Matilda of Canossa

Matilda of Canossa, Countess of Tuscany, was born in 1046 to a noble family in northern Italy. She could have ended like so many other noble women during her time, as a simple tool with which to form marriage alliances between leading houses. However, with the support and mentorship of her mother, Matilda became a ruler in her own right. Matilda was not only in full control of her own estate, she also commanded her own army and kept additional territory in Italy. In addition, she had close ties to the pope himself, Gregory VII. Matilda managed her monetary, military, and political assets in such a cunning way that she rose to be one of the most influential women of her time. The two most important rulers of the time, the Holy Roman Emperor and the pope, fully recognised Matilda’s value as an asset, and found themselves with either a powerful ally or a powerful enemy in her.