Infamous Lady: The True Story of Countess Erzsébet Báthory (6 page)

Both Ferenc and Erzsébet inherited their parents’ vast properties, generating enormous wealth for the new couple. Collectively, they would own thousands of acres of land throughout various counties, along with dozens of towns and more than 20 castles across present-day Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Romania, and the Czech Republic, including: Lánzser, Léka (or Lockenaus, the burial place of Tamás and Orsolya Nádasdy) and Sopronkeresztúr in present-day Austria; Beckó (Beckov), Csejthe (including castle and 17 villages), Csicsva, Dévény, Nagybicse, Rozgony, and Varannó in Slovakia and the Czech Republic; Fogaras, Somlyó, and Szátmar in present-day Romania; and Buják, Egervár, Füzér, Kapuvar, Nagyecsed, Nagykanizsa, Onod, and Sárvár in present-day Hungary. In a short time, in fact, they would possess more wealth than the King of Hungary.

8

THE EARLY YEARS OF MARRIAGE (1575-1585)

It is hard to know the exact relationship between Ferenc and Erzsébet, except from what we learn through witness testimony and the couple’s correspondence. By all accounts, Erzsébet was a good wife and mother, at least publicly. With the exception of her alleged pre-marital indiscretion, she did nothing to raise eyes in the early years of her marriage. She attended official functions with her husband, publicly practiced religion, gave money to the poor, protected widows, and even assisted with the administration of health care for her staff and surrounding villagers. Based on her own letters, we know of several instances where she intervened on behalf of destitute women, including one whose husband was captured by the Turks and another whose daughter was raped and impregnated. In fact, György Thurzó, later Palatine of Hungary and the man who would someday apprehend the “Bloody Countess,” commented to one of his own daughters that she “should be more like” Erzsébet.

In 1578, three years after their wedding, Ottoman Turks were again conducting open raids across the countryside. Mindful that Ferenc’ father, Tamás, had betrayed both Szapolyai and the Turks, the younger Nádasdy now set about refortifying the family properties and collecting an army in preparation to meet the enemy. He had prepared for this moment his entire life, and the thrill of finally riding off to battle must have been exhilarating for him. Ferenc, together with his military comrades, Zrínyi,
Erd
ödy
,
Batthyányi
, and Palffy, would come to be known as the “unholy quintet,” and clash repeatedly with the Turks over the years. Ferenc would soon earn the title, “High Stable Master” in 1587, as well as “The Black Bey” (a Turkish title, meaning “chieftan” or “lord”) and “The Black Knight of Hungary” from his enemies. In his role as Captain of the Hungarian Army, he would eventually spend his entire life engaged in warfare against the Ottoman Turks.

For his 18-year-old wife, however, Ferenc’ departure left her alone for long periods of time in the huge family home at Sárvár. The couple had not yet had children, and Sárvár, by all accounts, continued to be well staffed and well run. Until she fully established herself as mistress of the house and chief administrator of the vast estates in her husband’s absence, she probably had little to do.

Commentators suggest that, during this time, Erzsébet made frequent trips to visit her bisexual aunt, Klara, with whom she learned witchcraft, torture, and how to make love to women. Given Klara’s estimated date of birth some time around the early 1520’s, she would have been nearly 60 years old now in an age when few people survived to 50. We are not certain if she was even alive at this point, but would have at least been in her waning years. How instructive she was to her young niece is questionable, if the stories are true at all.

While Erzsébet’s aunt is reputed to have practiced witchcraft, we also know that many women accused of such during the period were actually practitioners of folk art and herbal medicine. Such practices were not limited to the peasantry or so-called “forest witches,” but popular amongst the nobility, as well. Ironically, folk medicine was fairly tolerated during Erzsébet’s time; some years later, during the witchhunts that blazed across Europe, such practices would come under intense scrutiny.

Commentators also suggest that a bored Erzsébet spent her free time engaging in sexual horseplay with male servants, particularly a man named István Jezorlay. However, in the legions of trial documents and testimony of approximately three hundred servants and eyewitnesses, no emphasis is placed on any sort of repeated or blatant sexual misconduct on the part of Erzsébet. Only one witness, in fact—Janós Felon—accused her of having an affair once with a young soldier and servant, Vitus Trombitás, before he was killed at the front fighting for Ferenc Nádasdy. This is not to say that Erzsébet never engaged in illicit activities; however, if she did, she and her servants were exceptionally discreet. Even when under lock and key years later, her servants both past and present probably still feared her. However, many servants were no longer in her direct employ by then and, during the last round of depositions, knew that she had little hope of ever being released. Thus, apart from fear or healthy respect, they had little to lose by disclosing past misdeeds. The fact that they said so little on the matter, particularly in an age when women, in general, were routinely accused of sexual misconduct or some form of witchcraft—no matter the main charge—is significant.

