Editing Elizabeth Báthory (section)

==Folklore and popular culture==
{{Main|Elizabeth Báthory in popular culture}}<!-- Please DO NOT add more information on Elizabeth Báthory's appearances as a fictional character in films, TV, books, computer games, music, etc. here. This information belongs in the article on [[Elizabeth Báthory in popular culture]], as linked to below. -->

The case of Elizabeth Báthory inspired numerous stories during the 18th and 19th centuries. The most common [[Motif (narrative)|motif]] of these works was that of the countess bathing in her virgin victims' blood to retain beauty or youth. This legend appeared in print for the first time in 1729, in the [[Jesuit]] scholar László Turóczi's ''Tragica Historia'', the first written account of the Báthory case.<ref>in ''Ungaria suis *** regibus compendia data'', Typis Academicis Soc. Jesu per Fridericum Gall. Anno MCCCXXIX. Mense Sepembri Die 8. p 188–193, quoted by Farin</ref> The story came into question in 1817 when the witness accounts (which had surfaced in 1765) were published for the first time. They included no references to blood baths.<ref>''Hesperus'', Prague, June 1817, Vol. 1, No. 31, pp. [https://books.google.com/books?id=UDpOAQAAIAAJ 241–248] and July 1817, Vol. 2, No. 34, pp. [https://books.google.com/books?id=UDpOAQAAIAAJ 270–272]</ref> In his book ''Hungary and Transylvania'', published in 1850, John Paget describes the supposed origins of Báthory's blood-bathing, although his tale seems to be a fictionalised recitation of oral history from the area.<ref>{{cite book |last=Paget |first=John |url=https://archive.org/details/hungaryandtrans04pagegoog |title=Hungary and Transylvania; with remarks on their condition, Social, Political and Economical |date=1850 |publisher=Lea & Blanchard |location=Philadelphia |pages=[https://archive.org/details/hungaryandtrans04pagegoog/page/n59 50]–51}}</ref> It is difficult to know how accurate his account of events is. [[Sadistic personality disorder|Sadistic]] pleasure is considered a far more plausible motive for Báthory's crimes.<ref>Alois Freyherr von Mednyansky: ''Elisabeth Báthory'', in ''Hesperus'', Prague, October 1812, vol. 2, No. 59, pp. 470–472, quoted by {{cite book |last=Farin |first=Michael |title=Heroine des Grauens: Wirken und Leben der Elisabeth Báthory: in Briefen, Zeugenaussagen und Phantasiespielen |year=1989 |pages=61–65 |language=de |trans-title=Heroine of horror: the life and work of Elisabeth Báthory: in letters, testimonies and fantasy games |oclc=654683776}}</ref>

Báthory has been labelled by ''[[Guinness World Records]]'' as the most prolific female [[murder]]er, though the number of her victims is debated.<ref>{{cite web|title=Most prolific female murderer|url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/most-prolific-female-murderer|access-date=3 May 2018|website=[[Guinness World Records]]|publisher=Guinness World Records Limited|quote=The most prolific female murderer and the most prolific murderer of the western world, was Elizabeth Báthory, who practised vampirism on girls and young women. Described as the most vicious female serial killer of all time, the facts and fiction on the events that occurred behind the deaths of these young girls are blurred. Throughout the 15th century, she is alleged to have killed more than 600 virgins.}}</ref><!--Please DO NOT add more information on Elizabeth Báthory's appearances as a fictional character in films, TV, books, computer games, music etc here. This information belongs in the article on [[Elizabeth Báthory in popular culture]], as linked to below. -->