Queen Of Hungary Water...

Hungary water (sometimes called "the Queen of Hungary's Water", Eau de la Reine de Hongrie, or "spirits of rosemary") was one of the first alcohol-based perfumes in Europe, primarily made with rosemary. The oldest surviving recipes call for distilling fresh rose petals, rosemary and thyme with brandy, while later formulations contained wine, lavender, mint, sage, marjoram, costus, orange blossom and lemon. >>> Origins --- The exact date of the invention of Hungary water is lost to history, though some sources say it dates to or the late 14th century. It is equally unclear who in particular created it. According to legend, it was formulated at the command of the Queen Elizabeth of Hungary, sometimes identified as Queen Isabella of Hungary in one document.

Some sources say that a hermit or monk-recluse first gave it to the Queen of Hungary though most likely it was made by a court alchemist or a monk-alchemist. The water was given to the queen in order to help her headaches. These legends mostly date to the early to mid-17th century, so the details may have become confused in the intervening centuries. Some also claim traveling Romani people created it. >>> Namesake --- The queen in question is frequently assumed to be Elisabeth of Poland (1305–1380), although the particulars of her life do not match those in the more common legends. It is even more unlikely that it could be Saint Elisabeth of Hungary, who is additionally too early and not a queen. The only plausible Queen Isabella (late 13th century) likewise seems to be too early to be a strong candidate, as the invention of this water is most probably related to the Black Death epidemic that ravaged Europe between 1346 and 1350 caused by a bacterial infection. This could potentially be due to the antibacterial effects found in the wine or brandy and rosemary that was used to make the water.