Elizabeth Báthory (1560-1614)

Children - had six children, but two of them died in infancy

### Hair Color

Some sources describe her hair as long and raven, while others mention that she often dyed it black. One source mentions that her hair was red. Therefore, it is unclear what her natural hair colour was.

### Best Known For

being a Hungarian countess and alleged serial killer who tortured and killed hundreds of young women in the 16th and 17th centuries

## About

Elizabeth Báthory (1560-1614) was a Hungarian noblewoman who is alleged to have tortured and murdered hundreds of young women in the 16th and 17th centuries. She was born into a prominent Protestant nobility family in Hungary, the Báthory family, who controlled Transylvania. Her father was Baron George VI Báthory of the Ecsed branch of the family, and her mother was Baroness Anna Báthory, daughter of another voivode of Transylvania. She was also the niece of Stephen Báthory, the king of Poland and the grand duke of Lithuania and the prince of Transylvania. Báthory was raised at the family castle in Ecséd, Hungary, and in 1575, she married Count Ferencz Nádasdy, a member of another powerful Hungarian family. They subsequently moved to Castle C̆achtice, a wedding gift from the Nádasdy family. From 1585 to 1595, Báthory bore four children. After Nádasdy’s death in 1604, rumors of Báthory’s cruelty began to surface. Though previous accounts of the murder of peasant women had apparently been ignored, the claims in 1609 that she had slain women from noble families attracted attention. Her cousin, György Thurzó, investigated the claims and arrested Báthory in 1610. Báthory was tried in 1611 and found guilty of 80 counts of murder. She was sentenced to life imprisonment and walled up in a room in her castle. She died in 1614 at the age of 54. The exact number of victims and the extent of Báthory's crimes are still debated by scholars.

## Early Life and Education

Elizabeth Báthory was born on August 7, 1560, in Hungary, to George Bathory and Anna Bathory, both of whom were nobles. She was related to the Voivode of Transylvania and the King of Poland. She was born into a prominent family at Castle Ecsed, which was located in a region that was frequently at war with the Ottoman Empire. She was considered a beautiful and well-educated girl and was endowed with wealth and a stellar social position.

## Personal Life

Elizabeth Báthory was born into a prominent Protestant nobility family in Hungary in 1560. She was considered a beautiful and well-educated girl. At the age of 11, she moved to Ecséd Castle, where she spent her childhood. In 1575, she married Count Ferencz Nádasdy, a member of another powerful Hungarian family, and subsequently moved to Castle C̆achtice, a wedding gift from the Nádasdy family. From 1585 to 1595, Báthory bore four children. After Nádasdy’s death in 1604, rumours of Báthory’s cruelty began to surface. She was accused of torturing and killing hundreds of young women. According to local witnesses, during the early years of her marriage, Elizabeth eloped with a peasant boy and was punished by her husband, who had the boy castrated and thrown to the dogs.

## Controversies

Elizabeth Báthory's alleged crimes have been the subject of controversy and debate for centuries. Some accounts suggest that she tortured and killed hundreds of young women, while others argue that she was the victim of a political conspiracy. Despite the lack of concrete evidence, Báthory was eventually imprisoned in her castle, where she died at the age of 54. The controversy surrounding Báthory's case has continued to this day, with some historians arguing that the accusations against her were exaggerated or fabricated. However, most experts agree that Báthory was responsible for the deaths of at least some of the young women who were under her care.

## Filmography

There are films based on Elizabeth Báthory's life. One of them is “Bathory: Countess of Blood” (2008), which tells the story of the Hungarian countess Elizabeth Bathory (1560-1614), who was notorious for torturing and killing young women.

## Litigation

Countess Elizabeth Báthory was arrested in 1610 along with four of her servants, and her trial was called into question. She was eventually confined to her castle, where she remained for the remainder of her life, until she died at the age of 54. According to György Thurzó, she was locked in a bricked room, but according to other sources, she was able to move freely and unhindered in the castle, more akin to house arrest. The case of Elizabeth Báthory inspired numerous stories during the 18th and 19th centuries, and the most common motif of these works was that of the countess bathing in her virgin victims' blood to retain beauty or youth.