Find me here:
  The Paranormal Guide
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Atlas
  • Glossary

Blood Countess Elizabeth Bathory

21/3/2013

Comments

 
Picture
Labelled as one of the most prolific women serial killers in history, Elizabeth Bathory earned herself the reputation as the "Blood Countess". The total number of young women she tortured and killed is unknown.

Some of the legends make for a macabre story, but are they all true?

A Killer Dies

PictureCsejte Castle - Elizabeth's tower on the right.
On 21st August 1614, a jailer in Csejte Castle climbed the stairs of one of its towers and found several plates of food, lying untouched, near a hole in a bricked up wall. The wall was built to contain one of histories most notorious figures, and the jailer used the untouched plates as an excuse to look through the hole, to get a better look at this killer.

Within was the body of a woman, she had died sometime in the previous couple of days. No one could know the exact date, as she was bricked into the tower alone, and had been for the past four years.

She was buried in the grounds of the Church of Csejte, but the villagers, the ones who felt the impact of her crimes the most, rebelled. Her body was dug up and taken to Ecsed, Hungary, where she had been born.

PictureEcsed town and castle where Elizabeth grew up.
It was here she was interred into her family’s crypt, surrounded by others of the Bathory family. The 'Blood Countesses' travel complete.

Elizabeth Bathory – as she is known in western cultures – known natively as Báthory Erzsébet in Hungarian, and Alžbeta Bátoriová in Slovak, was born into nobility on 7th August, 1560. Her family name was very prominent in the region, having been that of the King of Poland and several Voivods (governors/generals/princes) of Transylvania.

She was married off early in a political arrangement, where she was gifted the Csejte Castle (now known as Cachtice Castle in Slovakia) by her new husband. Quite a gift for someone only fourteen years of age. Along with the castle came 17 villages and a country house.

Bathory’s husband, Ferenc Nadasdy, was soon off to war, as he was the chief commander of the Hungarian army, and while he was away she would take care of the estate and business affairs. In 1585 she gave birth to her first child, a daughter, and it was at about this time that disappearances of young girls began to take place.

Atrocities Beyond Compare

PictureThe 'Blood Countess'
Soon rumours began to spread of atrocities committed within Csejte Castle. It was not until a Lutheran minister officially complained to the Vienna courts that an investigation was begun. After collecting some 300 statements from witnesses, and others living in the villages surrounding the castle, a picture of the crimes began to form.

Elizabeth was said to be luring young women to her castle, and other properties, in order to torture and murder them. At first the victims were the daughters of peasants who were sent for on the promise of work, and then after running out of these she began to lure those of more noble blood, on the pretence of learning court etiquette. It was only after several daughters of those more influential or rich went missing that something was done.

It is unknown how many women were victims of Bathory's crimes, and estimates range from the mid-thirties to over six hundred. However, what is well known are the atrocities that were played out on them – They were beaten, burned and mutilated. She would bite the flesh off their limbs and faces, and once she was done, she would either place them somewhere to freeze or starve to death.

Just before new years in 1610, Elizabeth and several of her servants were arrested at the castle. During the arrest and search of the premises, several bodies were found, another girl wounded and dying, and many more locked up. Elizabeth was placed under immediate house arrest.

PictureAnother view of Csejte Castle where Bathory died.
However, the authorities had a problem. Although Bathory’s crimes could not go unpunished, they wanted to avoid a political scandal if they could. The Bathory family were essentially rulers of Transylvania, and influential members of other parts of the region. It was decided to try to secretly take her to a nunnery, to spend the remainder of her life. Unfortunately for Elizabeth, news of her atrocities reached the ears of some of the nobility whose own daughters went missing, and letting her off the hook would no longer do.

Elizabeth was not allowed to defend herself at a trial (some people believe that the entire event was a conspiracy against Elizabeth and the family, and none of these crimes even took place or at least not at her hands) and was immured within a tower in her castle. She was allowed several rooms, but the entrance to the tower was bricked up, with just a hole for food and provisions provided. She was imprisoned like this for four years, before she eventually died.

Of the servants that were arrested with her, three were burned alive – one beheaded beforehand, while the other two had their fingers torn from their hands – the last servant was given life imprisonment.

Can Blood Help Maintain Ones Youth and Beauty?

PictureKim Kardashian gets a 'vampire facial'.
It has been argued as to why Elizabeth Bathory tortured and killed so many women. Although many suggest it was just a depraved woman providing herself with sick and twisted entertainment, history has seen that a more intriguing idea has been put forward.

Although no witness accounts talk of bathing in blood, it would seem this has become the more popular notion. There are several legends and versions on why she started, but they all culminate in the same thing – Elizabeth Bathory believed that the blood of young women allowed her to retain her youth. She would bleed the girls dry and apply and bathe in their blood.

There is no real evidence for this but it makes for a good story.

But what if it was true?
Can human blood help keep a woman’s youthful appearance?

Many celebrities and people of money seem to think so. A vampire or blood facial is a more recent type of beauty therapy that some are seeking out. The process begins with the technician taking several vials of their clients blood, and placing it in a centrifuge where the plasma, platelets and red blood cells are separated.

The technician then uses a 'wand', which has many fine needles to puncture the face thousands of times, before applying the platelets and plasma to the skin – the punctures help absorption.

As with all beauty therapy, the belief is that the process leaves the patient with a healthier, youthful appearance. Kim Kardashian and several others have undergone and speak for the therapy. Maybe Elizabeth Bathory had just been an early adopter of this process... but utilising a much more ghastly and terrible method...

Ashley Hall 2013

Please leave your comments and further information below!

Comments
comments powered by Disqus

    The Paranormal Guide Articles

    Here you will find all of the articles written for The Paranormal Guide on all things paranormal, strange, dark, macabre, weird, strange and bizarre!

    All photos with the blog posts remain the property of their respectful owners. If one of your photos is featured here without attribution please leave a comment on the blog and full credit will be given.

    Categories

    All
    Bizarre Experiments
    Conspiracy
    Cryptozoology
    Cursed And Haunted Objects
    Curses Demons And Exorcisms
    Earth Mysteries
    Fakes Frauds And Hoaxes
    Ghosts And Hauntings
    Ghosts Ghouls And Demons
    Interesting And Inspiring People
    Investigations
    Miracles
    My Paranormal
    Paranormal Photos
    Paranormal Vocabulary
    Phobias And Philias
    Post Mortem Practices
    Psychics Predictions And Seers
    Questions And Discussions
    Reviews
    Spirituality And Miracles
    Spirituality And Miracles
    Strange And Macabre Places
    Strange And Tragic Deaths
    This Week In Dark History
    Tragedy
    True Crime And Punishment
    Ufos And Aliens
    Unsolved Mysteries
    Urban Legend Superstition And Folklore
    Weird Odd And Bizarre


    Ashley Hall -
    The Paranormal Guide

    Ashley Hall explores The Paranormal, True Crime, Strange Deaths, Dark History, The Weird, The Strange and The Bizarre! Fact or Fiction? You decide!

    Picture

    Contributors

    Picture
    Matty Sweeney
    Picture
    Peet Banks
    Picture
    Nic Hume

    Picture
    Check out The Paranormal Guide Podcast and join three paranormal investigators and researchers for honest and raw discussions on all things paranormal, strange, dark and macabre HERE!

    Archives

    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

    Please note that dates are from when the article was originally made.
    The Paranormal Guide does have posts all the way up to the current date.


    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.