Countess Nadasdy/Elisabeth Bathory

Elisabeth's taste for blood was apparently aroused by a seemingly innocuos event. She wore her hair elaborately arranged and it would be regularly dressed by a servant. But on this occasion, the maid who was brushing her hair pulled it too hard. Enraged, the countess strck her in the face so violently that she began to bleed from her mouth and nose. A few drops of blood fell on the countess's hand which she wiped away. But when she looked at the hand, the spots where the blood had fallen appeared more youthful. As a result, it was said, she conceived the ghastly idea of rejuvenating her entire body with young girl's blood.
At first content with gathering blood from her victims' veins, Elisabeth developed a craving for even greater quantities. An "Iron Maiden", designed to impale a body on hundreds of steel spikes, was said to have been built for her. The blood was collected and channelled directly into the contess's bathtub. Whenever Elisabeth wished to refresh her complexion, the torture was repeated with a fresh batch of girls.

Drowning into a fountain of bloody youth.

Through several accounts of torture tally with the legend, they probably misinterpret the countess's motive. You see, in the 17th century, sadistic perversions would have only been ascribed to men, Elisabeth's behaviour was attributed to her vanity, but in reality it seems to have been the pleasure she gained from watching the suffering of others that lay at the heart of her behaviour. Although her husband and family knew of her perversion, they did nothing to stop it.

The torture took place at all of Elisabeth's home, but especially at Cachtice, in the Carpatherian mountains. The castle was ideally equipped for keeping her activities secret. It had a mighty keep, dark underground passages and dungeons. There she was surrounded by a throng of female servants who would be summoned on the pretext of performing a small task. They would then be bound and otrtured by the contess's helpers or by Elisabeth herself. Initially, the torture was confined to sticking needles under the maids' fingernails or cutting them with scissors. But Elisabeth soon progressed to more violent behaviour, including beating her victims with whips.
At first, the victims were mostly peasant girls, but women of higher birth were also involved. It was the fashion for girls from respectable but impoverished homes to be sent to aristocratic courts to acquire social skills and be raised in a manner befitting their status. Elisabeth, from here, took advantage. Parents were told that their daughterhad eloped with a lover or died of an ilness. Visits by family members were discouraged. As more girls started to dissappear, rumors began to circulate. It was alleged that some girls from aristocratic families had been kidnapped on Elisabeth's orders.

The infamous "Cachtice Castle"

But it was only when the parish priest of Cachtice and some Viennese monks lodged complaints about cries that had been heard at the castle that the rumors were investigated. The emperor at that time, correct me if Im wrong, Matthew II, assigned a Chief Imperial Prosecutor, Thurzo, to find out what had been going on and he and his soldiers enetered the castle on December 29 1610. Thurzo himself noted seeing only one body on the night that he searched Cachtice, although one of his lieutenants reported finding bodies or parts of bodies throughout the castle. They also found girls who were still alive and their testimony was heard. A large number of torture devices were also discovered.

Between 1611 and 1614, when Elisabeth died, more than 300 people were interrogated, but the countess herself was never brought to a foremer trial. A number of 'assistants' confessed under torture by Thurzo that they had helped to procure victims and take part in sadistic acts. All had served were executed by being burnt alive barely a week after Thurzo and his men had enter the Cachtice Castle.

But Elisabeth escaped the death penalty. It somewhat seems that her high birth had guaranteed her survival. Executing her would have required the enactment of a special statute to strip her of royal immnity. It is also likely that Thurzo did not want strain relations with neighbouring Translvania, which was governed by Elisabeth's nephew, Gabriel. her punishment was to be walled up in a suite of rooms in her castle, with only slits left for food. Here she died miserably in the summer of 1614. ouch.

Hope you've enjoyed reading, well i know i didnt enjoy typing the whole thing. It was I think the longest post so far? anyways,

Au revoir!

Countess Nadasdy/Elisabeth Bathory

Elisabeth's taste for blood was apparently aroused by a seemingly innocuos event. She wore her hair elaborately arranged and it would be regularly dressed by a servant. But on this occasion, the maid who was brushing her hair pulled it too hard. Enraged, the countess strck her in the face so violently that she began to bleed from her mouth and nose. A few drops of blood fell on the countess's hand which she wiped away. But when she looked at the hand, the spots where the blood had fallen appeared more youthful. As a result, it was said, she conceived the ghastly idea of rejuvenating her entire body with young girl's blood.
At first content with gathering blood from her victims' veins, Elisabeth developed a craving for even greater quantities. An "Iron Maiden", designed to impale a body on hundreds of steel spikes, was said to have been built for her. The blood was collected and channelled directly into the contess's bathtub. Whenever Elisabeth wished to refresh her complexion, the torture was repeated with a fresh batch of girls.

Drowning into a fountain of bloody youth.

Through several accounts of torture tally with the legend, they probably misinterpret the countess's motive. You see, in the 17th century, sadistic perversions would have only been ascribed to men, Elisabeth's behaviour was attributed to her vanity, but in reality it seems to have been the pleasure she gained from watching the suffering of others that lay at the heart of her behaviour. Although her husband and family knew of her perversion, they did nothing to stop it.

The torture took place at all of Elisabeth's home, but especially at Cachtice, in the Carpatherian mountains. The castle was ideally equipped for keeping her activities secret. It had a mighty keep, dark underground passages and dungeons. There she was surrounded by a throng of female servants who would be summoned on the pretext of performing a small task. They would then be bound and otrtured by the contess's helpers or by Elisabeth herself. Initially, the torture was confined to sticking needles under the maids' fingernails or cutting them with scissors. But Elisabeth soon progressed to more violent behaviour, including beating her victims with whips.
At first, the victims were mostly peasant girls, but women of higher birth were also involved. It was the fashion for girls from respectable but impoverished homes to be sent to aristocratic courts to acquire social skills and be raised in a manner befitting their status. Elisabeth, from here, took advantage. Parents were told that their daughterhad eloped with a lover or died of an ilness. Visits by family members were discouraged. As more girls started to dissappear, rumors began to circulate. It was alleged that some girls from aristocratic families had been kidnapped on Elisabeth's orders.

The infamous "Cachtice Castle"

But it was only when the parish priest of Cachtice and some Viennese monks lodged complaints about cries that had been heard at the castle that the rumors were investigated. The emperor at that time, correct me if Im wrong, Matthew II, assigned a Chief Imperial Prosecutor, Thurzo, to find out what had been going on and he and his soldiers enetered the castle on December 29 1610. Thurzo himself noted seeing only one body on the night that he searched Cachtice, although one of his lieutenants reported finding bodies or parts of bodies throughout the castle. They also found girls who were still alive and their testimony was heard. A large number of torture devices were also discovered.

Between 1611 and 1614, when Elisabeth died, more than 300 people were interrogated, but the countess herself was never brought to a foremer trial. A number of 'assistants' confessed under torture by Thurzo that they had helped to procure victims and take part in sadistic acts. All had served were executed by being burnt alive barely a week after Thurzo and his men had enter the Cachtice Castle.

But Elisabeth escaped the death penalty. It somewhat seems that her high birth had guaranteed her survival. Executing her would have required the enactment of a special statute to strip her of royal immnity. It is also likely that Thurzo did not want strain relations with neighbouring Translvania, which was governed by Elisabeth's nephew, Gabriel. her punishment was to be walled up in a suite of rooms in her castle, with only slits left for food. Here she died miserably in the summer of 1614. ouch.

Hope you've enjoyed reading, well i know i didnt enjoy typing the whole thing. It was I think the longest post so far? anyways,

Au revoir!