Elizabeth Báthory, born in 1560 into Hungarian nobility, is infamous as the “Blood Countess,” allegedly responsible for the torture and murder of hundreds of young women between 1590 and 1610. Legends claim she bathed in their blood to preserve her youth, though modern historians debate the truth of these accusations, suggesting they may have been politically motivated attempts to discredit her powerful family. While her servants were tried and executed, Báthory herself was never formally tried and was confined to her castle in Čachtice, where she died in 1614. Her story has since become a dark fixture of folklore, inspiring countless books, films, and gothic tales.
