The True and Strange Tale of The Vampire Countess of Hungary

The True and Strange Tale of The Vampire Countess of Hungary The Vampire Countess of Hungary Whenever you her the someone make a joke about Transylvania in connection with vampires you probably laugh, and perhaps even add a line of your own. Did you ever stop to think, however, that perhaps there might be more to all this than a causal link to old horror movies? Well, if you have thought about it or asked yourself any questions maybe you might have heard about the infamous Countess Ersza Bathory. If not, then here is her story. There is nothing fictional about the Countess. She lived and died long ago in Hungary, and to this very day superstitious peasants turn pale at the very mention of her name. For the Countess was a vampire, and a real one-one who could easily put the fictional Count Dracula to shame. Born in the year 1550, she grew up on the sprawling estates belonging to her powerful family. They were located in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains, so as she grew up she was exposed to the terrifying folklore of the local peasantry-folklore involving vampires, werewolves, and other unspeakable horrors. While she was still in her early teens, an uncle, said to be a secret worshiper of Satan, initiated her into the mysteries of witchcraft and sorcery. By the time she was fourteen; young Ersze was already a ravishing beauty. Not only did she possess a mature figure, but her luminous, slightly slanted eyes of amber hue, her raven waist long hair, and her creamy smooth complexion combined to give her the look of an angel. Within her breast, though, there beat the heart of a demon. She was married to a count named Nasady when she was fifteen years old, but due to a violent argument early in their marriage, she was refused to take his name, insisting that she be called by her maiden name of Bathory. Apparently this had no effect on her husband, who was too concerned with his career as a soldier to be bothered with domestic matters. So the beautiful Countess was mistress of the Castle Bathory in name as was indeed. One day while Count Nasady was off at war, a mysterious stranger rode up to the castle gates, clad entirely in black, his face was pale, his lips moist and scarlet, and his teeth gleaming and sharp. As far as the servants and the local peasants were concerned he was a vampire, so he was treated with fear and respect. Then suddenly one day he was gone-along with the Countess. Naturally, everyone assumed that she had been carried off by the monster and all the family retainers plunged into mourning. Upon his return from war, the Count was only outwardly, for appearance's sake, distressed over the loss of his beautiful wife. Personally he could not have cared less for, among other things, he half believed what he had heard the servants and the peasants whispering among themselves-that she was a witch and in league with the devil. Consequently, when she returned some months after her mysterious disappearance, her arrival at Castle Bathory did not trigger off wild celebrations. In fact, all one had to do was look at her scarlet lips, her pale countenance; her gleaming teeth…at least, so said the more superstitious in the household. It was plain to see that she had turned into a vampire herself. So even those who weren't completely convinced, nevertheless followed the example of the neighboring peasants, who made sure that they had ample supplies of whitethorn, buckthorn, and garlic-sure protections against vampires-not to mention that most potent symbol of all, a crucifix. Count Nasady, though less concerned with rumors of his wife's vampirism, was now determined that she provide him with an heir, just in case she took it into her head to disappear again. Without mincing words he told her what was expected of her, adding that if she was half the witch the peasants said she was, the task should prove to be an easy one. And as if his words were prophetic, she obliged him without argument, producing a child a year for the next four years, a girl and three boys. But now a change came over her more extreme than any she had ever underdone. With the collaboration of her old nurse, and ugly old woman named Ilona Joo, she commenced viciously mistreating the other servants whenever they displeased her. So severe were the punishments she inflicted on them that her husband warned her that persons of lower rank had been hanged for lesser crimes. Shortly after this Count Nasady died mysteriously. Some said it was witchcraft, other called it plain murder. Whatever it was, the Countess paid no attention. She got rid of all the old servants and brought in a scabrous crew of scoundrels reputed to be witches, sorcerers, and diabolists. With the misshapen old Ilona as her second in command, she began presiding over all manner of hideous going on. A new dimension was soon added. Concerned about losing her beauty she spent more and more time brooding about her looks and preening before the mirror. One day a maid accidentally pulled her hair to hard while combing it, and in a fit of rage the Countess struck the girl so hard that she drew blood. Impulsively putting the bloody hand to her mouth she felt a strange elation. Then rubbing what was left on her face, she came to the conclusion that it had made her more beautiful than ever before. Knowing that the girl was young, it struck Countess Bathory that her blood would be vital and fresh. Ordering the hapless maid seized, the cruel beauty had her dragged, kicking and screaming for mercy, to the bath chamber where she was bled to death in a tub. After her first blood bath the Countess knew beyond a doubt that she had found the secret of eternal beauty. The task of procuring young, innocent victims fell to her servants, and once prospects had been lured to Castle Bathory they never left alive. Cared for like valuable cattle, the unfortunate girls were housed in the cellars and dungeons until the time came for them to be milked of their blood. By now rumors of what went on behind the sinister walls of the castle were rife, but no one could prove anything, and besides, no one cared to venture too close to the place. But finally, in the year 1600 one of the girls escaped and told her horrible story. Unfortunately, between the power of the Bathory family, and the fear that gripped the people of the district, nothing was done. Ten more years passed before the Vampire Countess finally came to justice. A pair of her henchmen made the error of kidnapping a girl from a nearby village where the parish priest refused to be intimidated. He raised such a clamor about the affair that it finally reached the ears of King Mathias, who ordered an immediate investigation. It so happened that among the rumors about Countess Bathory, there was one that she had cursed the King Soundly. When he heard about it his Patience was exhausted. Summoning his prime minister, he roared, "Not only is the Countess a bloodthirsty, murderous witch, she is guilty of high treason!" Thus, after a spectacular trial conducted by the chief justice of Hungry himself, the Countess Ersze Bathory was convicted of having personally killed 650 girls by biting them to death in the neck. Her codefendants were all beheaded with exception of her old nurse Ilona Joo, and a woman named Dorttya Szentes. For their crimes they burned at the stake. The Countess herself escaped the executioner only because of family connections, but she suffered a fate that may well have been worse than execution. She was walled up alive in her castle, her only links with the outside being two slits for food and water and several others for air. Once she was out of the way she was forgotten and anathematized by the nobility from which she had sprung, but thought she only survived four years more, the peasants continued to fear her, and probably will continue to do so for as long as her name is remembered. This Story is from the Book "Vampires, Werewolves, & Other Demons" by Bernhardt J. Hurwood. It is now out of print but you can find a copy at www.Barnes&Noble.com in the used and out of print section.   Carl Ray Louk "FRIENDSHIP NEVER ENDS" SG-1996 "LET LOVE LEAD THE WAY" SG-2000 "THE PHOENIX SHALL RISE" SD "EVEN A MAN WHO IS PURE IN HEART AND SAYS HIS PRAYERS BY NIGHT, MAY BECOME A WOLF WHEN THE WOLFBANE BLOOMS AND THE AUTUMN MOON IS BRIGHT." 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