This Day in History: 1609-12-26

On December 26, 1609 or 1610 (sources are inconclusive), Count Gyorgy Thurzo visited Csejthe Castle in Hungary on orders from King Matthias and discovered Countess Elizabeth Bathory directing a torture session of young girls. The countess was already infamous in the area for her torture and murder of servants and peasants, but her title and high-ranking relatives had, until then, made her untouchable. Her bloodthirsty activities led many to cite her as one of the first vampires in history.