Elizabeth Bthory

For the comic series, see Elizabeth Bathory (comics).

The native form of this personal name is ecsedi Bthory
Erzsbet. This article uses the Western name order.
Countess Elizabeth Bthory de Ecsed (Bthory Erzsbet in Hungarian; 7 August 1560 21 August 1614)[1]
was a countess from the renowned Bthory family of
nobility in the Kingdom of Hungary known for being a
serial killer. She has been labelled by Guinness World
Records as the most prolic female murderer,[2] though
the precise number of her victims is debated. Bthory and
four collaborators were accused of torturing and killing
hundreds of young women between 1585 and 1610.[3]
The highest number of victims cited during Bthorys trial
was 650. However, this number comes from the claim by
a woman named Susannah that Jacob Szilvssy, Countess Bthorys court ocial, had seen the gure in one of
Bthorys private books. The book was never revealed,
and Szilvssy never mentioned it in his testimony.[4] Despite the evidence against Elizabeth, her familys inuence kept her from facing trial. She was imprisoned in
December 1610 within Csejte Castle, Upper Hungary,
now in Slovakia, where she remained immured in a set
of rooms until her death four years later.

Ecsed, the lake and the old castle.

vania, while her mother was Anna Bthory (15391570),

daughter of Stephen Bthory of Somly, another Voivod
of Transylvania, who was of the Somly branch. Through
her mother, Elizabeth was the cousin of the Hungarian noble Stefan Bthory, King of the Polish-Lithuanian
Commonwealth and Duke of Transylvania. As a young
woman she learned Latin, German and Greek.[3][7]

1.2 Married life

The stories of her serial murders and brutality are veried by the testimony of more than 300 witnesses and
survivors as well as physical evidence and the presence of
horribly mutilated dead, dying and imprisoned girls found
at the time of her arrest.[5] Stories which ascribe to her
vampire-like tendencies (most famously the tale that she
bathed in the blood of virgins to retain her youth) were
generally recorded years after her death and are considered unreliable. Her story quickly became part of national folklore, and her infamy persists to this day.[6] She
is often compared with Vlad III the Impaler of Wallachia,
on whom the ctional Count Dracula is partly based, and
has been nicknamed The Blood Countess and Countess
Dracula.
Aerial view of achtice Castle.

1
1.1

Elizabeth was engaged at age 10 to Ferenc Ndasdy, the

son of Baron Tams Ndasdy de Ndasd et Fogarasfld
and his wife, Orsolya Kanizsay [8] in what was probably
a political arrangement within the circles of the aristocracy. The couple married when she was age 14/15 at the
palace of Varann on 8 May 1575. Approximately 4,500
guests were invited to the wedding.[9] Elizabeth moved
to Ndasdy Castle in Srvr and spent much time on her
own, while her husband studied in Vienna.

Biography
Early years

Elizabeth Bthory was born on a family estate in

Nyrbtor, Hungary, in 1560 or 1561, and spent her childhood at Ecsed Castle. Her father was George Bthory
of the Ecsed branch of the family, brother of Andrew
Bonaventura Bthory, who had been Voivod of Transyl- Ndasdys wedding gift to Bthory was his household,
1

1 BIOGRAPHY
sia. Her next child, Anna Ndasdy, was born in 1585 and
would later become the wife of Mikls Zrinyi VI. Her
other known children include Orsolya (Orsika) Ndasdy
(b. 1590 - d. unknown) who would later become the
wife of Istvn II Beny, Katalin (Kata or Katherina) Ndasdy (b.1594 - d. unknown), Andrs Ndasdy (b.1596 d.1603 at the age of 7), and Pl (Paul) Ndasdy (b.1598
- d. 1650), father of Ferenc Ndasdy II.

Main tower at Cachtice Castle, Slovakia.

Csejte Castle.[10] The castle had been bought by his

mother in 1579 and given to Ferenc, who transferred it to
Elizabeth during their nuptials[8]:35 situated in the Little
Carpathians near Trencsn (now Trenn), together with
the Csejte country house and 17 adjacent villages.[10] The
castle itself was surrounded by a village and agricultural
lands, bordered by outcrops of the Little Carpathians.

Some chronicles also indicate that the couple had another

son, albeit a lesser-known child, named Mikls Ndasdy,
although this cannot be conrmed, and could be that he
was simply a cousin as he is not named in the 1610 will
of the Countess. Gyrgy Ndasdy, is also a name that
is indicated at being one of the deceased Ndasdy infants, but nothing can be conrmed. All of Elizabeths
children were cared for by governesses, as Elizabeth had
been.[13][14][15]

Elizabeths husband Ferenc died on 4 January 1604 at the

age of 48. Although the exact nature of the illness which
led to his death is unknown, it seems to have started in
1601, and initially caused debilitating pain in his legs.
From that time, he never fully recovered, and in 1603
became permanently disabled.[16] The couple had been
married for 29 years. Before dying, Ferenc Ndasdy
In 1578, Ndasdy became the chief commander of
entrusted his heirs and widow to Gyrgy Thurz, who
Hungarian troops, leading them to war against the Otwould eventually lead the investigation into Elizabeths
tomans.[11] With her husband away at war, Elizabeth
crimes.[8]
Bthory managed business aairs and the estates. That
role usually included responsibility for the Hungarian and
Slovak people, even providing medical care.[12]

