Elizabeth Bathory
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Elizabeth Bathory (aka) The Blood Countess, The Bloody Countess, or Erzebeth Bathory
Elizabeth
Bathory came from one of the most powerful families
of
Hungary, she was the daughter of George Bathory
(brother of Andrew Bonaventura Bathory, who had been a governor of
Transylvania) and Anna Bathory (daughter of Stepehn
Bathory, another ruler of Transylvania).
She was born in Nyírbátor, Kingdom of
Hungary, and
she spent most of her growing-up years at Ecsed Castle.
Ellizabeth
studied and learned Latin, German, and Greek during her teenage years
and was later recognized as an intelligent woman by the society.
She was engaged to Ferenc Nádasdy at the age of 15
and moved to Nádasdy Castle.
She married Nádasdy in a palace named Varanno on May 8, 1575 in Vranov.
The
marriage was more or less a political arrangement among the
aristocrats. There were around 4500 guests at the wedding. She kept her
maiden name because her family was more powerful than that of her
husband’s.
Čachtice Castle, Nádasdy’s home was his gift to his
young bride…
When
Nádasdy left to study in Vienna, the Countess was sent to Sárvár, where
the Nádasdy family lived. This is also where she spent much of her
married days on her own.
In 1578, Nádasdy, already the chief commander of the Hungarian troops
led the Hungarian army to skirmish against the Ottomans.
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While her husband was away, the Countess managed the family’s business affairs and properties.
She was also busy giving medical care to Hungarian and Slovak peasants.
Having married a Military man, her husband was always away that’s why she didn’t have a child with him during the early years of their marriage. Not until 1585, were she bore their first child, Anna. Who was followed by another daughter named Ursula and a son named Andrew, both died still on their tender years.
Ferenc and Bathory had two more children named Katherine and Paul, whom was cared for by their grandmother, the Governess. Elizabeth Bathory was accordingly, a very loving mother to her children…
During the Long War, Elizabeth Bathory was in-charged with her husband’s estates lying in the route of Vienna.
There was an enormous threat because the Village of Čachtice has previously been ransacked by the Ottomans while Sárvár, another one of their estates was in even greater danger as it is located between border of Royal Hungary and the Ottoman occupied Hungary.
With her stature in the society and as a recognized
intelligent
and educated woman (which she was) who could read and write in four
different languages, Elizabeth Bathory was expected to do the right
thing and yes, the "right thing" she did! She even intervened on
various occasions on behalf of women who were destitute.
But from the year 1602 to 1604, the Lutheran minister István Magyari
started complaining about murders happening in the palace both publicly
and in the court of Vienna.
Coming from a family who ruled Pensylvannia, the authorities seemed to
have not payed attention to Magyari’s allegations.
In 1604, Ferenc died at the age of 47. His death
was caused by an injury he got from the war.
More rumors spread about what Magyari was complaining against Elizabeth Bathory after the death of her husband but not only in 1610 was it heard by the authorities.
Finally, King Mathias assigned Juraj
Thurzo a high ranking official of the empire, to investigate. Thurzo
then ordered two notaries to gather evidence in March 1610.
On December 20, 1610 Thurzo went to Csejte Castle to Arrest
Bathory and four of her ever loyal servants who were thought to be her
partners in crime.
The arresting team found one girl dead, one dying, one woman wounded, a
couple of girls and young women jailed in the dungeons.
Thurzo discussed with Elizabeth’s son Paul and his two
brothers-in-law that further investigation proceedings and trial will
create a scandal and will disgrace their family, which at the time
ruled Transylvania.
Elizabeth Bathory’s properties was endangered from being confiscated by
the crown.
The four – Thurzo, Paul, and his two brothers-in-law,
initially
planned to smuggle Elizabeth out of the palace to a convent but as
rumors of accounts of Bathory’s crime spread, they decided to put
Elizabeth under house-arrest and it was agreed that no further
punishment by whatever means be laid upon Countess Elizabeth Bathory.
While Elizabeth Bathory was on house arrest, King Mathias supposedly
requested Thurzo to sentence the countess to death
but Thurzo convinced the king that it will affect the aristocrats
negatively – a reason for the indefinite postpone of the trial.
However, Bathory’s servant was brought and tried at court.
A
trial for this case was held at Bytča and presided by Royale Supreme
Court Judge Theodosious Syrmiensis de Szulo and 20 associate judges on January
7, 1611. 
The defendants were Dorottya Szentes, also called Dorka, Ilona Jó,
Katarína Benická, and János Újváry (a.k.a."Ibis" or Ficko).
Dorka, Ilona, and Ficko were found guilty and sentenced to death:
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The court decided to rip-off Dorka and Ilona’s fingernails before throwing them into a pit of fire (alive).
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Ficko was beheaded before thrown into the fire because he was found to be “less guilty”.
Bathory remained under house arrest in walled-up rooms for four years until she passed away.
While on house-arrest, King Mathias urged Thurzo to bring Bathory to court and sent two notaries to collect more evidence. But Thurzo didn't act accordingly.
On August 21, 1614, Countess Elizabeth Bathory was found dead in her walled-up room inside her castle. The exact date of her death is unknown since there were several plates untouched when she was discovered dead.
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