposed to have been listed by Báthory herself. This number became part of the legend surrounding Báthory. Reportedly, the location of the diaries, if they ever existed, is unknown, but 32 letters written by Báthory are stored in the Hungarian state archives in Budapest.[13]
László Nagy has argued that Elizabeth Báthory was a victim of a conspiracy,[14] a view opposed by others.[15] Nagy argued that the proceedings were largely politically motivated. The theory is consistent with Hungarian history at that time. There was great conflict between religions, including Protestant ones, and this was related to the extension of Habsburg power over Hungary.[16] As a Transylvanian Protestant aristocrat, Elizabeth belonged to a group generally opposed to the Habsburgs.
[edit] Folklore and popular cultureMain article: Elizabeth Báthory in popular culture
The case of Elizabeth Báthory inspired numerous stories during the eighteenth and 19th centuries. The most common motif of these works was that of the countess bathing in her victims' blood in order to retain beauty or youth.
This legend appeared in print for the first time in 1729, in the Jesuit scholar László Turóczi’s Tragica Historia,[17] the first written account of the Báthory case. At the beginning of the 19th century, this certainty was questioned, and sadistic pleasure was considered a far more plausible motive for Elizabeth Báthory's crimes.[18] In 1817, the witness accounts (which had surfaced in 1765) were published for the first time,[19] which included no references to bloodbaths.
The legend nonetheless persisted in the popular imagination. Some versions of the story were told with the purpose of denouncing female vanity, while other versions aimed to entertain or thrill their audience. The ethnic divisions in Eastern Europe and financial incentives for tourism contribute to the problems with historical accuracy in understanding Elizabeth Báthory. During the twentieth and 21st centuries, Elizabeth Báthory has continued to appear as a character in music, film, plays, books, games and toys and to serve as an inspiration for similar characters.
[edit] See also Hungary portal
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[edit] References1.^ "Countess Elizabeth Bathory – The Blood Countess." The Crime Library.
2.^ a b c Báthory Erzsébet – Báthory Erzsébet: Short FAQ
3.^ Craft,Kimberly L."Infamous Lady the true story of countess Erzsebet Bathory" first edition Kimberly L. Craft Esq, 2009, p.35.
4.^ Genealogy of the Nádasdy family
5.^ Farin, Heroine des Grauens, p. 234–237.
6.^ Letters from Thurzó to both men on 5 March 1610, printed in Farin, Heroine des Grauens, p. 265–266, 276–278.
7.^ On 19 September 1610, Andreas of Keresztúr sent 34 witness accounts to Thurzó. On 27 October 1610, Mózes Cziráky sent 18 accounts.
8.^ Letter from 12 December 1610 by Elizabeth's son-in-law Zrínyi to Thurzo refers to agreement made earlier. See Farin, Heroine des Grauens, p. 291.
9.^ a b McNally, Raymond T. (1983). Dracula Was a Woman: In Search of the Blood Countess of Transylvania. New York: McGraw Hill. ISBN 0-07-045671-2.
10.^ Letter from Thurzó to his wife, 30 December 1610, printed in Farin, Heroine des Grauens, p. 293.
11.^ 224 Witness accounts were sent to Matthias on 28 July 1611 by A. of Keresztúr, 12 by M. Cziraky on 14 December 1611,
12.^ Farin, Heroine des Grauens, p. 246.
13.^ FAQ. bathory.org.
14.^ Nagy, László. A rossz hirü Báthoryak. Budapest: Kossuth Könyvkiadó 1984
15.^ Pollák, György. Az irástudók felelötlensége. In: Kritika. Müvelödéspollitikai és kritikai lap. Budapest, January 1986, p. 21–22.
