The Book of Love by Kathleen McGowan

Author:Kathleen McGowan [McGowan, Kathleen]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781439158326
Google: 4bCkPwAACAAJ
Amazon: 141653170X
Goodreads: 1630729
Publisher: Touchstone
Published: 2008-01-01T08:00:00+00:00

The newly named Pope Gregory was receiving a similar briefing in his chambers prior to the formal investiture ceremony. His advisers went through the list of influential guests, providing details about each of them.

“Next is Matilda, Countess of Tuscany. No doubt you have heard of her, Your Grace. She is…controversial.”

Gregory was definitely curious about this woman who was a legend in the northern territories. Everything about the countess was mythical: her wealth, her power, her appearance, and her behavior, which was decidedly outrageous for any feudal leader, but unimaginable for a woman.

“I cannot be bothered with her outrageous habits. What I am bothered with is her military might. And her territories, which are strategically critical. Be sure that she is seated in a place of honor. We need her to be well disposed toward us.”

He had seen her once, some years ago when she was little more than a child. Now she was a married woman, although by all accounts something of a rebellious one who did not openly acknowledge the influence of her husband, the duke of Lorraine. This was one of the issues he wanted to address with her.

“Godfrey of Lorraine is Henry’s lapdog, and therefore dangerous,” Gregory mused aloud. “I must know where the countess stands in relation to her husband, and I must know today. Her support could mean everything in the event of war.”

Gregory had opposed the German king virtually every day since Henry’s coronation at fifteen years of age. The tensions between the sacred throne and the temporal throne, the Church versus the German crown, were about to rise to epic proportions. The new pope was determined to increase the separation of the papacy from monarchical influence, while Henry was determined to unify the two by calling himself Holy Roman Emperor. There would be no middle ground, no possibility for compromise, from either of them.

“In this case, it could be to our benefit that Countess Matilda is not one to behave as a good Christian wife. If her actions allow us to save our Church from Henry’s grasp, I am sure that God will forgive her whatever transgressions she is guilty of. That glorious end would surely justify any method of achieving it.”

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