Mcnally, who has written four books on the figure of dracula in history, literature, and vampirism, in his fifth book, dracula was a woman. In the private letters of countess erzsebet bathory, craft is no melville. Batory was a hungarian noble family of the gutkeled clan. The book starts out with the young countess and her parents with an uprising from the peasents attacking the bathory house destroying vineyards, lifestock, and also raping then murdering elizabeths sisters, when elizabeth s father rallied all of the peasents responsible for the heinous crime he in turn did worse in a sadistic manner, and. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. The book concludes with two letters by the countesss husband ferenc nadasdy, and craft leaves it there. Countess elizabeth bathory erzsebet bathory was born to an illustrious. The life of this infamous serial killer unfolded before my eyes with amazing clarity. She is possibly the most prolific female serial killer in history and is remembered as the blood countess and as the bloody lady of. It left me scrambling to find out more about the wayward countess. Dracula encountered elizabeth bathory the blood countess and sought to make her his vampiric servant. Paperback order in the next 4 hours 20 minutes and get it by. This content was uploaded by our users and we assume good faith they have the permission to share this book. The trial of countess elizabeth bathory university digital.
In light of all this gothic embroidery, the job of separating fact from fiction is a fairly hefty one. Where fact ends and fiction begins in her horrible story is now impossible to determine, but in her fame as a legendary vampire she is outrivalled. Score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. Of the alleged portraits of countess elizabeth bathory, the above is most likely to be the authentic one. Elizabeth bathory 15601614 was a countess who lived in transylvania, then a part of the kingdom of hungary. I have read almost everything available on lady elizabeth bathory and thought i knew almost everything until i read this book. Provided to youtube by the orchard enterprises elizabeth bathory tormentor anno domini. The book begins with a background on bathory as well as a look into the research done for the book. It was completed some time in the 1590s, when bathory was in her forties. There isnt a lot of fiction out there about her, and no wonder most people wouldnt have the stomach to write about her evil deeds. Elizabeth bathory, also known as the blood countess is a 16th century hungarian aristocrat ranked in none other than the guinness book of records as the most murderous murderess of all time. I would also recommend crafts other books on bathory. The represented painting is the only picture of elizabeth bathory the countess of transylvania depicted in the late 16th century by an artist whose identification is not available today. Hungarian countesses torturous escapades are exposed.
Though frequently cited as hungarian, due in large part to the shifting borders of the hungarian empire, she actually. Elizabeth bathory, the blood countess, is one of the most famous of all historical vampires. Mcnally finds further ties between count dracula and bathory. Mcnally, who has written four books on the figure of dracula in history, literature, and vampirism, in his fifth book, dracula was a woman, presents insights into the fact that stokers count dracula was also strongly influenced by the legends of elizabeth bathory of hungary. After hearing the accusations, thurzo ultimately charged bathory with the. Filled with adrenaline, romance, and reversals, the progeny is the presentday saga of a 400yearold war between the uncanny descendants of blood countess elizabeth bathory, the most prolific female serial killer of all time, and a secret society dedicated to erasing every one of her descendants. This book was extremely gory and perverse, but it didnt take away from the story at all. The book was never revealed, and szilvassy never mentioned it in his testimony. Although i have learned as much as possible about the countess, i am not a reliable source of historical information.
Like countess elizabeth bathory, dracula is an aristocrat who disdains the common folk around him, the way countess elizabeth bathory looked down upon her peasants. A complete genealogy of all descendants elizabeth bathory 17th20th century novotny, pavel director 2014. Countess elizabeth bathory, a noblewoman of transylvania who lived in the. Of my two dozen original links, all have expired, and i have some new ones. She has left for us a life which is unbelievable, grotesque and to some extent makes us hate vampires even more not the phony vampires depicted in todays. The family rose to significant influence in central europe during the late middle ages, holding high military, administrative and ecclesiastical positions in the kingdom of hungary. Countess elizabeth bathory book series 2 books from book 1. On the whole the book held my attention and i enjoyed the story and characters, particularly amaras relationship with lorant. A memoire and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. This is an interesting look into the research done for these projects. She has been described as the most vicious female serial killer in all recorded history. The audience voted, and afterwards, i linked the story of bathory to modern. However, some believe the acts attributed to her were politically motivated slander that allowed relatives to appropriate her lands.
