A letter from Joan of Constantinople, Countess of Flanders (1243, July)

Translated letter:

Joan, countess of Flanders and Hainaut, to all who will view the present letters, greeting in the Lord. May all your society know that the abbess and convent of Ath with our consent sold ten quarter-acres of land, lying near the hospital in Oudenarde in a place which is called Eindriesch, which we had conferred as alms on the said abbess and convent, to the town of Oudenarde and to the aforesaid hospital for 100 Flemish pounds, which [land] they have converted for their own use, namely thus, that the villa of Oudenarde near the land, which it holds in the aforesaid place, may now possess half of said land and the hospital the other half, freely and peacefully in perpetuity, according to the judgment of our messengers sent by us specially for this. And as lady of the land, we are bound to guarantee legitimately the said land to the aforesaid town and hospital of Oudenarde in perpetuity, with the full power, granted to us by the renowned lord and our husband Thomas, count of Flanders and Hainaut, while he was in Savoy, for making and judging on behalf of our will in all our land, as will have seemed expeditious to us. In testimony of this deed we have conferred on the aforesaid villa and hospital of Oudenarde the present letters strengthened by our seal. Enacted in the year of the Lord 1243, in the month of July.(1)

Original letter:

Johanna, Flandrie et Hayonie comitissa, omnibus presentes litteras inspecturis salutem in Domino. Noverit universitas vestra, quod abbatissa et conventus de Ath decem bonaria terre, iacentia iuxta hospitale de Aldenardo in loco, qui dicitur Eindriesch, quam dictis abbatisse et conventui in elemosinam contuleramus, de consensu nostro ville Aldenardensi et hospitali predicto, pro centum libris flandrensibus, quas in usus converterunt proprios, rendiderunt, ita videlicet, quod villa Aldenardensis iuxta terram, quam habet in predicto loco, medietatem iam dicte terre et hospitale medietatem alteram, secundum ordinationem nuntiorum nostrorum, ad hoc specialiter a nobis destinatorum in perpetuum libere possideant et quiete. Et dictam terram predictis ville et hospitali Aldenardensibus in perpetuum, tamquam domina terre, legitime garandire tenemur, concessa nobis plenaria potestate ab illustri domino et marito nostro Thoma, Flandrie et Hainonie comite, dum profectus esset in Sabaudiam, faciendi et ordinandi pro voluntate nostra in tota terra nostra, prout viderimus expedire. In cuius rei testimonium presentes litteras predictis ville et hospitali Aldenardensibus sigillo nostro contulimus roboratas. Actum anno Domini millesimo ducentesimo quadragesimo tercio, mense Julio.

Historical context:

The countess confirms the sale by the abbess and convent of Ath of land she had given them to the town and hospital of Oudenarde, which she now guarantees, with the consent of her absent husband.

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), 602-03, ep.75.

Date:

1243, July