A letter from Matilda of Tuscany, countess of Tuscany, duchess of Lorraine (1090, June 27)

Translated letter:

In the name of the holy and indivisible trinity. Guelf (Welf), by God’s grace duke and marquis, Matilda by God’s grace, if she is anything. It is fitting that our power acquiesce to just requests in all things and enlarge our faithful with honors and conveniences. Therefore let the diligence of all of the holy church of God and our faithful both future and present know how our faithful Mantuan citizens beseeched our clemency for certain of their co-citizens asking that oppressions be lifted and requesting that all vassals and common properties taken from their city by our predecessors be restored to them. And we, assenting to their just requests on account of their memorable faithfulness and service, decide and confirm that all exactions and illegal violence thenceforth are to be completely abolished and utterly extirpated in all ways, establishing also that neither we nor our heirs or any person great or small within our power should presume to deprive, trouble, disturb the aforesaid citizens dwelling or who thenceforth will dwell in the city of Mantua or in the outskirts, concerning their persons or their servants or handmaids or free men residing in their land or concerning vassals and common properties belonging to the aforesaid city and located on either side of the river Mincio, either concerning fiefs, freed servants, boon work, investitures or even concerning all their property movable and immovable, acquired or to be acquired, and no one should presume to force them toward any public exaction or function, but also no one should dare to take lodging in the aforesaid city in the house of anyone or in the outskirts in the house of a knight or in the storehouse of anyone if they are unwilling. Moreover, we also return to them all common properties granted to their ancestors, through the command of emperors, specifically by name Sacca, Sustinente, and Corte Carpaneta and whatever from Armanorio we retained of this for ourselves or things lying throughout other places in the Mantuan county, fisheries also in rivers and marshes, namely both banks of the river Tartaro, then upward toward the river Oglio, from the other side up to the deep ditch, from the third side up to the church of St. Faustino in Caput Variana and then up to greater Agricia, so that they may be permitted to graze, prune, mow, hunt and whatever right their ancestors had to these things from ancient times. Moreover we have decided that it should be allowed to all the aforesaid citizens and persons dependent on the town, by all our power, to come and go securely by water and by land, wherever they will, such that they should not pay tribute or shore-toll. Moreoever, we confirm that they have that good and just custom, which any excellent city of Lombardy has. Whoever, either we the above-noted duke, Guelf and countess Matilda or our heirs or any person great or small of our power will stand as violator of this grant and restoration, he should pay one hundred pounds of gold to the abovesaid citizens and persons dependent on the town and their heirs, such that half should be expended for restoration and after the penalty has been paid, this grant and confirmation should remain in its strength. And so that this authority of our confirmation remains firm and stable, we, confirming, as seen below, have ordered that this charter thereafter written in our own hand be marked by the impression of our seal. (I), Duke Guelf, signed below. + (I), Matilda by God’s grace, if she is anything, signed below. Dated fifth kalends of July, in the year of our lord’s incarnation 1090, thirteenth indiction. This was enacted at Mantua.1

Original letter:

In nomine sancte et individue trinitatis. Guelfo dei gracia dux et marchio, Matilda dei gracia, si quid est. Iustis petitionibus adquiescere et nostros fideles honoribus et commodis ampliare per omnia nostram condecet potestatem. Quapropter omnium sancte dei eclesie nostrorumque fidelium tam futurorum quam presentium noverit industria, qualiter nostri fideles Mantuani cives nostram adierunt clementiam, quorumdam suorum concivium oppressiones relevari petentes et ermannos omnes et communes res sue civitati a nostris predecessoribus illis ablatas sibi restitui postulantes. Et nos ob memorabilem eorum fidelitatem et servicium iustis eorum precibus annuentes, omnes exactiones et violentias non legales funditus deinceps abolendas et radicitus extirpandas modis omnibus decernimus et firmamus, statuentes eciam neque nos neque nostri heredes neque ulla magna parvaque nostre potestatis persona predictos cives in Mantuana civitate vel in suburbio habitantes vel deinceps habitaturos de suis personis sive de illorum servis vel ancillis seu de liberis hominibus in eorum residentibus terra vel de ermanna et communibus rebus ad predictam civitatem pertinentibus ex utraque parte fluminis Mincii sitis, sive de beneficiis, libellariis, precariis, investituris seu eciam de omnibus eorum rebus mobilibus et immobilibus, adquisitis vel adquirendis inquietare, molestare, disvestire sine legali iudicio vel eos [ad] aliqua[m] publicam exactionem vel functionem cogere presumat, sed et neque in predicta civitate in domo alicuius vel in suburbio in domo militis vel in caneva alicuius illis invitis hospitari audeat. Insuper etiam illis restituimus omnes res communes parentibus illorum concessas per preceptum imperatorum, scilicet nominative Saccam, Septingenti et Carpenetam et quicquid de Armanorio nobis hucusque retinebamus, sive per cetera loca in comitatu Mantuano reiacentia, piscationes etiam per flumina et paludes, scilicet utrasque ripas fluminis Tartari, deinde sursum usque ad flumen Oley, de alia parte usque in fossam altam, de tercia parte usque in ecclesiam sancti Faustini in Caput Variana, et deinde seorsum usque in Agricia maiore, ut liceat illis pabulare, capulare, secare, venari et quicquid iuris ipsorum parentes antiquitus in illis habuerant. Decernimus eciam, ut liceat omnibus predictis civibus et suburbanis per omnem nostram potestatem secure ire et redire sive per aquam et per terram, quocumque voluerint, ita ut nec tholonicum nec ripaticum dent. Et insuper illam bonam et iustam consuetudinem eos habere firmamus, quam quelibet optima civitas Longobardie optinet. Quicumque vel nos suprascripti dux Guelfo et comitissa Matilda vel nostri heredes aut quelibet nostre potestatis magna parvaque persona huius concessionis et restitutionis violator extiterit, libras auri centum componat supradictis civibus et suburbanis illorumque heredibus, ita ut medietas expendatur in restauratione, et post penam solutam hec concessio et confirmatio in sua remaneat firmitate. Et ut hec nostre confirmationis auctoritas stabilis atque firma permaneat, hanc cartam inde conscriptam manu propria, ut infra videtur, corroborantes, sigilli nostri impressione iussimus signari. Dux Welfo subscripsi. + Matilda dei gratia, si quid est, subscripsi. Data V kl. iulii, anno dominice incarnationis millesimo nonagesimo, indictione tercia decima. Factum est hoc Mantue.

Historical context:

The countess and her second husband, Guelf/Welf, grant a series of privileges to the citizens of Mantua and its surroundings.

Scholarly notes:

1. Ashleigh Imus provided this translation.

Printed source:

Die Urkunden und Briefe der Markgräfin Mathilde von Tuszien, ed. Elke Goez and Werner Goez (Hanover: Hahnsche Buchhandlung, 1998), ep.43

Date:

1090, June 27