St. Matilda of Ringelheim
Matilda was a descendant of the famous Widukind, captain of the Saxons in their long struggle against Charlemagne, as the daughter of Dietrich, Count of Westphalia and Reinhild, scion of the royal house of Denmark. When the baby was born in the year 895, was entrusted to the care of his paternal grandmother, the abbess of the convent Erfut. There, without straying far from home, Matilda was educated and grew into a young girl who surpassed their peers in beauty, piety, and science, it is said. In due course, married Henry, son of Duke Otto of Saxony, who was called "the hunter". The marriage was exceptionally happy and Matilda on her husband exerted a moderate, yet uplifting influence. Just after the birth of his son, Otto, three years of marriage, Henry succeeded his father in the duchy. More or less at the beginning of the year 919, King Conrad died without descendants, and the Duke was elevated to the throne of Germany. There is no doubt that his experience of brave and sk...