A letter from Marie of Montpellier (1212, April 27)

Translated letter:

To their reverend lords and fathers in Christ, Raymond by God’s grace bishop of l’Ouche and Arnald elect of Narbonne, by the same grace, legates of the Apostolic see, Marie, by the same grace queen of Aragon and lady of Montpellier, greeting and due reverence, obedience, and honor with devotion. In whatever manner and in whatever form the most holy lord and our father, highest pontiff, has entrusted to your benevolence the marriage case that is current between us and the lord king, we trust your diligence to retain the matters mentioned. Thereby, we humbly and tearfully entreat the serenity of your benevolence, with as much humility, devotion, and care as we can, to record faithfully all matters and whatever pertains to the said case and to deliver (them) to the same most holy lord pope, and that (you) grant us the suitable term whereby we might present ourselves in our own person or through a prepared and sufficient proctor to the same lord pope’s presence. May your clemency, moreover, recall to memory our poverty and indigence and how the lord king of Aragon has long since forced our entire dowry and all our movable and immovable property to be pledged; in (your) assignment, moreover, may you keep in your mind’s eye the right of appearance, the author of the right, and our situation.1

Original letter:

Reverendis dominis suis et patribus in Christo Raimundo Dei gracia Uticensi episcopo et Arnaldo eadem gracia Narbonensi electo apostolice sedis legatis Maria eadem gracia regina Aragonum et domina Montispessulani salutem et cum devocione debitam reverenciam obedientiam et honorem. Qualiter et sub qua forma sanctissimus dominus et pater noster, summus pontifex, causam matrimonialem, que inter nos et dominum regem vertitur, benignitati vestre comiserit: diligenciam vestram credimus memoratus retinere. Eapropter benignitatis vestre serenitatem, cum quanta humilitate et devotione et sollicitudine possumus, suppliciter et lacrimabiliter exoramus, ut gesta omnia et quicquid ad iam dictam causam pertinet fideliter conscribentes eidem sanctissimo domino pape transmittatis, nobis terminum competentem indulgendo, quo in propria persona nostra vel per instructum et sufficientem procuratorem eiusdem domini pape conspectui nos presentemus. Ad memoriam etiam reducat vestra clemencia penuriam et indigenciam nostram et qualiter dominus rex Aragonum totam dotem nostram et omnia nostra bona mobilia et imobilia iam dudum pignori obligavit; in assignatione etiam diei ius et iuris auctorem et statum nostrum ante oculos mentis vestre habeatis.

Historical context:

Marie petitions the pope’s representatives to allow her to appear before the pope to appeal her marriage case. The pope had asked her to send representatives, but she went herself and she finally prevailed.

Scholarly notes:

1 Ashleigh Imus provided the text and translation.

Printed source:

Johannes Vincke, “Der Eheprozess Peters II von Aragon (1206-1213),” Gesammelte Aufsatze zur Kulturgeschichte Spaniens (Munster in Westfalen, 1935), 189, #25.

Date:

1212, April 27