Thirteen Autumns And A Widow

Album: Cruelty And The Beast (1998)
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Songfacts®:

  • The Cruelty and the Beast album, including this song, was inspired by the legend of Elizabeth Bathory, a Hungarian countess and serial murderess who is said to have bathed in the blood of her victims. In December 1610, the Blood Countess was imprisoned in her castle until her death four years later.
  • Ingrid Pitt, who played Elizabeth Bathory in the 1971 Hammer horror flick Countess Dracula, is featured on the album as a guest narrator.
  • The title is taken from the final lyrics of the song and refer to Elizabeth's separation from the church:

    But Elizabeth laughed, thirteen autumns had passed
    And she was a widow from God and His wrath, finally...

Comments: 11

  • AnonymousBathory was born in Hungary but she lived on Šachtice castle and that castle is in Slovakia.
  • Dragonflame from Nitra, SlovakiaI thing her main castle was in Čachtice. Its in Slovakia not Hungary. And she was Ugrian countess. Ugria was multi-national kingdom.
  • Márton from Budapest, HungaryElisabeth Báthory was a hungarian countess
  • J.r. from Columbia, ScMy friend, Ryan, likes Cradle. I'm not into them but they would be pretty cool for a Halloween party. (Hi Radical Ed)
  • Valek from Piggott, ArTheres a movie about Elizabeth Bathory called Stay Alive if thats what your talkin about
  • Adriana from Hurst, TxIsn't there a movie about this? Its like a video game coming to life or something.
  • Matt from Flagstaff, Azactully she was a Hungarian queen...
  • Joseph from Bronx New York, Nyread my new lyrics! theyre DEFINATELY better than the origal ones.
  • James from Brighton, Englandi know this is completely unrelated but when i was telling my friend (not a cradle fan) about this song, he thought i said 13 gnomes in the window...i suggested he went to the doctors about his hearing lol
  • Ian from New York, NyMan we need more Cradle on this site.
  • Gutterslut from Sacramento, United StatesThats pretty gnarly.
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