A letter from Margaret of Constantinople, Countess of Flanders (1256, October 15)

Translated letter:

Margaret of Flanders To all who will view the present letters, Margaret countess of Flanders and of Hainaut, [sends] greeting and knowledge of truth. We desire to reach the attention of all through the sense of the present (letters), declaring frankly that we, both on behalf of us and on behalf of Guido, our son, count of Flanders, and our heirs, have promised that we have obliged ourselves to this through our oath solemnly sworn concerning this, that all those who now are banned from Holland or from Zeeland, or will be banned in the future, of whatever status they will have been, after they will have been declared by us, at no time ever in our domain in Flanders namely and in Hainaut will we keep or sustain or allow knowingly in some measure that those banned to this effect may be held there in the future; and lord Floris defender of Holland and his nephew Floris and their heirs will be bound to do likewise for us and our heirs, the counts of Flanders, concerning those banned from Flanders and Hainaut, that all those who now are banned from Flanders and Hainaut or will be banned in the future, of whatever status they will have been, after they will have been declared by them, at no time ever in their domain, namely in Holland or Zeeland, will they keep or sustain or allow knowingly in some measure that those banned to this effect may be kept there in the future. In testimony of this declaration and our obligation we have caused the present document to be written and secured by our seal. Granted at Brussels on the Sunday after the feast of blessed Dionysius, in the year of the Lord 1256.(1)

Original letter:

Universis presentes litteras inspecturis Margareta Flandrie et Haynonie comitissa salutem et cognoscere veritatem. Ad universorum pervenire noticiam cupimus tenore presentium simpliciter protestantes nos tam pro nobis quam pro Guidone, filio nostra, comite Flandrie, et nostris heredibus promisisse nosque ad id per nostrum sacramentum super hoc prestitum sollempniter obligasse quod omnes illos qui iam de Hollandia sive de Zelandia sunt banniti vel de cetera bannientur, cuiuscumque conditionis extiterint, postquam nobis fuerint publicati, nullo unquam tempore in nostra dominio, in Flandria videlicet et Haynonia, tenebimus neque sustinebimus neque permittemus scienter aliquatenus quod huiusmodi banniti ibidem de cetera teneantur; et similiter tenebuntur facere nobis et nostris heredibus, comitibus Flandrie, dominus Florentius tutor Hollandie et Florentius nepos eius et eorum heredes de bannitis Flandrie et Haynonie quod omnes illos qui nunc de Flandria vel Haynonia sunt banniti vel de cetero bannientur, cuiuscumque conditionis existant, postquam eis fuerint publicati, nullo unquamr tempore in eorum dominio, videlicet in Hollandia vel Zelandia, tenebuntur neque sustinebunt aut permittent aliquatenus scienter quod huiusmodi baniti ibidem de cetero teneantur. In cuius promissionis et obligationis nostre testimonium presens scriptum conscribi et sigillo nostra duximus communiri. Datum Bruxelle dominica post festum beati Dyonisii, anno Domini MCC quinquagesimo sexto.

Historical context:

This is the statement of an agreement between Margaret and her son Guido on the one hand, and Floris of Holland on the other, that they will not give refuge to those bannished from each other’s land. There are letters to the same effect from Guido (ep.1122) and Floris (ep.1123).

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), 3.56-61, ep. 1121.

Date:

1256, October 15