Editing Elizabeth Báthory (section)

===Accusations===
[[File:Alžbeta Bathory.jpg|alt=|thumb|Elizabeth Báthory from Zay artist. Probably a copy of the other painting which is at the [[Hungarian National Museum]], in [[Budapest]] (also made by Zay). Mentioned in the Magyar Várak book, page 34.]]
Between 1602 and 1604, after rumours of Báthory's atrocities had spread throughout the kingdom, [[Lutheran]] minister István Magyari made complaints against her, both publicly and at the court in Vienna.<ref name="Farin, pp. 234">{{cite book |last=Farin |first=Michael |title=Heroine des Grauens: Wirken und Leben der Elisabeth Báthory: in Briefen, Zeugenaussagen und Phantasiespielen |year=1989 |pages=234–237 |language=de |trans-title=Heroine of horror: the life and work of Elisabeth Báthory: in letters, testimonies and fantasy games |oclc=654683776}}</ref> In 1610, [[Matthias, Holy Roman Emperor|Matthias II]] assigned [[György Thurzó]], the [[Palatine of Hungary]], to investigate. Thurzó ordered two [[notaries]], András Keresztúry and Mózes [[:hu:Cziráky család|Cziráky]],<ref name="Kord2009">{{cite book |last=Kord |first=Susanne |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m-Cu8KaaIPAC |title=Murderesses in German Writing, 1720–1860: Heroines of Horror |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-521-51977-9 |pages=56–57}}</ref> to collect evidence in March 1610.<ref>Letters from Thurzó to both men on 5 March 1610, printed in {{cite book |last=Farin |first=Michael |title=Heroine des Grauens: Wirken und Leben der Elisabeth Báthory: in Briefen, Zeugenaussagen und Phantasiespielen |year=1989 |pages=265–266, 276–278 |language=de |trans-title=Heroine of horror: the life and work of Elisabeth Báthory: in letters, testimonies and fantasy games |oclc=654683776}}</ref> By October 1610 they had collected 52 witness statements;<ref name="Kord2009"/> by 1611, that number had risen to over 300.

Bathory is said to have tortured or killed peasants for years; their disappearances were not likely to provoke an investigation.<ref name="natGeo bloody"/> The abuse of lower classes by nobles was frowned upon but not actually prohibited by law.<ref name="natGeo bloody"/> However, she eventually began killing daughters of the lesser [[gentry]], some of whom were sent to live with her hoping to learn from her and benefit from a connection to the high-ranking countess.<ref>{{cite book |last=McNally |first=Raymond T. |title=Dracula Was a Woman: In Search of the Blood Countess of Transylvania |publisher=McGraw Hill |year=1983 |isbn=978-0-07-045671-6 |location=New York |author-link=Raymond T. McNally|pages=44, 48–49}}</ref>

Some witnesses named relatives who died while at the gynaeceum. Others reported having seen traces of torture on dead bodies, some of which were buried in graveyards, and others in unmarked locations.

====Veracity of accusations====
Beginning in the 1980s, scholars have questioned the truthfulness of the claims against Bathory.<ref name="natGeo bloody">{{cite web |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/the-bloody-legend-of-hungarys-serial-killer-countess |title=The bloody legend of Hungary's serial killer countess |first=Ronan |last=O'Connell |date=21 October 2022 |format= |work=National Geographic |accessdate=1 February 2025}}</ref> Several authors, such as László Nagy and Irma Szádeczky-Kardoss, have argued that Elizabeth Báthory was a victim of a [[List of political conspiracies|conspiracy]].<ref name="Kardoss2"/><ref>Nagy, László. ''A rossz hirü Báthoryak''. Budapest: Kossuth Könyvkiadó 1984{{page needed|date=March 2018}}</ref> Nagy argued that the proceedings against Báthory were largely politically motivated, possibly due to her extensive wealth and ownership of large areas of land in Hungary, which increased after the death of her husband. At that time, Hungary was embroiled in religious and political conflicts, especially relating to the wars with the Ottoman Empire, the spread of [[Protestantism]] and the extension of [[Habsburg]] power.<ref>{{cite book |last=Szakály |first=Ferenc |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofhungary00pete/page/83 |title=A History of Hungary |year=1994 |isbn=978-0-253-20867-5 |editor-last=Sugar |editor-first=Peter F. |pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofhungary00pete/page/83 83–99] |chapter=The Early Ottoman Period, Including Royal Hungary, 1526–1606 |publisher=Indiana University Press |chapter-url={{Google books|SKwmGQCT0MAC|page=83|plainurl=yes}}}}</ref> The Habsburgs were Catholic and Báthory was a Protestant.<ref name="Kardoss2"/> Her nephew, Prince Gábor Báthory, ruled in Transylvania, which was influential in the movement for Hungarian independence from Habsburg rule, providing the Habsburgs a motivation to discredit the family.<ref name="Kardoss2"/> Prince Gábor also desired the throne of Hungary, presenting a threat to King Matthias.<ref name="Kardoss2"/> Elizabeth Báthory's vast land holdings included fortresses that could have aided the Transylvanian army if Gábor had sent it to challenge Matthias.<ref name="Kardoss2"/> Matthias, who had originally ordered the investigation into Báthory, owed her a large debt, which was cancelled after she was arrested.<ref name=britannica/>

The investigation into Báthory's crimes was sparked by complaints from a Lutheran minister, István Magyari,<ref name="Farin, pp. 234"/> which does not align with the notion of a Catholic/Habsburg plot against the Protestant Báthory. However religious tension is still a possible source of conflict, as Báthory was a raised Calvinist rather than Lutheran.<ref name=":6">{{cite book |last=Thorne |first=Tony |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u4_jb6NjucMC |title=Countess Dracula: The Life and Times of Elisabeth Bathory, the Blood Countess |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing |year=2012 |isbn=9781408833650 |author-link=Tony Thorne}}</ref>

Thurzó, the investigator into the accusations, had political state ambitions that would benefit from disgracing Báthory.<ref name="Kardoss2">Irma Szádeczky-Kardoss: [https://notesonhungary.wordpress.com/2014/05/31/the-bloody-countess/ "The Bloody Countess? An Examination of the Life and Trial of Erzsébet Báthory"], translated by Lujza Nehrebeczky, Hungarian original published in ''Élet és Tudomány '', September 2005</ref> An ally of King Matthias, he had been involved in an assassination attempt on Báthory's cousin Prince Gábor, and he had ambitions for his son to become Prince of Transylvania, in competition with Elizabeth Báthory's son.<ref name="Kardoss2"/> Thurzó alleged that he found numerous dead and dying girls when he entered the castle,<ref name="autogenerated293" /> but Szádeczky-Kardoss argues that the physical evidence was exaggerated and Thurzó misrepresented dead and wounded patients as victims of Báthory.<ref name="Kardoss2"/> Landowners like Báthory were responsible for medical care of tenants, so sick and injured subjects were brought to her castles.<ref name="Kardoss2"/> Female landowners were charged with care of female patients.<ref name="Kardoss2"/>