MATILDA, Queen, Saint. - Born at Engern toward the end of the 9th century, died at Quedlinburg on 14 March 968.

Of Vitichind origin, daughter of the Saxon count Dietrich and of Rainilde, educated in the monastery of Herford, she was married in 909 to Henry I, who in 918 became king of Germany. By him she had five children, among them Otto I the Great, emperor.

On the death of her husband (936) she founded the monastery of Quedlinburg, where Henry I was buried. After suffering several adversities from her sons, chiefly on account of property, she was later restored by Otto I to her position and continued a life wholly of charity toward the poor and of munificence toward the monasteries, many of which, besides that of Quedlinburg, were founded by her herself, such as Pölde, Engern, Nordhausen. She had the gift of miracles and of prophecy, and wished to be buried beside her husband at Quedlinburg.

Bibliography5 works

BIBL.: An ancient Vita, written ca. 1001, was edited by R. Koeffe, in MGH, Scriptores, X, pp. 573-82; Acta SS. Martii, I, Paris 1865, pp. 356-70; A. Büsing, Mathilde, Gemahlin Heinrichs I., Halle 1910; M. A. Stonner, Heilige der deutschen Frühzeit, I, Freiburg im Br. 1934; Martyr. Romanum, p. 97. On the rhymed legends of St. M., cf. K. Polheim, Die lateinische Reimpressa, Berlin 1925, pp. 41-51.

Alberto Ghinato

@incollection{ec8_matilde_regina_santa, author = {Ghinato, Alberto}, title = {Matilde, regina, santa}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {VIII}, pages = {397}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1952}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/matilde-regina-santa} }

One of some 20,000 entries brought back from the twelve printed volumes (1948–54). Spotted something? Help us improve it.

Matilda, Queen, Saint

About this entry