The Most Extreme Medieval Queen You’ve Never Heard Of

After a cruel betrayal, the medieval Queen Matilda waged war against her own husband. She defeated his men only for him to escape her grasp. But then, very soon after the battle, his body was discovered. And the fate he suffered was so brutal that it’s impossible to forget. You can’t have a conversation about powerful people without talking about Matilda of Tuscany. A commanding woman who brought peace and destruction as she saw fit. Her glorious achievements during her lifetime undoubtedly shaped the course of European history. Matilda came from a powerful Italian family. Her father presided over no less than 13 different territories, while her mother brought over five more territories to the high-powered marriage. When Matilda entered the world in around 1046, she immediately became one of the most powerful baby girls in the Holy Roman Empire. But her luxurious life would get rocky fast. In 1052, Matilda’s father lost his life. And in 1053, she became the heiress presumptive when her older sister also left the earthly plane. With her family shrinking and her brother still too young to protect them, Matilda’s mother made a calculated political decision. The following year, she remarried. Matilda’s new stepfather, however, came with his own set of issues. He openly rebelled against Emperor Henry III, a kinsman of Matilda’s family. When Henry heard about the marriage, he made sure Matilda and her family felt the depth of his anger. 1055 became a year full of horrors for Matilda. That year, a very angry Emperor Henry captured both Matilda and her mother, imprisoning them in Germany.

While Matilda’s stepfather managed to evade capture. This wasn’t all that happened, though. Soon after the arrest, Matilda’s older brother, much like their father, passed on due to some very suspicious circumstances. With her siblings gone, Matilda became the last member of the House of Canossa. Henry III never quite managed to capture Matilda’s stepfather. He continued to be a thorn in Henry III’s side until an incredible stroke of luck befell Matilda and her family. Emperor Henry III passed in October of 1056, and with his early demise came forgiveness for Matilda’s stepfather. The new king, Henry IV, released Matilda and her mother, allowing the pair to joyfully return to Italy, where she began performing her duties as the sole heir to the House of Canossa. Due to Henry IV’s young age, the papacy turned to Matilda’s powerful family for protection. Luckily for them, Matilda had a deep sense of spirituality and was deeply devoted to the papacy. This meant that when a series of antipopes attempted to rise to power, Matilda jumped at the chance to put down these pretenders. In fact, one of her earliest forays into battle happened when Matilda was just 15 years old. When she was 15, Matilda received news that her stepfather planned to let an antipope named Cadalous cross their territories to Rome. Well, Matilda wasn’t going to let that happen. She went to her mother, begging for control of their men to confront the dastardly antipope. After listening to Matilda’s impassioned speech, her mother conceded. Soon after, Matilda led a group of knights in armor and peasants with farm tools into battle. When she happened upon the opposing forces in Tuscany, she rallied her men who surged forward like an unstoppable tidal wave.

Although Cadalous had a much larger force, they were bone tired from a perilous mountain trek. As a result, Matilda’s force of fresh men managed to repel back Cadalus’s force. Young Matilda soon emerged triumphant, but to her frustration, Cadalus himself managed to run. Matilda decided to make a quick strategic retreat to re-evaluate her options. In exchange for joining their forces together, Matilda’s stepfather proposed a betrothal between Matilda and his son, Godfrey the Hunchback. For Matilda’s stepfather, this was the perfect way to truly cement their families together. And for Matilda, this was her best chance of protecting the papacy in Rome from Cadalus. This was technically a win-win for all, if you know, you ignored the fact that they were step-siblings. Matilda eventually accepted the proposal, and the two set off for Rome. Their forces joined the armies of Rome in a long and bloody battle against the invading men. On horseback, Matilda rode up and down her ranks, rallying her forces while watching out for the wounded. In the end, Matilda and her men emerged victorious. Cadalus, exhausted by their battle, withdrew. Matilda returned home, triumphant, glorious, and ready to fulfill her promise to marry Godfrey the Hunchback. But things for Matilda started going downhill almost immediately. Unfortunately, Matilda and her new husband just didn’t have much in common. They differed in matters of religion, and his physical deformity only fueled their dislike of one another. Finally, when their infant daughter passed away mere weeks after her birth, Matilda decided to separate from Godfrey entirely.

Matilda’s husband was not at all happy with her decision to just up and leave him. He repeatedly demanded her return, which she refused each time. Frustrated, her husband decided that he needed to take care of things personally and went to Italy in early 1072. He wanted to reestablish his marriage with Matilda and reinforce his claims on her land to boot. Little did he know Matilda had one heck of a plot twist up her sleeve. Not only did she decide to reject her husband because she simply didn’t like him, but Matilda also decided that she wanted to become a nun. So unshakable was her determination that her husband eventually left Italy empty-handed and enraged. In 1073, she began petitioning Pope Gregory VII for a divorce in order to become a nun. But her vengeful husband managed to make that an impossible task. During this time, Pope Gregory VII and Emperor Henry IV were in a struggle for authority over church affairs. Knowing this, Matilda’s husband promised to support Gregory if Gregory barred Matilda from getting a divorce. As a result, Matilda never got her divorce and never fulfilled her dream of becoming a nun. As if it wasn’t enough to have her dreams utterly crushed, Matilda also found herself smack-dab in the middle of the power struggle between Gregory and Henry. Matilda began to consolidate her power by co-ruling the House of Canossa with her mother. This put her in a very delicate situation. If Matilda decided to side her house with Gregory, like her heart wanted, she would be going against the emperor, who was also her cousin. If she sided with the emperor, she would be going against every principle she stood for. This was a dangerous crossroads for Matilda, and her choice ultimately charted the entire course of her future.

