A letter from Knights of Murel (1201)

Translated letter:

Let it be manifest to all both present and future who read or hear this charter that I, Arnald Mascaron of Murel, Vitalis John, Banherias, and I Pontius Gerald, Thomas of Dalbs, Pontius of Bracoaco, Bernard Faber, John Cavarada, Bernard of the town of Capite, William Arnald, John Sutor, Arnald of Brunomonte, William Berald, Sicfred, Pontius Engarra, Bernard Engarra, William of Plavinola, Raymond of Samatano, William of Bazert, William of Bigorra, Arnald Lamela, Fortis William, Bernard Garsia, Amelius, William Vitulus, Amelius, Martin of Masqueria, Peter William, Arnald of Masqueria, Bernard of Brestarius, and I Pontius Durand, Bernard of Roquis, John Valaderius, Peter Thomas, Bertrand of St. Arala, Garald of Saint Marcel, Bernard Brunetus, William of Monteclaro, Raymond Dox, and I Fortis of Alairaco, and I Sicard John, William Artus, Bernard Peter, Raymond Medicus, Arnald Bastard, Peter of Salis, Aimeric Molendinarius, Arnald of Colomerio, William Taggerius, Peter Esquina, William Sirvenus, Tolosan of St. Laggerio, Dominic Trussa, William of Frozino, Peter Sobranius, Bernard Trobatus, we all, by the mandate and command of lord Bernard, count of Comminges, and having touched the holy Gospels, swear to you Matilda and Petronilla, daughters of the abovesaid lord Bernard of Comminges and lady countess Marie, daughter of lord William of Montpellier, and to your heirs, that after the death of the abovesaid lord count, we will remain faithful to you and we will guard and preserve your life and limb(s), as best we can and without trick, fraud and without any contrivance; also [we promise to protect] the castrum of Murel and appurtenances, whether they be dominions, castles, towns, tolls, estates, men or women or their holdings, lands and offices; and finally we swear to you that everything, as much as the aforesaid lord count has or should have, or that anyone on behalf of him or from him or in the future will have in Saves and in the episcopate of Toulouse, whatever and wherever it may be in any way; so we will be faithful men and assistants to them, and also to [other] daughters if more will issue from the aforesaid lord count and from the abovesaid lady Marie, save the inheritance and betrothal gifts and dowry that the abovesaid lady Marie has in the castrum of Murel. Thus that all as said above, may be done and understood better and better, we will firmly uphold all that is written above by these four holy Gospels in good faith and without any deceit or fraud. Moreover, it should be known that if the abovesaid count will have a son or sons from the abovesaid lady countess Marie, we will make this oath and faith to him or to them, and to their heir in good faith without any deceit or fraud. Nonetheless, if that son or sons will perish without legitimate heir, all this as said above we will uphold for them and their heir, and further if more daughters issue from them, namely from the abovesaid lord count and from the abovesaid lady countess Marie. This was thus enacted and granted on the first day of the month of December, Saturday, with Philip king of the Franks ruling, Raymond count of Toulouse, Raymond bishop elect, in the year 1201 from the Lord's incarnation. All of these oaths were in the presence of Pontius of Bracoaco, Thomas of Dalbs, and Bernard Fabro. Witnesses are Vitalis Senerell, Peter Senerell, Bruno of Tolouse, Raymond of Portello, called son of the elder Peter who was present. And concerning the oath of aforesaid Pontius of Bracoaco, Thomas, Bernard Fabro, witnesses are Bruno of Toulouse and Raymond of Portello; and Peter Arnald, public notary of Toulouse, is witness of all this and wrote this charter.1

Original letter:

