333 images (+111)

Elizabeth Bathory, 1560-1614, was one of the most bloodthirsty female murderers in history.  Or else she wasn’t.  Hard to say, actually. An Hungarian countess, Bathory was suspected of seducing, torturing, and killing young girls.  The stories grew exponentially, in good black-legend fashion, until she was suspected of killing over 600 virgins and bathing in their blood (it’s about 15 virgins to a bathtub, I’d guess).  She was immured in her castle, and those accused of collaborating with her were tortured to death. It’s entirely possible that all these stories are bullshit, emerging as they did in the midst of the European witchcraft hysteria (Bathory was interested in the occult) and Protestant / Catholic conflicts.

Elizabeth Bathory, 1560-1614, was one of the most bloodthirsty female murderers in history.  Or else she wasn’t.  Hard to say, actually.

An Hungarian countess, Bathory was suspected of seducing, torturing, and killing young girls.  The stories grew exponentially, in good black-legend fashion, until she was suspected of killing over 600 virgins and bathing in their blood (it’s about 15 virgins to a bathtub, I’d guess).  She was immured in her castle, and those accused of collaborating with her were tortured to death.

It’s entirely possible that all these stories are bullshit, emerging as they did in the midst of the European witchcraft hysteria (Bathory was interested in the occult) and Protestant / Catholic conflicts.

4 November 2011 • 1500s ambiguity blood female killer miniature oil painting torture buried alive