Western Civilization

twelfth-century Europe. Whereas a Benedictine monk

often spent hours in prayer to honor God, the Cister-

cian ideal had a different emphasis: “Arise, soldier of

Christ, arise! Get up off the ground and return to the

battle from which you have fled! Fight more boldly

after your flight, and triumph in glory!”^6 These were

the words of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (klair-VOH)

(1090–1153), who more than any other person embod-

ied the new spiritual ideal of Cistercian monasticism

(see the box on p. 235).

WOMEN IN RELIGIOUS ORDERS Women were active par-

ticipants in the spiritual movements of the age. The

number of women joining religious houses increased

perceptibly with the spread of the new orders of the

twelfth century. In the High Middle Ages, most nuns

were from the ranks of the landed aristocracy. Con-

vents were convenient for families unable or unwilling

to find husbands for their daughters, for aristocratic

women who did not wish to marry, and for female

intellectuals who needed a haven for their activities.

Most of the learned women of the Middle Ages,

especially in Germany, were nuns. One of the most dis-

tinguished was Hildegard of Bingen (HIL-duh-gard of

BING-un) (1098–1179), who became abbess of a con-

vent at Disibodenberg in western Germany.

Hildegard shared in the religious enthusiasm of the

twelfth century (see the Film & History feature on

p. 236). Soon after becoming abbess, she began to write

an account of the mystical visions she had experienced

for years. “A great flash of light from heaven pierced

my brain and... in that instant my mind was imbued

with the meaning of the sacred books,”^7 she wrote in a

description typical of the world’s mystical literature.

Eventually, she produced three books based on her

visions. Hildegard gained considerable renown as a

mystic and prophet, and popes, emperors, kings, dukes,

and bishops eagerly sought her advice.

LIVINGTHEGOSPELLIFEIn the thirteenth century, two

new religious orders, the Franciscans and Dominicans,

emerged that had a profound impact on the lives of or-

dinary people. The Franciscan friars were particularly

active in the cities, where, by their example, they strove

Pope Innocent III.Innocent III

was an active and powerful

pope during the High Middle

Ages. He approved the

creation of the Franciscan and

Dominican religious orders and

inaugurated the Fourth

Crusade. He is shown here with

the papal bull he issued to

establish the monastery of

Sacro Speco in Subiaco, Italy.

Sacro Speco-Monastery of St. Benedict, Subiaco, Italy//Scala/Art Resource, NY

234 Chapter 10 The Rise of Kingdoms and the Growth of Church Power

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