Editing Matilda of Tuscany (section)

=== Adoption of Guido Guidi around 1099 ===
In the later years of her life, Matilda was increasingly faced with the question of who should take over the [[House of Canossa]]'s inheritance. She could no longer have children of her own, and apparently for this reason she adopted Guido ''Guerra'', member of the [[Guidi family]], who were one of her main supporters in Florence (although in a genealogically strictly way, the Margravine's feudal heirs were the [[House of Savoy]], descendants of [[Prangarda of Canossa]], Matilda's paternal great-aunt).<ref name="Creber"/> On 12 November 1099, he was referred to in a diploma as Matilda's adopted son (''adoptivus filius domine comitisse Matilde''). With his consent, Matilda renewed and expanded a donation from her ancestors to the Brescello monastery. However, this is the only time that Guido had the title of adoptive son (''adoptivus filius'') in a document that was considered to be authentic. At that time there were an unusually large number of vassals in Matilda's environment.{{sfn|Goez|2012|pp=156–159}}{{sfn|Goez|Goez|1998|loc=n° 55}} In March 1100, the Margravine and Guido ''Guerra'' took part in a meeting of abbots of the [[Vallombrosians]] Order, which they both sponsored. On 19 November 1103 they gave the monastery of Vallombrosa possessions on both sides of the Vicano and half of the castle of Magnale with the town of Pagiano.{{sfn|Goez|2012|p=158}}{{sfn|Goez|Goez|1998|loc=n° 76}} After Matilda had bequeathed her property to the Apostolic See in 1102 (so-called second "Matildine Donation"), Guido withdrew from her. With the donation he lost hope of the inheritance. However, he signed three more documents with Matilda for the Abbey of Polirone.{{sfn|Goez|2012|p=159}}

From these sources, Elke Goez, for example, concludes that Guido ''Guerra'' was adopted by Matilda. According to her, the Margravine must have consulted with her loyal followers beforehand and reached a consensus for this far-reaching political decision. Ultimately, pragmatic reasons were decisive: Matilda needed a political and economic administrator for Tuscany.{{sfn|Goez|2012|p=157}} The Guidi family estates in the north and east of Florence were also a useful addition to the House of Canossa possessions.{{sfn|Goez|2010|p=115}} Guido ''Guerra'' hoped that Matilda's adoption would not only give him the inheritance, but also an increase in rank. He also hoped for support in the dispute between the Guidi and the Cadolinger families for supremacy in Tuscany. The Cadolinger were named after one of their ancestors, Count Cadalo, who was attested from 952 to 986; they died out in 1113.

Paolo Golinelli doubts this reconstruction of the events. He thinks that Guido ''Guerra'' held an important position among the Margravine's vassals, but was not adopted by her.<ref>Paolo Golinelli, ''Sul preteso "figlio adottivo" di Matilde di Canossa, Guido V Guerra''. (in Italian) In: Gino Badini, Andrea Gamberini (ed.): ''Medioevo reggiano. Studi in ricordo di Odoardo Rombaldi''. Milan 2007, pp. 123–132.</ref> This is supported by the fact that after 1108 he only appeared once as a witness in one of their documents, namely in a document dated 6 May 1115, which Matilda granted in favor of the [[Abbey of Polirone]] while she was on her deathbed at Bondeno di Roncore.<ref>Paolo Golinelli, ''Mathilde und der Gang nach Canossa. Im Herzen des Mittelalters''. (in German). Düsseldorf 1998, p. 295.</ref>