Manifestum sit universis, tam presentibus quam futuris, hanc cartam legentibus, vel audientibus, quod ego Arnaldus Mascaronus de Murello, et Vitalis Johannes, et Banherias, et ego Poncius Geraldus. et Thomas de Dalbs, et Poncius de Bracoaco, et Bernardus Faber, et Johannes Cavarada, et Bernardus de Capite ville, et Guillelmus Arnaldus, et Johannes Sutor, et Arnaldus de Bruno monte, et Guillelmus Beraldus, et Sicfredus, et Poncius Engarra, et Bernardus Engarra, et Guillelmus de Plavinola, et Raimundus de Samatano, et Guillelmus de Bazerto, et Guillelmus de Bigorra, et Arnaldus Lamela, et Fortis Guillelmus, et Bernardus Garsia, et Amelius, et Guillelmus Vitulus, et Amelius, et Martinus de Masqueria et Petrus Guillelmus, et Arnaldus de Masqueria, et Bernardus de Brestariis, et ego Poncius Durandus, et Bernardus de Roquis, et Johannes Valaderius, et Petrus Thomas, et Bertrandus de Sancta Arala, et Garaldus de Sancto Marcello, et Bernardus Brunetus, et Guillelmus de Monte claro, et Raimundus Dox, et ego Fortis de Alairaco, et ego Sicardus Johannes, et Guillelmus Artus, et Bernardus Petrus, et Raimundus Medicus, et Arnaldus Bastardus, et Petrus de Salis, et Aimericus Molendinarius, et Arnaldus de Colomerio, et Guillelmus Taggerius, et Petrus Esquina, et Guillelmus Sirventus, et Tolosanus de Sancto Laggerio, et Dominicus Trussa, et Guillelmus de Frozino, et Petrus Sobranius, et Bernardus Trobatus, nos omnes, mandato et jussu domini Bernardi, comitis Convenarum, tactis sacrosanctis Euvangeliis, juramus tibi Matelde et Petronille, filiabus supradicti domini Bernardi Convenarum, et domine comitisse Marie, filie domini Guillelmi Montispessulani, et vestris heredibus, quatinus, post obitum domini comitis supradicti, vobis fideles permaneamus, et vitam et membram vestram custodiebimus et salvabimus, nostro posse, absque omni dolo et fraude, et sine omni ingenio; et castrum Murelli, et omnia ibi pertinencia, sive sint dominationes, seu castra, vel villas, seu forcias, vel bovarias, vel homines aut feminas, vel eorum tenencias, seu terras, et honores ; et denique juramus vobis totum tantum quantum dominus prefatus comes habet et habere debet, vel aliquispro eo, vel ex eo, vel in antea habebit, in Saves, et in episcopatu Tolose, quicquid sit, et ubicunque sit aliquo modo; ita scilicet ut fideles et coadjutores eis erimus, et magis filiabus, si amplius exierint de prefato domino comite et de supradicta domina Maria: tamen salva hereditate et sponsalicium et dotem quam domina sepedicta Maria habet in castro Murelli. Totum ita melius, sicut supradictum est, et melius potest fieri et intelligi, omnia hec que suprascripta sunt, tenebimus firmiter, per hec sancta IIIIor Euvangelia, bona fide, et remoto omni dolo et fraude. Item sciendum est, quod, si comes supradictus habuerit filium, vel filios, a supradicta domina comitissa Maria, ad illum, vel ad illos, faciemus hoc sacramentum et fidelitatem, et ad eorum heredem, bona fide, absque omni dolo et fraude. Tamen, si filius ille, vel filii, obierint sine legitimo herede, totum hoc, sicut melius supradictum est, tenebimus ad istas et ad eorum heredem, et ad amplius, si amplius filie ex eis exierint, scilicet a supradicto domino comite et a domina supradicta comitissa Maria. Hoc fuit ita factum et concessum, primo die mensis decembris, sabbato, regnante Philippo rege Francorum, Raimundo Tolose comite, Raimundo electo episcopo, anno M° cc° i° ab incarnatione Domini. Horum omnium sacramentorum presentia Poncii de Bracoaco, et Thome de Dalbs, et Bernardi Fabri. Testes sunt Vitalis Senerellus et Petrus Senerellus, et Brunus de Tolosa, et Raimundus de Portello, filius dictus Petri majoris qui fuit. Et de sacramento Poncii de Bracoaco predicti, et Thome, et Bernardi Fabri sunt testes Brunus de Tolosa, et Raimundus de Portello; et Petrus Arnaldus, publicus notarius Tolose, est de toto hoc testis, et istam cartam scripsit.

Historical context:

Oath of fidelity taken by certain knights to Marie’s daughters, Matilda and Petronilla, regarding the castrum of Murel and other honors, granted to her as dower by her husband Bernard. Since the daughters were very young at this point, we can assume that the document was made for the benefit of their mother, Marie, in the event of the death of her husband. If sons are born from the marriage, the same oath will be taken to them.  The castrum is an administrative unit with a fortification/castle at the center.

Scholarly notes:

1. The text and translation were provided by Ashleigh Imus.

Printed source:

Liber Instrumentorum Memorialium Cartulaire des Guillems de Montpellier (Montpellier: La Societe Archeologique de Montpellier, 1884), 358-60, doc.207.

Date:

1201