Historical Hysteria Day 11: Villainous Violence

[morganwolf]

Genghis Khan was victorious in the last poll, which I think says a lot about how much everyone hates Colin Farrell with blond hair. Or just Colin Farrell in general. Just sayin'. I think there's only two more on my list before the next round starts, so let's go. Here's another poll, where two of history's most prolific serial killers butt heads in what is sure to be a gory, horrific bloodbath (but I kept the images pretty staid since the information is so abhorrent; you can just use your imaginations, can't you?):

Elizabeth Bathory

• Established a gynaeceum to teach young women courtly etiquette; may have culled some of her victims from the girls sent there by their well-meaning parents. I wanted to say the WORD "gynaeceum" SOUNDS more horrifying and painful than it is, but in this case-- no, still horrifying and painful
• Because her victims were all female and sometimes abused in a sexual manner, there's quite a bit of erotic fiction based on her life today. I take this to mean people love lesbians so fucking much that they don't even care if they're butchering each other, WHAT THE SHIT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE???
• Personal diaries are still kept at the state archives in Budapest
• Could read and write in four languages, and was known to intervene on behalf of destitute women in crisis
• With her three children raised by governesses and her husband dead, like many bored noblewomen, Betty was in need of a hobby
• Instead of taking up knitting or golfing, she decided to slaughter shittons of innocent young women
• Butchered at least 80 girls and young women, although some accounts put the number up to 650
• Spent the last four years of her life bricked into rooms in Csejte Castle
• Avoided execution by having the Palatine of Hungary convince the king it would "negatively impact" the nobility
• Her four lady accomplices did not fare so well: one was sentenced to life imprisonment, one was beheaded and burned, and the other two had their fingernails ripped out before being thrown into a fire
• Allegedly tortured victims with methods including starvation; freezing; unnecessary surgery; burning of hands, faces, and genitalia; eating the flesh from various body parts; extended beatings; sexual abuse; and strange things with needles. WHAT A PRICK.
• Due to the grisly nature of her crimes and huge number of victims, legend quickly spread that Bathory murdered women to bathe in their blood so she could retain her youth, but it's much more likely she was just sadistic and psychotic

Gilles de Rais

• Campaigned with Joan of Arc
• Built his reputation and fortune through brave and reckless fighting in various battles, including fighting in the Hundred Years War
• Retired to officiate in a chapel he built wearing robes he designed
• Nearly put himself in the poor house staging a theatrical spectacle featuring 20,000 lines of verse; a cast of 640; costumes worn once, thrown out, and reconstructed for each performance; and unlimited food and drink for spectators
• Allegedly dabbled in the occult, possibly summoning demons, possibly just participating in a fertility cult
• According to testimonies at his trial, victims were hanged from ropes on hooks, masturbated over, then killed by beheading, cutting their throats, breaking their necks with a stick, or dismemberment
• Before torturing and murdering them, Gilles would ply his young victims by dressing them in fine clothes, feeding them large meals and Jesus Juice, then taken to a private room where the lad would be confronted with his fate, and Gilles would jerk off at his fear
• Sometimes Gilles would sit on the children and taunt them as they were dying, then further molest them, or cut them open to admire their organs
• Gilles confessed readily to his crimes, which were often committed in concert with two servants and a cousin
• When condemned to death, he was excommunicated and then immediately readmitted so he could confess; I guess the Church hadn't streamlined their condemnation process yet
• Executed by hanging in 1440, more for crimes of heresy and kidnapping a priest than for molesting and murdering at least 60 children. WAY TO BE, MEDIEVAL ERA.
• Popular with metal bands: several have based songs and albums on his life

Now that you're sufficiently off your lunch, here are some adorable bunnies to make you feel better:

Click to view

Ah, that's better. On to the voting:

Poll Elizabeth Bathory vs Gilles de Rais