Tuscan Countess : The Life and Extraordinary Times of Matilda of Canossa

The life of Matilda of Canossa could easily be the plot of a Pirandello play. There are papal intrigues, warring medieval factions and an ill-fated marriage to a hunchback that ends in murder. Michele Spike's biography recounts these events and more. She peels back layer upon layer of previous myth to render a startling portrait of the countess.