Elizabeth Bathory: The Blood Countess

Essay by JaydeskyCollege, UndergraduateA+, April 2004

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Who Was Elizabeth Bathory? Elizabeth Bathory was a nobelwoman from Transylvannia, now known as Czechoslovakia. Her parents belonged to one of the most prominent and wealthiest families in Yransylvannia in the 13th century. The Bathory family held titles as kings, princes, and prime ministers. Power and prominence was their top priority! Jerome Kruase(2003) states that "when Elizabeth was only fifteen years of age, she was "married off" for political gain and position to Count Ferenz Nadasy; a man of equal nobility." Nadasy earned the reputation as a fierce warrior known andwas more commonly known as "The Black Hero of Hungary",and Elizabeth earned the title "Lady of the Castle Csejthe" (Bexte,2003).

Elizabeth was not at all happy with her marriage or the isolation that she felt. Nadasy wasn't always there because he was out pursuing his passion, the soldier business...(Krause,2003). He was home long enough to make sure that his bloodline continued.

The Countess grew very bored, and during those lonely periods away from the count, she began to have countless affairs with younger men and became obsessed with her beauty. She eventually ran off to be with one of her lovers but soon came crawling back to her husband, when she realized that it would be in her best interest(Count Gator,2003). During this time, Elizabeth began to dabble in witchcraft taught to her bythe Countess Dorothea Szentes. Also when she would visit her aunt,Countess Karla Bathory, she would engage in lesbianism and sadistic torture rituals. Her lesbian obsession was with young, beautiful, peasant women with large breast (Thompson,2003).

In the 1600s, Countess Bathory's husband died, and her real terror began. She was getting older and became afraid of losing her beauty and vitality (NiteWorld,2003).One day a servant girl was combing her hair and accidentally pulled it. Elizabeth slapped the girl...