Saint Elizabeth of Hungary - 1 1207 - November 19, 1232 Mary Germaine MICM

A new social order -- The beautiful Star -- Saint in Sovereign Retinue -- Holy Matrimony
The Poor -- Advancing in Holiness -- Elizabeth's Cross -- Eviction -- Last days of Glory

A new social order

Enriched by the Catholic Faith, Europe rose to new heights of civilization and culture upon the ruins of ancient pagan Rome. A new social order received its vitality from the personal and social virtues fostered by Christian family life. Never was this more apparent than in the Middle Ages when the royal houses of Europe produced rulers who were saints. These valorous and virtuous men and women prized their holiness as the summit of their nobility. Catholic nations either flourished with God's blessing or suffered the consequences for the infidelity to their sacred obligations.

Saint Elizabeth of Hungary

In testimony of the power of God's grace, the warring Magyars, one of the fiercest and most difficult groups of people to subdue, gave Christendom some of its holiest monarchs. This royal line started with the conversion of the Magyar chieftain, Geza, in 975 AD, whose son, the great Saint Stephen, became King of Hungary and reigned from 1000 to 1038 AD. Stephen and his descendants spared nothing in their efforts to spared the sanctifying influence of the Faith throughout their country and all of Europe.

Saint Elizabeth of Hungary shines as one of the brightest stars in this family. In the short span of 24 years she admirably fulfilled the designs of God as princess, wife, mother and widow, teaching her own and succeeding generations the incomparable value of self-denial and charity in His service.

The Beautiful Star

Saint Elizabeth's father, Andreas II, who was the rich and powerful king of Hungary, Galicia and Lodomeria, began to reign in the year 1205. He was described as "valiant, enterprising, pious, and overgenerous with a reckless good nature which never thought of the morrow." To strengthen political ties, he married the German countess, Gertrude of Andechs-Meran, who was a direct descendant of Charlemagne. Queen Gertrude's own sister, Hedwig, wife of the Duke of Silesia, was a canonized saint. Another sister was a Benedictine abbess and two brothers served as cardinals, better titled as princes of the Church.

Elizabeth was born in mid-fall of 1207, in the royal palace at Pozsony, now Bratislava, overlooking the Danube River. Her first three years passed happily with her sister Marie and her brother Bela, who would one day succeed his father as King Bela IV. From her earliest youth Elizabeth loved music, dancing and playing in the beautiful countryside, but her greatest joy was giving alms to relieve the sufferings of the poor.

The child's love for virtue and prayer corresponded perfectly with her name which in Hebrew means "worshipper of God" or "consecrated to God." But there was not even a remote chance of Elizabeth pursuing the path of her maternal aunt, the Benedictine abbess. Following the custom of the time, her father, for political reasons, arranged her marriage while she was still an infant. Elizabeth, he determined, would become the Duchess of Thuringia.

Hermann I, Landgrave or Count of Thuringia, which is a region in eastern Germany, was patron of the arts and one of the richest and most influential rulers in all Europe at the beginning of the 13th Century. He was a cousin to the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick II. The Wartburg, his 100-year-old massive castle, was a center of magnificence and culture. Notwithstanding the glory of his realm, it was rife with turmoil; feudal princes were at war with one another and in conflict with royal and imperial authority. Amicable relations with and support of powerful foreign nations were as important then as ever. Hermann had lost no time gathering information about possible advantageous alliances by way of a suitable wife for his young son, Ludwig.

The happy realization of this intention had come rather unexpectedly. One evening, the great Kingslohr, master of the "minnesingers", or German troubadours, startled everyone at the Wartburg castle with an astounding prophecy: "I see a beautiful star rising in Hungary" - he said in a trance - "the rays of which extend to Marburg, and from Marburg, all over the world. Know that even on this night there is born to my lord, the king or Hungary, a daughter who shall be named Elizabeth. She shall be given in marriage to the son of your prince, she shall become a saint and her sanctity shall rejoice all Christendom."

Landgrave Hermann took King slohr's words seriously and began a diligent inquiry from all who traveled from Hungary, to learn about the princess who had indeed been born that night. Pleased with all he heard concerning her, the Landgrave proceeded to make arrangements for the betrothal of Elizabeth to his son.

Blissfully unaware of all the political strategies surrounding her, Elizabeth's innocent childhood joys came to an abrupt halt when she turned four. That year a cavalcade from far away Thuringia came to pick up the princess and take her to her new home. As was the custom, she would be reared there with her future husband in his family so that she could learn the royal conventions in order to become a good wife for the future ruler.

The embassy arrived with two coaches and a train of Thuringian knights. After three days of entertainment and religious services, they left Hungary with thirteen coaches loaded with Elizabeth's dowry and magnificent gifts for the Thuringian court. As recorded in the ancient chronicles: "Gold and silver vessels, many and wonderful, most precious diadems, rings, necklaces and jeweled belts; a bath of silver, numberless dresses, cushions, pillows and coverlets of purple silk; things of such cost and beauty that had never been seen in Thuringian land."

In addition to all these magnificent things, there were six superb Arabian horses for Elizabeth's use, along with attending squires and knights. A retinue of Hungarian servants accompanied her, as well as her own personal maids in waiting, two of whom remained her faithful friends to the very end and to whom we are indebted for much biographical information about the saint.

