A letter from Marie of Montpellier (1213, April 20)

Translated letter:

In the name of the lord, Amen. In the year of his incarnation 1213, in the sixteenth year of the pontificate of Pope Innocent III, in the month of April, twentieth day, first indiction. I, Marie, queen of Aragon and lady of Montpellier, of sound mind although of unwell body, not wanting to die intestate, I make oral testament, which is done by dictation, in which I establish James, son of me and of the king of Aragon, as heir of all my movable and immovable property; nonetheless if by chance, God forbid, my same son will die without offspring, my two daughters Matilda and Petrona, whom I received from the count of Comminges, should succeed as heirs to all my property, and in the same way if one of them should die, the other in turn should succeed with hereditary right: I establish and command firmly that the testament that I last made in my territories before this one, which was solemnly cosigned by the seal of upright men should remain firm in everything except that which is revised in this latest will. Therefore, I choose my burial to be at the basilica of blessed Peter, prince of the apostles, wishing, commanding, and establishing that all the debts I have incurred by coming to the Apostolic see and by dwelling there, and that will be incurred still for the revenue of my family and the funeral of my burial, should all be paid first. Next, I order that all bequests be spent and distributed according to the sense written below: first, to the basilica of blessed Peter, prince of the apostles I bequeath twenty-five pounds for the office of my death, and for the funeral I bequeath according to the provision of the chamberlain of the lord Pope thirty Provencal pounds; to the basilica of blessed John Lateran twenty-five pounds; to the basilica of blessed Mary Major one chalice of two marks; to the basilica of blessed Paul one chalice of two marks. Moreover, to the monastery of St. Salvatore of Aniane I bequeath whatever I have or should have in the fisheries of the castrum of Frontignan, and their appurtenances; my father, the count of Montpellier, of good memory held and possessed these fisheries from the same monastery. Further, I leave the castrum of Miraval with all its appurtenances to the monastery of St. Felix of Montesavo, nonetheless with its use and full dominion reserved for my aunt, the lady Clementia, for all the days of her life. To Fissendia my chambermaid I bequeath twenty-five pounds of Ergeron [Melgueil] money, beyond what I left to the same in another testament, and my cape, vest, stole and tunic, and new scarlet skin and cloak, and vest of green cloth. To my serving woman Wilma a vest of brown, and another skin of scarlet, and I wish her to have sustenance in my house, as my father had granted her. To Orderic of Boulogne I wish and command be given fifty Tours pounds for compensation of his service: to the advocate of my case thiry Provencal pounds. To master Obitio ten pounds; to master Thomas five pounds; to master William Corrector one mark of silver. Further, to Mergot my squire I leave fifty pounds with those things I bequeathed to him in another testament. To Michael my servant ten pounds beyond what I left in another testament: to master Theobald my doctor twenty pounds; to Capo my confessor ten pounds; to Bernard of Lancen three pounds. I wish that all these things and other things, in the other last testament that was established in my territories prior to this (testament), (things) that have not been clearly changed by this (version), to be sure and confirmed perpetually by right of testament and codicils and favor of last will. Finally I wish and establish that the most holy father Innocent the highest pontiff should have free power of changing, adding, diminishing, and arranging this testament according to the good purpose of his will, and under his protection, defense, and guardianship and that of the Roman church I leave my aforesaid son and my daughters, and all property and estate. This was enacted in the presence of those named below called especially for this, namely master John Castellomate doctor of the lord pope; master Rayner …. and servant of the lord pope; master Benedict, lord Stephen chamberlain, chaplain of the abbot of the monastery of Aniane; Guarin monk of Aniane, master Theobald, doctor, Guidald, chaplain of the aforesaid queen, and Raymond Erra, and many others.1.  [And I, Richard, secretary of the imperial hall wrote and completed this testament as asked according to the disposition of said queen.]

Original letter:

