For those who never read about her,
Matilda of Canossa was an Italian countess who was the heiress of a huge territory in Italy, including Tuscany, Parma, Mantua, Ferrara, Reggio, Brescia and Modena. However, she was one of the main opponents of the Emperor in his conflicts against the Pope. After her childless death many of the cities ruled by had no successor indicated by the Emperor, starting the period of the city-states in Italy.
So, how could we keep her territory united after her death? Or, if you prefer, could the survival of her brother
Frederick do it? And all those lands remain united, what could be effects for the development of Italy in Middle Ages?
Here a map of the territory ruled by Matilda from 1052 to 1115:
