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134-614: Cremona is first mentioned in history as a settlement of the Cenomani , a Gallic ( Celtic ) tribe that arrived in the Po valley around 400 BC. However, the name Cremona most likely dates back to earlier settlers and puzzled the ancients, who gave many fanciful interpretations. In 218 BC the Romans established on that spot their first military outpost (a colonia ) north of the Po river, and kept

268-514: A feudal margravine and, as a relative of the imperial Salian dynasty , she brokered a settlement in the so-called Investiture Controversy . In this extensive conflict with the emerging reform Papacy over the relationship between spiritual ( sacerdotium ) and secular ( regnum ) power, Pope Gregory VII dismissed and excommunicated the Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV in 1076. At the same time, Matilda came into possession of

402-434: A waterpolo club that play in the regional divisions. There is a century-old tradition in rowing and canoe racing , with three different clubs, located along the Po river, that trained many world and Olympic champions. Cremona is twinned with: Notable people born in or associated with Cremona include: Cenomani (Cisalpine Gaul) The Cenomani ( Greek : Κενομάνοι , Strabo , Ptol. ; Γονομάνοι , Polyb. ),

536-677: A band tradition linked to the Guardia nazionale founded under Napoleonic influence. In 1864, native son Amilcare Ponchielli became its leader and created what might be considered one of the greatest bands of all time. In his role as capobanda , Ponchielli founded a band school and a tradition that waned only at the onset of World War I . Cremona railway station , opened in 1863, is a terminus of six railway lines, all of which are regional (semi-fast) or local services. Main destinations are Pavia , Mantua , Milan , Treviglio , Parma , Brescia , Piacenza and Fidenza . Cremona's favourite sport

670-679: A close bond between the House of Canossa and the Ottonian dynasty . Adalbert-Atto appeared in documents from the reign of Otto I as an advocate and he was able to establish contacts with the Papacy for the first time in the wake of the Ottonians. Otto I also awarded the counties of Reggio and Modena to Adalbert-Atto. In 977 at the latest, the county of Mantua was added to the domains awarded to Adalbert-Atto. Adalbert-Atto's son, Tedald , continued

804-640: A deed of donation for the Monastery of Sant'Andrea . Godfrey the Hunchback fiercely protested the separation and demanded that Matilda come back to him, which she repeatedly refused. In early 1072, he descended into Italy and visited several places in Tuscany, determined not only to enforce the marriage, but to lay claim to these areas as Matilda's husband. During this time, Matilda stayed in Lucca and there

938-496: A divorce. At the same time the pope hoped for Matilda's help with his crusade plans. Rather than supporting the pope as promised in exchange for preserving his marriage, Godfrey the Hunchback turned his attention to imperial affairs. Meanwhile, the conflict later known as the Investiture Controversy was brewing between Gregory VII and Henry IV, with both men claiming the right to appoint bishops and abbots within

1072-452: A father-in-law, Welf IV tried to reconcile the couple; he was primarily concerned with the possible inheritance of the childless Matilda. The couple was never divorced, nor was the marriage declared invalid. With the de facto end of Matilda's marriage, Henry IV regained his capacity to act. Welf IV switched to the imperial side. The emperor locked in Verona was finally able to return to

1206-706: A large number of the Cenomani crossed into Italy , drove the Etruscans southwards, and occupied their territory. The route taken by them may be indicated by Cato ’s statement (in Pliny Nat. Hist . III.130), that some of them settled near Massilia in the territory of the Volcae . It is remarkable that they are almost uniformly described in historical documents as being friendly to the Romans , and as refusing to take part with their kindred tribes against Rome. During

1340-525: A miserable death .... Despite the reportedly bad beginning of their marriage, Welf V is documented at least three times as Matilda's consort. By the spring of 1095 the couple were separated: in April 1095 Welf V had signed Matilda's donation charter for Piadena , but a next diploma dated 21 May 1095 was already issued by Matilda alone. Welf V's name no longer appears in any of the Mathildic documents. As

1474-530: A power vacuum developed in Italy. The struggle between regnum and sacerdotium changed the social and rulership structure of the Italian cities permanently, giving them space for emancipation from foreign rule and their own communal development. From autumn 1098, Matilda was able to regain many of her lost domains. Until the end she tried to bring the cities under her control. After 1098, she increasingly used

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1608-472: A special relationship of trust With Matilda and Beatrice, in the period that followed. However, Beatrice died on 18 April 1076. On 27 August 1077 Matilda donated her town of Scanello and other estates to the extent of 600 mansus near the court to Bishop Landulf and the chapter of Pisa Cathedral as a soul device ( Seelgerät ) for her and her parents. The deaths of both her husband and mother within two months considerably augmented Matilda's power. She now

1742-689: A substantial territory that included present-day Lombardy , Emilia , Romagna , and Tuscany . She made the Canossa Castle , in the Apennines south of Reggio, the centre of her domains. After his famous penitential walk in front of the Canossa ( Latin : Canusia ) Castle, In January 1077, Henry IV was accepted back into the church community by the Pope. The understanding between the Emperor and

1876-702: A widower early that year. Beatrice was the niece and foster daughter of Empress Gisela of Swabia . A marriage covenant was arranged and one year later, in June 1037, Boniface and Beatrice celebrated their marriage in high style, keeping court at Marengo for three months afterward. According to the marital agreements, Beatrice brought important assets in Lorraine: the Château of Briey , the Lordships of Stenay, Mouzay , Juvigny , Longlier , and Orval that constituted

2010-461: Is football . The U.S. Cremonese played for several years in Serie A , its most renowned players being Aristide Guarneri , Emiliano Mondonico , Antonio Cabrini and Gianluca Vialli — all born in or near Cremona. The brightest page in the more than one-century-old history of Cremonese was written in the early 1990s, when the president of the team was Domenico Luzzara and the coach was Gigi Simoni ;

2144-508: Is a base for the barges transporting goods along the Po river. Cremona has a distinguished musical history. The 12th-century cathedral was a focus of organized musical activity in the region in the late Middle Ages . By the 16th century the town had become a famous musical centre. Nowadays there are important ensembles for Renaissance and Baroque music, i.e. Choir & Consort Costanzo Porta , and festivals which maintain Cremona as one of

2278-517: Is a subject of debate (see Cenomani ). Both Polybius and Livy expressly mention them among the tribes of Gauls which had crossed the Alps within historical memory, and had expelled the Etruscans from the territory in which they established themselves and subsequently continued to occupy. (Pol. ii. 17; Liv. v. 35.) Livy writes that about 400 BC, under the leadership of Elitovius ( Livy V.35),

