ELIZABETH
391
ELIZABETH
sources, earlier bibliography, and numerous editions of her life
see Walther, Literarisches Handbuch fur Geschichte und Landes-
kundc wn Hessen (Darmstadt, 1841), 35 sqq., Supp. II, 21 sqq.;
PoTTHAsT, Bibliotheca hi^lorica medii tsvi (2na ed., BerUn,
1896), II, 1284-87; Bibliotheca Hagiographica lalina (Brussels,
1898-99), I, 373-77. Later investigations: Borner, Zur
Kritik der Quellen fUr die Geschichte der hi. Elisabeth in Neues
Archiv. der Gesellschaft fiir alt. dcutsche Gesch. (Hanover. 1S8S),
XIII. 433-515; IIielke. Zur Biographie der hi. Elisabeth (Ros-
tock. ISSS); Idem. Die hi. Elisabeth (Hamburg, 1891); Wenck,
Die hi. Eli-^abelh in Sybel, Hi^lorische Zcitschrift, new series.
XXXIII iMunich and Berlin, 1892). (LXIX). 209-44; Idem in
Die Wnrlburg (Berlin. 1907). 181-210, 699-71; Idem in Hoch-
land (Kempten, 1907). 129—17. where an autotype facsimile of
a letter of Gregory IX to Elizabeth is gi\en; Idem. Die heilige
Elisabeth (Tubingen, 1908); Michael, Zur Gescliichte der hi.
Elisabeth in Zeitschrift fiir katholische Theologie (Innsbruck.
1898). XXII. 565-83; Idem. Geschichte des deulschen Volkes
(Freiburg im Br.. 1899). II, 205-55; Lemmens, Zur Biographie
der hi. Elisabeth in Mitteilungen des historischen Vereins der
Diozese Fulda. IV (Fulda, 1901), 1-24; Hoyskens in Histor-
isch-politlsche BlSUer (Munich, 1907). CXL, 725-45, 810-22;
ZrRBONSEN, Die hi. Elisabeth van Thuringen in der neueren
Forschungm Frankfurter zeitgemasse Broschtiren (Hamm, 1907);
Saubin. Sainle Elisabeth de Hongrie (Paris, 1902); HoRx,
Sainte Elisabeth de Hongrie (Paris, 1905). Protestant biog-
raphies: JosTi, Elisabeth die heilige (Zurich, 1797, Alarburg
1835); ViLMAR, Die hi. Elisabeth (Gutensloh, 1895); Bucking,
Leben der hi. Elisabeth (Marburg, 1S83). See also Montalem-
BERT. Histoire de Sainte Elisabeth de Hongrie (Paris, 1836),
often reprinted, German tr. Stadtler (1863. revised ed., 1888)
Chronicle of the Life of Elizabeth of Hungary (London, 1839);
Stolz, Die hi. Elisabeth, ein Buch fur Christen (Freiburg im Br.,
1S65); \S ENCK in Zeitschrift des Vereins fur hessische Geschichte
und Landeskunde, XLI (Cassel, 1907), 313 sqq.; Bihi, in Archi-
vum Franciscanum Hiatoricum (Quaracchi, 19()8), I, 191 sqq.;
Lemmens. Zum Bosenwunder der hi. Elisabeth von Thiirinqen in
Katholik (Mainz. 1902). I. 381-84; Zdrbonsen. ibid. (1899). II
4S1-90; Wenck in Neues Archiv der Gesellschaft fiir alt d.
Gesch, XXXIV (Hanover. 1909). 465 sqq.; Henniges, Vita S
Elisabeth in Archiv. Fran. Hist. (Quaracchi, 1909), no. 2.
Michael Bihl.
Elizabeth of Portugal, S.unt, Queen (sometimes known as The Peacexlvker); b. in 1271; d. in 1336. She was named after hergreat-aunt, the great Elizabeth of Hungary, but is known in Portuguese history by the Spanish form of that name, Isabel. The daughter of Pedro III, King of Aragon, and C'onstantia, grandchild of Emperor Frederick II, she waseducated very piously, and led a life of strict regularity and self-denial from her childliood; she said the full Divine Office daily, fasted and tlid other penances, and gave up amuse- ment. Elizabeth was married very early to Diniz (Denis), King of Portugal, a poet, and known as Ri- Ltirriulor, or the "working king", from his hard work in his coimtry's service. His morals, however, were extremely bad, and the court to which his young wife was brought consequently most corrupt. Neverthe- less, Elizabeth quietly pursued the regular religious practices of her maidenhood, whilst doing her best to win her husband's affections by gentleness and extraor- dinary forbearance. She was devoted to the poor and sick, and gave every moment she could spare to helping them, even pressing her court ladies into tlieir service. Naturally, such a life was a reproach to many around her, anil caused ill will in some quarters. A popular story is told of how her husband's jealousy was rou.sed by an evil-speaking page ; of how he con- demned the queen's supposed guilty accomplice to a cruel death; and was finally convinced of her inno- cence by the .strange accidental substitution of her ac- cuser for the intended victim.
