A Queen in the service of God and the poor

Margaret of Hungary was born in 1242, probably in the castle of Turóc, the daughter of King Béla IV and Queen Maria, of Byzantine origin. Her birth was linked to a dramatic moment for the kingdom: Hungary had been devastated by the Mongol invasion, and the royal family had taken refuge in Dalmatia. On that occasion, the sovereigns made a vow that, if a daughter were born, they would consecrate her to God as a sign of gratitude for the nation’s deliverance.