Feminae: Medieval Women and Gender Index


  • Record Number: 11227
  • Author(s)/Creator(s): Struve , Tilman.
  • Contributor(s):
  • Title: Mathilde von Tuszien- Canossa und Heinrich IV. Der Wandel ihrer Beziehungen vor dem Hintergrund des Investiturstreites
  • Source: Historisches Jahrbuch 115, 1 ( 1995): Pages 41 - 84.
  • Description:
  • Article Type: Journal Article
  • Subject (See Also): Ecclesiastical Reform Gregory VII, Pope Heinrich IV, Holy Roman Emperor Historiography Matilda, Countess of Tuscany Politics Women in Religion
  • Award Note:
  • Geographic Area: Germany;Italy
  • Century: 11
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  • Abstract: The present study gives a review of the relations between the German king Henry IV and the countess Mathilda of Tuscany-Canossa from about 1073 to 1096 before the background of the Investiture Contest. Mathilda's attitude towards Henry IV is mainly determined by her close commitment to Gregory VII and the reformatory papacy. Whenever the king changed his position to the pope, this meant at the same time an effect on his relationship to the countess. Especially Mathilda's role as a mediator at Canossa in 1077 shows her initial efforts towards a conciliation between the German king and Gregory VII. But when Henry IV strived for the recognition of the royal power in Itlay since 1081, it came to an overt confrontation. Throughout the several battles, where Mathilda had to sustain partially severe rebounds, she managed, however, an overall successful maintenance of the reformatory papacy. On the Gregorian side her struggle with Henry IV was considered as a "Holy War." [Reproduced by permission of Verlag Karl Alber].
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  • Conference Info: - , -
  • Year of Publication: 1995.
  • Language: German
  • ISSN/ISBN: 00182621