Diniz does not appear to have reformed in morals till late in life, when we are told that the saint won him to repentance by her prayers and unfailing sweetness. They had two children, a daughter Constantia and a son .\ffonso. The latter so greatly resented the fa- vours shown to the king's illegitimate sons that he re- belled, and in 1323 war was declared between him and his father. St. Elizabeth, however, rode in person be- tween the opposing armies, and so reconciled her hus- band and son. Diniz died in 1325, his son succeeding him as Affonso IV. St. Elizabeth then retired to a convent of Poor Clares which she had founded at Coimbra, where she took the Franciscan Tertiary habit, wishing to devote the rest of her life to the poor
and sick in obscurity. But she was called forth to act
once more as peacemaker. In 133(5 Affonso IV
marched his troops again.st the King of Castile, to
whom he had married his daughter Maria, and who
had neglected and ill-treated her. In spite of age and
weakness, the holy queen dowager insisted on hurry-
ing to Estremoz, where the two kings' armies were
drawn up. She again stopped the fighting and caused
terms of peace to be arranged. But the exertion
brought on her final illness ; and as soon as her mission
was fulfilled she died of a fever, full of heavenly joy,
and exhorting her son to the love of holiness and peace.
St. Elizabeth was buried at Coimbra, and miracles fol-
lowed her death. She was canonized by Urban VIII
in 1625, and her feast is kept on 8 July.
Butler. Lives of the Saints. 8 July, account taken from .Au- thentic Life by a Franciscan friar, and from Mariana and other Spanish historians; .4cta SS., 8 July; Stephens, The Story of Portugal (London and New York, 1891 >.
F. M. Capes.
Elizabeth of Reute, Blessed, of the Third Order of St. Francis, b. 25 Nov., 1386, at Waldsee in Swabia, of John and Anne Acheer: d. 25 Nov., 1420. From her earliest days "the good Betha", as she was called, showed a rare piety, and under the learned and devout Conrad Kiigelin, her confessor, provost of the Canons Regular of St. Augustine at St. Peter's in Waldsee, she made e.xtraordinarj' progress towards perfection. When fourteen she received the habit of the third order, but continued to live at home. Finding the life uncongenial, she secured the consent of her par- ents after long entreaties to leave home. Receiving no support from them she remained at the house of a pious tertiarj', and the two worked at weaving; but the remuneration was small and they frequently suffered from hunger and other privations. After three years Conrad Kiigelin established a house for tertiaries at Reute on the outskirts of Waldsee and Elizabeth entered it together with some others.
Here she took up her work in the kitchen, and now began her wonderful life of seclusion, fasting, and prayer. There was no clausura at the convent, still she led so retired a life that she was called the Recluse. " She spent many hours in a little garden, kneeling on a stone or prostrate on the ground in eontempl.ation. So pure was her life that her confessor coidd scarcely find matter for absolution. She had much to suffer from attacks of the evil spirit, from suspicions of her sisters in religion, from leprosy, and other sicknesses, but in all her trials she showed a heavenly patience. This she learned from the Passion of Christ, which she made the continual subject of meditation, the object of her love, and the rule of her life. In consequence God permitted her to bear the marks of the Pa.ssion on her body; lier head often showed the marks of the Thorns, and her body tho.se of the Scourging. The stigmata appeared only now and then, but her pains never ceaseil. She was shown the happiness of the blessed and the souls in the state of purgation ; the secrets of hearts and of the future were unveiled to her. She foretold the election of Martin V and the end of the Western Schism. Though so much favoureil by Divine Providence she always preserved a great humility. After her death she was buried in the church of Reute. Her life was written by her confessor and sent to the Bishop of Constance, but it was only after 1623, when her tomb was opened by the provost of Wald.see, that her popular veneration spread in Swabia. .•^fter several miracles had been wrought through her intercession the Holy See was asked to ratify her cult. This was done 19 June, 1766, by Clement XIII. The Franciscans cele- brate her feast on 25 November.
Leo. Lirrs of the Saints and Blcs.ied of the Three Orders of .S7. Francis (Taunton, 1885); Dunbar, A Dictionary of Saintlif Wormn (London, 1904); Dolfinuer, Die selige gute Betha von Reute (Freiburg im Br., 1904).
Francis Mershm.vn.
