Investigating Elizabeth Báthory: Hungary's Infamous "Blood Countess"
A name long synonymous with cruelty and murder, 16th century Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Báthory may have actually been a pawn in a political power play
Family Background
The Báthory family was a powerful and prominent force in Hungary, Transylvania, and Poland during the 16th century. Baron George VI Báthory, brother of the ruling Voivode of Transylvania, was married to Baroness Anna Báthory.
Anna was the daughter of the Palatine of Hungary and the niece of Stephen Báthory, the Prince of Transylvania who later became King of Poland.
The Báthory family were well-known nobles and members of the Protestant faith. George and Anna resided in Ecsed Castle in Hungary. The couple had several children, and in August of 1560, they welcomed a daughter, Elizabeth.
Born into nobility, young Elizabeth was afforded a luxurious early life. She was extremely well-educated during her childhood and was taught multiple languages.
Despite the family’s power and wealth, Elizabeth reportedly struggled with seizures, which were likely due to epilepsy. During Elizabeth’s lifetime, epilepsy was not understood, and the treatments offered were… strange, to say the least.
Rise to Power
Health issues aside, Elizabeth was an intelligent young lady who was also considered quite beautiful. During these times, it was very common for noble families to facilitate arranged marriages. These arrangements were viewed as mutually beneficial to both families, and they were typically used to strengthen alliances and for political gain.
In 1573, when Elizabeth was thirteen years old, she was engaged to Count Ferenc Nádasdy, whose family was also Hungarian nobility. Through this union, the Nádasdy and Báthory families consolidated power, influence, and land in Transylvania and Hungary.
On May 8th, 1575, Elizabeth and Ferenc were wed at the Varannó palace in modern-day Slovakia.
As a wedding gift, the Nádasdy family gifted Castle Čachtice to the young couple. The castle formerly belonged to King Maximilian II. Ferenc and Elizabeth became the ruling nobles over the estate and nearby villages.
Three years after their wedding, Hungary was mounting opposition to fight the growing Ottoman threat, and Ferenc was called to serve as their chief commander.
While the war raged, Elizabeth was left to handle affairs at home. In addition to the regular responsibilities of nobility, Elizabeth also needed to defend their multiple estates from Ottoman attacks, which had previously laid siege to their castle.
Ten years after their marriage, Ferenc and Elizabeth had their first child, Anna Nádasdy, in 1585. The couple had at least five children, though some sources believe they had more, including some who died in infancy.
In 1603, Ferenc spent far less time on the battlefield due to the Long War winding down and his medical issues. It is not known what illness or injury afflicted Ferenc, but he suffered from severe leg pain that led to him becoming debilitated.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Tales From the Underworld — Authentic True Crime to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.