St Elizabeth of Hungary was born in 1207 in Pressburg into the Hungarian royal family. At a young age, she was sent to the court of Thuringia in Germany to prepare for marriage to Louis IV of Thuringia, a German nobleman. They married in 1221 and had three children. Their marriage was remembered as one of deep love, mutual respect and shared faith. Despite her royal status, Elizabeth lived a simple and austere life. She practised penance and devoted herself to works of charit