17th century Hungarian noble Elizabeth Bathory reportedly tortured and killed as many as 650 people. Even by the standards of the time, Bathory's treatment of her servants and the peasants in the area was alarmingly cruel: She reportedly beat her maids, then had others drag them into the snow and repeatedly pour cold water on them until they froze. According to legend, she bathed in the blood of her victims, preferably virgin girls, in an attempt to retain her youth. In 1611, her five accomplices were tried: Four of them were executed and one was exonerated. Bathory was never charged or tried, but was walled up in a room that had a gap only large enough to pass food through. She died in 1614.
The Discovery
Although many locals reported strange activities and heard screams coming from the Bathory castle, the Countess' savagery remained unknown or possibly ignored, since she was well-connected with many affluent people and families, until young noblewomen began disappearing in the area.
In 1609 or 1610, King Mathias II sent men to the castle to investigate the situation. They allegedly found several dead and dying women upon entering the castle.
Elizabeth Bathory Information and Background
YouTube: BATHORY TRAILER 2008 Festival-PROMO version (Time: 9:46)
Wikipedia: Elizabeth Báthory
The Crime Library: Countess Elizabeth Bathory - The Blood Countess
King's College: Erzsebet Bathory
Howstuffworks: Was a Hungarian countess the world's most prolific serial killer?
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