Even after the unsuccessful attempt of formal canonization between 1227 and 1243 and the compilation of some selected texts by Gebeno of Eberbach around 1220, medieval authors frequently related to Hildegard’s writings, or to more or less changed copies of these, respectively. The biggest increase in Hildegard’ popularity , however, is due to Johannes Trithemius (1462-1516), Abbot and head of the Sponheim Monastery between 1483 and 1506, which had been founded by the brother of her mentor Jutta of Sponheim. Because of the close proximity between the monasteries of Sponheim and Rupertsberg, he must have been constantly confronted with Hildegard and her work, and soon developed a great interest in her. His worshipping is shown in mentions of Hildegard in his chronological and annalist writings (Sponheim and Hirsau Chronicle, Hirsau Annals) and references to her work in his literary-historical books, in the production of copies of her works as well as in the examination of her mortal remains in 1498, where he was present, which he sponsored and where he even requested a relic in the form of one of her arms.

Despite the frequent mixture of real and fictional details concerning Hildegard’s life, which makes the analysis of his texts extremely difficult for historians, Trithemius had extensive knowledge of Hildegard and her work. Spread over different writings, he named details about her origin, the foundation of the monastery on the Rupertsberg and about many significant events in her life. He also provided lists of the titles of her works which he studied on the Rupertsberg and whose contents he characterised. It was to his merit that, at the turning point of the Late Middle Ages to the Early Modern History, the popularity of Hildegard increased again also outside of Bingen and its close proximity. With his changes and additions to the historical events, he wanted to emphasise the adorability (auctoritas) of Hildegard and the relationships between both monasteries in Bingen and Sponheim in order to provide benefit for his monastery from the fame of the Rupertsberg Abbess. For example, he reported of a visit of Bernard of Clairvaux to the Rupertsberg in 1150, where he accepted her visions during the presence of Count Meginhard of Sponheim as well as the Abbots of the monasteries in Sponheim and Disibodenberg. Such a visit, however, can never have happened since the last time that Bernard was on the river Rhine was in 1147 and during that time, Hildegard was still on the Disibodenberg. The reason for this „poetic licence“ can only have been the intended valorisation of Hildegard’s authority by acceptance through one of the most important people of that time. As it was with Gebeno of Eberbach in the 13th century, Trithemius was the most important „promoter“ of Hildegard of Bingen in his time.