Skip to main content

Secondary sourceDocument14th century

Indulgence Charter for Rupertsberg Depicting Hildegard

Unknown · 14th century

A 14th-century Avignon indulgence charter for the Rupertsberg convent, decorated with a painted image of Hildegard.

Shows Hildegard venerated as a saint on an official charter for the convent she founded, evidence of her lasting cult.

Ask Hildegard of Bingen about this sourceView the original(opens in new tab)
Scan of a medieval parchment indenture with Latin text in brown ink and gold illuminated initial capitals. Three painted miniatures on the left show a standing saint with a book, a seated Virgin and Child, and a bishop with a crozier.
Indulgence charter from Avignon for the monastery of Rupertsberg, 14th century. Landeshauptarchiv Koblenz.

About this source

What it is

This is a parchment indulgence charter issued from Avignon for the monastery of Rupertsberg, the convent Hildegard had founded. It is decorated with painted miniatures, including a standing saint holding a book, thought to represent Hildegard, along with images of the Virgin and Child and a bishop. It is held at the Landeshauptarchiv in Koblenz.

Why it matters

Indulgence charters were official documents granting spiritual benefits to those who supported a religious house. This one shows that, generations after her death, Hildegard was still honored as a saintly figure connected to Rupertsberg, and that her reputation helped the convent attract support.

Look closer

  • Why might the convent want an image of Hildegard on an official document?
  • What does the presence of the Virgin and a bishop alongside her suggest about her status?
  • Who would have read or used a document like this, and why?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Hildegard of Bingen on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

More Hildegard of Bingen sources

Meet the AI Hildegard of Bingen →
Illuminated manuscript miniature: an oval mandala of gold flame-like rays and dark red and white bands surrounds a blue field with gold stars, a red-and-white sun or disc at top, and a central cosmic diagram of concentric rings with a bluish-white globe and green figures at top and bottom.Book

Primary source

Scivias

Hildegard of Bingen · 1151-1152

Detail of a painted medieval miniature in orange, red and gold tones. A figure with flowing red hair sits at a desk, writing with a stylus on a tablet. A second face in profile appears at the right edge.Painting

Primary source

Scivias Frontispiece Miniature

12th century

A large open medieval manuscript codex lies on a dark display stand in a glass case, with a metal chain attached to its binding and a white label reading 'Rupert' at the bottom. The pages show black text in columns and red decorated initials.Book

Primary source

Wiesbaden Codex

Hildegard of Bingen · c. 1200

Medieval illuminated manuscript miniature of the Universal Man: a nude human figure with outstretched arms stands within a large white circle surrounded by concentric rings, red and gray bands, and a red border. A bearded head crowns the top and a red-footed figure appears below. A small seated scribe at lower left writes at a desk.Book

Primary source

Liber divinorum operum

Hildegard of Bingen · c. 1163-1174

Front cover of an old manuscript volume bound in worn reddish-brown leather with a dark spine featuring raised bands and small gold floral tooling at the corners and gold edge rules. The cover is scratched and stained.Document

Primary source

Dendermonde Codex

Hildegard of Bingen · c. 1175

Ready when you are

Start chatting with Hildegard of Bingen now.

20 messages free · No credit card · Available in 50+ languages.

Trial Humy for freeGet a quote for institutions