Darya Nikolayevna Saltykova
Darya Nikolayevna Saltykova | |
---|---|
serfs | |
Born | Darya Nikolayevna Ivanova March 11, 1730 |
Died | December 9, 1801 | (aged 71)
Other names | The Saltychikha |
Conviction(s) | Murder (38 counts) Torture |
Criminal penalty | Life imprisonment |
Details | |
Victims | 38–138 |
Span of crimes | 1756–1762 |
Country | Russia |
Date apprehended | 1762 |
Darya Nikolayevna Saltykova (
Early life
Darya Nikolayevna Saltykova was born into a rich and ancient Russian noble family. Her father was Nikolai Avtonomovich Ivanov and her mother Anna Ivanovna Davydova.
Darya Nikolayevna Saltykova married the nobleman Gleb Alexeyevich Saltykov, uncle of
Sadist and serial killer
Many early complaints to authorities about the deaths at the Saltykova estate were ignored or resulted in punishment for complaining. Saltykova was well connected with those in power at the Russian royal court and with the Russian nobility.
Saltykova was held until 1768 while the authorities conducted a painstaking investigation. Catherine's Collegium of Justice questioned many witnesses and examined the records of the Saltykov estate. The investigating official counted as many as 138 suspicious deaths, of which the vast majority were attributed to Saltykova.
Saltykova was found guilty of having killed 38 female serfs by beating and torturing them to death, but the Empress Catherine was unsure how to punish her. Capital punishment had been abolished in Russia in 1754, and the new Empress needed the support of the nobility. Several of Saltykova's accomplices were also found guilty and were sentenced to public flogging followed by hard labor terms.[4]
Imprisonment and death
In 1768, Saltykova was chained on a public platform in Moscow for one hour, with a sign around her neck with the text: "This woman has tortured and murdered."[5] Many people came to look at her while she was being scornfully ridiculed. Afterwards, Saltykova was sent for life imprisonment in the cellar of the Ivanovsky Convent in Moscow. Saltykova died on December 9, 1801, and was buried next to her relatives in the Donskoy Monastery necropolis.
Legacy
Saltykova's reputation and deeds have always been a prominent part of Russian history. In 2022, a sixteen-episode series entitled "The Bloody Duchess" inspired by her life aired on Amazon Prime Video. The series is also available on Apple TV+.
See also
- Elizabeth Báthory
- Elizabeth Branch
- Elizabeth Brownrigg
- Delphine LaLaurie
- Catalina de los Ríos y Lisperguer
- List of Russian serial killers
References
- ^ Вся правда про Кровавую барыню: история Дарьи Салтыковой, дворянки-душегубицы (in Russian)
- ^ Sebag Montefiore, Simon, Potemkin och Katarina den stora: en kejserlig förbindelse, Prisma, Stockholm, 2005
- ^ Sebag Montefiore, Simon, Potemkin och Katarina den stora: en kejserlig förbindelse, Prisma, Stockholm, 2005
- ^ История России. Всемирная, мировая история — Салтычиха (in Russian)
- ^ Sebag Montefiore, Simon, Potemkin och Katarina den stora: en kejserlig förbindelse, Prisma, Stockholm, 2005