In 1609/1610 a group of men were sent out to investigate the disappearance of approximately 50 young women. It was rumored that Erzsabet Bathory was somehow responsible for these disappearances. What the search party found in her castle was "beyond belief." In her peice on the Blood Countess, Katherine Ramlsand, relates not only what contemporary reports claim that the search party found at Bathory's castle, but she also opens up a larger discussion about whether or not the countess was actually a vampire. It appears as though Ramsland isn't convinced that Bathory was a vampire. Rather she concludes that the vampire part might be irrelevant given the tyranical nature of her behavior. Ramsland asserts that "[e]ven disregarding tales gained through torture, the evidence from the many missing girls, testimony from damaged survivors, and the discovery of human remains all serve to underscore the charge of extreme torture and serial murder" (chapter 10).
Even though I think that the vampire question is a very interesting one, I have to agree with Ramsland that the countess's acts may not be those of a vampire. Yes, she may have enjoyed a blood bath here and there. And that's pretty gross. However, Ramsland notes that there really isn't any solid evidence stating that she actually drank the blood of another.
Her presence as a torturer and serial murderer is very interesting. Neither or those makes her a vampire. Drinking the blood is a pre-requisite for being a vampire. You simply can't get around that one.
To Class:
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