1.3 Accusation

During the Long War (15931606), Elizabeth was

charged with the defense of her husbands estates, which
lay on the route to Vienna.[7] The threat was signicant,
for the village of Csejte had previously been plundered by
the Ottomans while Srvr, located near the border that
divided Royal Hungary and Ottoman-occupied Hungary,
was in even greater danger. She was an educated woman
who could read and write in four languages.[7] There were
several instances where she intervened on behalf of destitute women, including a woman whose husband was
captured by the Turks and a woman whose daughter was
raped and impregnated.[12]
Two years after the arrangement of their marriage, Elizabeth, at thirteen years old, became pregnant by one of
the servants at Castle Srvr, named Lszl Bende. Although Ferenc was not more than eighteen years old, he
delivered a blunt punishment to the young server. Ferenc
had him castrated and, immediately afterwards, thrown
to a pack of dogs. Elizabeth was taken to another Ndasdy castle, where she gave birth in 1574, in secret, to a
daughter named Anastasi Bthory. Ferenc ensured that
the infant child remained a secret and was swiftly unassociated with the family; no documentation on the infant
has ever been recovered leading to the belief that Ferenc
had the baby killed.

Investigation
Between 1602 and 1604, after rumors of Bthorys atrocities had spread through the kingdom, Lutheran minister
Istvn Magyari made complaints against her, both publicly and at the court in Vienna.[17] The Hungarian authorities took some time to respond to Magyaris complaints. Finally, in 1610, King Matthias II assigned
Gyrgy Thurz, the Palatine of Hungary, to investigate.
Thurz ordered two notaries to collect evidence in March
1610.[18] In 1610 and 1611, the notaries collected testimony from more than 300 witnesses. The trial records include the testimony of the four defendants, as well as thirteen witnesses. Priests, noblemen and commoners were
questioned. Witnesses included the castellan and other
personnel of Srvr castle.

According to all testimony, Bthorys initial victims were

the adolescent daughters of local peasants, many of whom
were lured to Csejte by oers of well-paid work as maidservants in the castle. Later, she is said to have begun to
kill daughters of the lesser gentry, who were sent to her
gynaeceum by their parents to learn courtly etiquette. Abductions were said to have occurred as well.[19] The atrocities described most consistently included severe beatAs her marriage continued, Elizabeth became a mother ings, burning or mutilation of hands, biting the esh o
again but not until ten years after the birth of Anasta- the faces, arms and other body parts, freezing or starving

1.4

Trial

to death.[19] The use of needles was also mentioned by the 1.4

collaborators in court.
Some witnesses named relatives who died while at the
gynaeceum. Others reported having seen traces of torture on dead bodies, some of which were buried in graveyards, and others in unmarked locations. However, two
witnesses (court ocials Benedikt Deseo and Jakob Szilvassy) actually saw the Countess herself torture and kill
young servant girls.[8]:9699 According to the testimony
of the defendants, Elizabeth Bthory tortured and killed
her victims not only at Csejte but also on her properties
in Srvr, Nmetkeresztr, Pozsony (today Bratislava),
and Vienna, and elsewhere. In addition to the defendants, several people were named for supplying Elizabeth
Bthory with young women, procured either by deception
or by force. A little-known gure named Anna Darvulia was rumored to have inuenced Bthory, but Darvulia
was dead long before the trial.
Arrest
Thurz went to Csejte Castle on 30 December 1610 and
arrested Bthory and four of her servants, who were accused of being her accomplices: Dorotya Semtsz, Ilona
J, Katarna Benick, and Jnos jvry (Ibis or Fick).
Thurz's men reportedly found one girl dead and one dying and reported that another woman was found wounded
while others were locked up.[5] The countess was put under house arrest.

Trial

The trial of Bthorys accomplices began on 2 January

1611 at Byta (Bicse), presided over by Royal Supreme
Court judge Theodosious Syrmiensis de Szulo and 20 associate judges. Dozens of witnesses and survivors, sometimes up to 35 a day, testied. All but one of the Countesss servants testied against her. In addition to the testimony, the court also examined the skeletons and cadaver
parts found as evidence.
The exact number of Elizabeth Bthorys victims is
unknown, and even contemporary estimates diered
greatly. During the trial, Szentes and Ficko reported 36
and 37 victims respectively, during their periods of service. The other defendants estimated a number of 50 or
higher. Many Srvr castle personnel estimated the number of bodies removed from the castle at between 100 and
200. One witness, a woman named Susannah, who spoke
at the trial mentioned a book in which Bthory supposedly kept a list of a total of over 650 victims, and this
number has passed into legend.[4] As the number of 650
could not be proven, the ocial count remained at 80.[3]
Reportedly, the location of the diaries is unknown but
32 letters written by Bthory are stored in the Hungarian
state archives in Budapest.[7]
Three of the defendants Semtsz, J and Ficko were
condemned to death and their sentences carried out immediately. Before being burned at the stake, Semtsz
and J had their ngers ripped o their hands with hot
pincers. Ficko, who was deemed less culpable, was beheaded, and his body burned. Benick was sentenced to
life imprisonment, since testimony indicated that she was
dominated and bullied by the other women.

