Erzebet Bathory was a Hungarian countess from the renowned Bathory family. The Bathory family were famous for defending Hungary against the Ottoman Turks. Bathory, who lived from 1560 to 1614, is believed to be the biggest female serial killer in history and is remembered as the 'Blood Countess'. Bathory's spree came to light after her husbands death after she, and four accomplices, began torturing and killing young women and virgin girls. There are often accounts of her bathing in the blood of virgins in order to retain her youth, although these accounts are completely unfounded. The victims were often peasants who were enticed to the castle by the promise of well paid work as maids, other victims were the children of lesser nobility who were sent to the castle to learn etiquette.

Bathory was highly intelligent as a young woman and learned to speak Latin, German and Greek, she was also known for a keen interest in science and astronomy. At the age of 15 she was engaged to Ferenc Nadasdy, a wealthy man, who's wedding gift to Bathory was his Cachtice Castle home together with the Cachtice country house and 17 adjacent villages. Just 3 years after their wedding in 1575 her husband was sent to war and Bathory was ordered to defend the estates and take charge of business affairs. Bathory had a similar role between 1593 and 1606 throughout the Long War, an important task due to previous plundering by the Ottomans. Her husband died during this war in 1604 at the age of 47, probably as a result of injury in battle.

It was between 1602 and 1604 that senior ministers began to complain about atrocities to the court in Vienna and publicly, after rumours had gained momentum about events in the castle. It took Hungarian authorities some time to respond to the events and in 1610 King Matthias assigned the palatine of Hungary, Janos Thurzo, to investigate. Thurzo decided against trialing Bathory and instead kept her under strict house arrest. At the end of 1610 Thurzo went to Cachtice Castle and arrested Bathory and four of her servants. Thurzo and his men found one girl dying and one dead, along with many others locked up and one wounded. King Matthias requested that Bathory be sentenced to death however Thurzo persuaded the king that doing so would negatively affect the nobility. Therefore a trial was postponed indefinitely and Bathory was kept imprisoned. Her four accomplices however were found guilty, with three executed and another imprisoned for life.

Bathory was found dead in her cell in 1614 having never been taken to trial. Estimates about how many Bathory killed differ, with some sources saying the number is as high as 650. Two of her accomplices claimed at trial the figures of 36 and 37 victims, whilst the other two defendants claimed a number of 50 or higher. Many innocent personnel estimated the number of bodies removed from the castle at between 100-200, with another servant claiming that Bathory listed all 650 of her victims in a book. It has been reported that Bathory's diaries are kept in state archives in Budapest, but have never been released by any Hungarian regime due to the horrific nature of the content.

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