2412-512: Is no evidence that the couple met. Additionally, Godfrey the Hunchback is named as her husband only in a single document dated 18 August 1073 signed in Mantua for a donation for the Monastery of San Paolo in Parma . In his efforts to restore his marital bond, Godfrey the Hunchback sought the help of both Matilda's mother and her ally, the newly elected Pope Gregory VII . He promised military aid to

2546-453: Is now Emilia-Romagna their position was much more stable than in the southern Apennines, where they couldn't get their followers behind them despite rich donations. They therefore tried to act as guardians of justice and public order. Matilda's participation is mentioned in seven of the sixteen placita held by Beatrice. Supported by judges, Matilda had already held placitum placita alone. On 7 June 1072 Matilda and her mother presided over

2680-508: Is referred to as 'Resplendent Matilda' ( Mathildis Lucens ): since the Latin word lucens is similar to lucensis (of/from Lucca ), this also may be a reference to Matilda's birthplace and he interpreted it as such. For Benedictine scholar Camillo Affarosi, Canossa was her place of birth. Lino Lionello Ghirardini and Paolo Golinelli both advocated Mantua as her birthplace. A recent publication by Michèle Kahn Spike also favors Mantua, as it

2814-578: Is thought to have prevented her from travelling to Jerusalem during the First Crusade that he led in the late 1090s. Matilda was a second cousin of Henry IV through their respective grandmothers, sisters Matilda of Swabia and Empress Gisela . Because of her family ties to the Salian dynasty , she was suitable for a mediator role between the Emperor and the Holy See. Matilda's mother died at

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2948-757: The Abbey of Saint-Jacques in Liège . All the proceeds were made available to the pope. The royal side of the dispute then accused her of plundering churches and monasteries. Pisa and Lucca sided with Henry IV. As a result, Matilda lost two of her most important pillars of power in Tuscany. She had to stand by and watch as anti-Gregorian bishops were installed in several places. Henry IV's control of Rome enabled him to enthrone Antipope Clement III, who, in turn, crowned him emperor. After this, Henry IV returned to Germany, leaving it to his allies to attempt Matilda's dispossession. These attempts foundered after Matilda (with help of

3082-905: The Camunni and the Triumpilini , which bordered them to their north, are described by Pliny as consisting of members of the Euganean race, and therefore not connected nationally with the Cenomani—-though in his time they were at a minimum united with them for administrative purposes. Mathilde of Canossa Matilda of Tuscany ( Italian : Matilde di Toscana ; Latin : Matilda or Mathilda ; c.  1046 – 24 July 1115), or Matilda of Canossa (Italian: Matilde di Canossa [maˈtilde di kaˈnɔssa] ), also referred to as la Gran Contessa ("the Great Countess"),

3216-487: The Canossa Castle in the southwest of the mountains of Reggio Emilia . After the unexpectred death of King Lothair II of Italy in 950, Adalbert-Atto provided refuge in Canossa Castle to Lothair's widow, Queen Adelaide , after Berengar of Ivrea attempted to take power in Italy and imprisoned her for a short time. King Otto I of East Francia then intervened in Italy and married Adelaide in 951. This resulted in

3350-667: The Counter-Reformation and the Baroque Period . Pope Urban VIII had Matilda's body transferred to Rome in 1630, where she was the first woman to be buried in Saint Peter's Basilica . Although these names were only created by later generations, Matilda came from the noble House of Canossa , also named the Attonids. The oldest proven ancestor of the House of Canossa was the nobleman Sigifred , who lived in

3484-654: The Vita Mathildis of Donizo , the miracle reports of Ubald of Mantua and the Liber ad amicum of Bonizo of Sutri . Matilda contributed to the distribution of the books intended for her by making copies. More works were dedicated only to Henry IV among their direct contemporaries. As a result, the Margravine court temporarily became the most important non-royal spiritual center of the Salian period. It also served as

3618-477: The troubadour Luchetto Gattilusio was podestà of Cremona. During this period Cremona flourished and reached a population of up to 80,000, larger than the 69,000 of 2001. In 1266, Pallavicino was expelled from Cremona, and the Ghibelline rule ended after his successor Buoso da Dovara relinquished control to a consortium of citizens. In 1271 the position of Capitano del Popolo ("People's Chieftain")

3752-513: The 10th and 11th centuries. Bishop Liutprand of Cremona was a member of the Imperial court under the Saxony dynasty and Olderic gained strong privileges for his city from emperor Otto III . Its economy was boosted by the creation of a river port out of the former Byzantine fortress. However, the two bishops Lambert and Ubaldo created discord with the city's people. Emperor Conrad II settled

3886-641: The 6th century, it resurfaced as a military outpost of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire during the Gothic War . When the Lombards invaded much of Italy in the second half of the 6th century AD, Cremona remained a Byzantine stronghold as part of the Exarchate of Ravenna . The city expanded towards the north-west, with the creation of a great trenched camp outside the walls. In 603 AD, Cremona

4020-534: The Apennine passes and nearly all the rest that connected central Italy to the north . The Lombard bishops, who were also excommunicated for taking part in the synod and whose sees bordered Matilda's domain, were keen to capture the pope. Gregory VII was aware of the danger, and recorded that all his advisors except Matilda counselled him against travelling to Trebur. Henry IV had other plans, however. He decided to descend into Italy and intercept Gregory VII, who

4154-549: The Archbishops Siegfried of Mainz and Udo of Trier and 24 bishops, the king formulated drastic accusations against Gregory VII. The allegations included Gregory VII's election (which was described as illegitimate), the government of the Church through a "women's senate", and that "he shared a table with a strange woman and housed her, more familiar than necessary." The contempt expressed was so immense that Matilda

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4288-690: The Bearded , a distant kinsman who had been stripped of the Duchy of Upper Lorraine after openly rebelling against Emperor Henry III. Emperor Henry III was enraged by his cousin Beatrice's unauthorised union with his most vigorous adversary and took the opportunity to have her arrested, along with Matilda, when he marched south to attend a synod in Florence on Pentecost in 1055. Her brother Frederick's rather suspicious death soon thereafter, made Matilda

4422-551: The Bearded lay dying in Verdun , Beatrice and Matilda hastened to reach Lorraine, anxious to ensure a smooth transition of power. Matilda was present at her stepfather's deathbed, and on that occasion she is for the first time clearly mentioned as the wife of her stepbrother. After the death of Godfrey the Bearded on 30 December, the newlyweds stayed in Lorraine. Beatrice returned to Italy alone. Matilda became pregnant in 1070; Godfrey

