A letter from Gregory VII, pope (1074, after 12/16)

Translated letter:

[No salutation.] How serious my intention and how great my desire to go overseas and with Christ's help carry succor to the Christians who are being slaughtered like sheep by pagans, I hesitate to say to some persons lest I seem to be moved by too great fickleness of purpose. But to you, my most dearly beloved daughter, I have no hesitation in declaring any of these matters; for I have more confidence in your good judgment than you yourself could possibly express. Therefore, when you have read the letter which I have written to the faithful beyond the Alps, pray use your utmost efforts to furnish whatever aid and counsel you can in the service of your Creator. If, as some say, it is beautiful to die for one's country, it is most beautiful and glorious indeed to give our mortal bodies for Christ, who is life eternal. I am convinced that many men-at-arms will support us in this work, that even our empress will be willing to go with us to those parts and to take you with her, leaving your mother here to protect our common interests, so that with Christ's help we may be safe in going. If the empress will come, her prayers joined with yours may rouse many to this work. And I, provided with such sisters, would most gladly cross the sea and place my life, if need be, at the service of Christ with you whom I hope to have forever at my side in our eternal home. Pray and send me word as soon as possible of your decision in this matter and also of your coming to Rome, and may Almighty God deign to grant you his blessing, leading you from strength to strength, that our universal mother may long rejoice in you.

Original letter:

Quanta sit mihi meditatio quantumque desiderium mare transeundi, ut christianis qui more pecudum a paganis occiduntur Christo favente valeam succurrere, erubesco quibusdam dicere ne videar aliqua duci levitate. Sed tibi, o charissima plena dilectione filia, nil horum dubito indicare, de cuius prudentiae studio quantum possim praesumere tu ipsa vix poteris exprimere. Quapropter visis super hac re nostris literis quas mitto ultramontanis, si quid potes adhibere consilium immo creatori tuo adiutorium summopere procura, quia si pulchrum est, ut quidam dicunt, pro patria mori, pulcherrimum est ac valde gloriosum carnem morticinam pro Christo dare, qui est aeterna vita. Credo enim multos milites in tali labore nobis favere, ipsam etiam nostram imperatricem nobiscum ad illas partes velle venire teque secum ducere, matre tua in partibus his relicta pro tuendis rebus communibus; quia sic tute Christo iuvante possemus abire. Proinde praedicta imperatrix causa orationis veniens multos ad hoc opus una tecum posset animare. Ego autem talibus ornatus sororibus libentissime mare transirem ut animam meam, si oporteret, vobiscum pro Christo ponerem, quas mihi semper cupio in aeterna patria adherere. Quid super hac re et de tuo adventu Romam tibi videatur, citissime procura rescribere. Quam Dominus omnipotens de virtute in virtutem ducendo dignetur benedicere, ut universalis mater longo tepore de te possit gaudere.

Historical context:

In this letter, which accompanies a copy of a more formal and far less personally revealing letter inviting other princes to join him, Gregory invites Matilda to come on what would later be called a crusade, to help the Christians in the Near East. To Matilda Gregory uses the intimate "tu" and "ego" instead of his customary formal "vos" and "nos" and speaks frankly about his dream. His letter to all the faithful about the crusade says nothing of his personal desires. It speaks of helping our brothers in the Constantinopolitan empire, besieged by the devil who would keep us from giving our lives for our brothers, and invites those who would defend the faith and fight for the heavenly king to help him prepare the way for all who do not fear to show themselves sons of God. It exhorts them to be strong in fighting for praise and glory, who up to now have fought for things they cannot keep nor possess without sorrow, praying that with God¹s help they will deserve to love their neighbors like themselves and give their lives for them if necessary (2.37, Dec. 1074).(1)

Scholarly notes:

(1) Translation from The Correspondence of Pope Gregory VII, Selected Letters from the Registrum, trans. Ephraim Emerton, Records of Civilization (New York: Columbia University Press, 1932, repr. 1990), pp.60-61. Reprinted by permission of the publisher.

Printed source:

The Epistolae Vagantes of Pope Gregory VII, ed. and transl. H.E.J. Cowdrey (Oxford: Clarendon, 1972) ep.5 p.10-13; also MGH BzHIV, ed. Erdmann and Fickermann, Die Hannoversche Briefsammlung, Hildesheimer Briefe ep.43, p.86-87, and in Monumenta Gregoriana.

Date:

1074, after 12/16