If this is a return visit, please reload to see latest additions. Herein are listed just a few of the horrific turning points and figures of history from Middle Ages Europe and beyond. THE BLACK DEATH: Otherwise known as the Bubonic Plague, the Black Death was an epidemic affecting both Europe and Asia, in the 14th-17th centuries. It first arrived in Europe in 1347(1), when merchant ships travelling to and from China carried it into Italian ports.(2)The Plague eventually subsided, but proceeded to afflict Europe again in the 17th Century. By the time it completely vanished from European shores, 137 million people were dead, ultimately giving rise to the Renaissance.(3) THE BLOOD COUNTESS Elizabeth Bathory (1561(?)-1614): Late 16th Century Hungarian Countess who may have murdered at least 650 young girls, believing their blood to be an elixir of everlasting youth and beauty. For more of Eizabeth Bathory, see Biography of Erzsébet Bathory of Transylvania (±1561-1614) DRACULA: Vlad Teppes (AKA Vlad the Impaler) 13th Century Romanian Prince, beloved by his subjects, hated by his enemies, and by the Turks. Killed many Turks in the wars of the mid-15th Century. Slaughtered, by impaling, many upstart vassals and enemies of his Romanian subjects. Myths of pacts with the devil and drinking of blood most-likely a fabrication of Bram Stoker and other writers. For more on Vlad Teppes, see Royalty.nu - Vlad Dracula - Vlad the Impaler THE INQUISITIONMoved to its own page (and updated). MONSTERS Monsters come in various shapes and sizes, from mythical beasts of the ancient world, to the walking dead, to vile demons, to the elegant Vampires in 19th Century Europe (or in modern fiction, the 20-21th Century world), to even the strange creatures of the morbid imagination of great authors such as H.P. Lovecraft, to all kinds of creepy crawly things we won't go into! hehe. It's a vast and complicated story, the history of the world's monsters, Here is an interesting site covering all you may want to know about the creepy beings of the night. Halloween: Date of Note: October 31, 1846 "A heavy snowfall trapped the Donner Party in the Sierra Nevada mountains." (4) (1) Source: the 1993 Almanac: Informaton Please p. 97 (2)Source The Black Death (3)Source Useless information: The Bubonic Plague (4)This day in history: October 31 more to come... back to the Site Map updated October 13, 2010; Set by webmistress, for the exclusive use of J's Writing Spot. Please do not snag. Artist of picture above unknown. No copyright infringement intended. All content on this site ©2000-2012 to the webmistress.