.gif)
Beatrice d'Este (died 1226)
Encyclopedia
Blessed
Beatrice d'Este (1192 – 10 May 1226) was the daughter of Azzo VI of the Este
family by his second wife, Sophia Eleanor, daughter of Humbert III
, Count of Savoy. She was the aunt of Saint Beatrice d'Este.
An account of her life was written, in both medieval Latin
and the Italian vernacular
, by a Brother Alberto of the church of the Holy Spirit (S. Spirito). She was born at the Castello Estense
, the seat of her family's power. About her youth Alberto wrote:
She became the object of the courtly love
of Rambertino Buvalelli
, a Bolognese
troubadour
who traveled widely in northern Italy. In nine of his cansos
Rambertino celebrates the beauty and character of Beatrice, whom he frequently calls by the senhal (a "sign", as in a nickname) Mon Restaur ("My Refreshment" in Occitan). The large age difference between Rambertino and the young Beatrice probably amused the Estense court, although there was probably never an actual relationship between the two, their intercourse being purely poetic, lyric, and musical.
Beatrice became a Benedictine nun at Solarola near Padua
at the age of fourteen, and later founded a religious house at the site of an abandoned monastery in Gemmola in 1221. She died there in 1226 and was removed to Padua for burial in Santa Sofia. From there she was transferred in 1256 to the Este mausoleum of Santa Tecla. Her cultus
was approved for Roman Catholics on 19 November 1763 by Pope Clement XIII
and her feast is May 10.
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
Beatrice d'Este (1192 – 10 May 1226) was the daughter of Azzo VI of the Este
Este
The House of Este is a European princely dynasty. It is split into two branches; the elder is known as the House of Welf-Este or House of Welf historically rendered in English, Guelf or Guelph...
family by his second wife, Sophia Eleanor, daughter of Humbert III
Humbert III of Savoy
Umberto III , surnamed the Blessed, was Count of Savoy from 1148 to 1189. His parents were Amadeus III of Savoy and Mahaut of Albon, the sister of Guy IV of Dauphinois. His memorial day is March 4.According to CopeHis first wife died young; his second marriage ended in divorce...
, Count of Savoy. She was the aunt of Saint Beatrice d'Este.
An account of her life was written, in both medieval Latin
Medieval Latin
Medieval Latin was the form of Latin used in the Middle Ages, primarily as a medium of scholarly exchange and as the liturgical language of the medieval Roman Catholic Church, but also as a language of science, literature, law, and administration. Despite the clerical origin of many of its authors,...
and the Italian vernacular
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, by a Brother Alberto of the church of the Holy Spirit (S. Spirito). She was born at the Castello Estense
Castello Estense
The Castle Estense or Castle of Saint Michele is a moated medieval structure in the center of Ferrara, northern Italy. It is a large block with four corner towers.- History :...
, the seat of her family's power. About her youth Alberto wrote:
|
She passed the years of her adolescence in the pomp and appearances of the age: in delights of the flesh, in ornamentation and vanity of diverse fabrication, as is typical of noble, secular women. |
She became the object of the courtly love
Courtly love
Courtly love was a medieval European conception of nobly and chivalrously expressing love and admiration. Generally, courtly love was secret and between members of the nobility. It was also generally not practiced between husband and wife....
of Rambertino Buvalelli
Rambertino Buvalelli
Rambertino di Guido Buvalelli , a Bolognese judge, statesman, diplomat, and poet, was the earliest of the podestà-troubadours of thirteenth-century Lombardy. He served at one time or other as podestà of Brescia, Milan, Parma, Mantua, Genoa, and Verona. Ten of his Occitan poems survive, but none...
, a Bolognese
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
troubadour
Troubadour
A troubadour was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages . Since the word "troubadour" is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a trobairitz....
who traveled widely in northern Italy. In nine of his cansos
Canso (song)
The canso is a song style used by the troubadours. It consists of three parts. The first stanza is the exordium, where the composer explains his purpose. The main body of the song occurs in the following stanzas, and usually draw out a variety of relationships with the exordium. The canso can end...
Rambertino celebrates the beauty and character of Beatrice, whom he frequently calls by the senhal (a "sign", as in a nickname) Mon Restaur ("My Refreshment" in Occitan). The large age difference between Rambertino and the young Beatrice probably amused the Estense court, although there was probably never an actual relationship between the two, their intercourse being purely poetic, lyric, and musical.
Beatrice became a Benedictine nun at Solarola near Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
at the age of fourteen, and later founded a religious house at the site of an abandoned monastery in Gemmola in 1221. She died there in 1226 and was removed to Padua for burial in Santa Sofia. From there she was transferred in 1256 to the Este mausoleum of Santa Tecla. Her cultus
Cult (religious practice)
In traditional usage, the cult of a religion, quite apart from its sacred writings , its theology or myths, or the personal faith of its believers, is the totality of external religious practice and observance, the neglect of which is the definition of impiety. Cult in this primary sense is...
was approved for Roman Catholics on 19 November 1763 by Pope Clement XIII
Pope Clement XIII
Pope Clement XIII , born Carlo della Torre di Rezzonico, was Pope from 16 July 1758 to 2 February 1769....
and her feast is May 10.
Sources
- Bertoni, Giulio. I Trovatori d'Italia: Biografie, testi, tradizioni, note. Rome: Società Multigrafica Editrice Somu, 1967 [1915].
- Field, W. H. W. Review of Le poesie by Rambertino Buvalelli, ed. Elio Melli. In SpeculumSpeculum (journal)Speculum: A Journal of Medieval Studies is a quarterly academic journal published by the Medieval Academy of America. It was established in 1926. The journal's primary focus is on the time period from 500-1500 in Western Europe, but also on related subjects such as Byzantine, Hebrew, Arabic, and...
, 56:2 (Apr., 1981), pp. 362–366. - Foundation for Medieval Genealogy: Medieval Lands Project — Modena/Ferrara, D. Marchesi d'Este