en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_B%C3%A1thory
2 corrections found
Bathory and her cohorts were charged for 80 counts of murder and were convicted.
This sentence wrongly says Elizabeth Báthory was convicted. Reliable references say she was never formally tried, and proceedings against her ended without a verdict.
Full reasoning
This overstates the legal outcome for Elizabeth Báthory herself.
Reliable reference works state that Báthory was not put on trial and was not convicted. Biography.com says: "As a member of a powerful family, Bathory was not put on trial" and later adds, "As she was not convicted of a crime..." EBSCO's research starter likewise says, "While Báthory was never formally tried for her crimes, she was confined to her castle until her death in 1614."
An article from the Hungarian National Archives is even more explicit: "A per, amelyet folytattak ellene, végül nem fejeződött be, és ítélet nélkül ért véget" — i.e., the case against her was not completed and ended without a verdict.
Her servants/accomplices were tried and punished, but saying that Báthory herself "was convicted" is not supported by these sources.
3 sources
- Elizabeth Bathory: Biography, Hungarian Countess, Serial Killer
As a member of a powerful family, Bathory was not put on trial... As she was not convicted of a crime, Bathory's holdings passed to family members instead of being seized.
- Elizabeth Báthory | History | Research Starters | EBSCO Research
While Báthory was never formally tried for her crimes, she was confined to her castle until her death in 1614.
- Báthory Erzsébet és bűnpere | Magyar Nemzeti Levéltár
A per, amelyet folytattak ellene, végül nem fejeződött be, és ítélet nélkül ért véget.
On New Year's Eve 1610, Thurzó went to Csejte Castle and arrested Báthory
This gives the wrong arrest date. Multiple sources place Thurzó's move against Báthory on December 29, 1610, not New Year's Eve (December 31).
Full reasoning
The date here is off by two days.
Both Biography.com and EBSCO place Thurzó's arrival/arrest action at Csejte on December 29, 1610. The Hungarian National Archives also dates the raid to 1610. december 29-én.
Because New Year's Eve is December 31, the statement that this happened "On New Year's Eve 1610" is incorrect.
3 sources
- Elizabeth Báthory | History | Research Starters | EBSCO Research
On December 29, 1610, accompanied by Báthory’s sons-in-law, Miklos Zrinyi and György Drugeth, and Imre Megyery, Thurzo took a company of armed retainers to Csejthe.
- Elizabeth Bathory: Biography, Hungarian Countess, Serial Killer
On December 29, 1610, Count György Thurzó... arrived at Bathory's Castle Čachtice to investigate the countess' alleged crimes against women of noble birth...
- Báthory Erzsébet és bűnpere | Magyar Nemzeti Levéltár
Az 1610. december 29-én rajtaütésszerűen Csejtén megjelenő hivatalnokok és katonák...