Before departing, King Andreas placed his daughter, "the Tight of his eyes and the joy of his life," in the special care of Count Walter de Varila. "Promise me on the faith of a Christian knight that you will ever protect and be a true friend to my little daughter." Varila pledged: "I will protect her and always be faithful to her." Queen Gertrude rather coldly bid her little daughter farewell, saying, "Act like a princess." Little did the child realize that two years later her mother would suffer a tragic death at the hands of insurgents.

"Elizabeth and her companions studied German, French, and Latin, the history of the realm, music, literature, and embroidery."

The journey from her native place to her new home, the town of Eisenach, Thuringia, took several months, as the royal entourage was greeted along the way with many festivities. At last they arrived at the Wartburg. Built on top of a mountain surrounded by more than a hundred miles of dark forest, the massive century-old castle served as a fortification for the surrounding villages. The outer walls were ten feet thick and those of the living quarters were six feet. "These stone walls with heavy gates and watch towers, the drawbridge, the inaccessible parapets, dungeon for captives, narrow, tall keep where precious possessions and extra supplies were stored on many floors, vaulted, dark damp cellars and kitchen and bakery, servant quarters and gardens and stables...."

Upon her arrival the little princess was received by the Landgrave Hermann and his wife, the Landgravine Sophia, who introduced her to her new family: her fiancée, eleven year-old Ludwig, and her other children, Hermann, 10, Agnes, 4, Hermann Raspe, and Conrad. To this immediate family were added six other children of Thuringian nobility, who were assigned to Elizabeth as playmates. Two named Guda and Isentrude remained her closest and life-long friends. The formal engagement of the two children took place in the castle chapel, where the bishop blessed Elizabeth and Ludwig.

It was "love at first sight", if that was possible for mere children. They called each other "brother and sister." Their joy was their companionship and while they were young they spent all the time they could together, but as future rulers of a powerful kingdom, they both had much to learn.

Under the tutelage of Ludwig's mother Sophia, Elizabeth and her companions studied German, French, and Latin, the history of the realm, music, literature, and embroidery as well the care of linens, tapestries and wardrobes. Of paramount importance, however, was the detailed training on being "a future Landgravine."

Meanwhile Ludwig was undergoing his training as a future ruler of Thuringia. As usual with nobility destined for knighthood, he become a page at the age of seven. He learned to serve the lords and ladies with perfect manners. As a squire, he would have his own attendants, suit of armor, and horse. He, too, was taught Latin, French, music, math, equestrian skills and military arts.

It is said that Ludwig was unsurpassed physically and mentally. He was the very picture of a medieval knight; he was "tall, well proportioned, good-looking, attracting all who came near him, kind in speech, brave and daring." It was Elizabeth who would raise these qualities to the level of the supernatural by teaching Ludwig to do all for the love of God.

This is the distinctive characteristic of the saint that Elizabeth would become. She never for one minute wanted anything but to conform to the will of God and felt that her union with Ludwig was the will of God. In loving Ludwig, she was obeying the will of God, therefore, loving God. This automatically placed their love on another plane, and kept it from ever being sullied by mere carnal affection. They were meant to help each other acquire the sanctity intended for them by Almighty God.

It was providential that Ludwig took his training so seriously, since he was called to rule at an early age, due to the death of his father in 1217. The causes of the senior Landgrave's tragic death were his political difficulties and his alliances against the Church, which resulted in his excommunication. Excommunication in the Middle Ages was regarded as the ultimate punishment. This most serious censure was imposed for the correction of the offender and for the spiritual protection of the faithful.

For a ruler this meant exclusion from all divine services, public prayer and the sacraments of the Church, and if he remained obstinate, he would be required to forfeit his office and his subjects would be released from their allegiance to him. This blow combined with the death of his son, Hermann, drove him mad and for some time Ludwig had to act for him. Then one day the Landgrave went riding and never returned.

Elizabeth was greatly affected by her father-in-law's death, for he, more than anyone other than Ludwig, loved her. She prayed constantly for his soul. Together Ludwig and Elizabeth wept over the following prayer that was discovered in Landgravine Sophia's prayer book: "To Thee, Jesus, I commend the soul of Thy servant, Hermann, who although he is entangled in crime and sin, is still Thy creature for whom the Sacred Blood of Christ was shed and who sets his hope in Thee. Deliver him from evil today and always. Render him free from the power, the missiles and force of his foes. Save him from shame of the body and from sudden death. I commend him to Thee in the hope and faith that he may be saved. Hear me, a poor sinner; plead for Thy brother, Hermann."

After a year of mourning, Ludwig was knighted at eighteen, rather than the customary age of twenty-one, and named Landgrave of Thuringia, Ludwig IV. The bishop of Naumberg presided at the elaborate ceremony. According to the feudal system, Ludwig then paid homage to Frederick II as his vassal and at this ceremony received the pledge of fealty from his lesser nobles.

Known for his honesty and true nobility of heart, the young Landgrave was highly regarded by the other rulers. His private chaplain described him as "cheerful, brave, pious, temperate, chaste and just." Elizabeth delighted in Ludwig's pledge: "My soul belongs to God, my life to my sovereign, my heart to my lady, Elizabeth, and my honor to myself." Out of deference to the poor, he ordered the traditional celebrations reduced to a banquet. This irritated the court, which blamed it on Elizabeth's influence.

Saint Elizabeth of Hungary - 2

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