Also significant is that the four accomplices who participated in the most heinous deeds near the end of Erzsébet’s life—all of whom had their testimony extracted under torture—made no mention of sexual misconduct on her part either. Witnesses, particularly amongst the Sárvár staff, do mention that certain portions of Sárvár Castle were under guard and that access was forbidden. Nevertheless, the witnesses believed that such secret chambers were used for torturing servants rather than illicit sex play.

There are also signs to indicate that Erzsébet was, at least at times, a passive partner in the marriage: Ferenc clearly did as he pleased, often without telling his wife about his activities or dealings. In 1596, for example, she discovered through a third party that he had gone off to Transylvania with no clear purpose for the trip. She rebuked him angrily, although it thinly disguises hurt feelings:

   Ferenc Nádasy, on the other hand, never appeared to speak ill of his wife in public and, on more than one occasion, defended her honor against what would soon become an increasingly critical clergy. In correspondence with others, he spoke either lovingly of her or simply referred to her state of health.

9

COMING OF AGE (1585-1600)

By her mid-twenties, Countess Báthory had finally settled into a routine. Ferenc was routinely away fighting the Turks now, and it became clear even to his family staff that the Lady Nádasdy was there to stay. She was now the one to whom they would report. During these years, she spent the majority of her time at Sárvár and Kereszstúr castles, the centerpieces of the Nádasdy family holdings. However, she visited all of the other properties at least once a year. She also resided periodically at the family manor in Vienna, co-owned with the Batthyányi family. When Castle Sárvár underwent a substantial reconstruction, the Countess chose to spend more time at her other residences.

We can say that her lifestyle was typical of noblewomen of her time. Upon arising, she would begin a rather lengthy process of dressing, typically with the assistance of her ladies in waiting. If attending a formal event or receiving visitors, she would have to rise very early, even before sunrise, to begin a more elaborate process that involved extensive hair and makeup work. On an ordinary day, the process could take two to three hours; for affairs of state, possibly four to six. Breakfast might be taken during or after the procedure, depending on time constraints.

On a typical day, she would spend time looking after the estate, managing staff, consulting with her court officials and supervisors, dictating or writing letters, paying bills, reviewing documents, making rounds both inside and outside the manor, and receiving visitors. Lunch would be taken around 11:00 a.m. In later years, after the birth of her children, she would look in on them and meet with their nannies and tutors. She would also spend time at chapel and religious services.

Depending on how many appointments she had scheduled, some free time might be available. Leisure time included horseback riding, picnics, hunts, drives into town, and reading. We know that the Countess enjoyed going to the spa at Pieštány, as well as shopping and attending concerts in Vienna. Some noblewomen played musical instruments and created elaborate handicrafts, although we have no record of Countess Báthory engaging in either pursuit. In addition to affairs of state and appearances at court, parties were common; the nobility entertained frequently. Also, traveling musicians, entertainers, acting troupes and poets often came to town to perform.

Dinner would be served around 6:00 p.m. She had the option to eat in the formal diningroom or have dinner brought up to her by staff. If no visitors or parties were scheduled for the evening, the Countess would retreat to her bed chamber by dark. According to witnesses, her “evening entertainments” could go on for hours after that.

In Erzsébet’s time, the household staff was divided primarily into male servants who answered to the Lord (e.g., the castellan, steward, house manager, stable master, etc.) and the female servants who answered primarily to the Lady (kitchen staff, washer women, seamstresses, and so forth). Both Lord and Lady also had personal attendants who waited on them, helped them dress, and kept them company. When the Lord was away, administrative direction for the entire staff came from the Lady of the House who also took charge in his absence.

In the case of the vast Nádasdy holdings that included dozens of castles, manor homes, villages, thousands of acres of land and hundreds of staff members, Erzsébet was ultimately responsible for running all of it when Ferenc was away. She was also responsible for arbitrating disputes for servants and locals, maintaining defenses against the Turks along the border, and even conducting sensitive matters of diplomacy.

For example, in 1587, her uncle, Cardinal András Báthory, sent a private message to Erzsébet who, apparently, was running the estate by herself at the time:

(The reader will notice that the term
sister
was used in those days as a term of endearment.)

      More than ten years into the marriage, there are still no obvious signs that Erzsébet was on a collision course to becoming one of the worst serial killers of all time. On May 12, 1588, for example, she wrote a short letter in her typically curt style. However, it is courteous and completely normal by all accounts, demonstrating that she had at least a cordial relationship with a certain Mrs. Ponticzka:

Another letter sent off by the Countess, now 29 years old, was dated November 5, 1589. This one was written to a family servant, Imre Vasvari:

      While Erzsébet Báthory typically wrote in a formal style, and Vasvari might have deserved her anger, there is a certain tone of lofty or superior impatience that can now be found in her writing. This same sort of imperious tone can also be observed in letters to her Court Master, Benedikt (Benedek) Deseö, whom she rebuked several times, and in other examples of Erzsébet’s correspondence, which she herself maintained. Indeed, several of these logs or journals of her conversations were used as source material by hostile witnesses testifying against her in later years. By the 1580’s, Erzsébet Báthory was clearly the Lady of the House and running a tight ship.