In 1153, the visionary nun Hildegard of Bingen wrote an extremely cheeky letter to King Frederick, who would soon become Emperor Frederick Barbarossa of the Holy Roman Empire. Yikes.
O king, it is imperative for you to have foresight in all your affairs. For in a mystic vision I see you like a little boy or some madman living before Living Eyes. Yet you still have time for ruling over worldly matters. Beware, therefore, that the almighty King does not lay you low because of the blindness of your eyes, which fail to see correctly how to hold the rod of proper governance in your hand. See to it that you do not act in such a way that you lose the grace of God.
Baird and Ehrman (trans. and ed.), The Letters of Hildegard of Bingen: Volume III (2004), p.113
It was not unusual for Hildegard to write admonishing letters to others in the Church, and to answer requests for advice from secular rulers such as Eleanor of Aquitaine, Queen of England. This particular letter, however, could have gone badly for Hildegard as she was living under the secular rule of Frederick. But no – Frederick invited her to his court to make prophecies, and later wrote to her to let her know they had all come true. Phew!
The eleventh and twelfth centuries were a time of great tension between church and state in many countries in Western Europe. This was because of the ongoing Gregorian reforms which aimed to improve the moral standing and independence of the Church. Like pretty much all reform movements, the goal was to return the Church to the purity of the apostolic Church. At the same time, monastic orders were reforming in a similar way to return to a purer version of imitating Christ – this is when we get the Cistercians, for example. So, there’s a whole load of reform going on in this period and Hildegard was right in the middle of it.
The main focuses of the Gregorian reforms were clerical celibacy (prior to this many had wives or concubines) and lay investiture. Secular leaders wanted to choose bishops for political reasons, but the Church won this battle in the 11th century. Frederick’s goal was to take back some of that power from the Church – hence Hildegard’s intense dislike of him, and why she wrote such a damning letter. She wasn’t wrong in her estimation of him, as he went on to try (and fail) to install an Antipope.
Hildegard remained a reformer throughout her lifetime, and her visions can be read as supporting reform. In one particular vision, she saw a woman representing the Church being attacked inside her vagina, which can be read as a comment on the lax sexual morality of the clergy.
Further reading
Letter from Hildegard to Eleanor of Aquitaine, Epistolae: https://epistolae.ctl.columbia.edu/letter/1187.html
Nancy Bilyeau, “Ten Fascinating Facts About Hildegard Von Bingen”, Medievalists.net: https://www.medievalists.net/2012/05/ten-fascinating-facts-about-hildegard-von-bingen/
Baird and Ehrman (trans. and ed.), The Letters of Hildegard of Bingen: Volume III (2004)
Richard K. Emmerson, “The Representation of Antichrist in Hildegard of Bingen’s Scivias: Image, Word, Commentary, and Visionary Experience”, Gesta, 41 (2002)
Katherine Kerby-Fulton, “Prophet and Reformer: ‘Smoke in the Vineyard’”, in Barbara Newman (ed.), Voice of the Living Light: Hildegard of Bingen and Her World (1998), pp.70-90
Reid Turner, “‘You are Allowing Evil to Raise Itself up Arrogantly!’ St. Hildegard Reproves Her Pope”, The Five Beasts blog: https://ythefivebeasts.wordpress.com/2015/08/31/you-are-allowing-evil-to-raise-itself-up-arrogantly-st-hildegards-reproves-her-pope/amp/
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Medieval Lauren 