Saint Elizabeth
Elizabeth was born in 1207 at the royal castle of Sarospatak in Bratislava, Bratislava today by King Andrew II of Hungary and the Countess Gertrude of Andechs-Meran (who died in 1213 still young, killed during a conspiracy. Elizabeth was then six years).
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Princess Saint
Elizabeth's childhood was happy and he spent with her sister Mary, brothers Andrew and Bella Coloman that one day succeed his father by the name of King Bella IV.
Elizabeth at the age of four years is promised in marriage to Louis, son and heir of the ruler of Thuringia, and to receive an education appropriate to his future rank of Duchess of Thuringia, Elisabeth is forced to leave their native country to settle in the United future husband, that the court of Thuringia. We are in the late spring of 1211. (At the time this region was a German self-worship, whose ruler had the title of Landgraf, Landgraf).
The distance is about five hundred kilometers and in his new home was welcomed by Elizabeth Lagrave Herman I (Count) of Thuringia, a cousin of the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II, his wife Sophia, and her future husband Louis and at that time was just eleven years old, but with her boyfriend if instated suffered from a deep bond of affection and friendship.
Wartburg Castle is built on top of a mountain surrounded by several hundred miles of forest, where in 1070 will be built the residence of landgraves of Thuringia, which overlooks the capital Eisenach.
Louis had to begin to reign at a young age because of his father's death April 25 of 1217 and took the name of Louis IV, Count of Thuringia and Hessen. His father Herman I had been excommunicated by the archbishop of Mainz of political disputes.
In the spring of 1221, celebrated the marriage between Elizabeth and her husband now fourteen Louis IV of Thuringia, who has twenty-one years, from which Elizabeth has three children:
Herman was born March 28 in 1222 (the heir of the crown, called by the name of his paternal grandfather).
Sofia was born in 1224 (named in honor of her grandmother Landgrafin) and will marry the Duke of Brabant;
Gertrude in 1227 (which later became a nun premostratense and proclaimed a saint by the church). Already born fatherless.
The marriage of Elizabeth was glad "If I love then a mortal creature - said to Elizabeth - the faithful Isentrude - how should I love more the Lord." Elizabeth Louis and Louis loved her dearly loved her for her beauty, her kindness and grace. At court the Duchess was almost scorned for his simplicity in dress and her modest living.
Seconded by his wife, Elizabeth devoted much time to prayer and practice generosity works of mercy to the poor, the lepers, the lepers, the sick and needy in general. He engaged in the promotion of social justice.
His love for the poor is heavily documented, however, is worthy of note the miracle of the bread turned into roses, it says that one day he met Louis as he ran down the street with her apron full of bread for the poor, asked what was taking She dropped her apron, and instead of bread appeared magnificent and fresh roses.
Elizabeth is fascinated by the ideals preached by the early Franciscans and in 1225 chose the Franciscan Riìdiger (Roger) as a spiritual guide, the guide who admirably to pursue humility, patience and devote himself passionately to the works of mercy.
From 1226 to succeed Father Conrad of Marburg (perhaps in the order premostratense) the desire of husband Louis IV, who is leaving for the crusade. Conrad will follow to the end and beyond, with the request of the canonization process under the new provisions of the Roman curia.
Elizabeth was only 19 years, when Louis departed for the crusade, and she assumed the responsibility of castles, villages and vassals. That winter was one of the worst in the history of Europe because of famine, plague and smallpox. Elizabeth helped the needy, nursed the sick, but his attitude was not appreciated by administrators, who feared his charity as the danger of excessive food stocks in the same court.
Meanwhile Louis with troops on horseback and on foot, crossing the Alps, Lombardy and cross the whole of Italy to reach the Emperor Frederick II at Brindisi, who had convened the Sixth Crusade. In Brindisi had to be found all the armies for boarding is an epidemic that spreads epic proportions, however, many crusaders. Louis died on September 11, 1227 in Otranto, the news reached Elizabeth in October.
Recently widowed Elizabeth was released against the greed of the in-laws, was expelled from the Castle of Wartburg, the children were removed for which renounces the inheritance, Elizabeth was found abandoned on the streets of the village, however, thanks to Aunt Matilda abbess of the monastery of Kitzinger, Elizabeth was accepted into the convent.
Elizabeth called to the castle for the burial of her husband, asked the faithful aid to riders who had brought home the body of her husband Henry forced them to return to Elizabeth's position that the law aspects. Elizabeth refused to live again at Wartburg, he decided instead to retire to the family castle in Marburg.
In 1229 Elizabeth offers her dowry to build a hospital in Marburg in honor of St. Francis of Assisi who was canonized July 16, 1228. The conduct of the hospital is entrusted to the Franciscans, but she personally served the sick and the lepers.
Elizabeth four years ago for a life of penance and intensity of extreme charity, not eating, not sleeping, giving everything to the poor, rushing to the bedside of the sick, poor and short lived by poor get sick and waiver with the return to Hungary how would his parents and died in Marburg on November 17, 1231 when she was not yet twenty-four, immediately the people 'considers holy "and lead to Pope Gregory IX ordered the investigation on the many miracles which were attributed. Was buried on his previous request in the chapel of the hospital she founded.
The archbishop of Mainz trying to sabotage the investigation and murdered while the confessor of Queen Elizabeth dies, however many difficulties with the investigation leading to the canonization and Elizabeth will be proclaimed a saint by Pope Gregory IX May 27, 1235, in Perugia, in the church of San Dominic, with the bubble "in maiestate Gloriosus' (published after 1 June 1235). Only four years after his death.
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