A letter from Margaret of Constantinople, Countess of Flanders (1248, July 7)

Translated letter:

Margaret, countess of Flanders and of Hainaut, and William her son, count of Flanders and lord of Dampierre, to all who will view the present letters, greeting. May all your society know that since officials and the community of the village of Sas van Gent were summoned on our behalf to come with us, and we wish to lead them through the land to Condeldam for our heredity that must be sought in Zeeland, those same officials have responded to us that they are not bound to do such service in this way, nor must they go out of their village except for water and unless a count should accompany them in order to lead them with his ships prepared at Gent with the ships of the officials themselves; but because this business of ours was hasty nor could suffer delay, the aforesaid officials and community came to us at our request to the aforesaid place in order to do our service, preserving their right if that corresponded with the aforesaid, and that the aforesaid service should diminish or increase no right for themselves or for us. In testimony of this deed we have caused the present letters to be strengthened by the protection of our seal. Granted in the year of the Lord 1248 in the month of June.(1)

Original letter:

Marghareta, Flandrie et Haynonie comitissa, et Willelmus eius filius, comes Flandrie et dominus de Dampetra, universis presentes litteras inspecturis salutem. Noverit universitas vestra quod, cum scabini et communitas ville Gandensis ex parte nostra fuissent submoniti ut venirent nobiscum et eos ducere vellemus per terram apud Coudeldam pro hereditate nostra in Zeelandia requirenda, iidem scabini nobis responderunt se non teneri ad tale servicium hoc modo faciendum, nec debere de villa sua exire nisi per aquam et nisi comes navibus suis paratis apud Gandavum cum navibus ipsorum scabinorum cum eis iret ipsos conducendo; sed quia istud nostrum negocium festinum fuit nec capered potuit diiacionem, scabini et communitas predicti ad requestam nostram ad nos venerunt ad locum predictum pro nostro servicio faciendo, salvo iure suo si quod competebat in premissis, et quod predictum servicium nobis et ipsis nullum ius depereat vel accrescat. In cuius rei testimonium presentes litteras sigillorum nostrorum munimine duximus roborandas. Datum anno Domini M° CC° XLVIII, mense iunio.

Historical context:

Margaret attempted to disinherit her sons by her first marriage, the Avesnes, in favor of the sons by her second marriage, the Dampierres. John of Avesnes contested that attempt and the subsequent arbitration that gave Hainaut to the Avesnes after Margaret’s death, but kept Flanders for the Dampierres. John’s brother-in-law, the anti-king William of Holland, supported John’s claims to the imperial fief of Zeeland.

Scholarly notes:

1 This translation was provided by Ashleigh Imus.

Printed source:

Oorkondenboek van Holland en Zeeland tot 1299, ed. A.C.F.Koch (Gravenhage: Martinus Nijhoo, 1970), 2.407-08, ep.757.

Date:

1248, July 7