426: Elizabeth Báthory: The World's Worst Female Serial Killer? w/ Shelley Puhak

Shelley Puhak's 'The Blood Countess' revisits the life and legend of Elizabeth Báthory, long accused of torturing and killing hundreds of girls, to distinguish historical evidence from sensational rumor. Puhak examines the political, religious, and social context of early 17th-century Hungary and Transylvania, arguing that accusations were shaped by factional rivalries, hearsay, and legal irregularities. Drawing on depositions, letters, and contemporary accounts, she interrogates the provenance of lurid claims—such as the infamous 650-victim figure and the later blood-bathing legend—and shows how they developed over time. The book situates Báthory within her influential family and the era's gendered expectations, exploring how powerful women were often framed as monstrous. Ultimately, Puhak presents a nuanced portrait that challenges the simple label of 'monster' and highlights how myths are constructed and propagated.

The Dark Queens tells the remarkable story of Brunhild, a foreign princess, and Fredegund, a lowly palace slave, who rose to power in sixth-century Merovingian France. Despite the patriarchal society, these two women commanded armies, negotiated with kings and popes, and fought a decades-long civil war against each other. The book, written by Shelley Puhak, sets the record straight about these women, painting a richly detailed portrait of an unfamiliar time and challenging myths about female power. Puhak's research and narrative style bring these complex women back to life, highlighting their ingenuity and skill in the game of statecraft and their impact on the foundations of what would later become Charlemagne's empire.