In the end, her heart won out. As a deeply spiritual individual, Matilda wholeheartedly supported Pope Gregory VII. In fact, when her mother tragically passed on in April 18th, 1076, Matilda donated an entire town and several estates to a bishop ordained by Pope Gregory in her mother’s honor. With her mother’s passing, Matilda was now left to navigate the dangerous political minefield of the Holy Roman Empire on her own. And her husband somehow managed to make things even more complicated. Remember how Godfrey swore to support Pope Gregory in exchange for his promise to never annul his marriage to Matilda? Well, Matilda’s husband, in an act of complete betrayal, decided not to fulfill his side of the bargain with the Pope. He decided that supporting Henry would be a more advantageous choice. Now on opposite sides of the conflict, Matilda and her husband’s relationship got steadily worse, and it almost ended with both of them losing their lives. The Synod of Worms, held in January of 1076, nearly ended Matilda for good. Although Matilda was not present for the Synod, it had everything to do with her. During the meeting, Henry dropped a deadly accusation on Matilda. He accused her of having a sordid affair with Pope Gregory VII. Things got even worse when the Pope responded to Henry’s accusations of adultery by excommunicating him. This one act turned the Holy Roman Empire and Matilda’s world completely upside down. The Pope’s bold act kickstarted a flurry of action within the Holy Roman Empire. German princes that supported the Pope fled to Trebur to await him, and Matilda became the leader of the expedition to get the Pope to Trebur safely. Not only was she the best candidate because she controlled all the passes from Italy to Trebur, but she was also the only one to support the Pope’s daring plan.

Despite the enemies pressing in on all sides, Matilda almost accomplished her mission until Henry managed to barge his way into Italy. With Henry approaching, Matilda had to think fast. She had no doubt that her cousin wasn’t exactly coming by for a friendly chat. She urged Gregory to stop the journey to Trebur and to instead retreat to Canossa Castle where she could better shield the Pope from the Emperor’s attack. Gregory eventually took her advice, much to Matilda’s relief. After assuring the safety of the Pope, Matilda left the castle to meet with Henry. Instead of having to placate an enraged Henry like Matilda expected, she found her cousin desperate for their conflict to end. Henry’s excommunication meant that he was in danger of losing the crown and he was ready to beg the Pope to lift his sentence. Matilda found herself feeling a bit sorry for him despite everything and agreed to try and arrange a meeting between Henry and the Pope. However, her attempt to arrange a meeting wasn’t exactly successful. The Pope not only refused Matilda’s request, but he went one step further and refused the Emperor entry into Matilda’s castle. It was January of 1077 by this time, meaning the Emperor was left out in the bitter cold of winter just outside of Matilda’s castle. To make matters worse, the Emperor’s wife, son, and mother-in-law were also in the entourage. They were all tired, freezing, and starving and despite her disagreements with her cousin, Matilda couldn’t just stand back and watch. After 3 days, Matilda’s words finally managed to move Gregory’s heart and he allowed Henry entry into Matilda’s castle. Matilda’s cousin, now thoroughly beaten down and altogether more humble, meekly presented himself before the Pope. Acting as a mediator, Matilda cleverly brokered an agreement between the two men, and the Pope finally absolved Henry.

Soon, things went back to normal for Matilda, but the peace didn’t last for long. In a move that shocked her peers, Matilda gave all her domains over to the Pope in 1079. Henry was, unsurprisingly, enraged with Matilda’s decision. This transfer of land tipped the scales of power heavily in the Pope’s favor, which is exactly what Matilda wanted. In response, Henry attempted to claim Matilda’s land, citing his position as emperor and his relationship as her cousin as the reasons why the land should be his. But, it was to no avail. Matilda made her decision to support the Pope aloud and clear, and a year later, this almost cost her life. In early March of 1080, the Pope once again excommunicated Matilda’s cousin, threatening to dethrone him if he didn’t submit to the papacy by August 1st. This time, however, Matilda and the Pope didn’t get the support they expected. Instead, not only did the German princes and bishops support Henry, but they even nominated a new Pope named Clement III. Despite this, Matilda swore to face her cousin in battle, no matter who was against her. And this turned out to be a terrible idea. Soon, Henry mustered a sizable force and began marching towards Matilda. Never one to turn away from a challenge, Matilda put together a force of her own. Much of this force consisted of peasants armed with little more than farming tools and their own fists, but Matilda’s sense of justice compelled them to fight. Under Matilda’s leadership, her men faced the incoming Imperial force. But, this time, victory didn’t come easily. Henry’s army was nothing like the force Matilda faced in her first battle. These were battle-hardened veterans, and they would not yield despite the enthusiasm of Matilda’s men. Gradually, Matilda’s men lost ground and their lines broke, causing confusion to sweep through her forces. Sensing victory, the Imperial force swept through Matilda’s ranks, forcing her to retreat. Matilda barely managed to get behind the gates of Florence before Henry arrived at the gates, ready for a showdown.

