Historians tend to focus only on the evil men that had once lived but the fact is that history is riddled with no small number of evil women, responsible for the deaths of hundreds of innocents.
Here are the most evil women in the history of mankind:
Myra Hindley (1942 - 2002)
Myra Hindley and her lover Ian Brady are responsible for the kidnapping, sexual abuse, torture and murder of 5 children under the age of 16. Additionally the pair tortured 3 other teenagers. Hindley was reported by her boyfriend's step brother and incarcerated for life, dying in 2002 at 60 years of age.
Isabella I of Castile (1451 - 1502)
With her marriage to king Ferdinand II of Aragon, Isabella I of Castile laid the foundation for modern day Spain. In her attempts to unite the Iberian Peninsula, Isabella ordered the expulsion of 200 000 Jews and Moors from her kingdom. By her direct order, nearly 10 000 people were burned at the stake. At the same time she was beautified by the popes in Rome, meaning she was considered a servant of God.
Belle Gunness (1859 – 1931)
Belle Gunness is among the most horrific American serial killers. At six feet tall (183 cm) and weighing 200 pounds (91 kg), this powerful lady of Norwegian descent murdered 2 husbands, 7 suitors and the boyfriends of her daughters Myrtle and Lucy, as well as they themselves in the end. The exact number of her victims has not been confirmed but investigators estimate between 30 and 100 people.
Queen Mary I (1516 - 1558)
Queen Mary I was the only child of King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon to survive past her 1st birthday. Her reign is remembered by her attempts to force England back into the fold of Catholicism. Many prominent Protestants were executed by her order for their convictions. For her cruelty she was called "Bloody Mary" - also the origin of the popular beverage.
Ilse Koch (1906 - 1967) and Irma Grese (1923 - 1945)
Ilse Koch was known as the "Witch of Buchenwald". The head overseer at the female section of the concentration camp, she found pleasure in the torture of prisoners. She collected souvenirs and tattoos from killed prisoners. Irma Grese worked at the Nazi concentration camps Ravensbrück and Auschwitz, as well as as a guard at the women's quarters of Bergen-Belsen. She was charged with crimes against humanity and sentenced to death.
Elizabeth Báthory (1516 - 1558)
Hands-down, one of the most terrifying serial killers in history, regardless of sex, was Hungarian noblewoman Elizabeth Báthory. She believed that by bathing in the blood of virgins she would remain forever young. For years on end there were rumors that young girls kept disappearing around her castle, which was located high in the Carpathians.
When the royal guards went to check they found several severely dismembered bodies of young women in its dungeons. After interrogation, the servants described blood chilling atrocities. Testimonies spoke of relentless beatings for extended periods of time, the use of needles, the burning or mutilation of hands, as well as of the face and genitals at times.
The total number of victims is thought to be approximately 600 over a period of 25 years. Because of her high status in society, the countess was sentenced to home arrest, where she died 4 years into it.