4556-673: The Cavalcabò lasted until 29 November 1322, when a more powerful family, the Visconti of Galeazzo I , came to prominence that in Cremona was to last for a century and a half. The Visconti's signoria (lordship) was interrupted in 1327 by Ludwig the Bavarian , in 1331 by John of Bohemia , and in 1403 by a short-lived return of the Cavalcabò. On 25 July 1406, captain Cabrino Fondulo killed his employer Ubaldo Cavalcabò along with all

4690-433: The House of Canossa became extinct in 1115. Well into the thirteenth century, popes and emperors fought over what was called the "Matildine domains" as their rich inheritance. The rule of Matilda and her influence became identified as a cultural epoch in Italy that found expression in the flowering of numerous artistic, musical, and literary designs as well as miracle stories and legends. Her legacy reached its apogee during

4824-512: The Hunchback continued to live separately until her husband was assassinated in Vlaardingen (near Rotterdam ) on 26 February 1076. Having been accused the previous month of adultery with the pope, Matilda was suspected of ordering her estranged husband's death. However, she couldn't have known about the proceedings at the Synod of Worms at the time since the news even took three months to reach

4958-464: The Hunchback seems to have informed the Salian imperial court about this event: in a charter from Henry IV dated 9 May 1071, Godfrey or his heirs are mentioned. Matilda gave birth to a daughter, named Beatrice after her maternal grandmother, but the child died a few weeks after the birth, before 29 August 1071. In 1071, Beatrice had donated property to the Abbey of Frassinoro for the salvation of her granddaughter's soul and she granted twelve farms "for

5092-431: The Imperial family, the prestige and power of Henry IV was increasingly weakened. After the synod, Matilda no longer had any contact with Adelaide. In 1088 Matilda was facing a new attempt at invasion by Henry IV, and decided to pre-empt it by means of a political marriage. In 1089 Matilda (in her early forties) married Welf V , heir to the Duchy of Bavaria and who was probably fifteen to seventeen years old, but none of

5226-713: The Lombard League did not survive this victory for long. In 1213, at Castelleone , the Cremonese defeated the League of Milan , Lodi , Crema , Novara , Como and Brescia . In 1232, Cremona allied itself with Emperor Frederick II , who was again trying to reassert the Empire's authority over Northern Italy. In the Battle of Cortenuova , the Cremonese were on the winning side. Thereafter Frederick often held his court in

5360-419: The Margravine from 1081. It was not until Allucione de Luca's marriage to the daughter of the royal judge Flaipert that she gained new opportunities to influence. Flaipert had already been one of the most important advisors of the House of Canossa since the times of Matilda's mother. Allucione was a vassal of Count Fuidi, with whom Matilda worked closely. Mantua had to make considerable concessions in June 1090;

5494-571: The Margravine. Matilda encouraged some of them to write their works: for example, Bishop Anselm of Lucca wrote a psalter at her request and Johannes of Mantua a commentary on the Song of Songs and a reflection on the life of Virgin Mary . Works were dedicated or presented to Matilda, such as the Liber de anulo et baculo of Rangerius of Lucca, the Orationes sive meditationes of Anselm of Canterbury ,

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5628-406: The Pope was short-lived, however. In the conflicts with Henry IV that arose a little later, from 1080 Matilda put all her military and material resources into the service of the Papacy. Her court became a refuge for many displaced persons during the turmoil of the investiture dispute and enjoyed a cultural boom. Even after the death of Pope Gregory VII in 1085, Matilda remained an important pillar of

5762-530: The Reform Church. Between 1081 and 1098, the Canossa rule fell into a major crisis due to the grueling disputes with Henry IV. The historical record is sparse for this time. A turning point resulted from Matilda forming a coalition with the southern German dukes, who were in opposition to Henry IV. In 1097, Henry IV retreated past the Alps to the northern portion of the Holy Roman Empire and

5896-788: The Romans, and even furnished them with a body of auxiliaries, who fought with them at the Battle of the Trebia . (Liv. xxi. 55.) After the Second Punic War , however, they took part in the revolt of the Gauls under Hamilcar (200 BC), and a few years later joined their arms with those of the Insubres, but even then the defection seems to have been only partial: after their defeat by the consul Gaius Cornelius Cethegus (197 BC), they quickly submitted to them and continued to be faithful allies of

6030-471: The Romans. (Liv. xxxi. 10, xxxii. 30, xxxix. 3.) After this time they disappear from the historical record, having gradually merged into the mass of Roman subjects; in 49 BC, along with the rest of the Transpadane Gauls, they acquired the full rights of Roman citizens. (Dion Cass. xli. 36.) The limits of the territory occupied by them are not clearly defined. Strabo omits all mention of them in

6164-437: The administrative consolidation of their large estates. Three family saints (Genesius, Apollonius, and Simeon) were used to stabilize the House of Canossa's power structure and the family sought to exert influence on convents that had been in existence for a long time ( Abbey of Nonantola ). Transfer of monasteries to local bishops and the promotion of spiritual institutions also enlarged their network of alliances. An appearance as

6298-551: The agreement. For Matilda, the days in Canossa were a challenge. All those arriving had to be accommodated and looked after appropriately. She had to take care of the procurement and storage of food and fodder, and the supplies in the middle of winter. After the ban was dissolved, Henry IV stayed in the Po Valley for several months and demonstratively devoted himself to his rulership. Pope Gregory VII stayed in Matilda's castles for

6432-502: The annexed Baptistery constitutes one of the most notable sites for Romanesque-Gothic art in northern Italy. Other churches include: The economy of Cremona is deeply linked to the agricultural production of the countryside. Food industries include salted meat, sweets ( torrone ), vegetable oils, grana padano , provolone and " mostarda " (candied fruit in spicy mustard-flavored syrup, served with meats and cheese). Heavy industries include steel, oil and one electric plant. The river-port

6566-813: The army camp outside Rome. By granting special urban rights, the king intended to weaken Matilda's rule. In July 1081 at a synod in Lucca, Henry IV—on account of her 1079 donation to the Church—imposed Imperial ban upon Matilda and all her domains were forfeit, although this was not enough to eliminate her as a source of trouble, for she retained substantial allodial holdings. The consequences for Matilda, however, were relatively minor in Italy, but she suffered losses in her far-away Lorraine possessions. On 1 June 1085, Henry IV gave Matilda's domains Stenay and Mosay to Bishop Dietrich of Verdun. Matilda remained Pope Gregory VII's chief intermediary for communication with northern Europe even as he lost control of Rome and

6700-471: The beginning of March 1095 Pope Urban II called the Council of Piacenza under the protection of Matilda. There Adelaide appeared and made a public confession about Henry IV "because of the unheard-of atrocities of fornication which she had endured with her husband": she accused Henry IV of forcing her to participate in orgies, and, according to some later accounts, of attempting a black mass on her naked body. Thanks to these scandals and division within