Although it is commonly believed that Bthory was

caught in the act of torture, there is little evidence to
support this. Initially, Thurz made the declaration to
Bthorys guests and village people that he had caught
her red-handed. However, she was arrested and detained Following the trial, a red gallows was erected near the
prior to the discovery or presentation of the victims. It castle to show the public that justice had been done.
seems most likely that the whole idea of Thurz discovering Bthory covered in blood has been the embellishment
of ctionalized accounts.[20]
Thurz debated further proceedings with Elizabeths son
Paul and two of her sons-in-law. A trial and execution
would have caused a public scandal and disgraced a noble
and inuential family (which at the time ruled Transylvania), and Elizabeths considerable property would have
been seized by the crown. Thurz, along with Paul and
her two sons-in-law, originally planned for Elizabeth to be
spirited away to a nunnery, but as accounts of her murder
of the daughters of lesser nobility spread, it was agreed
that Elizabeth Bthory should be kept under strict house
arrest and that further punishment should be avoided.[21]
King Matthias urged Thurz to bring Elizabeth to trial
and suggested she be sentenced to death, but Thurz successfully convinced the king that such an act would negatively aect the nobility. Thurz's motivation for such
an intervention is debated by scholars. It was determined
that Matthias would not have to repay his large debt to
Elizabeth.[22]

1.5 Last years and death

Bthory was imprisoned in achtice Castle and placed in
solitary connement.[23] She was kept bricked in a set of
rooms, with only small slits left open for ventilation and
the passing of food. She remained there for four years,
until her death. On 21 August 1614 in the evening her
Ladyship complained to her bodyguard that her hands
were cold, whereupon he replied Its nothing Mistress.
Just go lie down. She went to sleep and was found dead
the following morning.[24] She was buried in the church
of achtice on 25 November,[24] but according to some
sources due to the villagers uproar over having The Tigress of achtice buried in their cemetery, her body was
moved to her birth home at Ecsed, where it was interred
at the Bthory family crypt.[25] Todays location of her
body is unknown.[26]

4 SEE ALSO

Folklore and popular culture

of Protestantism and the extension of Habsburg power

over Hungary.[35]

Main article: Elizabeth Bthory in popular culture

There are numerous counterarguments made against this

theory;[36] The investigation into Bthorys crimes was
sparked by complaints from a Lutheran minister, Istvn
Magyari.[17] This does not contribute to the notion of a
Catholic/Habsburg plot against the Protestant Bthory,
although religious tension is still a possible source of conict as Bthory was raised Calvinist, not Lutheran.[37]
Any attempt to cast Bthory as innocent requires considering the testimony of around 300 witnesses who testied
[8]:9699
as being motivated by moral panic. The physical
evidence collected by the investigators, including numerous bodies and dead and dying girls found when the castle
was entered by Thurz, would also have to be addressed
or disputed.[5] Szdeczky-Kardoss argues the physical evidence was exaggerated and Thurz misrepresented dead
and wounded patients as victims of Bthory, as disgracing
her would greatly benet his political ambitions.[34]

The case of Elizabeth Bthory inspired numerous stories

during the 18th and 19th centuries. The most common
motif of these works was that of the countess bathing in
her victims blood to retain beauty or youth. This legend
appeared in print for the rst time in 1729, in the Jesuit
scholar Lszl Turczis Tragica Historia, the rst written
account of the Bthory case.[27] The story came into question in 1817, when the witness accounts (which had surfaced in 1765) were published for the rst time. They included no references to blood baths.[28] In his book Hungary and Transylvania, published in 1850, John Paget describes the supposed origins of Bthorys blood-bathing,
although his tale seems to be a ctionalized recitation
of oral history from the area.[29] It is dicult to know
how accurate his account of events are. Sadistic pleasure
is considered a far more plausible motive for Elizabeth
Bthorys crimes.[30]
The legend nonetheless persisted in the popular
imagination, perhaps in part because of Bthorys connection to Transylvania and vampire lore. Some versions
of the story were told with the purpose of denouncing
female vanity, while other versions aimed to entertain
or thrill their audience. The vampirism connection
extends to the 21st century documentary Deadly Women,
where she is proled in the rst episode of the series as
maintaining her good looks by iron supplementation she
obtained by drinking her victims blood.
The 1970 movie Countess Dracula was loosely based on
Bthory.[31] The 1971 movie Daughters of Darkness, directed by Harry Kmel, portrays Bthory as a modern
vampire. In the 2006 horror lm Stay Alive, a video game
character called Elizabeth Bathory kills people in a manner akin to that of her historical namesake. Bthorys life
was the basis of the 2008 lm Bathory.[32] Another lm
based on her story, The Countess, was released in 2009.
In the 2013 movie Fright Night 2: New Blood, Bthory is
depicted as a centuries-old vampire living under an alias
in present day Romania.
The 2014 play Blood Countess by Kelleen Conway
Blanchard, inspired by the story of Elizabeth Bthory,
premiered at Annex Theatre in Seattle, WA.

