Matilda of Tuscany(1040 — 1115)
Matilda of Tuscany
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PoliticsMilitarySpiritualityChef militaireMiddle AgesFeudal Middle Ages, the era of the Gregorian Reform and the conflicts between the papacy and the Holy Roman Empire
Countess and Margravine of Tuscany (1046–1115), Matilda was the most powerful woman in medieval Western Europe. A steadfast papal ally, she played a central role in the Investiture Controversy, most notably by hosting at Canossa the reconciliation between Gregory VII and Henry IV in 1077.
Key Facts
- 1046: born in Mantua, heiress to the Margraviate of Tuscany
- 1077: hosted Henry IV's penance before Gregory VII at Canossa
- 1080: military victory at Volta Mantovana against imperial forces
- 1102: donation of her lands to the papacy (the Donation of Matilda)
- 1115: died at Bondeno di Roncore, buried at San Benedetto di Polirone