Matelda (d. ''after'' 1117) was the

Dogaressa Dogaressa ( , , ) was the official title of the wife of the Doge of Venice. The title was unique for Venice: while the head of the Republic of Genoa were also called Doge, the wives of the Doges of Genoa were not called ''Dogaressa'', nor did t ...

of Venice by-marriage to the Doge

Ordelafo Faliero Ordelafo Faliero de Doni (or Dodoni) (died 1117 in Zadar, Kingdom of Hungary) was the 34th Doge of Venice. Biography He was the son of the 32nd Doge, Vitale Faliero de' Doni. He was a member of the Minor Council (''minor consiglio''), an asse ...

(r. 1102-1117). She is said to have been the cousin or sister of King

Baldwin I of Jerusalem Baldwin I, also known as Baldwin of Boulogne (1060s – 2April 1118), was the first count of Edessa from 1098 to 1100, and king of Jerusalem from 1100 to his death in 1118. He was the youngest son of Eustace II, Count of Boulogne, and Ida of Lor ...

. Matelda has traditionally been described as an ideal of spousal fidelity. During her time as Dogaressa, Venice was struck by several natural disasters, and during those, Matelda led the women of Venice in prayer to soften the perceived wrath of God. In 1117, she warned Ordelafo to not wage war on Byzantium claiming that his duty was to his people in the time of crisis.Staley, Edgcumbe:
The dogaressas of Venice : The wives of the doges
', London : T. W. Laurie After the Zara campaign, wherein the Doge was killed, she received the religious artifacts taken as war prizes from when they were brought to Venice, and installed them in San Maggiore. After this, she joined the convent of

San Zaccaria The Church of San Zaccaria is a 15th-century former monastic church in central Venice, Italy. It is a large edifice, located in the Campo San Zaccaria, just off the waterfront to the southeast of Piazza San Marco and St Mark's Basilica. It is ded ...

References

* Staley, Edgcumbe:
The dogaressas of Venice : The wives of the doges
', London : T. W. Laurie {{Italy-hist-stub 12th-century Venetian people Dogaressas of Venice 12th-century Venetian women