2.1

Other theories

Several authors such as Lszl Nagy and Dr. Irma

Szdeczky-Kardoss have argued that Elizabeth Bthory
was a victim of a conspiracy.[33][34] Nagy argued that
the proceedings were largely politically motivated. The
theory is consistent with Hungarian history at that time,
which included religious and political conict, especially
relating to the wars with the Ottoman Empire, the spread

2.2 Music
British heavy metal band Venom recorded a song called
Countess Bathory on their 1982 album Black Metal.
Bathory was the name of a band from Vllingby, Sweden,
which is widely credited with creating the black metal and
Viking metal subgenres and dedicated the song Woman
of Dark Desires to Elizabeth. Hungarian black metal
band Tormentor released an inuential demo in 1989
titled Anno Domini that included the track Elisabeth
Bathory, that was later covered by Swedish black metal
band Dissection on their 1996 EP Where Dead Angels
Lie. In 1998, the band Cradle of Filth took inspiration
from Elizabeth Bthory for the album Cruelty and the
Beast. The band Kamelot have written songs about her
cruelty and want of eternal youth, showcased on their
three part Elizabeth on their 2001 album Karma. In 2010,
Swedish heavy/doom metal band Ghost released Elizabeth as the rst single of their debut album Opus Eponymous. The track is inspired by the alleged crimes of
Bthory.[38] Composer Dennis Bthory-Kitsz composed
an opera, Erzsebet, based on the life of Bthory. In
2009, Seattle-based rock band Aiden released a song
called Elizabeth on their 2009 album Knives about the
demon countess. The last track on the 2005 album
Black One by Drone/Doom metal band Sunn O))) is titled Bthory Erzsbet. Elizabeth also inspired Slayer in
the song Beauty Through Order from the album World
Painted Blood.

3 Ancestry
4 See also
Gilles de Rais

5
Delphine LaLaurie

La Quintrala

[16] Craft, Kimberley L. (2009). Infamous Lady:The True

Story of Countess Erzsbet Bthory. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. pp. 6970.

Darya Nikolayevna Saltykova

[17] Farin, Heroine des Grauens, pp. 234237.

[18] Letters from Thurz to both men on 5 March 1610,
printed in Farin, Heroine des Grauens, pp. 265266, 276
278.

References

[19] Did Dracula really exist? from The Straight Dope

[1] http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1489418/
Elizabeth-Bathory
[2] Most prolic female murderer:
The most prolic female murderer and the most prolic
murderer of the western world, was Elizabeth Bathori, who
practised vampirism on girls and young women. Throughout the 15th century, she is alleged to have killed more than
600 virgins
[3] Ramsland, Katherine.
Lady of Blood: Countess
Bathory. Crime Library. Turner Entertainment Networks Inc. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
[4] Thorne, Tony (1997).
Bloomsbury. p. 53.

Countess Dracula.

London:

[5] Letter from Thurz to his wife, 30 December 1610,

printed in Farin, Heroine des Grauens, p. 293.
[6] The Plain Story. Elizabethbathory.net. Retrieved 18
November 2013.
[7] Dennis Bathory-Kitsz (4 June 2009). Bthory Erzsbet
Bthory Erzsbet: Short FAQ. Bathory.org. Retrieved
15 September 2012.
[8] Craft, Kimberly L. (2009). Infamous Lady: The True
Story of Countess Erzsbet Bthory. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 9781449513443. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
[9] Craft, Kimberley L. (2009). Infamous Lady:The True
Story of Countess Erzsbet Bthory. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. p. 33.
[10] Craft, Kimberley L. (2009). Infamous Lady:The True
Story of Countess Erzsbet Bthory. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. p. 34.
[11] Craft, Kimberley L. (2009). Infamous Lady:The True
Story of Countess Erzsbet Bthory. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. p. 39.
[12] Craft, Kimberley L. (2009). Infamous Lady:The True
Story of Countess Erzsbet Bthory. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. p. 38.
[13] Craft, Kimberley L. (2009). Infamous Lady:The True
Story of Countess Erzsbet Bthory. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. p. 51.
[14] http://madmonarchs.guusbeltman.nl/madmonarchs/
erzsebet/erzsebet_bio.htm
[15] http://www.infamouslady.com/about_the_countess

[20] Thorne, Tony (1997). Countess Dracula.

Bloomsbury. pp. 1819.

London:

[21] Letter from 12 December 1610 by Elizabeths son-in-law

Zrnyi to Thurz refers to agreement made earlier. See
Farin, Heroine des Grauens, p. 291.
[22] McNally, Raymond T. (1983). Dracula Was a Woman: In
Search of the Blood Countess of Transylvania. New York:
McGraw Hill. ISBN 0-07-045671-2.
[23] http://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/
death-countess-elizabeth-bathory
[24] Infamous Lady the true story of Countess Erzsebet
Bathory Kimberly L. Craft 2009 p.298
[25] Farin, Heroine des Grauens, p. 246.
[26] Find A Grave. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
[27] in Ungaria suis *** regibus compendia data, Typis Academicis Soc. Jesu per Fridericum Gall. Anno MCCCXXIX. Mense Sepembri Die 8. p 188193, quoted by
Farin
[28] Hesperus, Prague, June 1817, Vol. 1, No. 31, pp. 241
248 and July 1817, Vol. 2, No. 34, pp. 270272
[29] Paget, John (1850). Hungary and Transylvania; with remarks on their condition, Social, Political and Economical.
Philadelphia: Lea & Blanchard. pp. 5051.
[30] Alois Freyherr von Mednyansky: Elisabeth Bthory, in
Hesperus, Prague, October 1812, vol. 2, No. 59, pp. 470
472, quoted by Farin, Heroine des Grauens, pp. 6165.
[31] http://www.timeout.com/london/film/countess-dracula
[32] http://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/aug/05/anna.
friel
[33] Nagy, Lszl. A rossz hir Bthoryak. Budapest: Kossuth
Knyvkiad 1984
[34] The Bloody Countess?". let s Tudomny (Life and
Science). Retrieved 2 September 2005.
[35] Sugar, P.F., etal:A History of Hungary. Indiana University
Press, 1990, p. 97
[36] Pollk, Gyrgy. Az irstudk feleltlensge. In: Kritika. Mveldspollitikai s kritikai lap. Budapest, January
1986, pp. 2122.
[37] Thorne, Tony. 'Countess Dracula: The Life and Times of
Elisabeth Bathory, the Blood Countess
[38] Elizabeth Lyric Meaning - Ghost Meanings. Songmeanings.net. Retrieved 18 November 2013.

