Middle AgesHildegard von Bingen
More than nine hundred years ago in Germany, a little girl called Hildegard was entrusted to nuns.
Hildegard von Bingen’s life
The big moments of this life, and what was happening in the world at the same time.
A life at a glance
And after his or her death: 1 landmark in the detailed timeline (2012).
- 1098👶 Birth
Born in Bermersheim, the tenth child of a noble family
- 1112📚 Trainingage 14
Enters Disibodenberg monastery with Jutta of Sponheim
- 1136🎩 Careerage 38
Elected magistra of the community after Jutta’s death
- 1141🎼 Workage 43
Begins Scivias, the account of her visions
- 1148🎩 Careerage 50
Pope Eugene III encourages the circulation of her writings
- 1151🎼 Workage 53
Completes Scivias; musical drama Ordo Virtutum
- 1158🧳 Journeyage 60
First preaching tours through the Rhineland towns
- 1163🌍 Meanwhile
Construction of Notre-Dame de Paris begins
- 1179🕯️ Deathage 81
Dies at Rupertsberg on 17 September
- 2012🏛️ Landmark833 years after death
Canonised and proclaimed Doctor of the Church
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Excerpts of up to 90 seconds, freely licensed recordings from Wikimedia Commons.
Once upon a time…
More than nine hundred years ago in Germany, a little girl called Hildegard was entrusted to nuns. She grew up in a monastery, learning to read, to pray and above all to sing.
Hildegard said she saw a “living light” full of pictures. As a grown-up she wrote her visions down in big books. Even the Pope encouraged her! Then she founded her own convent on the banks of the Rhine.
For her nuns she made up more than seventy songs. Her melodies climb very high, like birds taking off. She also wrote a little sung play in which the Virtues fight the Devil… who is not allowed to sing!
Hildegard also healed sick people with plants, invented a secret language and travelled to preach. Her music is still sung all over the world today.
Hildegard von Bingen’s instruments
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