How did the death of Aleth affect Bernard’s religious path?

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St. Bernard of Clairvaux St. Bernard of Clairvaux, detail of an altarpiece by the Florentine School, early 15th century; in the Staatliche Museen zu Berlin.

The death of Bernard’s mother, Aleth, in 1107 was a pivotal turning point in his life. Bernard himself identified this loss as the moment his "long path to complete conversion" began.1

Deeply affected by her passing, he turned away from his previous pursuits, including his literary education at the school at Châtillon-sur-Seine and the prospect of ecclesiastical advancement. Instead, he redirected his focus toward a life of renunciation and solitude, eventually seeking the counsel of St. Stephen Harding to join the Cîteaux community.1