Further reading

6.1

In English

McNally, Raymond T. (1983). Dracula Was a

Woman: In Search of the Blood Countess of Transylvania. New York: McGraw Hill. ISBN 0-07045671-2. Raymond T. McNally (19312002) was
a professor of Russian and East European History at
Boston College
Thorne, Tony (1997). Countess Dracula. Bloomsbury. ISBN 0-7475-2900-0.

EXTERNAL LINKS

Nagy, Lszl (1987). Az ers fekete bg: Ndasdy

Ferenc. Zrnyi Katonai Knyv s Lapkiad. ISBN
963-326-933-4.
Szdeczky-Kardoss, Irma (1993). Bthory Erzsbet
igazsga. Nestor Kiad. ISBN 963-7523-26-X.
Bessenyei, Jzsef (2005). A Ndasdyak. General
Press Kiad. ISBN 963-9598-65-8.
Nemere, Istvn (2009).
Bthory Erzsbet
magnlete.
Knyvmolykpz Kiad.
ISBN
978-963-245-193-0.
Lengyel, Tnde and Vrkonyi, Gbor (2010).
Bthory Erzsbet, Egy asszony lete. General Press
Kiad. ISBN 978-963-643-168-6.

Penrose, Valentine (2006). The Bloody Countess:

Atrocities of Erzsbet Bthory. translator: Trocchi, Alexander. Solar Books. ISBN 0-9714578-24. Translation from the French Erzsbet Bthory la
6.5
Comtesse sanglante

In Slovak

Craft, Kimberly (2009). Infamous Lady: The True

Story of Countess Erzsbet Bthory. ISBN 1-44951344-1.

Dvok, Pavel (1999). Krvav grfka: Albeta Btoryov, fakty a vmysly. Slovart. ISBN 978-8085501-07-0.

Ramsland, Katherine. Lady of Blood: Countess

Bathory. Crime Library. Turner Entertainment
Networks Inc.

Ninnsky, Joo (2001). achtick pani. Media

klub. ISBN 80-88963-52-4.

6.2

In French

Penrose, Valentine (1962). Erzsbet Bthory la

Comtesse sanglante. Valentine Penrose (1898
1978) was a French surrealist poet. This book
was translated into English as The Bloody Countess:
Atrocities of Erzsbet Bthory
Prisset, Maurice (2001). La comtesse de sang. Pygmalion. ISBN 2-85704-700-2.

6.3

In German

Farin, Michael (2003). Heroine des Grauens. Elisabeth Bthory. Munich: P. Kirchheim. ISBN 387410-038-3.

6.4

Koi, Jozef (2007). Albeta Btoriov a jej obete.

Knin centrum. ISBN 80-8064-290-7.

In Hungarian

6.6 In Spanish
Pizarnik, Alejandra (1971). La condesa sangrienta.
Aquarius. Alejandra Pizarnik (19361972) was an
Argentine poet. Several editions of this book have
been published.
Garca Snchez, Javier (2005). Ella, Drcula: vida
y crmenes de la condesa sangrienta, la mayor asesina en serie de la historia. Planeta. ISBN 9788408054801.

7 External links
Thorne, Tony (29 June 2008). Countess Elizabeth
Bthory: icon of evil. The Telegraph.

Rexa, Dezs (1908). Bthory Erzsbet Ndasdy Ferencn. Benk Gyula Udvari Knyvkereskedse.

Elizabeth Bathory - the Blood Countess BBC piece

on Erzsbet Bthory, Created 2 August 2001; Updated 28 January 2002

Supka, Gza (c. 1940). Az tkozott asszony: Ndasdy Ferencn, Bthory Erzsbet bngye. Erdlyi
Egyetemes Knyvtr.

Elizabeth Bthory Drop of Blood Festival: 16

August 2014 (in Slovak). Festival in achtice,
Slovakia

Nagy, Lszl (1984). A rossz hr Bthoryak. Kossuth Knyvkiad. ISBN 963-09-2308-4.

Marek, Miroslav. A genealogy of the Ndasdy

family, including her descendants. Genealogy.EU.

Pter, Katalin (1985). A csejtei vrrn: Bthory

Erzsbet. Helikon. ISBN 963-207-652-4.

Marek, Miroslav. A genealogy of the Bthory family. Genealogy.EU.

