A letter from Gregory VII, pope (1075, January 10)

Translated letter:

Gregory, bishop, servant of the servants of God, to Judith, queen of the Hungarians, greeting and apostolic benediction. Many and various are the reasons that we love you with deep and sincere affection of our heart. First, because according to the universality of received rule, we are debtors to all who live in Christ. Further, because the most illustrious emperor Henry, your father, and Agnes, your mother, now no longer majestic empress after the manner of men but of heaven by God’s mercy, since they have known me, they held me honorably and charitably before other children of the holy Roman church on account of her greatness. And especially because the same mother and your lady, since she has laid aside wordly causes and honors, now with total veneration and devotion embraces the thresholds of the apostles; among the wretched tribulations of this world we certainly receive solace often from her presence. Furthermore, your illustrious and renowned fame greatly commends you to us, because at such a tender age among a harsh and strange people you have embellished the glory of your stock. Indeed, born into a lofty empire, thus far in deeds and in your manner you have shown nothing but imperial dignity. For these reasons, I say, concerning which we may not deceive anyone, we love you as a sister, and if our prayers are worth anything with God, we trust in God’s piety that our friendship will not be fruitless for you. Furthermore, know that we lament greatly over the tribulations and difficulties that we know you endure, and we frequently and humbly implore divine mercy for your peace and joy, and if place or time will afford the opportunity, we also desire very much to honor you with temporal resources. Moreover, the adversity that now pursues you should neither terrify you nor oppress your nobility’s mind. But if anything sad or grevious will assail, conceal it with the countenance and gesture of royal constancy, and keeping faith and firm hope in God our saviour, endure patiently, with the natural virtue of your ways, annoying problems, which God may avert. For he, who has never abandoned those who hope in him, cares for you, and the more harshly he allows your mind to be scourged by worries, the more richly he will gladden it by the close and powerful virtue of his consolation. For he commands nothing without cause, allows nothing without reason, who stands as a fair judge and ruler of kings, emperors and all causes. Further, we advise you to be zealous and act in all matters such that the illustrious name of your life and nobility, which you possessed from an early age, in time may be enlarged and grow. For integrity of reputation, although it is the crown of both the noble and the lowborn over all the riches of the world, yet bestows the more glory and distinction on anyone, the more highly the prominence of lineage exalts him. For the humble are hidden by their low station, but the noble are made prominent by the height they are born to. Proceed, therefore, so that in all things that sovereignty and empire bring, you show yourself as more excellent, the more all things are changed, you show that your nature and the imperial seed that is in you, can be changed by no successes and no adversities. In addition, because you requested that we address your mother about your situation, know for certain that by consulting willingly we communicate to her everything that pertains to your honor and wellbeing, and through persuasion we demonstrate that apostolic support is shown benevolently. May God almighty, who is consolation for the sorrowful, strength for the infirm, quickly grant you present joy and bestow true and eternal glory of supernal happiness. Dated at Rome fourth ides of January, thirteenth indiction.1

Original letter:

Gregorius episcopus servus servorum Dei Iudith Ungarorum regine salutem et apostolicam benedictionem. Multe ac diverse cause sunt, propter quas intimo et sincero cordis affectu te diligimus. Primo quoniam ex universalitate suscepti regiminis omnibus qui in Christo sunt debitores sumus; deinde quoniam clarissimus imperator Heinricus pater tuus et Agnes mater tua iam nunc non humanitus sed Dei misericordia celitus imperatrix augusta, ex quo me cognoverunt, pro sua magnitudine honorifice et pre ceteris sancte Romane ecclesie filiis caritative habuerunt; et maxime quia nunc eadem mater et domina tua postpositis secularibus causis et honoribus apostolorum limina tota devotione et veneratione complectitur, ex cuius quidem presentia inter huius seculi nequam perturbationes sepe a nobis accepta solacia conferuntur. Preterea multum te commendat nobis tua preclara et inclita fama, quod in tam tenera etate inter asperam et incognitam gentem generis tui gloriam decorasti, quippe que in excelso nata imperio nihil in actibus et habitudine tua nisi decus imperiale hactenus demonstrasti. His, inquam, de causis nos, quibus fallere quemquam nefas est, in loco germane sororis te diligimus et, si quid orationes nostra apud Deum valent, non infructuosam erga te nostram fore amicitiam in Dei pietate confidimus. Scias enim, quod de tribulationibus et angustiis, quas te sustinere cognovimus, valde dolemus et divinam clementiam pro quiete et letitia tua frequenter et suppliciter imploramus et, si quando locus aut tempus oportunitatem dederit, temporalibus quoque subsidiis te honorare quam maxime cupimus. Ceterum ea que nunc tibi instat adversitas non te terreat nec mentem tue generositatis deprimat. Sed, si quid mestum aut grave ingruerit, vultu regalis constantie gestuque dissimula et molestas, quas Deus avertat, causas naturali morum tuorum virtute patienter tolera fiduciam et spem firmam habens in Deo salvatore nostro, quoniam ipsi cura est de te, qui nunquam derelinquit sperantes in se, et quanto nunc animum tuum sollicitudinibus verberari sinit acerbius, tanto eum ex vicina et potenti virtute consolationis sue letificabit uberius. Ipse enim nihil sine causa precipit, nihil sine ratione permittit, qui regum et imperatorum omniumque causarum equus arbiter et moderator existit. Verum inter omnia te id agere et studere monemus, ut preclarum nomen vite ac nobilitatis tue ab ineunte etate nactum in dies amplificetur et crescat, quoniam integritas fame, licet pre cunctis terrarum opibus corona sit nobilium et ignobilium, tanto tamen unicuique plus ornamenti et glorie tribuit, quanto eum eminentia generis altius extollit. Illi enim sua humilitate teguntur, isti vero innata sibi celsitudine produntur. Age ergo, ut omnibus, que regnum fert et imperium, tanto te excellentiorem ostendas, quanto ea omnia mutari, tuam vero naturam et imperiale germen, quod in te est, nullis successibus nullisve adversitatibus posse proponas. De cetero, quod nos matrem tuam de causa tua compellare rogasti, pro certo scias nos omnia, que ad honorem et salutem tuam pertinent, et consulendo libenter ei intimare et persuadendo, ut fiant, apostolica benigne adiutoria exhibere. Deus autem omnipotens, qui est mestorum consolatio, infirmantium fortitudo, presentem vobis letitiam cito conferat et veram eternamque gloriam superne felicitatis tribuat. Data Rome IIII. Idus Ianuarii, Indictione XIII.

Historical context:

Gregory VII consoles Judith, queen of Hungarians, who is distressed by difficulties, and he declares that her concerns have been communicated to her mother Agnes, the empress.

Scholarly notes:

1 Ashleigh Imus provided this translation.

Printed source:

Register Gregors VII, MGH, EpSel, ed. Erich Caspar, ep.1.11, p.17-18; translation, Ephraim Emerton, The Correspondence of pope Gregory VII, Records of Civilization, Columbia University Press, 1932, ep.2.44.

Date:

1075, January 10