and will were still vigorous. A few years later, during the Lenten
season in 1115, she caught cold while attempting to follow out the
exacting requirements of Holy Week, and it soon became apparent that her
end was near. Realizing this fact herself she directed that her serfs
should be freed, confirmed her general donation to the pope, made a few
small bequests to the neighboring churches, and then died as she had
lived, calmly and bravely. Her death occurred at Bendano, and her body
was interred at Saint Benoît de Ponderone. Five centuries later, under
the pontificate of Urban VIII., it was taken to Rome and buried with
great ceremony in the Vatican.

As to Matilda's character, some few historians have cast reflections
upon the nature of her relations with Pope Gregory, their stay together
at Canossa, at the time of Henry's humiliation, being particularly
mentioned as an instance of their too great intimacy. Such aspersions
have still to be proved, and there is nothing in all contemporary
writings to show that there was anything reprehensible in all the course
of this firm friendship. Gregory was twice the age of the great
countess, and was more her father than her lover. During her whole
lifetime, she had been of a mystic temperament, and it is too much to
ask us to believe that her great and holy ardor for the Church was
tainted by anything like vice or sensuality. By reason of her great
sagacity and worldly wisdom she was the most powerful and most able
personage in Italy at the time of her death. If her broad domains could
have been kept together by some able successor, Italian unity might not
have been deferred for so many centuries; but there was no one to take
up her work and Italy was soon divided again, and this time the real
partition was made rather by the growing republics than by the feudal
lords.