Elizabeth Bathory – The Story of The Blood Countess

Renaissance society was extremely pious, and all Europeans, with the exception of the Jews, were expected to venerate the Virgin Mary and uphold the beliefs of Christianity (Manchester, 57). In fact, even the most minor infraction of religious ideals would be punished severely, through public humiliation, torture, or death (Levack, Muir, Veldman, and Maas, 450-452). This piety was a characteristic of all three social classes: the nobility, the clergy, and the commons (Manchester, 55). Though the social status of each differentiated from region to region, for the most part the nobility and the clergy held much more power than the commons. It is therefore understandable that this led to a relatively high degree of neglect among the privileged classes towards certain laws or beliefs. Adultery was widespread amongst the otherwise devoutly pious nobility, and not uncommon amongst the so-called “chaste” members of the clergy (Manchester, 71). It was especially common amongst the nobility, whose marriage was arranged not for romantic purposes, but for economic ones, and the sexual activities of one spouse were often done with the knowledge and consent of their marital partner (Manchester, 69-70). Though sexual deviation and adultery were sometimes prosecuted, in most cases the deviant’s habits remained hidden from the general public. Such was the case with Erzsébet (Elizabeth) Báthory of Hungary, whose sadistic practices have led her to be remembered still today as the Blood Countess.

            Elizabeth was born to Anna and Gyrögy Báthory in 1560 (Ramsland, 3). The Báthorys were one of the most powerful and wealthy Hungarian noble families, whose members included renowned politicians, clerics, and warlords (Vronsky, 50). In fact, Elizabeth’s uncle Stephen even became Prince of Transylvania, and was later elected as King of Poland (“Stephen Báthory”). However, not all members of the Báthory family were as respectable, with Elizabeth’s own brother Stefan being a drunkard and a lecher, an uncle rumored to be involved in devil worship, and her infamous aunt Klara (Vronsky, 50). Klara Báthory was an open bi-sexual, a self-proclaimed witch, and is known for having married four times, rumored to have killed her husband in her second marriage (“Erzebet Bathory: la biographie”). Some attribute Elizabeth’s sadistic behavior as mental instability brought by inbreeding, which was common among the aristocracy of the time. In fact, her parents themselves were first cousins (Ciceran). It could also be that her practices came from traumatic shock, for as a child Erzebet witness the torture of a gypsy, whose head was sewn into the stomach of a gutted horse and left there to suffocate (Ivy, 118). It is said though, that her violent activities were for the most part inspired by other influences, including her husband Ferencz Nadasdy, her servant “Dorka”, her aunt Klara, and the obscure Anna Darvulia. These figures and their influences will be covered later throughout this essay.