7
A complete genealogy of all descendants Elizabeth
Bthory (17th-20th century)
Novotny, Pavel (Director) (2014). Die Grn Elisabeth Bathory und das Geheimnis hinter dem Geheimnis [400 Years of Bloody Countess - The Secret Behind the Secret] (Motion picture). Retrieved 27 May
2014. (Documentary lm)

8 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

8.1

Text

Elizabeth Bthory Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_B%C3%A1thory?oldid=667572203 Contributors: AxelBoldt, Derek

Ross, Mav, Fubar Obfusco, Shii, Ktsquare, Montrealais, Someone else, Frecklefoot, Lir, Infrogmation, Paul Barlow, Darkaddress, Llywrch, Zashaw, Vera Cruz, Liftarn, Ixfd64, Looxix~enwiki, Susan Mason, , Grin, GCarty, John K, Conti, Dcoetzee, David
Latapie, Pgrote, WhisperToMe, Itai, Joy, David.Monniaux, Slawojarek, Jeq, Scalasaig, Phil Boswell, Juro, Karolkalna, Astronautics~enwiki, Fredrik, PBS, RedWolf, Securiger, Premeditated Chaos, Hadal, Kent Wang, Xanzzibar, Dina, Adam78, Connelly, Dbenbenn,
Madame Sosostris, DocWatson42, Skriptor~enwiki, Misterkillboy, Nunh-huh, Geeoharee, Leyman, Wwoods, Everyking, Xinoph, Zinnmann, Alensha, BigHaz, Jason Quinn, Kpalion, ALargeElk, Pehrs, Keith Edkins, Quadell, Latemodel, Antandrus, EliZZZa, Curtsurly,
SatyrEyes, Oknazevad, Ukexpat, Thorwald, D6, Jayjg, Wfaulk, Discospinster, Rich Farmbrough, Florian Blaschke, LeeHunter, Bumhoolery, Cariaso, Bender235, CanisRufus, El C, Spearhead, RoyBoy, MrVacBob, Markussep, Causa sui, Rrreese, Bastique, Sampo Torgo,
Goa103~enwiki, DCEdwards1966, Polylerus, Klhuillier, Disneyfreak96, Alansohn, Anthony Appleyard, Hektor, Ricky81682, Flyspeck,
Swift, Svartalf, DreamGuy, Tetromino, Jheald, RainbowOfLight, Randy Johnston, BLueFiSH.as, Gene Nygaard, Klparrot, Dismas, Mahanga, Brookie, Megan1967, Richard Arthur Norton (1958- ), OwenX, Rocastelo, Grillo, Ekem, Kzollman, Duncan.france, Ahazred8,
SDC, Ruziklan, Phlebas, Palica, Floydgeo, Graham87, WBardwin, Kbdank71, Schmendrick, Jdcooper, Tim!, Nightscream, Pjetter,
Gryndor, MordredKLB, Vary, JHMM13, Olessi, MarnetteD, JamesEG, Allycat, Ian Pitchford, Old Moonraker, Nsae Comp, Maire,
Neofelis Nebulosa~enwiki, Str1977, Quuxplusone, Igo~enwiki, Silversmith, Chobot, WiccaIrish, Mordicai, Silarius, YurikBot, Crotalus
horridus, Sceptre, Cabiria, Jachin, Jack Cain, Crypticmyth, FrenchIsAwesome, Hellmark, Shell Kinney, Gaius Cornelius, Ksyrie, CambridgeBayWeather, Rsrikanth05, Wimt, Aetil, EvKnight13, MadMax, LaszloWalrus, ONEder Boy, Apokryltaros, Johantheghost, Semperf, Madcynic, Glenn Magus Harvey, Asarelah, Wknight94, Kelovy, Jkelly, TheguX, ChrisGriswold, Hihromanov, Spring Rubber, Fang
Aili, DiLuna25, Dr.alf, Saudade7, Sitenl, Diddims, LeonardoRob0t, JLaTondre, Curpsbot-unicodify, Garion96, Nais, Koppany, Kungfuadam, Pstermeister, Ghazer~enwiki, R Bartholomew, Luk, SmackBot, Ashenai, Haymaker, Mitteldorf, KnowledgeOfSelf, Destron
Commander, Hydrogen Iodide, Istvan, Unyoyega, BluePlatypus, Verne Equinox, Eskimbot, Chrisboote, Victrix, J.J.Sagnella, Kintetsubuffalo, Notch, Yopie, IstvanWolf, Master Deusoma, Macintosh User, Moondust9358, Gilliam, Portillo, Hmains, Qtoktok, Chris the speller,
Happywae, Guermantes, Bluebot, Ciacchi, TimBentley, Persian Poet Gal, Thumperward, Hibernian, Soundoftoday, Rlevse, Gracenotes,
Yakuman, KittyKat, Tsca.bot, Liontooth, Etu, COlstrom, OrigamiNinja, Brokenyin, SwitChar, Flyguy649, TheLateDentarthurdent, The
Moving Finger Writes, Kj8744, Nakon, EVula, Nahtmmm, Order of the Dragon, LordCalvert, Tankred, NeoVampTrunks, SashatoBot,
Ragestorm, Vildricianus, Joeltl1349, Rory096, SuperTycoon, Kingsh, Kuru, John, AnonEMouse, Cronodevir, Hlucho, Gobonobo, Sir
Isaac Lime, Erdelyiek, Xornok, Hemmingsen, Minna Sora no Shita, A. Parrot, Jaiwills, Jurohi, Colemorris17!, Zybergoat, Dr.K., NuncAutNunquam, DabMachine, Gegnome, Lucio Di Madaura, LAlawMedMBA, Meservy, Newone, Muro, Saturday, Courcelles, OtakuMan, VinceB, Khallster, MightyWarrior, Switchercat, HDCase, CmdrObot, Wafulz, The Cake is a Lie, Jamoche, Tim Long, Sam Ann,
WeggeBot, Jedudedek, KattBon, Metalmasher, Nilfanion, Just smith, Themightyquill, Cydebot, Abeg92, Frank.chappell, Treybien, PorciusXX, Ranylt, GRBerry, Blackmetalbaz, Kappisto, Quibik, Doug Weller, Tojira Ikonoka, DBaba, Ya'ir Hunter, PandaPounce, SpK,
Thijs!bot, Biruitorul, Crockspot, Chitomcgee, Hollomis, NewShield, Mojo Hand, Marek69, Evincar, Missvain, Morgrim, Jimhoward72,
Big Bird, Escarbot, Mentisto, RobotG, Saimhe, Aldebaran69, Emeraldcityserendipity, Gyula, Dr. Blofeld, Yarovit, Arx Fortis, Valrith, Texasrose, Husond, Inbetweener, Chicagoboy3, Melcena, Timcrall, BeastmasterGeneral, GuyQuest, J Greb, .anacondabot, Repku,
