A letter from Joan of Constantinople, Countess of Flanders (1221, July 23)

Translated letter:

I Joan, countess of Flanders and of Hainaut, make known to all who will view the present letters that my beloved and faithful Giles of Saint Albert and Margaret, his wife, with my consent have given as alms freely and completely to the church of Vorst a tithe, which they held in fealty from me, which they had in the parish of Borsta and Bamberg and Vlache and Borsbecca with all appurtenances, which up to now the said Giles and Margaret, his wife, held. And it should be known that I have quitclaimed the said tithe to the aforesaid church in perpetuity. Done at Courtrai in the presence of my people John, lord of Nigelle, castellan of Bruges, lord Arnulf of Oudenarde, lord Baldwin of Prat and lord of Ghistelle. In the year of the Lord 1221, on the day following the blessed Mary Magdalen.(1)

Original letter:

Ego Johanna, Flandrie et Hainonie comitissa, notum facio universis presentes litteras inspecturis quod dilectus et fidelis meus Egidius de Sancto Auberto et Margareta, uxor sua, de consensu meo, decimam, quam tenebant de me in feodum, quam habuerunt in parrochia de Borsta; et Bambrughe et Vlache et de Borsbecca cum omnibus appendiciis, qui usque nunc dicti Egidius et M[argareta], uxor sua, tenuerunt, contulerunt in elemosinam ecclesie Forestensi libere et absolute. Et sciendum quod dictam decimam predicte ecclesie quitam clamavi in perpetuum. Actum Curtraci coram hominibus meis J[ohanne], domino de Nigelle, castellano Brugensi, domino A[rnulfo] de Audenardo, domino Bald[uino] de Prat et domino de Gistel. Anno Domini MoCCo vicesimo primo, in crastino beate Marie Magdalene.

Historical context:

The countess consents to a a couple’s making over a tithe they held from her to a church in perpetuity.

Scholarly notes:

1 The translation was provided by Ashleigh Imus.

Printed source:

Johanna van Constantinopel, Gravin van Vlaanderen en Henegouwen ed. Theo Luykx, Verhandelingen van de Koninklijke Vlaamsche Academie voor Wetenschappen, Letteren en Schoone Kunsten van Belgie, Klasse der Letteren, VIII.5 (1946), 548-49, ep.18.

Date:

1221, July 23