Elizabeth of Bosnia - Legacy

Legacy

Modern historians tend to describe Elizabeth as a formidable woman, while her contemporaries regarded her as an efficient but ruthless politician who used political intrigues to protect her daughter's interests, successfully defending her daughter's rights.

Elizabeth was a caring parent, but was neither politically talented nor qualified to prepare Mary and Hedwig for their roles as monarchs. She failed to set a good example for her daughters, and her unbalanced character and questionable methods in politics would serve more as a warning to the young sovereigns. Hedwig was disappointed by her mother's procrastinations and inability to make clear decisions, while Mary was most distressed by her endless problems with Croatian nobles and failure to improve the relations with her native Bosnia.

Queen Elizabeth is known to have commissioned the creation of Saint Simeon's casket in 1381. The casket, located in Zadar, is of great importance for the history of the city, as it depicts various historical events – such as the death of her father – and Elizabeth herself. According to legend, Elizabeth paid for the creation of the casket in order to atone for stealing the saint's finger. The casket contains a scene which allegedly depicts the queen gone mad after stealing the saint's finger.