Elizabeth bathory erzebet bathory was born in august 1560 into one of the grandest hungarian families. I actually felt as though i was there, back in time, experiencing life in 16thcentury hungary. There are only a few books out there about elizabeth bathory, but this is the only one ive found that is entertaining and at the same time, based on historical facts. The book is a fascinating look into bathory s life, trial, and the legends that have arisen in time. Bathory sites move around so quickly its almost impossible to keep up with them. The blood countess historys most murderous villains was bright colored and of course has pictures on the website. The most infamous accusation the one that inspired her infamous nickname, the blood countess, as well as the rumors that she was a vampire alleged that elizabeth bathory bathed in the blood of her young victims in an attempt to maintain a youthful appearance. Infamous lady goodreads share book recommendations. No one has firsthand information, and all of mine, save of the direct.
I know its available in the state archives in budapest tough it may be a gossip, but i also know that these are in hungarian, and an ancient version of the language so its quite hard to read even for hungarians. She was also virtually untouchable as a member of the bathory. Her family ruled transylvania as an independent region within the hungarian kingdom. Elizabeth bathory was accused, in the testimonies gathered by the count palatine, of killing between a couple of dozen and over six hundred young women. Ah, the infamous elizabeth bathory, the blood countess. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. However, bathory s practice of bathing in blood made her immune to him, and she.
The painting itself is no masterpiece, but it fulfills the criteria of official pictures it expresses both a somber formality and a sense of intimacy when looked. Elizabeth bathory, hungarian countess who purportedly tortured and murdered hundreds of young women in the 16th and 17th centuries. Elizabeth bathory was born on her familys estate in nyirbator, kingdom of hungary on. Bledsaw a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of science department of history illinois state university 2014. The legal and gender conspiracies against countess elizabeth. In the early modern period, the family brought forth several princes of transylvania and one king of poland and grand duke of. She is perhaps less wellknown only than the infamous vlad dracula, known also as tepes the impaler and he although noted for his savage and very public methods of execution was no vampire, but has merely been cited as the inspiration for bram stokers fictional count dracula. Elizabeth bathory, anonymous portrait, 17th century. Bathory, elizabeth article about bathory, elizabeth by. Ive long had an interest in elizabeth bathory and so this book seemed a good pick for me. She was from a very important family that included kings, cardinals, knights, and judges. Some of the more repeatable tortures include sticking pins into the girls, tearing at their. Books either featuring or related to the bathory family fiction and non fiction. The legal and gender conspiracies against countess elizabeth bathory in historical context core reader.
Bathory, elizabeth 15601614 pop culture e lizabeth bathory, a slovakian countess who was said to have tortured and murdered numerous young women, became known as one of the true vampires in history. He studied fine arts in sevilla and granada and, starting in the early 1990s, he has been published in a number of local fanzines. The private letters of erzebet bathory and elizabeth bathory. Pdf introduction to the double life of elizabeth bathoryerzsebet. These were almost all of noble birth and had been sent to the court for learning and advancement. Countess elizabeth bathory bathory erzsebet in hungarian, 7 august 1560 21 august 1614, was a hungarian countess from the renowned bathory family. According to the guinness book of world records, she is the most prolific female serial.
Elizabeth bathory by unknown artist artpaintingartist. Countess elizabeth bathory of hungary 156016 was beautiful, well educated in the best traditions of the renaissance, and wealthy beyond measure. Bathory, countess elizabeth sheridan major reference works. Bathory was born in 1560, the daughter of george and anna bathory. Scarred as a psychotic bloody serial killer and countess dracula instead of the richest most powerful woman in a history ruled by men the lies about elizabeth bathory. A novel of elizabeth bathory and millions of other books are available for instant access. Elizabeth bathory by edward eaton, the blood countess by andrei codrescu, the progeny by tosca lee, in search of drac. Upon assuming her seat of power at the age of sixteen, the countess set out upon a course of revelry and debauchery, aided by her spiritual adviser, darvulia, and by her faithful bevy of overwrought maids.