6834-419: The blessed prince of the apostles". Possibly taking advantage of the minority of Henry IV, Beatrice and Godfrey the Bearded wanted to consolidate the connection between the Houses of Lorraine and of Canossa in the long term by marrying their two children. Around 1055, Matilda and her stepbrother Godfrey the Hunchback (son of Godfrey the Bearded from his first marriage) were betrothed. In May 1069, as Godfrey

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6968-411: The cathedral's Porch by Lorenzo Trotti (1550) and the new church of San Siro and Sepolcro by Antonio Gialdini (1614). During Spanish rule, Cremona saw the famine of 1628 and the plague of 1630 . The duchy, after a short-lived French conquest in 1701 during the War of the Spanish Succession , passed to Austria on 10 April 1707. For later history, see Lombardy The Cathedral of Cremona with

7102-400: The church of St. Agatha and the Communal Palace. In 1446, Cremona was encircled by the condottieri troops of Francesco Piccinino and Luigi dal Verme . The siege was raised after the arrival of Scaramuccia da Forlì from Venice . From 1499 to 1509 Cremona was under Venetian control. The victory of the Italian League at Agnadello gave it back to the Duchy of Milan. However, Cremona

7236-587: The city of Bologna ) defeated them at Sorbara near Modena on 2 July 1084. In the battle, Matilda was able to capture Bishop Bernardo of Parma and make him a hostage. By 1085 Archbishop Tedaldo of Milan and the Bishops Gandolfo of Reggio Emilia and Bernardo of Parma, all members of the pro-imperial party, were dead. Matilda took this opportunity and filled the Bishoprics sees in Modena, Reggio, and Pistoia with church reformers again. Gregory VII died on 25 May 1085, and Matilda's forces, with those of Prince Jordan I of Capua (her off and on again enemy), took to

7370-428: The city. In the Battle of Parma , however, the Ghibellines suffered a heavy defeat and up to two thousand Cremonese were made prisoners. Some years later, Cremona took its vengeance by defeating Parma's army. Its army, under the command of Umberto Pallavicino , captured Parma's carroccio and for centuries kept the enemy's trousers hanging from the Cathedral's ceiling as a sign of the rival's humiliation. In 1301

7504-652: The close ties to the Ottonian rulers from 988. Tedald was the grandfather of Matilda. In 996 he is listed as dux et marchio (Duke and Margrave) in a document. This title was adopted by all subsequent rulers of the House of Canossa, an inheritance preventing disputes among the three sons of Tedald. The rise of the family reached its apogee under Matilda's father, Boniface . The three successive Canossa rulers (Adalbert-Atto, Tedald, and Boniface) instituted monasteries for their expansion of rule. The founded monasteries ( Brescello , Polirone , Santa Maria di Felonica) were established in places of transport and strategic importance for

7638-440: The contemporary sources goes into the great age difference. The marriage was probably concluded at the instigation of Pope Urban II in order to politically isolate Henry IV. According to historian Elke Goez, the union of northern and southern Alpine opponents of the Salian dynasty initially had no military significance, because Welf V didn't appear in northern Italy with troops. In Matilda's documents, no Swabian names are listed in

7772-474: The county of Lucca during the first third of the tenth century. He probably increased his sphere of influence in the area around Parma and in the foothills of the Apennines . His son, Adalbert-Atto , was able to bring several castles in the foothills of the Apennines under his control in the politically fragmented region. Adalbert-Atto married Hildegard, of the Supponid Frankish noble family who had been very influential in northern Italy. Adalbert-Atto built

7906-416: The course of the military conflict so that on 5 October 1092 Matilda gave the monastery the churches of San Prospero, San Donino in Monte Uille, and San Gregorio in Antognano to compensate. Matilda had a meeting with her few remaining faithful allies in the late summer of 1092 at Carpineti . The majority of them were in favor of peace. Only the hermit Johannes from Marola strongly advocated a continuation of

8040-420: The court in favor of the Abbey of San Salvatore in Monte Amiata . On 8 February 1073, Matilda went to Lucca without her mother and presided over the court alone, where she made a donation in favor of the local Monastery of San Salvatore e Santa Giustina. At the instigation of the abbess Eritha, the monastery possessions in Lucca and Villanova near Serchio were secured by the King's ban ( Königsbann ). For

8174-410: The ears of the people, our whole world trembled". Insubordinate southern German princes gathered in Trebur , awaiting the pope. Matilda's first military endeavor, as well as the first major task altogether as ruler, turned out to be protecting the pope during his perilous journey north. Gregory VII could rely on nobody else. As the sole heiress to the House of Canossa patrimony, Matilda controlled all

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8308-436: The empire over the Alpine passes. For several years the emperor remained inactive in the area around Verona . In the spring of 1093, Conrad , his eldest son and heir to the throne, fell from him. With the support of Matilda along with the Patarene -minded cities of northern Italy ( Cremona , Lodi , Milan , and Piacenza ), the prince rebelled against his father. Sources close to the emperor saw Matilda's influence on Conrad as

8442-399: The empire. Matilda and Godfrey the Hunchback soon found themselves on opposing sides of the dispute, leading to a further deterioration of their difficult relationship. German chroniclers, writing of the synod held at Worms in January 1076, even suggested that Godfrey the Hunchback inspired an allegation by Henry IV of a licentious affair between Gregory VII and Matilda. Matilda and Godfrey

8576-425: The entourage of Nicholas II in 1059. Godfrey and Beatrice actively assisted them in dealing with antipopes , while the role of adolescent Matilda remains unclear. A contemporary account of her stepfather's 1067 expedition against Prince Richard I of Capua on behalf of the papacy mentions Matilda's participation in the campaign, describing it as the "first service that the most excellent daughter of Boniface offered to

8710-409: The field in support of a new pope, Victor III . In 1087, Matilda led an expedition to Rome in an attempt to install Victor III, but the strength of the imperial counterattack soon convinced the pope to withdraw from the city. On his third expedition to Italy, Henry IV besieged Mantua and attacked Matilda's sphere of influence. In April 1091 he was able to take the city after an eleven-month siege. In

8844-401: The fifteenth centuries in their conflict with the German emperors (see Guelphs and Ghibellines )—, may also have been the hope for offspring: late pregnancy was quite possible, as the example of Constance of Sicily shows. Cosmas of Prague (writing in the early twelfth century), included a letter in his Chronica Boemorum and claimed that Matilda had sent it to her future husband, but now

8978-421: The fight against the emperor. Thereupon Matilda implored her followers not to give up the fight. The imperial army began to siege Canossa in the autumn of 1092, but withdrew after a sudden failure of the siege; after this defeat, Henry IV's influence in Italy was never recovered. In the 1090s Henry IV got increasingly on the defensive. A coalition of the southern German princes had prevented him from returning to