Wildhartlivie, Bencherlite, Magioladitis, Dp76764, Celithemis, VoABot II, Samo, Norden1990, Usien6, Count de Ville, TinaSparkle,
Avicennasis, rdRuadh21, Animum, Shield2, Elizabeth J. Farkas, DerHexer, Enaidmawr, Woo tangent, Seba5618, Al, Gwern, Lady
Mondegreen, Clavecin, Arno schaefer, Mermaid from the Baltic Sea, John Doe or Jane Doe, Etherweave, Keith D, Threedots dead,
Xander08, J.delanoy, BSClifton, Trusilver, Jmm6f488, LikuX, Pointlessforest, Sam195, A Nobody, Guidoman, Polenth, Ian.thomson,
Littleghostboo, Sweet Morena, Prettyprodigy06, Uvm98, Hubacelgrand, Spiked punch013, AntiSpamBot, Sugarbat, ThinkBlue, Robertgreer, Kingnothing275, Jll294, Cmichael, STBotD, RB972, Pdcook, Xiahou, Krajerino, Shavedchimp, Gothbag, VolkovBot, Aciram,
ResetGomb~enwiki, Jmrowland, Barneca, Philip Trueman, Drunkenmonkey, TXiKiBoT, Tovojolo, Zhouma, Naohiro19 revertvandal,
Andreas Kaganov, Anna Lincoln, HarlequinPalanquin, Nazgul02, Seraphim, Broadbot, Dgmoran, Master Bigode, BotKung, Ambiquad,
Sir Iain, Fastplanet, Madhero88, Vladsinger, Billinghurst, Malick78, Trolleytimes, Scrawlspacer, Jkalo08, Stvfetterly, TomislavXP, Royaljared, SieBot, Zacsek, I Like Cheeseburgers, Derekcslater, Mungo Kitsch, The1marauder, London Babe, Bopash4, Karonaway, Megaula,
Keilana, Flyer22, Grimey109, Filipovits, Monegasque, Baxter9, EkriirkE, PriestessFang, Poindexter Propellerhead, Skeletonshow, Hobartimus, Thorrstein, Gunmetal Angel, BrokeTheInterweb, Rosiestep, Philly jawn, ASuddeth, Mygerardromance, Paulinho28, LaVey Charkus
Veros BeruDeJusu, Terrence Myr, Sweeper 11, Muhends, Fluid Fishystick Depresses the Falling, Abdulka, FlamingSilmaril, ClueBot, IPAddressConict, Stephoswalk, Hargita, Avenged Eightfold, PipepBot, All Hallows Wraith, Wick3dd, RashersTierney, HoundofBaskersville,
Drmies, Mild Bill Hiccup, TheOldJacobite, Boing! said Zebedee, Niceguyedc, Liempt, Hschlarb, Puchiko, Nmate, Boneyard90, Tyrus 7,
DragonBot, Excirial, Nymf, Jusdafax, Anatai, Wikiscribe, JonnyLee, Caroberto, Sun Creator, Grey Matter, Wiki libs, Arjayay, Ngebendi,
Iohannes Animosus, Aliggriths, M.O.X, BogdyBBA, Jcreek201, Doprendek, SchreiberBike, Kkarma, Mlas, 1ForTheMoney, Ced101,
JPisano, Aitias, Pentagramboy616, DreaSTARSHIP, DumZiBoT, Dmacewen, Janster15, Perscurator, Lkovac, D.i.l., SilvonenBot, Forestland, Atomicdor, Asidemes, MystBot, Dubmill, Good Olfactory, Login101, Blubutteries, Surtsicna, Batmen, Kbdankbot, FactStraight,
Addbot, JPINFV, Willking1979, Some jerk on the Internet, Lisapaloma, Player49er, Ronhjones, Jeanne boleyn, CanadianLinuxUser, Mac
Dreamstate, Awollen, Lost on belmont, LaaknorBot, Omnipedian, Favonian, Tassedethe, Dmw47, Ondewelle, Tide rolls, Lightbot, Gail,
Zenodotos, CorrectCorrect, Contributor777, Jilem1, Drpickem, Transylvanian11, Luckas-bot, Yobot, Bunnyhop11, Ptbotgourou, Rsquire3,
AshNight1214, Reenem, Inkweaver666, AnomieBOT, Momoricks, Floquenbeam, Dieblutegraf, Saurabh matta, Galoubet, AdjustShift,
Xophorus, V2score, Materialscientist, Ckruschke, 19DrPepper91, Citation bot, Metalliana, Hgriggs, Qorilla, LilHelpa, Justaperfectday,
Xqbot, TinucherianBot II, Ulysses elias, Flakblas, Xlz597, Aquila89, Brandonwiley11, Ute in DC, Omnipaedista, Jdogbrunner, RibotBOT,
Chaheel Riens, Buchraeumer, FrescoBot, Anna Roy, Manu Lop, Lothar von Richthofen, Urgos, Duchess of Bathwick, Paxfax, Haeinous,
HJ Mitchell, Classic90, Kobalevski, Jamesooders, Flkvangr, Monkshood82, DrilBot, DefaultsortBot, MJ94, Bheuninckx, Calmer Waters, Ongar the World-Weary, VenomousConcept, Cnwilliams, FoxBot, Lotje, VampireGrl4Ever, Suusion of Yellow, Derild4921, Jmanis2, Rhaeticus, Ripchip Bot, Acbistro, Chako21, Bizzurp, DASHBot, EmausBot, Orphan Wiki, Immunize, Westwind88, Jayanthonwiki,
RA0808, Fakirbakir, JMcGuirk, Tommy2010, Dopice, Ocotber millian, Ddaann2, Mikejstein, SidoniaBorcke, ZroBot, PBS-AWB, Roiberto, Pliming, Cobaltcigs, K kisses, Lronsally, Trissler1971, 11 Arlington, L Kensington, Scientic29, Thehoboclown, ChuispastonBot,
Strangeling13, Horrorwriter223, Sonicyouth86, ClueBot NG, Jack Greenmaven, Vinnywg, CocuBot, HairySwede, To'Savage, Mikkimikki,
The Master of Mayhem, Snotbot, Lmichellem, Omen1229, In twilight, Widr, Chitt66, Nobletripe, Theopolisme, DaniOGrady, Koertefa,
BG19bot, KateWishing, Shokatz, Dan653, RJR3333, Magicyingpigeon, Harizotoh9, Enredados, Omnictionarian97, Lucullus19, Verbcatcher, Michaelgworkman, Ambergurl75, Dali999, Khazar2, May koleka, Mogism, Ranze, The Vintage Feminist, Periglio, Ken-