In nomine Domini, Amen. Anno Incarnationis ejusdem millesimo ducentesimo tertio decimo, Pontificatus Innocencii Papa tertii anno decimo-sexto, mense Aprilis, die vigesimo, indictione prima. Ego MARIA Regina Aragonum & domina Montispessulanii quamvis aegra corpore, mente sana, nolens decedere intestata, nuncupativum, quod sine scriptis dicitur, facio Testamentum, in quo mihi Jacobum filium Regis Aragonum & meum, mihi omnium bonorum meorum mobilium & immobilium heredem instituo: ita tamen quod si forte, quod absit, idem filius meus obierit sine prole, duae filiae meae Mathildis scilicet & Perona, quas suscepi de Comite Convenarum, heredes in omnibus meis bonis succedant, & simili modo earum altera decedente, altera vicissim alteri hereditario jure succedat: statuens firmiter atque praecipiens, ut Testamentum quod in partibus meis feci ultimo ante istud , quod est sigillo idoneorum virorum solemniter consignatum, in omnibus obtineat firmitatem, exceptis illis quae in hoc Testamento ultimo commutantur. ldeo autem mihi apud Basilicam beati Petri Apostolorum Principis meam eligo sepulturam, volens, mandans atque statuens, ut omnia debica, quae inveniendo Apostolicam sedem & ibidem morando contraxi, adhuc pro familiae meae reditu, & sepulturae meae exequiis contrahentur, primitus omnia persolvantur. Deinde vero legata omnia secundum tenorem subscriptum distribui praecipio & expendi: In primis Basilicae beati Petri Principis Apostolorum lego viginti quinque libras, pro officio funeris mei & exequiis sepultutae lego secundum providentiam Camerarii domini Papae iibras triginta Frovinciales: Basilicae beati Joannis Lateranensis viginti quinque libras: Basilicae beatae MARIAE Majoris unum calicem duarum marcarum: Basilicae beati Pauli unum calicem duarum marcarum. Praeterea Monasterio sancti Salvatoris de Aniana lego quidquid habeo vel habere debeo in piscariis castri de Fruntiniano,& in pertinentiis suis quas piscarias bonae memoriae Comes de Montepessulano pater meus ab eodem Monasterio tenuit & possedit. Praeterea Castrum de Miraval cum omnibus pertinentiis suis Monasterio sancti Felicis de Monte-savo [Montesceno] dimitto, reservato tamen usufructu & pleno dominio ejus dominae Clementiae amitae meae omnibus diebus vitae suae. Fissendiae [Rixendae] Camerariae meae lego viginti quinque libras in Ergeron [Melgoriensis] monete, praeter id quod eidem in alio testamento dimifi, & capam meam guasnaciam, pallium & tunicam, & pelliciam novam scarlateam & mantellum, & guasnaciam de viridi panno. Guillelmae mulieri servienti meae guasnaciam de bruneto, & aliam pelliciam de scarleto, & victum in domo mea ipsam habere volo, prout pater meus illi concesserat. Orderico Bononiensi pro recompensatione servitii sui volo & mando dari quinquaginta libras Turonenses: Advocato causae: meae triginta libras Provinciales. Magistro Obicioni decem libras: Magistro Thomae quinque libras: Magistro Guillelmo Correctori unam marcam argenti. Praeterea Mergoto valleto meo cum his quae sibi in alio Testamento legavi, dimitto libras quinquaginta. Michaeli famulo meo decem libras, praeter id quod in alio Testamento dimisi: Magistro Theobaldo Medico meo viginti libras: Caponi Confessori [cursori] meo decem, libras: Bernardo de Lancen tres libras. Haec autem omnia & alia, quae in alio Testamento ultimo condito ante istud in partibus meis non sunt per istud expresse mutata, jure Testamenti vel Codicillorum, vel favore ultimae voluntatis, rata & firma perpetuo esse volo. Ad ultimum vero volo & statuo, & sanctissimus pater Innocentius Summus Pontifex liberam habeat potestatem mutandi, addendi , minuendi & ordinandi de hoc Testamento pro suae beneplacito voluntatis, sub cujus & Ecclesiae Romanae protectione, defensione atque tutela praefatum filium meum & filias meas, & omnia bona & familiam dimitto. Actum est hoc in praesentia subscriptorum ad hoc specialiter vocatorum, scilicet Magistri Joannis Castellomate Medici Domini Papae: Magistri Raynerii domini Papae … [subdiaconi] & familiaris: Magistri Benedicti domini Stephani Camerarii, Capellani; Abbatis Monasterii Anianensis: Guarini Monachi Anianensis: Magistri Theobaldi medici, Guidaldi [Vitalis] Capellani praedictae Reginae, & Raymundi Erram [Arra], & plurium aliorum. [Et ego richardus, imperialis aule senarius (corr. scriniarius), hoc testamentum, secundum disposissionem dicte regine scripsi et complevi rogatus.]

Historical context:

This is the third will and testament of Marie, queen of Aragon. By this time, the pope had refused to allow Peter to divorce Marie and had recognized her rights to monetary damages from Montpellier. Marie apparently died shortly after making this will and Peter died in September. The will also appears in the Layettes du Trésor des Chartes with a few differences which I have put into the Latin text here in brackets (JF).  A castrum is an administrative unit with a fortification/castle at its center.

Scholarly notes:

Printed source:

Spicilegium sive Collectio Veterum Aliquot Scriptorum qui in Galliae Bibliothecis Delituerant, ed. D. Luc D’Achery (Paris: 1723), 3.576.  Also in Layettes du Trésor des Chartes, 1.390-91, #1044

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