
Women were not believed to be capable of violence for its own sake. McNally have concluded that the theory Báthory murdered on account of her vanity sprang up from contemporary prejudices about gender roles. Modern historians Radu Florescu and Raymond T. Subsequent writers of history and fiction alike often identified vanity as the sole motivation for Báthory's crimes. When quoting him in his 1742 history book, Matthias Bel was sceptical about this particular detail, he nevertheless helped the legend to spread. This legend appeared in print for the first time in 1729, in the Jesuit scholar László Turóczi's Tragica Historia, the first written account of the Báthory case. Upon removal of the blood, that portion of skin would seem younger and more beautiful than before. Frequently, the cruel countess would discover the secret of blood bathing when she slapped a female servant in rage, splashing parts of her own skin with blood. The most common motif of these works was that of the countess bathing in her victims' blood in order to retain beauty or youth. 18th and 19th century writers liberally added or omitted elements of the narrative. The case of Countess Elizabeth Báthory inspired numerous stories and fairy tales. Since her death, various myths and legends surrounding her story have preserved her as a prominent figure in folklore, literature, music, film, games and toys. The influence of Countess Elizabeth Báthory in popular culture has been notable from the 18th century to the present day. ( Learn how and when to remove this template message)

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