A letter from Ermengard of Narbonne, viscountess of Narbonne (1193, March)

Translated letter:

In the name of the Lord, in the year since his Nativity, 1193, in the reign of king Philip, in the month of March. I, Ermengard, vicountess of Narbonne, for me and all my successors, with good faith and without deception, with this charter I release, and transfer altogether after my death to you Ermengaud of Fabrezan and your successors who have the lordship of the castrum of Fabrezan, everything sacramental [by oath] that I have and should have in the castle of Fabrerzan, so that after my death you, Ermengaud, or yours are not held to restore said castle of Fabrezan, nor to swear any oath on that castle to any successor of mine nor to any other person ruling the city of Narbonne. Because of which I, said Ermengaud of Fabrezan, promise you, lady Ermengard vicountess of Narbonne, that I and mine who have lordship of said castrum of Fabrezan will be your good and faithful helpers in all your life according to our power in the disputes and wars which you now have or will have in the future. And unless we do so, we must restore to you said castrum of Fabrezan as it was accustomed to be restored to the lord. And that all the above be preserved firm and irrevocable always, I said Ermengard confirm this charter with the impression of my seal. The witness to this are: Raymond Vassadeli, William of Casulis, William of Saviniac, Grassus, Xatbert of Barbairano, Peter of Villanove, Odo of Montebruno, Raymond of Casulis. And Arnald of Alzonne, public notary of Beziers, who, asked by lady Ermengard vicountess of Narbonne and Ermengaud of Fabrezan and their above inscribed witnesses, wrote this and at the order of that lady Ermengard sealed it.(1)

Original letter:

In nomine Domini, anno a Nativitate ejusdem M.C.L. XXXX III, regnante rcge Philipo, mense marcii. Ego Ermengardis, vicecomitissa Narbone per me et per omnes successores meos, bona fide et sine dolo, cum hac carta solvo, gurpio omninoque defero, post mortem meam, tibi Ermengaudo de Faberzano et successoribus tuis qui habuerint dominium castri de Faberzano, totum scilicet sacramentale quod habeo et habere dcbeo in castello de Faberzano, ut videlicet post mortem meam, tu Ermengaudus vel tui non teneamini predictum castellum de Faberzano reddere. nec teneamini propter ipsum castellum sacramentum aliquod facere ulli successori meo nec alicui alii persone urbi Narbone dominanti. Ea propter ego jamdictus Ermengaudus de Faberzano promitto tibi dominc Ermengardi vicecomitisse Narbone quod ego et mei qui habuerint dominium predicti castri de Faberzano erimus tibi in omni vita tua boni et fideles adjutores pro posse nostro de placitis et guerris quas nunc habes vel in antea habueris. Quod nisi fecerimus debemus tibi reddere predictum castrum de Faberzano sicut domino reddi consuevit. Et ut omnia suprascripta firma semper et irrevocabilia perseverent, ego jamdicta Ermengardis hanc cartam impressione sigilli mei confirmo. Hujus rei sunt testes : Raimundus Vassadeli, Guillelmus de Casulis, Guillelmus de Saviniaco, Grassus, Xatbertus de Barbairano, Petrus de Villanova, Oto de Montebruno, Raimundus de Casulis. Et Arnaudus de Alsona, publicus Biterris notarius, qui a domina Ermengardi vicecomitissa Narbone et Ermengaudo de Faberzano et testibus suprascriptis rogatus hoc scripsit et mandato ejusdem domine Ermengardis sigillavit.

Historical context:

This is an unusual agreement in which Ermengard frees Ermengard from feudal duties forever, in exchange for support in her current conflicts. Jacqueline Caille suggests that Ermengard may have been pressured by her heir, Peter of Lara, to retire in his favor and the viscountess was mustering support against him. Caille also notes that Peter prevailed and Ermengaud swore homage to him in late 1193, despite his pact with the viscountess. See Jacqueline Caille, Medieval Narbonne, 24ff; see also Fredric L. Cheyette, Ermengard of Narbonne and the World of the Troubadours (Ithaca: Cornell, 2001), 335ff.  A castrum  is an administrative unit with a castle at the center.

Scholarly notes:

1 The text was transcribed by Jacqueline Caille, Medieval Narbonne, A City at the Heart of the Troubadour World, (Aldershot, Hampshire: Ashgate, 2005), who generously allowed me to republish it here.

Manuscript source:

Archives de la Couronne d'Aragon-Pergamino 673 de la epoca de Alfonso I.

Printed source:

Jacqueline Caille, Medieval Narbonne, A City at the Heart of the Troubadour World, ed. and trans. K.L. Reyerson (Aldershot, Hampshire: Ashgate, 2005), 38.

Date:

1193, March