A letter of donation

Translated letter:

Elizabeth by the grace of God senior/dowager queen of Hungary to all the faithful of Christ to whom the present writing will have come, greetings in the savior of all.  We wish to bring to the notice of all, present and future by the content of these, as a sign of retribution of recompense for the gifts of our creator by which he adorned us, having called us back from the error of paganism and led us to the knowledge of the true light by the multiple effects of his grace, and besides other gifts brought our dearest son to the crown of the kingdom of Hungary and our daughters to the crowns of different kingdoms, wishing by certain works of piety to meet and respond to our redeemer, though with respect to his love by which he loved and cherished us without desert, we are unable to repond [fully], yet as a widow desiring to send the whole reward of deed and love beside this:  since the hand is never found empty of reward if the chest of the heart is filled with good will, we have arranged this alms, quite small, for the salvation of the lord king our dearest son and ours, as well as of king Béla, lady queen [Maria] his consort, our dearest mother, duke Béla his son and lord Stephen illurtrious king our dearest husband, a happy memory for the remedy of their souls, moreover first and principally for the gifts given us by god mentioned a little above, for the work of the holy savior, in which the Preaching brothers (Dominicans), whom we intend to pursue with all favorability, serve the savior of all, namely the collections of twenty coins (denariorum), by which our settlers of Veröce because of our land-tax made at our order newly at each port are held to pay and must give those preaching brothers annually for the above work until that work can finally be finished with the lord granting.  We wish one thing, that whoever should wish to annul and revoke as invalid this our arranged order and alms by reckless daring, should know he will deservedly incur the indignation of almighty  God and ours.  In memory and perpetual stability of which thing we have granted the present letters to those Preaching brothers, strengthened by the protection of our double seal.  Dated in the town of Oronas, by the hand of the prudent man master Lawrence, provost of the church of St. Peter of Pozsega our faithful chancellor of our court, on the feast of the finding of the holy cross, in the 1290th  year of the lord.

Original letter:

Elisabeth dei gracia maior regina Hungarie uniuersis Christi fidelibus ad quos presens scriptum peruenerit salutem in omnium saluatore.  Ad uniuersorum noticiam, tam presencium quam futurorum harum serie volumus peruenire, quod nos in signum retribucionis sue recompensacionis donorum nostri creatoris, quibus nos a gentilitatis errore reuocatorum et ad agnicionem ueri luminis perductam multiplici effectu gracie sue decorauit, et super cetera dona sua filium nostrum karissimum ad regni Hungarie et filias nostras ad diuersorum regnorum coronas prefecit, aliqualibus operibus pietatis uolentes occurrere et respondere eidem nostro redemptori, licet respectu sue dilectionis, qua nos dilexit sine merito et amauit, respondere nequeamus, tamen cum vidua totum mittere precium desiderantes operis et amoris, iuxta illud:  quia manus nunquam vacua a munere reperitur, si archa cordis repleta est bona uoluntate, ordinauimus hanc elemosinam satis modicam [tam] pro salute domini regis karissimi filii nostri et nostra, quam Bele regis, domine [Marie] regine consortis eius matris nostre karissime, Bele ducis filii sui et domini Stephani illustris regis uiri nostri karissimi felicium [recor]dacionum pro remedio animarum, quin etiam primo et principaliter pro donis a deo nobis largitis paulo superius denotatis, ad opus sancti saluatoris, in quo fratres Predicatores, quos omni fauorabilitate prosequi intendimus, eidem omnium saluatori famulentur, uidelicet collecta uiginti denariorum, qua nobis hospites nostri de Vereuche racione terragii nostri iuxta nostram ordinacionem ex nouo factam de singulis portis tenentur, eisdem fratribus predicatoribus ad opus supradictum annuatim persoluere et dare debeant, donec ipsum opus domino concedente finaliter poterit consummari.  Una uolumus, quod quicunque ipsam premissam nostram ordinacionem et elemosinam ausu temerario anihilarre et irritum reuocare uoluerit, indignacionem dei omnipotentis et nostram senciat se merito incurrisse.  In cuius rei memoriam firmitatemque perpetuam eisdem fratribus Predicatoribus presentes concessimus literas duplicis sigilli nostri munimine roboratas.  Datum in villa Oronas, per manus discreti viri magistri Laurencii prepositi ecclesie sancti Petri de Posega aule nostre cancellarii fidelis nostri, in festo inuencionis sancte crucis, anno domini MCC nonagesimo.

Historical context:

In gratitude for the many gifts from God (her conversion presumably from Cuman beliefs, the worldly elevations of her children) and for the souls of her in-laws, and her husband, the queen gives certain fees to the Dominican order.  Among her daughters, Catherine and Elizabeth both became queen of Serbia (married to brothers), Mary queen of Naples, and Anna was married to the eventual emperor of Byzantium.

Printed source:

Codex diplomaticus regni Croatiae, Dalmatiae et Slavoniae, ed. T. Smiciklas (Zagreb, 1904-34), 6.694-95, #585.  

Date: