Biosketch and Sociocultural Analysis of Elizabeth Báthory

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Biosketch and Sociocultural Analysis of Elizabeth Báthory Bio-Sketch Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed (or Báthory Erzsébet in her native Hungarian tongue) was a countess of the prolific Báthory Hungarian noble family from 1560 to 1664. Throughout the course of her life, Elizabeth was many things; Mother of 6, scholar (she wrote and spoke four languages) and diplomat. Above all this however, Elizabeth is most well known for being the most prolific female serial killer in human history. Báthory has been accused of the torture or murder of anywhere between 200 and 714 victims. Unfortunately due to the extreme age of Báthory's legend, and her entanglement in super natural lore, it is difficult to distinguish fact from fiction in many accounts of her escapades. She has often been claimed to be a vampire, to have bathed in the blood of her victims, and has even been fictionalized as a mate of Count Dracula despite the fact that Vlad the Impaler died about 100 years before her birth. However; this report will attempt to focus on the most reliable information available about the "Blood Countess". Erzsébet was a difficult child, and life was not easy for her despite being a member of the privileged class. She suffered from fits, uncontrolled rages, and the possibility of epilepsy which may have indicated deeper brain disorders. She was also promiscuous, getting pregnant at the age of 14 by a peasant and having to be sequestered to avoid scandal on her betrothal to an aristocrat. She was a petty and vain narcissist. By many accounts, she changed her clothes five or six times a day; spending hours admiring her beauty in mirrors. She would often use all kinds of oils and salves in an attempt to whiten her skin. She was always given whatever she wanted, and she demanded continuous praise. No one knows what she might have become had she not teamed up with

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