Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179) was a genuine mystic, exemplifying her visionary experiences and spiritual insights. Her contributions to music, medicine, theology, and her role as a female leader in a male-dominated society make her a significant female figure in the history of the Middle Ages. In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI named Hildegard a Doctor of the Church, which is one of the highest titles of recognition the Catholic Church can bestow upon a theologian.