ST. CUNEGUND 211 II. He was elected Emperor Sept. 8, 1024, with tremendous acclamation, by an immense assembly of bishops, princes, and nobles encamped at Eamba, on the Bhine. When the election was decided, the widowed Empress stepped into the circle of electors and, with noble words as beseemed that noble woman, gave to the chosen sovereign the regalia that had been in her care. Soon afterwards she invited several prelates to the dedication of her church at EaufiFungen. After the Gospel of the Mass, in place of the imperial robes, she put on a brown — " very brown," says Baillet — religious habit, which she had made with her own hands. Her hair was then cut off. It was kept in that convent as a sacred relic. The Bishop of Paderborn placed the ring on her hand and the veil on her head. Thus she became a Benedictine nun. During her husband's life Cunegund brought up several young ladies at her court, and having had the learned edu- cation of the princesses of her time, she superintended their studies herself. One of these was St. Hemma, of Gurk, a near relation of the Emperor, and one was Uta or Jutta, Cunegund's niece. Jutta was much attached to her aunt, and went with her into the cloister. Cunegund made her abbess, but she was too young and fond of pleasure for so great a responsibility. She abused her liberty by being always last at prayers and first at feasts. One Sunday Cunegund was following the cross in a solemn pro- cession. The abbess was not there. Everybody was scandalized. Cunegund went to her niece's room, and found her feasting and amusing herself with other girls. The pious aunt not only uttered words of reproof, but struck her on the right cheek, where the mark of her fingers remained like a seal, ever after, as a warning to Jutta and others. During Cunegund's cloister life she resisted every attempt to treat her as Empress, and tried to make and consider herself the lowest of the nuns. On her deathbed she saw her attendants pre- paring a magnificent embroidered white- and-gold covering. She begged them to take it away, and made it her last request that she should be buried in her habit, like the other nuns. She was laid by the side of her husband at Bi^mberg, and worked miracles there. Pope Innocent III. canonized her in 1200. B.M.i March 3. Her Life was first written by a monk or canon of Bamberg in 1152, when Henry was canonized. It is given in the AA.SS. Butler. Baillet. Mrs. Jameson. Ditmar, Chronicle, vii. Pertz, Monumenta Germanise, iv. 823. Giesebrecht, Deutschlands Kaiaerzeii, ii. 223. Callot, Images, Bilder Legende, Mancini, Pitii Qallery. Die Attribute der Heiligen. A portion of the coronation mantle of Heury II., embroidered by Cunegund, is shown in Lady Marion Alford's Needlework as Art, plate 60. This mantle was presented by Henry and Cunegund to the church of Bamberg, where it is still preserved in the form of a chasuble. St. Cunegund (4), July 24 (Gunk- GUND, KiNOA, ElOGA, AUNEGUNDI8, ZiGUA, ZiNGA, etc.), 1224-1292. V. 3rd O.S.F. Queen and patron of Poland. Founder of the convent of Sandecz. Eepresented (1) as a queen; (2) as a Franciscan nun, with her shoes nanging from her girdle. Daughter of Bela lY., king of Hungary (1235-1270). Her mother was Mary, daughter of the Emperor Alexis Duoas, a princess brought from Con- stantinople for Bela by his father, Andrew II. (1205-1235), on his return journey from Jerusalem. Cunegund was sister of St. Margare r of Hungaut, and niece of St. Elizabeth of Hungart, great-niece of St. Hedwig, and niece and sister-in-law of B. Salome of Poland. She married Boleslaw, surnamed the Chaste, king of Poland, a refugee at her father's court. He was extremely pious, but sadly wanting in decision, energy, and the qualities most desirable in fiie ruler of an unsettled, half-civilized people, struggling against the invasions of the Tartars. When he was entreated to lead his armies against his country's foes, he so far yielded as to ride into the ranks of war, and although his devout sloth refused to strike a blow, he had the coolness to sit still upon his horse, holding up his hands in prayer, while
