Matilda of Canossa: Medieval Italy's Iron Countess

About this episode

The episode explores the life and influence of Matilda of Canossa, a powerful medieval woman who shaped political events in Italy.

What if one medieval woman could outwit emperors, shape popes, and force Henry IV to stand barefoot in the snow? Dr. Katherine Harvey joins Dr. Eleanor Janega to tell the astonishing story of Matilda of Canossa, the Iron Countess of Tuscany, whose fortress at Canossa became the stage for the famous Walk to Canossa. Discover her political brilliance, brutal family dramas, papal alliances, failed marriages, and the legacy that kept her name alive for centuries. MORE Medieval Italy Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Pope vs. Emperor: An 11th Century Crisis Listen on Apple Listen on Spotify Gone Medieval is presented by Dr. Eleanor Janega. Audio editor is Amy Haddow, the producer is Joseph Knight. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. All music used is courtesy of Epidemic Sounds. Gone Medieval is a History Hit podcast. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe .   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Eleanor Janega

Guest: Dr. Katherine Harvey

Topics covered

• Medieval Italy
• Matilda of Canossa
• Political brilliance
• Papal alliances
• Family dramas

Keywords

• Matilda of Canossa
• Iron Countess
• Henry IV
• Walk to Canossa
• Medieval history

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: History Hit

Places: Canossa

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