The Blood Countess: Elizabeth Bathory

Not Just the Tudors

History Hit

History

4.8 • 3K Ratings

🗓️ 23 February 2023

⏱️ 31 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In the early seventeenth century, a Hungarian aristocrat called Erzsébet Báthory - or Elizabeth Bathory - was accused of murdering more than 600 young women. Her gruesome story has been sensationalised in books, film, and music. But is it true?

In this explainer episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb examines the evidence, Bathory’s alleged modus operandi, and the lives of the poor victims.

**WARNING: This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence and murder**

This episode was edited by Anisha Deva and produced by Rob Weinberg.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Around 450 years ago, in the years 1560 to 1614, they lived a Hungarian aristocrat
0:12.6	called Erjebete, Bathory, known more commonly in English as Lisbeth Bathory, who is said
0:18.7	to have murdered more than 600 young women.
0:22.6	Erjebete's life and actions have been sensationalized in books, film and music, in which she's
0:29.2	typically given names such as The Princess of Blood and Counter-Stracula.
0:34.6	To this day, rather distastefully to my mind, she has two Guinness World Records, one for
0:40.0	the most prolific female murderer and the other for the most prolific murderer of the Western
0:45.7	world.
0:46.7	But is it true?
0:48.5	In this explainer, I'm going to examine the evidence for Erjebete being a serial killer.
0:54.0	I'll start with the victims and consider Erjebete's modus operandi.
0:59.1	If you're a little squeamish, you might not want to listen to this while you're eating.
1:03.6	Then I'll consider her motive, opportunity and means and reflect on the evidence that
1:08.3	puts her in the frame for the deaths of so many young women.
1:12.8	And finally, I think about the case against Erjebete being a killer.
1:16.8	You won't be surprised to know that there are some problems with the evidence, and there's
1:20.6	at least one person who had the motive, opportunity and means to frame her.
1:27.6	What emerges is a truly harrowing story, with many unexplained endings, as well as some
1:33.8	fascinating political intrigue involving that most powerful of early modern European families,
1:40.2	the Habsburgs.
1:41.5	So if you're steered and ready, let's begin.
1:45.5	Erjebete was born on the 7th of August, 1560, to Yurg and Anna Battori in Nierbattor,
	...

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