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Home > Catholic Encyclopedia > M > St. Matilda


ST. MATILDA

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Queen of Germany, wife of King Henry I (The Fowler), born at the Villa of Engern
in Westphalia, about 895; died at Quedlinburg, 14 March, 968. She was brought up
at the monastery of Erfurt. Henry, whose marriage to a young widow, named
Hathburg, had been declared invalid, asked for Matilda's hand, and married her
in 909 at Walhausen, which he presented to her as a dowry. Matilda became the
mother of: Otto I, Emperor of Germany; Henry, Duke of Bavaria; St. Bruno,
Archbishop of Cologne; Gerberga, who married Louis IV of France; Hedwig, the
mother of Hugh Capet. In 912 Matilda's husband succeeded his father as Duke of
Saxony, and in 918 he was chosen to succeed King Conrad of Germany. As queen,
Matilda was humble, pious, and generous, and was always ready to help the
oppressed and unfortunate. She wielded a wholesome influence over the king.
After a reign of seventeen years, he died in 936. He bequeathed to her all his
possessions in Quedlinburg, Poehlden, Nordhausen, Grona, and Duderstadt.



It was the king's wish that his eldest son, Otto, should succeed him. Matilda
wanted her favourite son Henry on the royal throne. On the plea that he was the
first-born son after his father became king, she induced a few nobles to cast
their vote for him, but Otto was elected and crowned king on 8 August, 936.
Three years later Henry revolted against his brother Otto, but, being unable to
wrest the royal crown from him, submitted, and upon the intercession of Matilda
was made Duke of Bavaria. Soon, however, the two brothers joined in persecuting
their mother, whom they accused of having impoverished the crown by her lavish
almsgiving. To satisfy them, she renounced the possessions the deceased king had
bequeathed to her, and retired to her villa at Engern in Westphalia. But
afterwards, when misfortune overtook her sons, Matilda was called back to the
palace, and both Otto and Henry implored her pardon.

Matilda built many churches, and founded or supported numerous monasteries. Her
chief foundations were the monasteries at Quedlinburg, Nordhausen, Engern, and
Poehlden. She spent many days at these monasteries and was especially fond of
Nordhausen. She died at the convent of Sts. Servatius and Dionysius at
Quedlinburg, and was buried there by the side of her husband. She was venerated
as a saint immediately after her death. Her feast is celebrated on 14 March.


SOURCES

Two old Lives of Matilda are extant; one, Vita antiquior, written in the
monastery of Nordhausen and dedicated to the Emperor Otto II; edited by KOEPKE
in Mon. Germ. Script., X, 575-582, and reprinted in MIGNE, P.L., CLI, 1313-26.
The other, Vita Mahtildis reginae, written by order of the Emperor Henry II, is
printed in mon. Germ. Script., IV, 283-302, and in MIGNE, P.L., CXXXV, 889-9220.
CLARUS, Die heilige Mathilde, ihr Gemahl Heinrich I, und ihre Sohne Otto I,
Heinrich und Bruno (Munster, 1867); SCHWARZ, Die heilige Mathilde, Gemahlin
Heinrichs I. Konigs von Deutschland (Ratisbon, 1846); Acta SS., March, II,
351-65.


ABOUT THIS PAGE

APA citation. Ott, M. (1911). St. Matilda. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New
York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10049a.htm

MLA citation. Ott, Michael. "St. Matilda." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10.
New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911.
<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10049a.htm>.

Transcription. This article was transcribed for New Advent by Michael T.
Barrett. Dedicated to Hester Matilda Laird.

Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. October 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D.,
Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.

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