Countess Elizabeth Bathory of Hungary

Countess Elizabeth Bathory of Hungary

Thesis Statement: Through her intriguing personality, physical attributes, political intuitiveness, and her distorted moral/family values, Countess Elizabeth Bathory of Hungary has led the life of one of the most fascinating yet neurotic leaders in all of Transylvania’s history.

I. Countess Elizabeth Bathory of Hungary, born in 1560, retained a childhood of sheer disgust hidden behind the curtain of royalty.

A. During her childhood, she witnessed horrific trials and sentences carried out under her family’s officials.

B. Such experiences resulted in seizures that were believed at that time to make her neurotic.

C. At the age of 14, she delivered an illegitimate child. The following year she was married to Count Ferencz Nadasdy.

II. With her husband away at battle, she became supreme leader of the land, taking full advantage of the role as countess and head.

A. While remaining in the castle, she quickly grew bored. She entertained herself by simply torturing her servants and delving into witchcraft.

B. She harshly beat her servants constantly and was taught by her new nurse, Darvulia, in the ways of torture and witchcraft.

C. Her servants could say nothing about the battering (legally) because they were of lower class than their mistress.

III. After years at the castle, she began to realize the one thing she counted on the most, her beauty, began to wane.

A. One day as a servant was addressing her mistress’ headdress, she pulled the hair too hard and Elizabeth slapped her. Blood spurted onto her hand. As she wiped it away, wrinkles seemed to disappear.

B. Turning to witchcraft once again, Darvulia explained the only way to regain lost youth was to bathe in virgin blood.

C. As a result, 650 virgins, each of noble and pesantry class, were brought before her.

D. They were tormented, slaughtered and buried. Some bodies were eventually thrown to wolves.

IV. Torturing techniques written in her diary as well corpses that were eventually found lead up to her two trials in 1612.

A. Witnesses, as well as Elizabeth’s other helpers, stated all they knew when they were present.

B. One found her diary covered in names and techniques used.

C.