Like many other Dominican convents in the fourteenth century, S. Ursula developed from a Beguinage. In 1335, six virgins bought a house in order to live as pious Beguines and perform Christian works of mercy, such as caring for the sick. They called themselves the "Sisters of Willing Poverty" (Schwestern von der willigen Armut) according to Wienand (228). In 1394 they assumed the ule of S. Augustine from Bishop Burkhard von Ellerbach and were placed under the direction of the Dominicans. They then lived as Dominican Tertiaries.
The community was originally founded by six Beguines.
The convent may have been involved in the production of small devotional pictures.
The Bodlian Library in Oxford preserves a manuscript from the community, Auct. F. 6.27 (SC 28117). Munich also preserves a manuscript in the Staatsbibliothek, #Cgm 861.
Das Wirken der Orden und Klöster in Deutschland Handschriftenerbe des Deutschen Mittelalters, vol. 1, p. 44.
WILMS, P. Hieronymus. Geschichte der deutschen Dominkanerinnen 1206-1916, 249.
SINNIGEN, P. Ansgar. Katholische Frauengenossenschaften Deutschlands, 72.
During the Reformation the convent was threatened with closure and the nuns moved to Dillingen until the bishop was able to secure their return (Wienand, 228). In 1695 the convent transferred to the second order of S. Dominic and discontinued their care of the sick. Stricter claustration was imposed at this time. In 1802 the convent was dissolved by the Bavarian government, but in 1828 King Ludwig I reestablished the convent and ordered that they care for the education of young women (Wienand, 229). Nuns from this community reestablished the Dominican convent of Heilig Grab.
A manuscript beginning with the word "Terentius," written in the eleventh century and once owned by Mich. de Fullendorf, is preserved in the Bodlian library in Oxford.
More research necessary [3]Hist. Staetten, 39-48.
