Elizabeth Bathory was one of the most evil women in human history. She slaughtered at least 80 young women (though some witnesses claimed the number was closer to 650) and has the rather unfortunate reputation as being the world’s first female serial killer. Because of her gruesome crimes many misconceptions have arisen about her – here we look at the most prominent.
The myth: Elizabeth Bathory bathed in the blood of her victims
They tied the hands and arms very tightly with Viennese cord, they were beaten to death until the whole body was black as charcoal and their skin was rent and torn. One girl suffered more than two hundred blows before dying. Dorko [another accomplice and procurer] cut their fingers one by one with shears and then slit the veins with scissors. — Ficzko (Servant of Bathory)
Elizabeth Bathory (7 August 1560 – 21 August 1614) certainly was one of the most prolific and heinous murderers in history, but because of the scarcity of such horrific crimes during the Middle Ages, her infamy was so great the rumors, misconceptions, and myths grew to surround her. Aside from the misconception that she killed 650 young women when in reality it was between 80 – 300, the most well known is that she bathed in the blood of her victims to maintain her youthful appearance.
This is completely untrue; it is a myth that arose due to embellishments of her actions by story-tellers who came after her death. Nevertheless, Bathory committed some of the most shocking and vile acts against her victims. The list of her crimes is extensive (and well documented through the trial of her helpers) and it includes: burning or freezing to death, mutilation, attempted surgeries, sexual abuse, and starvation.
Amazingly Bathory was never tried for her crimes though she was compelled to remain walled up in her castle. She remained there until she died four years later. The reason for her evading prosecution was that it would cause scandal to the ruling family of Hungary and the crown would be compelled to seize all of Bathory’s land and belongings – leaving her children peniless. Furthermore, the King (King Matthias) owed her a great deal of money and the debt was written off as “punishment”. Three of the servants who helped her with her killing spree were given a trial and found guilty. They were executed by having their fingers ripped off before being burnt to death at the stake.
Interesting Fact: Historian László Nagy has argued that Elizabeth Báthory was a victim of a conspiracy. Nagy argued that the proceedings were largely politically motivated. The conspiracy theory is consistent with Hungarian history at that time. There was great conflict between religions, including Protestant ones, and this was related to the extension of Habsburg power over Hungary. As a Transylvanian Protestant aristocrat, Elizabeth belonged to a group generally opposed to the Habsburgs.
Related Video
Related Books
 The Bloody Countess  |
 Bathory: Memoir of a Countess  |
 The Blood Confession  |
 The Private Letters of Countess Elizabeth Bathory  |
Further Reading
Listverse: Top 10 Most Evil Women
Listverse: Top 10 Cases of Human Cannibalism
Listverse: Top 10 Most Evil Humans
Google WDYL: Elizabeth Bathory
Wikipedia: Elizabeth Bathory
Wikipedia: Bathory Family
Wikipedia: Bathory Castle
TruTV: Lady of Blood: Countess Bathory
26 Comments
She was crazy! I remembered watching a special about her on TV (forget which channel- history or AE). They said she bathed in their blood, but they were quoting passages that were probably mistaken. Either way, I love listverse, but this site is also very interesting!
Mary lots of people spread the misconception – it has been around for a LONG time. Partly because of the rumors flying at the time it happened. Slowly but surely we will dispel all the myths
I also have watched about her on TV….very fascinating…:)
Loving the new site Jamie.
Thanks Chris
I have to say it is lots of fun writing articles for it too 
did you make this article , if so good work! i love Elizabeth’s work, not to get crazy or nuthing but she is fascinating.
the picture above looks like monica bellucci from the movie Brothers Grimm
Haha you are right – I hadn’t even noticed
I thought it was her!
This is practically what I need to read everyday. Bookmarked!
Well I definitely intend to update daily so you are in luck
Thanks for the bookmark 
She never bathed in the blood of her victims? LOL History books will be re-written.
They should be
I don’t think she did. You would need a LOT of blood to fill a bath tub and unless she mixed and matched her victims I doubt it’s even possible.
Im never sure what is true anymore… All old stories that we hear, have probably been added on to and have veered away from the truth. Everyone that retells a story adds their own bit of exagiration, leaving us with a story so far from the truth, it becomes almost impossible to grasp the facts.
Regardless, even 80 victims is more than most other serial killers I have heard of, so she had to have been seriously disturbed!!
I wouldn’t say she was the first female serial killer… just one of the first we have information on.
But, yeah, I had heard she didn’t really bathe in the blood of her victims. She was just, yet another, crazy noble.
Or she was set up. Which is an interesting theory. And I wouldn’t be too surprised… We will probably never know for certain, but… eh. Also, the King owing her money would also be a suitable reason set her up… just saying.
Still, I think she was probably a crazy noble.
I own a book of “vampires”, she’s in it, apparently her family had a huge inbreeding issue, her aunt may have introduced her to lesbianism, and her husband was hardly ever there, but when he was, he encouraged her (from the beginning of their marriage, she was quite young) to beat their slaves, maids, etc.
Also, she was beautiful. I did a school project on her, way back when.
The teachers weren’t sure whether to be impressed or angry.
Loving the new site… Read every list on listverse.com and now have a new site to spend my days on.. Keep em coming…
New site to to take away all my time. I have no regrets.
Whether it’s 80 or 650, she was still one crazy and wicked lady.
her real death count is really unknown but the most accurate estimation and with all the corpses found , about 725 people she murdered.
Have I read that right? She killed by buming? Does that mean the sexual act of anal? Not a nice way to go!
Sorry it says burning, I’ll have to zoom in more next time am reading this on the blackberry!
i just love her work
and she did this so many times before bieng noticed. Probobly because she is so sucluded all the time in her castel… cept a secret for so long, must have been hard.
What made decide to do an article on her? Not that it isn’t fascinating because it is I’am just curious.
I luv reading Elizabeth Bathory….luv what she did except the torture & killing…..hey, if it’s true that u can reserve yr youth & beauty, I prob would too..lol….hea, what’d u expect from a vampire lover.