Why has Hildegard’s name survived down the centuries when those of so many other medieval women have disappeared? Her longevity and productivity had a lot to do with it. If she had died aged 50 she would have left behind only a handful of songs and one book. But the latter part of her life was one of extraordinary creativity and a staggering output of work. She also had friends in the right places. The men and women who surrounded and supported her were some of twelfth-century Europe’s biggest players, and her correspondence shows that she was able to play on her reputation to get what she
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