Saint Margaret of Hungary
Encyclopedia
Saint Margaret was a nun and the daughter of King Béla IV
and Maria Laskarina
. She was the niece of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary and the younger sister of Saint Kinga and Blessed Yolanda
.
as the eighth and last daughter (9th of 10 children) of the royal couple, when they lived in exile in Croatia
during the Mongol invasion of Hungary (1241–42). Her parents vowed that if Hungary
was liberated from the Mongols
, they would dedicate the child to religion. Four-year-old Margaret entered the Dominican
convent of Veszprém
in 1245. Six years later she was transferred to the Convent of the Blessed Virgin founded by her parents on the Nyulak szigete ("Rabbits' Island") near Buda (today Margaret Island
, named after her, and a part of Budapest
. The ruins of the convent can still be seen.) She spent all her life here, dedicating herself to religion and opposing all attempts of her father to arrange a political marriage for her with King Ottokar II of Bohemia
. She appears to have taken solemn vows when she was eighteen years old.
Much of the details of her life are known from the Legend of Saint Margaret
, written probably in the 14th century and translated from Latin to Hungarian
in the 15th. The only remaining copy of the legend is in the Margaret Codex copied by the Dominican nun Lea Ráskay
around 1510. According to the legend, Margaret chastised herself from early childhood, wore an iron girdle, hair garments and shoes spiked with nails. She also performed the dirtiest works in the convent.
, Zala
county, and steps were taken for her canonization shortly after her death, at the request of her brother King Stephen V
. The necessary investigations were taken up between 1271 and 1276, but the canonization process was not completed, even though seventy-four miracle
s were ascribed to her, most of them referring to her curing illnesses and awakening someone from death. Among those giving testimony were twenty-seven in whose favour the miracles had been wrought. Unsuccessful attempts to canonize her were also made in 1640 and 1770. She was finally canonized by Pope Pius XII
on 19 November 1943, the feast day of her aunt, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary.
Her feast day, which was raised by Pope Pius VII
to a festum duplex
, is the day of her death, January 18.
When the Dominican monastery was suppressed in 1782, her remains were given to the Poor Clares. They were kept in Pozsony (today Bratislava
) and Buda
. The relics were partly destroyed in 1789 (seven years after the suppression of all religious orders by Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
, but some portions were preserved and are now kept in Esztergom
, Győr
, and Pannonhalma
.
In art Margaret is usually depicted in a nun's habit, with a white lily and holding a book in her hand.
Béla IV of Hungary
Béla IV , King of Hungary and of Croatia , duke of Styria 1254–58. One of the most famous kings of Hungary, he distinguished himself through his policy of strengthening of the royal power following the example of his grandfather Bela III, and by the rebuilding Hungary after the catastrophe of the...
and Maria Laskarina
Maria Laskarina
Maria Laskarina was a daughter of Theodore I Laskaris and his first wife Anna Angelina.-Life:She was a younger sister of Irene Lascarina, first Empress consort of John III Doukas Vatatzes. Theodore married his eldest daughter to his designated heir in 1212...
. She was the niece of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary and the younger sister of Saint Kinga and Blessed Yolanda
Jolenta of Poland
Jolenta of Poland was the daughter of Béla IV of Hungary and Maria Laskarina. She was the sister of Saint Margaret of Hungary and Saint Kinga...
.
Early life
She was born in Klis FortressKlis Fortress
The Klis Fortress is a medieval fortress situated above a village bearing the same name, near the city of Split, in central Dalmatia, Croatia. From its origin as a small stronghold built by the ancient Illyrian tribe Dalmatae, becoming a royal castle that was the seat of many Croatian kings, to...
as the eighth and last daughter (9th of 10 children) of the royal couple, when they lived in exile in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
during the Mongol invasion of Hungary (1241–42). Her parents vowed that if Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
was liberated from the Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
, they would dedicate the child to religion. Four-year-old Margaret entered the Dominican
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
convent of Veszprém
Veszprém
Veszprém is one of the oldest urban areas in Hungary, and a city with county rights. It lies approximately north of the Lake Balaton. It is the administrative center of the county of the same name.-Location:...
in 1245. Six years later she was transferred to the Convent of the Blessed Virgin founded by her parents on the Nyulak szigete ("Rabbits' Island") near Buda (today Margaret Island
Margaret Island
Margaret Island is a long island, 500 metres wide, in the middle of the Danube in central Budapest, Hungary. It belongs administratively to the 13th district. The island is mostly covered by landscape parks, and is a popular recreational area. Its medieval ruins are reminders of its importance...
