Cunegunde’s father, Siegfried, was the first ruler of Luxembourg. She loved God so much that she took a vow of virginity. This was rather awkward, as she was destined to bear children for one or other noble household. When she married Henry, Duke of Bavaria, Germany, their marriage remained childless. Henry had wanted to become a priest. However, his vocation was to take over the crown of Bavaria. The bond between Cunegunde and Henry was very strong, with her being his closest political adviser. When the Pope crowned Henry II Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, she became Empress. The couple gave much of their wealth away to charity. In thanksgiving for his beloved wife’s recovery after a serious illness, Henry founded a Benedictine convent in Hesse, Germany.
Henry realised that not only his empire, but also the Church needed to be reformed in order to continue to be effective in its mission of spreading the gospel. In all his efforts to make this happen, he respected the Church’s independence. Together with his wife, he dedicated time to prayer and devotions, but also founded schools, worked for peace in Europe, and quelled rebellions. His desire for religious life never left him, but his vocation was to be a world leader. As emperor, Henry ordered the abbot of Verdun to accept him as a Benedictine monk. After his vows, the abbot — now his superior — ordered Henry to continue to rule the empire. At the death of her husband, Cunegunde briefly took over as ruler of the Empire. A year later she entered the convent in Hesse. She is buried at Bamberg Cathedral beside her husband. The two of them show that it is possible to be wealthy and powerful, and still live as devout Christians.
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