9112-401: The following months, the emperor achieved further successes against the vassals of the Margravine. In the summer of 1091, he managed to get the entire north area of the Po with the Counties of Mantua, Brescia , and Verona under his control. In 1092 Henry IV was able to conquer most of the counties of Modena and Reggio . The Monastery of San Benedetto in Polirone suffered severe damages in

9246-406: The geographical description of Gallia Cisalpina, and assigns their cities to the Insubres. Livy describes Brixia (modern Brescia ) and Verona as the chief cities in their territory. Pliny assigns Cremona and Brixia to them, but Ptolemy attributes a much wider extent to them, writing that their territory comprised not only Bergamum (modern Bergamo ) and Mantua , but also Tridentum , which

9380-430: The great Gaulish war in 225 BC, when the Boii and Insubres took up arms against Rome, the Cenomani and their neighbours, the Veneti, concluded an alliance with the Roman Republic , and the two nations together furnished a force of 20,000 men, with which they threatened the frontier of the Insubres. (Pol. ii. 23, 24, 32; Strab. v. p. 216.) Even when Hannibal invaded Cisalpine Gaul, they continued to be faithful to

9514-422: The guardian of order consolidated their position along the Via Aemilia . Historian Arnaldo Tincani was able to prove the considerable number of 120 farms in the Canossa estate near the Po river . Matilda's parents, Boniface and Beatrice of Lorraine first met on the occasion of the wedding of Conrad II's son Henry with Gunhilda of Denmark in 1036 at the city of Nijmegen shortly after Boniface had become

9648-538: The health and life of my beloved daughter Matilda" ( pro incolomitate et anima Matilde dilecte filie mee ). Matilda and Godfrey the Hunchback's marriage proved a failure after a short time. The death of their only child and Godfrey's physical deformity may have helped fuel deep animosity between the spouses. By the end of 1071, Matilda had left her husband and returned to Italy, where her stay in Mantua on 19 January 1072 can be proven. From there she and her mother issued

9782-467: The help of Milan . The subsequent victory and its loyal imperial stance earned Cremona the right to create a mint for its own coinage in 1154. In 1162, Imperial and Cremonese forces assaulted Milan and destroyed it. However, in 1167 the city changed sides and joined the Lombard League . Its troops were part of the army that, on 29 May 1176, defeated Barbarossa in the Battle of Legnano . However,

9916-524: The ideas of her loyal friends and come to an agreement with them. In her role as the most important guarantor of the law, she increasingly lost importance in relation to the bishops. They repeatedly asked the Margravine to put an end to grievances. As a result, the bishops expanded their position within the episcopal cities and in the surrounding area. After 1100 Matilda had to repeatedly protect churches from her own subjects. The accommodation requirements had also been reduced. The court had developed since

10050-493: The infamous capture of Beatrice and Matilda, and, with the deliberated choice of location of the synod also made it clear that the House of Canossa had returned to Italy, strengthened at the side of the Pope and had been completely rehabilitated; with Henry IV being a minor, the reform Papacy sought the protection of the powerful House of Canossa. According to Donizo , the Panegyric biographer of Matilda and her ancestors, she

10184-584: The inhabitants of the city and the suburbs were freed from all "unjustified" oppression and all rights and property in Sacca, Sustante and Corte Carpaneta were confirmed. After 1096 the balance of power slowly began to change again in favor of the Margravine. Matilda resumed her donations to ecclesiastical and social institutions in Lombardy, Emilia, and Tuscany. In the summer of 1099 and 1100 her route first led to Lucca and Pisa. There it can be detected again in

10318-457: The intention behind Henry's walk to Canossa was to show penance . By 25 January 1077, the king stood barefoot in the snow before the gates of Matilda's castle, accompanied by his wife Bertha of Savoy , their infant son Conrad , and Bertha's mother, the powerful Margravine Adelaide of Susa (Matilda's second cousin; Adelaide's grandmother was Prangarda , sister of Tedald of Canossa , Matilda's paternal grandfather). Since Matilda's castle became

10452-693: The largest towns in northern Italy, as it was on the main road connecting Genoa to Aquileia , the Via Postumia . It supplied troops to Julius Caesar and benefited from his rule, but later supported Marcus Iunius Brutus and the Senate in their conflict with Augustus , who, having won, in 40 BC confiscated Cremona's land and redistributed it to his men. The famous poet Virgil , who went to school in Cremona, had to forfeit his ancestral farm ("too close to wretched Cremona"), but later regained it. The city's prosperity continued to increase until 69 AD, when it

10586-514: The last member of the House of Canossa . Mother and daughter were taken to Germany, but Godfrey the Bearded successfully avoided capture. Unable to defeat him, Henry III sought a rapprochement. The Emperor's early death in October 1056, which brought to throne the underage Henry IV , seems to have accelerated the negotiations and the restoration of the previous balance of power. Godfrey the Bearded

10720-430: The latter. However, Matilda's resolution was unshakable, and in the summer of 1073 Godfrey the Hunchback returned to Lorraine alone, losing all hope for a reconciliation by 1074. Matilda wanted to enter in a monastery as a nun. During 1073–1074 she tried in vain to obtain the dissolution of her marriage with the pope; however, Gregory VII needed Godfrey the Hunchback as an ally and was therefore not interested in granting

10854-418: The letter is thought to be spurious: Matilda sent an army of thousands to the border of Lombardy to escort her bridegroom, welcomed him with honors, and after the marriage (mid-1089), she organized 120 days of wedding festivities, with such splendor that those of any other medieval rulers pale in comparison. Cosmas also reports that for two nights after the wedding, Welf V, fearing witchcraft, refused to share

10988-589: The male members of his family, and assumed control over Cremona. However, he was unable to face the task, and ceded the city back to the Visconti for a payment of 40,000 golden florins. Thus Filippo Maria Visconti made his signoria hereditary. Cremona became part of the Duchy of Milan , following its fate until the unification of Italy . Under the Visconti and later the Sforza , Cremona underwent high cultural and religious development. In 1411 Palazzo Cittanova become

11122-482: The marital bed. The third day, Matilda appeared naked on a table especially prepared on sawhorses, and told him that everything is in front of you and there is no hidden malice . But the Duke was dumbfounded; Matilda, furious, slapped him and spat in his face, taunting him: Get out of here, monster, you don't deserve our kingdom, you vile thing, viler than a worm or a rotten seaweed, don't let me see you again, or you'll die

