<<The>> dedicated spiritual life of Upper Rhine noble women a study and translation of a fourteenth-century spiritual biography of Gertrude Rickeldey of Ortenberg and Heilke of Staufenberg

In collaboration with Gertrud Jaron Lewis and Tilman Lewis (translation), and Michael Hopf and Freimut Löser (edition and annotation). Lady Gertrude Rickeldey of Ortenberg (d. 1335) was a noble widow who lived a spiritual, but secular life in her own household, first in Offenburg and later in Strasbourg, the economic and cultural heart of southern Germany. Her life story was written by a lay woman from Gertrude's entourage and was based on numerous stories told by Gertrude's lifelong companion, Heilke of Staufenberg (d. after 1335). The biographer gives us a view of the aristocratic household, reports the many conversations that the women held with fellow believers and learned mendicants, and shows how they led a life of devotion in their own home, but at the same time, operated as full citizens of the city, taking part in both the civic and religious politics of Strasbourg. The details of her account reveal that the women did not take vows or renounce their possessions. They did not abandon their own decision-making power. Instead, they were mistresses of their own lives and developed into ethicae of stature. Following historical investigations into Gertrude's and Heilke's life (Part I) is an edition and translation of the fourteenth-century text on which these studies are based (Part II). Map of the Upper Rhine region ix Abbreviations x Acknowledgements xi Part I: STUDY Gertrude Rickeldey of Ortenberg and Heilke of Staufenberg – Two Upper Rhine Noble Women Seeking Religious Perfection Anneke B. Mulder-Bakker Chapter 1. Introduction 1 Chapter 2. Sources 7 Chapter 3. Historical Background: Lives of Gertrude Rickeldey of Ortenberg and Heilke of Staufenberg 25 Chapter 4. Poor Sisters in an Ascetic Domestic Household: A Home for Religious Formation and Communication 41 Chapter 5. Heralds of Divine Love on the Upper Rhine 63 Chapter 6. House of Souls 85 Part II: EDITION The Saintly Life of the Blessed Lady Rickeldey, Named Gertrude, and the Great Wonders that Our Dear Lord Accomplished with Her By an Anonymous Female Author. Translated from the Manuscript by Gertrud Jaron Lewis and Tillman Lewis. Edited and Annotated by Michael Hopf, Freimut Löser, and Anneke B. Mulder-Bakker 1. Childhood and Religious Formation 113 2. Marriage and Parish Life 117 3. Choice for an Autonomous Religious Way of Life in Offenburg 121 4. Gertrude’s Life as a God-Devoted Widow 124 5. The Arrival of Heilke of Staufenberg. The First Two Years of Gertrude under the Third Rule of St. Francis 125 6. Why God Brought Gertrude and Heilke to Live Together in a Private Household for More than Thirty Years. The Author Declares Herself 130 7. Gertrude’s Exercises 132 8. Gertrude’s Joys 136 9. The First Modes of Gertrude’s Complete Perfection 138 10. Gertrude’s Life in the Spirit. Her Lessons, in particular to Young Children 144 11. The Author’s Considerations about the Set-Up of the Book. Gertrude’s Conversations with Heilke and her Humility 148 12. Gertrude’s Charity. Her Care for the Daily Devotion of Laypeople in the World. Contact with Relatives and Vassals. Her Yearning for a Life in Poverty and Exile 153 13. Gertrude’s Love of Mary, John the Evangelist, and the Saints. Her Desire for Death 160 14. Gertrude’s Life in Asceticism and Detachment 163 15. Gertrude’s Social Demeanour and her Agency in Social and Political Conflicts 169 16. Gertrude’s Daily Piety 177 17. Gertrude’s Immeasurable Joys and Enraptures 179 18. Gertrude’s Prayers. Her Compassion with Christ and his Mother 186 19. Gertrude’s Compassion for the Souls in Purgatory, Even for the Bad Mayor in the Capital 189 20. Gertrude’s Love of Neighbour. Heilke’s Judgement of People 195 21. Gertrude Beloved by our Lord 202 22. A Complete Life Change. Gertrude’s Expiation and Remission of All Sins 204 23. Gertrude Going through (the Ordeal at) the Last Judgement; Becoming like a Pure and Clear