A letter from Eleanor of Aquitaine (1199, 21 April)

Translated letter:

Eleanor, by the grace of God queen of England, duchess of Normandy and Aquitaine, countess of Anjou, greetings to the archbishops, bishops, counts, barons, justices, provosts, bailiffs, and all her faithful of Tours. Let the whole community know that we and our beloved son count John have by this our present charter, given, conceded, and confirmed to God and St. Mary of Tourpignac, and the monks serving God there, in perpetual alms for the salvation of the soul of our dearest son Richard, king of England, to celebrate this anniversary annually, the [pond] of Langeais and whatever [our] said son the king had in the two mills milling from that waterway, to have and possess freely, quietly, peacefully and wholly from us and our heirs in perpetuity. Know also that we were present at the death of our said son the king who placed all his faith in us after God, that we would provide with maternal sollicitude for his [soul’s] salvation in these and other things, to our full ability. We have, indeed, given these alms to St. Mary of Tourpignac before other churches since our beloved [L] abbot of Tourpignac was with us at the sickness and death of our dearest son the king and labored at his obsequies more than all other religious. And since we wish that these alms be perpetual and remain firm and undisturbed, we have set the force and protection of our seal on this charter. With these witnesses: Peter of Capua, cardinal of the holy Roman church, count John our son, Maurice bishop of Poitiers, B. bishop of Agen, our master Philip, treasurer of Anjou, queen Berengaria, M. countess of La Perche, Robert of Tornaham then seneschal of Anjou, Guido of Thouars, Rorgo of Sache (?Saceio), William of Estain, and many others. Dated at Fontevrault, 21st April, in the year 1199 from the incarnation of the Lord, 11th kalends of May.

Original letter:

A. Dei gratia regina Anglie, ducissa Normannie, Aquitanie, comitissa Andegavensis, archiepiscopis, episcopis, comitibus, baronibus, justiciariis, prepositis, baillivis, et omnibus fidelibus suis de Turonia salutem. Noverit universitas vestra nos et dilectum filium nostrum comitem Jobannem dedisse et concessisse et presenti carta nostra confirmasse Deo et Beate Marie de Torpiniaco, et monachis ibidem Deo servientibus, in perpetuam elemosinam, pro salute anime karissimi filii nostri Ricardi regis Anglie et pro anniversario ejusdem annuatim celebrando, [stag]num de Langeis et quicquid predictus filius [nostrus] rex habebat in duobus molendinis de eodem stagno molentibus, habenda et possidenda libere, quiete, pacifice et integre de nobis et heredibus nostris in perpetuum. — Sciatis autem nos interfuisse morti jamdicti filii nostri regis qui omnem fiduciam suam, post Deum, in nobis posuit ut saluti [anime] ejus in hiis et in aliis, pro posse nostro,materna sollicitudine provideremus. Hanc etenim elemosinam pre ceteris ecclesie Beate Marie de Torpiniaco dedimus quia dilectus noster [L.] abbas de Torpiniaco affuit nobiscum infirmitati et funeri karissimi filii nostri regis, et circa ejusdem exequias pre omnibus aliis religiosis laboravit. — Et quia volumus quod hec elemosina perpetuam habeat firmitatem et inconcussa permaneat, sigilli nostri presenti carte robur apposuimus et munimen. Hiis testibus : Petro de Cappuis cardinali sancte Romane ecclesie, comite Johanne filio nostro, Mauritio episcopo Pictavensi, B. episcopo Agenensi, magistro Philippo thesaurario Andegavensi, regina Berengaria, M. comitissa Perticensi, Roberto de Tornaham tunc senescallo Andegavensi, Guidone de Toarcio, Rorgone de Saceio, Willelmo de Stagno et multis aliis. — Datum apud Fontem-Ebraudi, xxi. die aprilis, anno ab incarnatione Domini m° c° lxxxx" ix°, xi. kalendarum maii.

Historical context:

The Charter of Eleanor, queen of England, by which she confers the pond and mill-houses of Langeais on the abbacy of St. Mary of Tourpignac as a gift to celebrate the anniversaries of the recent death of her son king Richard. There are two lacunae in photocopied text, for which stagnum and nostrus seem the likely readings.

Printed source:

Layettes du Tresor des Chartes, ed. A. Teulet (Paris: Henri Plon, 1863),200, #489.

Date:

1199, 21 April