11256-464: The marriage of King Conrad with Maximilla, daughter of Count Roger I of Sicily . This was intended to win the support of the Normans of southern Italy against Henry IV. Conrad's initiatives to expand his rule in northern Italy probably led to tensions with Matilda, and for this, he didn't find any more support for his rule. After 22 October 1097, his political activity was virtually ended, his death in

11390-440: The most important towns in Italy for music. Composer Marc'Antonio Ingegneri taught there; Claudio Monteverdi was his most famous student, before leaving for Mantua in 1591. Cremona was the birthplace of Pierre-Francisque Caroubel , a collaborator with noted German composer Michael Praetorius . The bishop of Cremona , Nicolò Sfondrati, a fervent supporter of the Counter-Reformation , became Pope Gregory XIV in 1590. Since he

11524-449: The name of Clement III . The break between the empire and the papacy also escalated the troubled relationship between Henry IV and Matilda. In September 1080, the Margravine stood on behalf of Bishop Gratianus of Ferrara to court. Marquis Azzo d'Este, Counts Ugo and Ubert, Albert (son of Count Boso), Paganus di Corsina, Fulcus de Rovereto, Gerardo di Corviago, Petrus de Ermengarda, and Ugo Armatus all met there. Matilda swore there to maintain

11658-404: The next few months. Henry IV and Matilda never met again in person after the Canossa days. From 1077 to 1080 Matilda followed the usual activities of her rule. In addition to a few donations for the dioceses of Lucca and Mantua , court documents were in dominance. In 1079, Matilda gave the pope all her domains (the so-called Terre Matildiche ), in open defiance of claims by Henry IV as both

11792-421: The next six months Matilda's residence is not known, while her mother took part in the enthronement ceremony for Pope Gregory VII. Matilda was introduced by her mother to numerous personalities in church reform, especially Pope Gregory VII. She had already met the future pope, then Archdeacon Hildebrand, in the 1060s. During 9–17 March 1074, she met him for the first time after his election as pope. He developed

11926-511: The north of the Alps in 1097. After that he never returned to Italy, and it would be 13 years before his son and namesake set foot on Italian soil for the first time. With the assistance of the French armies heading off to the First Crusade , Matilda was finally able to restore Pope Urban II to Rome . She ordered or led successful expeditions against Ferrara (1101), Parma (1104), Prato (1107), and Mantua (1114). In eleventh century Italy,

12060-423: The northern part of her paternal family's ancestral lands. Beatrice and her sister, Sophia , were the daughters of Duke Frederick II of Upper Lorraine and Matilda of Swabia . After the deaths of their parents she and her sister had been raised in the imperial court by their maternal aunt, Empress Gisela. For Boniface, the marriage to Beatrice, a close relative of the emperor, brought him not only prestige, but also

12194-578: The old name. Cremona and nearby Placentia (modern Piacenza , on the south bank of the Po), were founded in the same year, as bases for penetration into what became the Roman Province of Gallia Cisalpina ( Cisalpine Gaul ). Due to the trade importance of the town, from it started the Via Brixiana a Roman road which connected Brixia ( Brescia ) to Cremona. Cremona quickly grew into one of

12328-552: The opportunities offered to her to consolidate her rule again. Since she was childless, in her final years Matilda developed her legacy by focusing her donation activity on the Polirone Abbey . The account of Donizo reports that between 6 and 11 May 1111, Matilda was crowned Imperial Vicar and Vice-Queen of Italy by Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor at the Castle of Bianello ( Quattro Castella , Reggio Emilia ). With her death,

12462-725: The overlord of some of those domains and as one of her close relatives. One year later, the fortunes of papacy and empire turned again: at the Roman synod of Lent in early March 1080 Henry IV was again excommunicated by Gregory VII. The pope combined the anathem with a warning: if the king didn't submit to the papal authority by 1 August he should be dethroned. However, unlike previously, the German bishops and princes stood behind Henry IV. In Brixen on 25 June 1080, seven German, one Burgundian, and 20 Italian bishops decided to depose Gregory VII and nominated Archbishop Guibert of Ravenna as pope, who took

12596-593: The pope. It is more likely that Godfrey the Hunchback was killed at the instigation of an enemy nearer to him. Matilda made no spiritual donations for Godfrey the Hunchback. Matilda's bold decision to repudiate her husband came at a cost, but ensured her independence. Beatrice started preparing Matilda for rule as head of the House of Canossa by holding court jointly with her and, eventually, encouraging her to issue charters under her own authority as countess ( comitissa ) and duchess ( ducatrix ). Both mother and daughter tried to be present throughout their territory. In what

12730-409: The prospect to have an heir. His first wife had been Richilda , a daughter of Giselbert II , Count Palatine of Bergamo and their only child was a daughter who was born and died in 1014. Boniface and Beatrice had three children, Beatrice (named after her mother), Frederick (named after his maternal grandfather), and Matilda (named after her maternal grandmother). Matilda, probably born around 1046,

12864-450: The quarrel by entering Cremona in 1037 together with the young Pope Benedict IX . Under Henry IV , Cremona refused to pay the oppressive taxes requested by the Empire and the bishop. According to a legend, the great gonfaloniere (mayor) Giovanni Baldesio of Cremona faced the emperor himself in a duel. As Henry was knocked from his horse, the city was saved the annual payment of the 3 kg (7 lb) golden ball, which, for that year,

12998-423: The reason for the rebellion of the son against his father, but contemporary sources don't reveal any closer contact between the two before the rebellion. A little later, Conrad was taken prisoner by his father but with Matilda's help, he was freed. With the support of the Margravine, Conrad was crowned King of Italy by Archbishop Anselm III of Milan before 4 December 1093. Together with the pope, Matilda organized

13132-427: The reform of the Papacy. Matilda's older sister, Beatrice, died the next year (before 17 December 1053), making Matilda heiress presumptive to Frederick's personal holdings. Beatrice was Regent of Tuscany from 1052 until her death in 1076, during the minority of and in co-regency with Matilda. In mid-1054, determined to safeguard the interests of her children as well as her own, Beatrice of Lorraine married Godfrey

13266-571: The reform papacy. Although also a supporter of church reform, her mother had distanced herself from Gregory VII's revolutionary goals where these endangered the foundations of her rule structures. In this setting, mother and daughter differed significantly from one another. Matilda had the church treasure of the Apollonius monastery built near Canossa Castle melted down; precious metal vessels and other treasures from Nonantola Abbey also were melted down. She even sold her Allod city of Donceel to

13400-466: The renowned Ponte della Maddalena where the Via Francigena crosses the river Serchio at Borgo a Mozzano just north of Lucca . Henry IV crossed the Alps in the spring of 1081. He gave up his previous reluctance toward his cousin Matilda and honored the city of Lucca for their transfer to the royal side. On 23 June 1081, the king issued the citizens of Lucca a comprehensive privilege in

