Elizabeth of Aragon | |
---|---|
Sancta Isabel Regina by Francisco Vilaça, painted in 1893
|
|
Queen consort of Portugal | |
Tenure | 26 June 1282 – 7 January 1325 |
Born | 1271 Aljafería Palace, Zaragoza, Kingdom of Aragon |
Died | 4 July 1336 Estremoz Castle in Estremoz, Alentejo, Kingdom of Portugal |
Spouse | Denis, King of Portugal |
Issue |
Constanca, Queen of Castile Afonso IV, King of Portugal |
House | House of Barcelona |
Father | Peter III, King of Aragon |
Mother | Constance of Sicily |
Religion | Catholic Church |
St. Elizabeth of Portugal. | |
---|---|
Queen, Widow and tertiary | |
Canonized | 25 May 1625, Rome by Pope Urban VIII |
Major shrine | Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Nova, Coimbra, Portugal |
Feast | 4 July; 8 July (1694–1969 calendars) |
Patronage | Coimbra, Diocese of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Cathedral of La Laguna |
Elizabeth of Aragon, also known as Elizabeth of Portugal,T.O.S.F. (1271 – 4 July 1336; Elisabet in Catalan, Isabel in Aragonese, Portuguese and Spanish), was queen consort of Portugal, a tertiary of the Franciscan Order and is venerated as a saint of the Roman Catholic Church.
Born in 1271 into the royal house of Aragon, Elizabeth was the daughter of Infante Peter (later King King Peter III) and his wife Constance of Sicily and the sister of three kings: Alfonso II and James II of Aragon and Frederick III of Sicily.
Elizabeth showed an early enthusiasm for her faith. She said the full Divine Office daily, fasted and did other penance, as well as attended twice-daily choral Masses. Religious fervor was common in her family, as she could count several members of her family who were already venerated as saints. The most notable example is her great-aunt, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, after whom she was named.
Her marriage to King Denis of Portugal was arranged in 1281 when she was 10 years old, receiving the towns of Óbidos, Abrantes and Porto de Mós as part of her dowry. It was only in 1288 that the wedding was celebrated, when Denis was 26 years old, while Elizabeth was 17.Denis, a poet and statesman, was known as the Rei Lavrador (English: Farmer King), because he planted a large pine forest near Leiria to prevent the soil degradation that threatened the region.