16.^ Sugar, P.F., etal:A History of Hungary. Indiana University Press, 1990, p. 97
17.^ in Ungaria suis *** regibus compendia data, Typis Academicis Soc. Jesu per Fridericum Gall. Anno MCCCXXIX. Mense Sepembri Die 8. p 188–193, quoted by Farin
18.^ Alois Freyherr von Mednyansky: Elisabeth Báthory, in Hesperus, Prague, October 1812, vol. 2, No. 59, p. 470–472, quoted by Farin, Heroine des Grauens, p. 61–65.
19.^ Hesperus, Prague, June 1817, Vol. 1, No. 31, p. 241–248 and July 1817, Vol. 2, No. 34, p. 270–272
[edit] Further readingIn English:
Craft, Kimberly (2009). Infamous Lady: The True Story of Countess Erzsébet Báthory. ISBN 1-4495-1344-1.
McNally, Raymond T. (1983). Dracula Was a Woman: In Search of the Blood Countess of Transylvania. New York: McGraw Hill. ISBN 0-07-045671-2.
Penrose, Valentine (trans. Alexander Trocchi) (2006). The Bloody Countess: Atrocities of Erzsébet Báthory. Solar Books. ISBN 0-9714578-2-4.
Thorne, Tony (1997). Countess Dracula. Bloomsbury. ISBN 0-7475-2900-0.
In French:
Périsset, Maurice (2001). La comtesse de sang. Pygmalion. ISBN 2-85704-700-2.
In German:
Farin, Michael (2003). Heroine des Grauens. Elisabeth Báthory. Munich: P. Kirchheim. ISBN 3-87410-038-3.
In Hungarian:
Bessenyei, József (2005). A Nádasdyak. General Press Kiadó. ISBN 963-9598-65-8.
Lengyel, Tünde and Várkonyi, Gábor (2010). Báthory Erzsébet, Egy asszony élete. General Press Kiadó. ISBN 978-963-643-168-6.
Nagy, László (1984). A rossz hírű Báthoryak. Kossuth Könyvkiadó. ISBN 963-09-2308-4.
Nagy, László (1987). Az erős fekete bég: Nádasdy Ferenc. Zrínyi Katonai Könyv és Lapkiadó. ISBN 963-326-933-4.
Nemere, István (2009). Báthory Erzsébet magánélete. Könyvmolyképző Kiadó. ISBN 978-963-245-193-0.
Péter, Katalin (1985). A csejtei várúrnő: Báthory Erzsébet. Helikon. ISBN 963-207-652-4.
Rexa, Dezső (1908). Báthory Erzsébet Nádasdy Ferencné. Benkő Gyula Udvari Könyvkereskedése.
Supka, Géza (1940?). Az átkozott asszony: Nádasdy Ferencné, Báthory Erzsébet bűnügye. Erdélyi Egyetemes Könyvtár.
Szádeczky-Kardoss, Irma (1993). Báthory Erzsébet igazsága. Nestor Kiadó. ISBN 963-7523-26-X.
In Slovak:
Dvořák, Pavel (1999). Krvavá grófka: Alžbeta Bátoryová, fakty a výmysly. Slovart. ISBN 978-80-85501-07-0.
Nižnánsky, Jožo (2001). Čachtická pani. Media klub. ISBN 80-88963-52-4.
[edit] External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Elizabeth Báthory
Crime Library article on Erzsébet Báthory
BBC piece on Erzsébet Báthory
A genealogy of the Nádasdy family, including her descendants
A genealogy of the Báthory family
History and new research on Erzsébet Báthory
A complete genealogy of all descendants Elizabeth Báthory XVII – XX century
Persondata
Name Báthory, Elizabeth
Alternative names Báthory Erzsébet (Hungarian); Bátoriová(-Nádašdy), Alžbeta (Slovak); Bloody Lady of Csejte (nickname); Lady Dracula (nickname)
Short description Countess and serial killer
Date of birth 7 August?, 1560
Place of birth Nyírbátor, Hungary
Date of death 21 August 1614
Place of death Csejte, Hungary
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Elizabeth_B%C3%A1thory&oldid=478900508"
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