13534-651: The rest of his patrimony) to his nephew Godfrey of Bouillon , the son of his sister Ida . Godfrey of Bouillon also disputed Matilda's rights to Stenay and Mosay, which her mother had received as dowry . The quarrel between aunt and nephew over the episcopal county of Verdun was eventually settled by Theoderic , Bishop of Verdun , who enjoyed the right to nominate the counts. He easily found in favor of Matilda, as such verdict happened to please both Pope Gregory VII and King Henry IV. Matilda then proceeded to invest Verdun to her husband's pro-reform cousin, Albert III of Namur . The deep animosity between Matilda and her nephew

13668-419: The rise of the cities began, in interaction with the overarching conflict. They soon succeeded in establishing their own territories. In Lucca, Pavia, and Pisa, consuls appeared as early as the 1080s, which are considered to be signs of the legal independence of the "communities". Pisa sought its advantage in changing alliances with the Salian dynasty and the House of Canossa. Lucca remained completely closed to

13802-469: The seat of the university of fustian merchants. In 1441 the city hosted the marriage of Francesco I Sforza and Bianca Maria Visconti in the temple built by the Benedictines , which today is the church of Saint Sigismund. For that occasion a new sweet was devised, which evolved into the famous torrone . Ludovico il Moro assisted in the financing of several building projects for the cathedral,

13936-480: The setting for the reconciliation between the emperor and the pope, she must have been very closely involved in the negotiations. The king remained there, in a penitent's robe, barefoot, and without a sign of authority, despite the winter cold, until 28 January, when Matilda convinced the pope to see him. Matilda and Adelaide brokered a deal between the men. Henry IV was taken back into the Church, with both Matilda and Adelaide acting as sponsors and formally swearing to

14070-516: The subsequent period, so that Welf V could have moved to Italy alone or with a small entourage. According to the Rosenberg Annals, he even came across the Alps disguised as a pilgrim. Matilda's motive for this marriage, despite the large age difference and the political alliance—her new husband was a member of the Welf dynasty , who were important supporters of the papacy from the eleventh to

14204-513: The summer of 1101 from a fever being the only mention. In 1094 Henry IV's second wife, the Rurikid princess Eupraxia of Kiev (renamed Adelaide after her marriage), escaped from her imprisonment at the monastery of San Zeno and spread serious allegations against him. Henry IV then had her arrested in Verona. With the help of Matilda, Adelaide was able to escape again and find refuge with her. At

14338-496: The summer of 1105, 1107, and 1111. In early summer of 1099 she gave the Monastery of San Ponziano a piece of land for the establishment of a hospital. With this donation, Matilda resumed her relations with Lucca. After 1090 Matilda accentuated the consensual rule. After the profound crises, she was no longer able to make political decisions on her own. She held meetings with spiritual and secular nobles in Tuscany and also in her home countries of Emilia. She had to take into account

14472-534: The summit of achievement in string instrument making. Cremona is still renowned for producing high-quality instruments, rare examples of which can be seen when visiting the local Museo del Violino . In 2012 the " Traditional violin craftsmanship in Cremona " was declared an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO . Internationally, the city's craftsmen are renowned for the unique process used in crafting bowed stringed instruments which are assembled and moulded by hand without using any industrial materials. Cremona had

14606-642: The team managed to stay in Serie A for three consecutive years, ending one championship at tenth place. By defeating English team Derby County in the Final to win the Anglo-Italian Cup (27 March 1993), Cremonese became the second Italian team in football history to win at Wembley . Cremona, by the 1980s, had built a strong basketball tradition, now brought on by Vanoli Basket , a team from Soresina which however usually plays in Cremona. Cremona has also

14740-483: The time when the conflict between King Henry IV and Pope Gregory VII was escalating. Matilda and Beatrice were among the closest confidants of Gregory VII. From the beginning, he took both into his confidence and let them know about his plans against the Roman-German king. The disagreement between Pope Gregory VII and King Henry IV culminated in the aftermath of the synod of Worms on 24 January 1076; together with

14874-538: The twelfth century to a central institution of royal and princely power. The most important tasks were the visualization of the rule through festivals, art, and literature. The term "court" can be understood as "presence with the ruler". In contrast to the Brunswick court of the Guelphs, Matilda's court offices cannot be verified. Scholars such as Anselm of Lucca , Heribert of Reggio, and Johannes of Mantua were around

15008-521: The upcoming fight against Henry IV. On 15 October 1080 at Volta Mantovana , the imperial troops defeated the army of Matilda and Gregory VII in battle . Some Tuscan nobles took advantage of the uncertainty and positioned themselves against Matilda; few places remained faithful to her. In a donation of 9 December 1080 to the Modenese monastery of San Prospero , only a few local followers are named. Matilda, however, did not surrender. While Gregory VII

15142-568: Was a member of the House of Canossa (also known as the Attonids) in the second half of the eleventh century. Matilda was one of the most important governing figures of the Italian Middle Ages . She reigned in a period of constant battles, political intrigues, and Roman Catholic excommunications . She was able to demonstrate an innate and skilled strategic leadership capacity in both military and diplomatic matters. She ruled as

15276-445: Was ambushed while hunting in the forest of San Martino dall'Argine near Mantua and killed. Following the death of their father, Matilda's brother, Frederick , inherited the family lands and titles under the regency of their mother, who not only managed to hold the family patrimony together, but also made important contacts with leading figures in the Church renewal movement. Beatrice developed into an increasingly important pillar of

15410-821: Was an ancient tribe of the Cisalpine Gauls , who occupied the tract north of the Padus (modern Po River ), between the Insubres on the west and the Veneti on the east. Their territory appears to have extended from the river Addua (or perhaps the Ollius, the modern Oglio ) to the Athesis (modern Adige ). Whether these Cenomani are the same people as the Cenomani in Gallia Celtica encountered by Julius Caesar

15544-506: Was an equally fervent patron of music, the renown of the town as a musical destination grew accordingly. Beginning in the 16th century, Cremona became renowned as a centre of musical instrument manufacture, with the violins of the Amati and Rugeri families, and later the products of the Guarneri and Stradivari workshops. To the present day, their handmade work is widely considered to be

15678-510: Was assigned to Spain under the Treaty of Noyon (1513). Cremona fell to the new rulers only in 1524 when the Castle of Santa Croce surrendered. The French were finally expelled from the duchy two years later, with the Treaty of Madrid , and subsequently Cremona remained a Spanish dominion for many years. During that time several building improvements or additions were made, including the Loggia of