, named after her, and a part of Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
. The ruins of the convent can still be seen.) She spent all her life here, dedicating herself to religion and opposing all attempts of her father to arrange a political marriage for her with King Ottokar II of Bohemia
Ottokar II of Bohemia
Ottokar II , called The Iron and Golden King, was the King of Bohemia from 1253 until 1278. He was the Duke of Austria , Styria , Carinthia and Carniola also....
. She appears to have taken solemn vows when she was eighteen years old.
Much of the details of her life are known from the Legend of Saint Margaret
Legend of Saint Margaret
The Legend of Saint Margaret is an important piece of Mediaeval Hungarian literature. The only specimen of the text was preserved in the Margaret Codex, copied by Lea Ráskay in 1510. The legend tells the life and deeds of Saint Margaret of Hungary....
, written probably in the 14th century and translated from Latin to Hungarian
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
in the 15th. The only remaining copy of the legend is in the Margaret Codex copied by the Dominican nun Lea Ráskay
Lea Ráskay
Lea Ráskay was a Hungarian Dominican nun living in the monastery of the Hare Island...
around 1510. According to the legend, Margaret chastised herself from early childhood, wore an iron girdle, hair garments and shoes spiked with nails. She also performed the dirtiest works in the convent.
Veneration
She was venerated as a saint already in her lifetime, e.g., a stone church was dedicated to her in BocfoldeBocfölde
Bocfölde is a village in Western Hungary. It has a growing commuter community that works in Zalaegerszeg, the county seat and regional industrial center that is located about to the North....
, Zala
Zala
Zala is the name of an administrative county in Hungary. Itlies in south-western Hungary. It is named after the Zala River. It shares borders with Croatia and Slovenia and the Hungarian counties Vas, Veszprém and Somogy. The capital of Zala county is Zalaegerszeg. Its area is 3784 km²...
county, and steps were taken for her canonization shortly after her death, at the request of her brother King Stephen V
Stephen V of Hungary
Stephen V , was King of Hungary from 1270 to 1272.-Early years:...
. The necessary investigations were taken up between 1271 and 1276, but the canonization process was not completed, even though seventy-four miracle
Miracle
A miracle often denotes an event attributed to divine intervention. Alternatively, it may be an event attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that a god may work with the laws...
s were ascribed to her, most of them referring to her curing illnesses and awakening someone from death. Among those giving testimony were twenty-seven in whose favour the miracles had been wrought. Unsuccessful attempts to canonize her were also made in 1640 and 1770. She was finally canonized by Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
on 19 November 1943, the feast day of her aunt, Saint Elizabeth of Hungary.
Her feast day, which was raised by Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII
Pope Pius VII , born Barnaba Niccolò Maria Luigi Chiaramonti, was a monk, theologian and bishop, who reigned as Pope from 14 March 1800 to 20 August 1823.-Early life:...
to a festum duplex
Totum duplex
Totum duplex is the highest rank for an ecclesiastical feast in the Dominican breviary. Other ranks are Duplex, Semiduplex and Simplex.Respective highest ranks in other breviaries are:* Roman: Festum duplex...
, is the day of her death, January 18.
When the Dominican monastery was suppressed in 1782, her remains were given to the Poor Clares. They were kept in Pozsony (today Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
) and Buda
Buda
For detailed information see: History of Buda CastleBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian.Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's...
. The relics were partly destroyed in 1789 (seven years after the suppression of all religious orders by Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Joseph II was Holy Roman Emperor from 1765 to 1790 and ruler of the Habsburg lands from 1780 to 1790. He was the eldest son of Empress Maria Theresa and her husband, Francis I...
, but some portions were preserved and are now kept in Esztergom
Esztergom
Esztergom , is a city in northern Hungary, 46 km north-west of the capital Budapest. It lies in Komárom-Esztergom county, on the right bank of the river Danube, which forms the border with Slovakia there....
, Győr
Gyor
-Climate:-Main sights:The ancient core of the city is Káptalan Hill at the confluence of three rivers: the Danube, Rába and Rábca. Püspökvár, the residence of Győr’s bishops can be easily recognised by its incomplete tower. Győr’s oldest buildings are the 13th-century dwelling tower and the...
, and Pannonhalma
Pannonhalma
Pannonhalma is a town in western Hungary, in Győr-Moson-Sopron county with approximately 4,000 inhabitants. It is about from Győr. Archduke Otto Habsburg's heart is kept at the Pannonhalma Archabbey, while his body was laid at the Capuchin Crypt in the old Imperial capital of Vienna.-History:The...
.
In art Margaret is usually depicted in a nun's habit, with a white lily and holding a book in her hand.