8.2

Images

zieekk, VIAFbot, Tommy Pinball, Frosty, Sriharsh1234, Epicgenius, StoplookingatmyIPaddress, Arildnordby, AptitudeDesign, Wackelkopp, DavidLeighEllis, Ssdco, JP Vanir, AlejandraMendez, 123tacocat, Iizprettyunicorn, OccultZone, N0n3up, JaconaFrere, 7Sidz, Violet Costello, Jonnieboi1990, HeloWood, Qpeezee, Elena520, Hinighter, Mistersticks, Jacomoman78, Zuzana1974, Tenthrow, Tevyne,
Guise, Dieblutegran, Horcrux2007, Aisensee, PrincessCamilla, Everyfebruary, Destieljohnlockphan, 6mejia6, Shadow335, Original Little Dragon, Calamondin12, KasparBot, Matthewrayford, Birdeatert, Habs 1234567890, Dayquill and Anonymous: 1275

8.2

Images

File:A_coloured_voting_box.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/01/A_coloured_voting_box.svg License: Cc-bysa-3.0 Contributors: ? Original artist: ?

File:Commons-logo.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg License: ? Contributors: ? Original
artist: ?
File:Csejtecivertanlegi1.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Csejtecivertanlegi1.jpg License: CC BYSA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Civertan
File:Ecsed_vra_Das_ehmals_gedrckte,_vom_Trken_berckte,_nun_trefflich_erquickte_Knigreich_Hungarn.
_Frankfurt_u._Leipzig_1688.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c9/Ecsed_v%C3%A1ra_Das_ehmals_
gedr%C3%BCckte%2C_vom_T%C3%BCrken_ber%C3%BCckte%2C_nun_trefflich_erquickte_K%C3%B6nigreich_Hungarn.
_Frankfurt_u._Leipzig_1688.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: http://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/~{}db/0007/bsb00071640/
images/index.html?seite=15&fip=193.174.98.30 Original artist: prixner
File:Flag_of_Hungary.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Flag_of_Hungary.svg License: Public domain Contributors:
Flags of the World Hungary Original artist: SKopp
File:Main_tower_at_Cachtice_Castle,_Slovakia.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Main_tower_
at_Cachtice_Castle%2C_Slovakia.JPG License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Jacomoman78
File:P_vip.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/69/P_vip.svg License: PD Contributors: ? Original artist: ?

8.3

Content license

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0