Under the tutelage of Arduino della Padule, however, she did learn the military arts, such as horseriding and arms.
The bridge is a remarkable example of medieval engineering, probably commissioned by the Countess Matilda of Tuscany circa 1080-1100.
Tuscany | Matilda | Waltzing Matilda | Matilda of Tuscany | Empress Matilda | Grand Duchy of Tuscany | Ferdinando I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany | Matilda II | Cosimo I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany | Grand Duke of Tuscany | Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany | Tuscany (rose) | ''Tuscany'' | Lari, Tuscany | Caroline Matilda of Great Britain | Boniface I, Margrave of Tuscany | Willa of Tuscany | Vinci, Tuscany | tuscany | Matilda of Sulzbach | Matilda of Scotland | Matilda of Ringelheim | Matilda of Holstein | Matilda of England, Duchess of Saxony | Margrave of Tuscany | Leopold II, Grand Duke of Tuscany | Gian Gastone de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany | Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany | Cosimo II de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany | Cecina, Tuscany |
The Life is divided into two books, the first of which entitled, De Principibus Canusinis (‘On the princes of Canossa’), concentrates on the ancestors of Matilda of Tuscany, and their possession of the castle of Canossa; the second book focuses on Matilda herself.
The latter's merchants, when called on to serve Pope Gregory VII on behalf of the Marchioness Matilda of Tuscany, caused such a stir with Gisulf that the latter was sent to Rome by the pope and the army—assembled to march on Robert Guiscard's domain—dispersed.
The abbey was founded in 1007 by Tedald, count of Canossa, the paternal grandfather of Matilda of Canossa, countess of Tuscany, with a grant to the Benedictine monks, of half his land lying between the rivers Po and Lirone, prompting the title "in Polirone".
In accordance with this last policy, the marriage of the Countess Matilda of Tuscany with Guelph of Bavaria was promoted; Prince Conrad of Italy was assisted in his rebellion against his father and crowned King of the Romans at Milan in 1093; and Henry IV's wife, the Empress (Adelaide), was encouraged in her charges of sexual coercion against her husband.
After the death of Margravine Matilda of Tuscany in 1115, the city began to constitute itself an independent commune, with a charter officially acknowledged by Margrave Welf VI in 1160.