A letter from Anne of Kiev (1060-67)

Translated letter:

I, Anne, by the grace of God queen of the Franks, wish to make known to our faithful and our relations the pact and agreement which we had between myself and abbot R. and the monks of the monastery of St. Peter of the Fosse, about a certain land located in the county of Melun, which they call Verneuil. Said abbot and monks gave me the land so that I might cultivate, plant, and build on it as best I could during my life, hold it and possess it according to my will while I live , but after my death, it would return to the monks and the church with all the building and improvements, namely with the oxen and other animals and herds and all the fruits. Which agreement, that it might be held more stable and fixed, we presented it to my son Philip, king of the Franks, to be confirmed and witnessed. He had this charter confirmed by his own hand and signed and imprinted with his seal. Present at this agreement were F., bishop of Senlis, Baldwin chancellor, Rudolph, seneschal of the king, Baldric constable, Ingenulf, butler, Amaury, seneschal of the queen, Oscelin, marshal, and several other clerics and laymen.

Original letter:

Notum volo fieri ego A., gratia Dei Francorum regina, fidelibus et affinibus nostris pactum et conventionem quod habuimus inter me et R. abbatem et monachos sancti Petri Fossatensis monasterii, de quadam terra in pago Milidunensi sita ,quam Vernellum nominant, quam mihi praedictus abbas et monachi ea ratione dederunt ut in vita mea eandem terram excolerem, plantarem et quanto melius possem aedificarem, et sic dum viverem eam tenerem et secundum meam voluntatem possiderem, post mortem autem meam cum tota aedificatione et tota melioratione, scilicet cum bobus et ceteris animalibus et pecoribus necnon etiam cum totis frugibus rediret ad monachos et ad ecclesiam. Quae conventio ut rata et firmior haberetur, filio meo Francorum regi Philippo firmandam et corroborandam obtulimus, qui proprii manu istam cartam firmari et sigillo suo signari et imprimi fecit. Huic conventioni interfuerunt F., Silvanectensis episcopus, Balduinus cancellarius, Rodulfus regis siniscalus, Baldricus conistabulus, Ingenulfus buticularius, Amairicus reginae siniscalus, Oscelinus marescalus et ceteri quamplurimi clerici et laici.

Historical context:

A charter in which queen Anne records an agreement between herself and the monks of Saint-Maur-des Fosse’ on the land of Verneuil, land which they had given her for her use during her lifetime, but which was to be returned to them at her death.

Printed source:

Prou, Maurice, Recueil des Actes de Philippe I, Roi de France (Paris: Klincksieck, 1908), document XXXVI, 105-06.

Date:

1060-67