Elizabeth Báthory: The Countess Turned into a Vampire So a Case Needed No Trial

On December 29, 1610, Palatine György Thurzó led officials and soldiers to Čachtice Castle, now in Slovakia. Elizabeth Báthory, a wealthy widow from a powerful family, was accused of torturing servants and causing the deaths of young women. Four close servants were arrested. Days later, they were interrogated and tortured for statements.

The investigation ran from March 1610 to July 1611 and collected testimony from 317 people. Hungary’s own national archives state that most witnesses knew the story only by hearsay. Those who claimed direct knowledge often confirmed that servants had been beaten or that someone had died, but they did not prove hundreds of murders. The search party at the castle also found no site or object strong enough to prove that Báthory had killed hundreds of noble girls.