15812-510: Was certainly a Rhaetian city. (Strab. v. p. 213; Liv. v. 35; Plin. iii. 19. s. 23; Ptol. iii. 1. § 31.) Polybius, in one passage (ii. 32), appears to describe the river Clusius (modern Chiese ) as separating them from the Insubres, but this is probably a mistake. The boundaries attributed to them above (the Addua on the west, the Athesis on the east, and the Padus on the south) may be regarded as approximately correct. The Alpine tribes of

15946-624: Was conquered by the Lombard King Agilulf and again destroyed. Its territory was divided between the two duchies of Brescia and Bergamo . However, in 615 AD, Queen Theodelinda , a devout Roman Catholic intent on converting her people, had Cremona rebuilt and re-installed a bishop there. Control of the city fell increasingly to its bishop, who became a Holy Roman Empire vassal after Charlemagne 's conquest of Italy. In this way, Cremona increased its power and its prosperity steadily and some of its bishops had important roles between

16080-581: Was contrary to the provisions of the Salic and Lombard law currently in force in the Kingdom of Italy, according to which Emperor Henry IV would have been the legal heir. In view of the minority of Henry IV and close cooperation with the reform papacy, a lending under imperial law was of secondary importance for the House of Canossa Between 1076 and 1080, Matilda travelled to Lorraine to lay claim to her husband's estate in Verdun , which he had willed (along with

16214-663: Was created. In 1276 the Signoria passed to marquis Cavalcabò Cavalcabò ; in 1305 he was succeeded by his son Guglielmo Cavalcabò, who held power until 1310. During this period many edifices were created or restored including the belfry of the Torrazzo , the Romanesque church of San Francis, the cathedral's transepts and the Loggia dei Militi. Moreover, agriculture was boosted with a new network of canals. After some foreign invasions (notably that of Emperor Henry VII in 1311),

16348-658: Was defeated near Bressanoro . As in many northern Italian cities, the people were divided into two opposing parties, the Guelphs , who were stronger in the new city , and the Ghibellines , who had their base in the old city . The parties were so irreconcilable that the former built a second Communal Palace, the still existing Palazzo Cittanova ("new city's palace"). When Frederick Barbarossa descended into Italy to assert his authority, Cremona sided with him in order to gain his support against Crema, which had rebelled with

16482-539: Was familiar with both French and German due to her origins and living conditions. Matilda's mother and stepfather thus became heavily involved in the series of disputed papal elections during their regency, supporting the Gregorian Reforms . Godfrey the Bearded's brother, Frederick, became Pope Stephen IX , while both of the following two popes, Nicholas II and Alexander II , had been Tuscan bishops. Matilda made her first journey to Rome with her family in

16616-419: Was forced into exile, by retaining control over all the western passes in the Apennines, she could force Henry IV to approach Rome via Ravenna ; even with this route open, the emperor would find it hard to besiege Rome with a hostile territory at his back. In December 1080 the citizens of Lucca, then the capital of Tuscany, had revolted and driven out her ally, Bishop Anselm . She is believed to have commissioned

16750-567: Was holed up in the Castel Sant'Angelo . After Henry IV obtained possession of the pope's seal, Matilda wrote to supporters in Germany only to trust papal messages that came through her. A guerrilla war developed that Matilda waged from her castles in the Apennines. In 1082 she was apparently insolvent. Therefore, she could no longer bind her vassals to her with generous gifts or fiefs. But even in dire straits, she did not let up in her zeal for

16884-595: Was instead given to Berta, Giovanni's girlfriend, as her dowry. The first historical news about a free Cremona is from 1093, as it entered into an anti-Empire alliance led by Mathilde of Canossa , together with Lodi , Milan and Piacenza . The conflict ended with Cremona gaining the Insula Fulcheria , the area around the nearby city of Crema , as its territory. After that time, the new commune warred against nearby cities to enlarge its territory. In 1107 Cremona conquered Tortona , but four years later its army

17018-403: Was not even called by name. The pope responded on 15 February 1076 with the excommunication of the king, releasing all his subjects from the oath of allegiance to him and providing the perfect reason for rebellion against his rule. These measures had a tremendous effect on contemporaries, as the words of the chronicler Bonizo of Sutri show: "When the news of the banishment of the king reached

17152-524: Was reconciled with the imperial family and recognized as Margrave of Tuscany in December, while Beatrice and Matilda were released. By the time she and her mother returned to Italy, in the company of Pope Victor II , Matilda was formally acknowledged as sole heiress to the greatest territorial lordship in the southern part of the Empire. In June 1057 the Pope held a synod in Florence; he was present during

17286-492: Was renowned for her learning. She was literate in Latin , as well as reputed to speak German and French . The extent of Matilda's education in military matters is debated. It has been asserted that she was taught strategy, tactics, riding, and wielding weapons, but recent scholarship challenges these claims. Her father, Boniface of Canossa was a feared and hated prince for some small vassals throughout his life. On 7 May 1052, he

17420-534: Was sacked and destroyed in the Second Battle of Bedriacum by the troops of Vespasian under command of Marcus Antonius Primus , fighting to install him as Emperor against his rival Vitellius . The sacking was described by Tacitus in Histories. Cremona was rebuilt with the help of the new emperor Vespasian, but it seems to have failed to regain its former prosperity as it disappeared from history. In

17554-420: Was the center for Boniface's court at the time. In addition, Ferrara or the small Tuscan town of San Miniato have been discussed as the possible birthplace. According to author Elke Goez , sources cannot prove that there was a permanent household location for Boniface of Canossa in either Mantua or any other place. Scholars generally believe that Matilda must have spent her early years around her mother, who

17688-402: Was the undisputed heir of all lands alloteds to both her parents. Her inheritance could have been threatened had Godfrey the Hunchback survived her mother, but she now enjoyed the privileged status of a widow. It seemed unlikely, however, that Emperor Henry IV would formally invest her with the margraviate. After the death of her mother, Matilda took over her immense paternal inheritance. This

17822-474: Was the youngest child. Matilda's birthplace and exact date of birth are unknown. Italian scholars have been arguing about her place of birth for centuries. According to Francesco Maria Fiorentini, a doctor and scholar of the seventeenth century, she was born in Lucca , an assumption reinforced by a miniature in the early twelfth-century Vita Mathildis by the monk Donizo (or, in Italian, Donizone), where Matilda

17956-508: Was thus delayed. The German princes held a separate council and informed the king that he had to submit to the pope within a year or be replaced. Henry IV's predecessors had dealt easily with troublesome pontiffs — they had simply deposed them, and the excommunicated Lombard bishops rejoiced at this prospect. When Matilda heard about Henry IV's approach, she urged Gregory VII to take refuge in the Canossa Castle , her family's eponymous stronghold. The pope took her advice. It soon became clear that

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