Children of Fire: Elizabeth

When she was 4, the princess got betrothed to a boy of the same age whose father was the landgrave of Thuringia - one of those ubiquitous dynastic marriages intended to secure more land and/or new alliances for both parties. The custom dictated that the prospective bride would move in with her future husband's family, and not for a little while - just to acquaint herself with her home-to-be - but for good. In other words, a little child had to be separated from her parents (with their full consent!) and everything she was used to and familiar with, including her mother tongue. One is naturally tempted to condemn such practice as utterly inhumane, and a typical example of medieval cruelty - yet, the alleged heartlessness not only made a lot of sense but also was bordering on wisdom.

The average life-expectancy in Middle Ages didn't exceed 40 years, and medieval people were well aware of that. To achieve anything at all, they had to make haste. That's why young girls would marry at 14 and birth their first child at 15 - and that's why heirs to a throne (even a local one) would start their formal "rulers' training" no later than at 8 years young (and often as early as at 7). The Hungarian princess was about to rule - even if along with her husband - and to succeed as a ruler, she needed to be perceived as "one of us", by her future subjects. That meant being fluent in their language and well versed in their customs, culture and lifestyle. The girl had only 3 years to master all that, and Erzsebet turned Elizabeth passed the test with flying colours. She also quickly befriended her betrothed and, being strong-willed and determined, took the lead in their relationship. He would support her in everything - and his support didn't waver when she suddenly began to interpret the concept of "common good" quite literally. Elizabeth was bent upon taking care of her subjects, and her notion of care far exceeded occasional charity typical of many noblemen. She turned charity into a lifestyle. A ruler who regularly visited shelters and hospitals for the poor, and used her own money to buy food and medications for those poor, Elizabeth elicited a whole gamut of emotions - from gushing gratitude and idolization to hidden frustration and open protestations. The latter didn't come out of the blue: even lowborn residents of the Wartburg castle weren't used to seeing lepers and tuberculosis patients within its walls. That's where Elizabeth's husband having her back made all the difference...

Later, the princess joined her husband on a Crusade - only to return home alone because he fell a victim to one of many epidemics triggered by hordes of people coming together under the relentless southern sun. A trip to Hungary followed soon - it was time to let Elizabeth's parents see their grandchildren. The young woman traveled several thousand kilometers in less than a year - clearly not by train, and not always in a carriage. Sweltering heat and bitter cold kept her company all too often. Not very robust, to start with, and facing so many adversities in such a short period of time, the princess fought on long enough to return to her Thuringian castle but that was all she could hope for.

Elizabeth lived for 24 years. Even by the standards of the 13th century, it was an extremely short life - and an equally remarkable one. Unless steeped in Christian culture, one can hardly imagine just how revered, not to say "worshipped", the former mistress of the Wartburg castle is throughout Europe. There is a St. Elizabeth hospital in almost every European city; newborn girls of all ethnicities are named after her... It is hardly surprising that, of all famous people associated with the castle, she is the first to be mentioned by every tour guide; a bigger part of the exhibition is devoted to her, and - as a sign of the ultimate recognition - she is considered to be the guardian angel of the Wartburg castle. Even if the previously mentioned monk might arguably be a much more influential historical figure.