Legend of Saint Margaret


The Legend of Saint Margaret is an important piece of Mediaeval Hungarian literature. The only specimen of the text was preserved in the Margaret Codex, copied by Lea Ráskay in 1510. The legend tells the life and deeds of Saint Margaret of Hungary.

The Margaret Codex

The Margaret Codex is a copy of a lost earlier book. The legend was originally denoted in Latin in the 14th century, and soon was translated to Hungarian. The document was copied in 1510 by the famous early 16th century Hungarian nun, Lea Ráskay. Ráskay is also valued by posterity for saving a number of other Old Hungarian works.
She did not simply copy the book, but also applied her own orthography, and added several glosses.

Significance

The legend reveals many less known parts of the life of Saint Margaret, and provides a true picture about the lives of the monasteries of Mediaeval Hungary. It also gives an insight to the days of Buda and Pest in the 13th century.

Sample