21. (Sort of) Off Topic: Elizabeth Báthory

TW: 22:17 - 24:37  Brief descriptions of violent and disturbing acts

This week, Max is going Off Topic to kick us into spooky season with the story of Elizabeth Bathory. Was she the most prolific serial killer in the history of the world? Did she really bathe in blood to preserve her youth and beauty? Is this perhaps a sexist ploy for men to take power? Who knows? (We think we do. We are, as always, very confident in our assertions.)

Sources: 

• “Elizabeth Báthory’s Blood Baths: Separating Myth from Reality” from Vamped 
• Elizabeth Báthory Wikipedia 
• Paintings of Nádasdy Ferenc and Elizabeth Báthory   
• “Elizabeth Báthory” on Encyclopedia Brittanica 
• “Elizabeth Bathory” for Biography.com  
• “Cambridge University academic's quest to clear Elizabeth Bathory's name” by Laurence Cawley for the BBC  
• “Countess Elizabeth Báthory: The True Story Of “Lady Dracula”” by Ann Foster - op ed    
• “Bathed in Blood” from Vault of Thoughts  
• “Vampire folklore by region” on Wikipedia  
• “Empress Maria Theresa & the 18th Century Vampire Panic” by Jenni Wiltz for Medium  
• “The bloody legend of Hungary’s serial killer countess” for National Geographic  
• “On this Day, in 1610: the gruesome crimes of Elizabeth Báthory were uncovered” from Kafkadesk