Everybody Loves Bathory
I, Vladimir III, son of Vladimir II of the Order of the Dragon, am pleased to present to you, my dear reader(s), my lovely guest La Comtesse Erzsebet Bathory, known as Countess Bathory, or the Blood Countess to all of you serial killer enthusiasts out there. Popularized by legendary black metal band Venom, and the growing swarm of vampire afficianados, she has once again emerged into our collective consciousness. And the awesome power of popular culture has given life to the Countess once again, centuries after her ignoble death, sealed within the walls of her castle-turned prison.
A noble woman to the very core, she has been shunned by history as a colossal sociopath, but only because her deeds have been largely misunderstood. The simple truth is that she was no serial killer by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, one might say that her deeds were precursors to reality shows like Jackass and Punk’d. You see, what the history books fail to tell you is that her 600 victims were not victims of murder, but of 600 hilarious pranks that went terribly wrong.
And now, 400 years after her death, she has been given the opportunity to vindicate herself (as a guest contributor in my blog realm). So please put your hands together (pull your left hand out of your pants, Jim), and welcome the beautiful Comtesse.
Vlad's Principality 