Fountain. General Confession before a Franciscan Guardian 209 24. Migration to Strasbourg; Gertrude and Heilke Buying a House Together 214 25. Gertrude’s Pious Demeanour in Strasbourg; Her Frequent Communions 216 26. Gertrude’s Conversion to Complete Poverty and Detachment of All Creatures 221 27. Gertrude’s Conveyance of the Family Estate, though Disapproved of by her Confessor. Her own Nature Being Badly Frightened 224 28. Gertrude Being Prepared to Go Out into Poverty and Exile, Giving Up All Comfort and Consolation; Addressing Heilke as the Mistress of the House 229 29. Heilke’s Worries. The Landgraf of Alsace Sending Gertrude a Donation 233 30. Gertrude Giving Up Family and Honour, her Favourite Saints. Being Completely at Peace with God, with Herself, and with All Created Beings. Conversation of Heilke and Gertrude about Sinking in the Godhead 236 31. A Homily 'Describing' Gertrude’s own Aspirations and Heilke Re-preaching It; Summary of This Homily about the Inner Life in Four Modes 239 32. A Homily about St. John, the Cedar Tree on the Lebanon Mountain, and the Words 'In principio erat verbum' 243 33. Heilke Wanting to Make Testamentary Arrangements for Gertrude; Gertrude Preventing this with Support from her Confessor because she has to be a Pauper like the Franciscan Order 245 34. Moving back to Offenburg. Foundation of a Tertiary Convent. Final Years in the Service of God. The Author Concludes the 'Heilgen Leben' 248 Bibliography 251 Index 265 A study, edition, and translation of the story of two independent Upper Rhine women living a spiritual life together.00Lady Gertrude Rickeldey of Ortenberg (d. 1335) was a noble widow who lived a spiritual, but secular life in her own household, first in Offenburg and later in Strasbourg, the economic and cultural heart of southern Germany. Her life story was written by a lay woman from Gertrude?s entourage and was based on numerous stories told by Gertrude?s lifelong companion, Heilke of Staufenberg (d. after 1335). The biographer gives us a view of the aristocratic household, reports the many conversations that the women held with fellow believers and learned mendicants, and shows how they led a life of devotion in their own home, but at the same time, operated as full citizens of the city, taking part in both the civic and religious politics of Strasbourg. The details of her account reveal that the women did not take vows or renounce their possessions. They did not abandon their own decision-making power. Instead, they were mistresses of their own lives and developed into 'ethicae' of stature.00Following historical investigations into Gertrude?s and Heilke?s life (Part I) is an edition and translation of the fourteenth-century text on which these studies are based (Part II). A study, edition, and translation of the story of two independent Upper Rhine women living a spiritual life together. Lady Gertrude Rickeldey of Ortenberg (d. 1335) was a noble widow who lived a spiritual, but secular life in her own household, first in Offenburg and later in Strasbourg, the economic and cultural heart of southern Germany. Her life story was written by a lay woman from Gertrude's entourage and was based on numerous stories told by Gertrude's lifelong companion, Heilke of Staufenberg (d. after 1335). The biographer gives us a view of the aristocratic household, reports the many conversations that the women held with fellow believers and learned mendicants, and shows how they led a life of devotion in their own home, but at the same time, operated as full citizens of the city, taking part in both the civic and religious politics of Strasbourg. The details of her account reveal that the women did not take vows or renounce their possessions. They did not abandon their own decision-making power. Instead, they were mistresses of their own lives and developed into 'ethicae' of stature.00Following historical investigations into Gertrude's and Heilke's life (Part I) is an edition and translation of the fourteenth-century text on which these studies are based (Part II)