She managed to hold the city for several weeks as Henry laid siege to its walls, but victory eluded her. Soon, Matilda agreed to let Florence’s citizens surrender while she escaped in the cover of darkness. Unable to turn the tide of battle, Matilda ran from town to town, her force hounded by Henry’s men. They managed to push Matilda all the way back to Canossa Castle, where she decided to make her last stand. Outside of Matilda’s stronghold, her cousin made the grim order to starve Matilda into submission by cutting off all supplies heading in and out of the castle. Matilda no longer had access to the nearby village, and her men slowly began to starve. Still, they held on until Matilda saw an opportunity to fight back one early morning in October. That morning, a thick fog covered the area surrounding the castle. Matilda took this as a sign and ordered her men to use the fog as a cover to attack Henry’s men. Henry ordered his men to retreat, allowing Matilda access to resources once again. The ensuing stalemate dragged on for two long years, and during this time, Henry finally managed to force the Pope into exile. Matilda’s cousin continued to slowly take apart her sphere of influence, threatening Matilda’s position as countess. But, she managed to hang on to many of her supporters. After years of waging guerrilla war, however, Matilda’s vast stores of wealth finally ran dry. By 1082, she had nothing more to give to her retainers, and many threatened to leave. As a result, Matilda ended up making a heartbreaking decision. She began melting down precious church treasures in order to have enough money to support the Pope’s cause. For many, this was a questionable practice at best, and Henry used this to his advantage. Matilda, he claimed, was plundering treasures from churches and monasteries. As a result, the city of Pisa joined Lucca in siding with Henry, and just like that, Matilda lost two of her most important cities in Italy.

Henry continued to gain more and more power until he managed to make Matilda’s worst nightmare come true. He officially named Clement III as the Pope, and Clement, in turn, crowned Henry the emperor, lifting Gregory’s excommunication sentence. Henry triumphantly went back home to Germany. While this was a devastating blow for Matilda, it gave her a chance to catch her breath. She knew the moment of peace wouldn’t last for long. After all, she had royally angered her cousin, and he wasn’t the type to gracefully leave a conflict. Matilda ended up being unfortunately right about that. On May 25th, 1085, Gregory VII lost his life due to old age. Through her grief, Matilda managed to support the new Pope, Victor III. However, Victor was far less eager to fight against Henry and Clement. In 1087, Matilda invaded Rome to put Victor on the papal throne, but Victor quickly ordered Matilda to back down when the Imperial Legion fought back. Matilda would never get a second chance to try again as before the year was up, illness claimed Victor’s life, which meant Matilda was now on her own. Of course, you might be wondering where Matilda’s troublesome husband Godfrey was during all this turmoil. Well, soon after potentially accusing his wife of having an affair with the Pope, Godfrey dropped dead in an extremely humiliating way. On February 27th of 1076, Matilda’s husband was answering the call of nature, so to speak, when someone ran him through with a spear. All fingers immediately pointed to Matilda, who had every reason to hate her husband, but who probably didn’t do it anyway. By 1088, Henry was ready to invade Matilda’s lands again. With Pope Victor’s death, Henry now held all the cards and began to attack Matilda in earnest. What he didn’t realize, however, was that fortune was starting to favor Matilda once again. Many of the cities that Henry managed to take from Matilda began to rebel. Matilda, sensing the turning of the tides, took advantage of their wavering allegiances. Unfortunately, this also signaled the beginning of the end for our intrepid countess. The cities weren’t just rebelling against Henry. They were rebelling against the idea of being ruled at all and were ready to become their own city-states. As a result, many offered Matilda their support if she promised them their own rights and freedoms.

With little choice, Matilda conceded. This once again gave her a foothold in the fight against Henry, but it came at an unbearably high cost. Everything came to a head in 1097. With the support of several powerful cities in Italy, as well as the assistance of the French who were heading off to the First Crusade, Matilda finally managed to reinstate a new pope to the papal throne. However, she lost much of her own power as a result. With many of the cities now having the right to decide in their own affairs, Matilda became less and less important in the grand scheme of things. On July 24th, 1115, the aging Matilda of Tuscany suddenly lost her life to a heart attack. Her lands went to the new emperor, Henry V, without much resistance. Many of her subjects, once loyal to the recently deceased countess, quickly switched to the imperial side. This didn’t mean Matilda’s accomplishments were suddenly forgotten, however. In 1633, hundreds of years after Matilda’s passing, her body was reburied in St. Peter’s Basilica. To this day, Matilda of Tuscany is one of only six women who received this honor, cementing her reputation as a true powerhouse and defender of the papacy. Thanks for watching History Xposé. If you love uncovering the best stories in history, hit like and subscribe to keep exploring with us. If you enjoyed this video, check out the videos on screen for more amazing history content.