A letter from John of Brienne, king of Jerusalem (1221, April)

Translated letter:

To the lady palatine countess of Champagne-Troyes and lord Thibaut her son, John, by the grace of God king of Jerusalem [sends] greetings. You should know that Walter, our nephew, son of count Walter of Brienne, went by our good will to your land to enter into possession of his heredity, namely the county of Brienne with its appurtenances. Wherefore we entreat you and we ask of you and your son lord Thibaut that you give over the county of Brienne with its appurtenances to that Walter and set him in peaceful possession. And do not because of this, namely that we were your man and your son’s and that said Walter is not yet of age, prevent it. For it is our will and order that you give over his land and heredity, namely the county of Brienne with its appurtenances to him and set him in peaceful possession. For you well know and we also know well that this is his right and pertains to him by hereditary right. Enacted in Acre, in the year of the Lord 1221, in the month of April.

Original letter:

Domine Blanche comitisse Trecensi palatine, et domino Theobaldo ejusdem filio, Johannes, Dei gratia Jerusalem rex, salutem. – Noveritis quod Galterus, nepos noster, filius comitis Galteri Brene, accedit per bonam voluntatem nostram ad partes vestras ut in possessionem hereditatis sue intret, videlicet comitatus Brene cum pertinentiis suis. Quare vos exoramus, et a vobis et filio vestro domino Theobaldo requirimus, quatinus comitatum Brene, cum pertinentiis suis, eidem Galtero reddatis, et in possessionem pacificam ponatis. Nec propter hanc causam videlicet quod nos inde fuimus homo vester et filii vestri, et quod dictus Galterus nondum esset ad etatem, eundem impediatis. Voluntas enim nostra est et preceptum quod vos terram suam et hereditatem suam, videlicet comitatum Brene, cum pertinentiis suis, reddaris eidem et in possessionem pacificam ponatis. Nam vos bene scitis et nosmet ipsi bene scimus hoc suum jus esse et ad ipsum jure hereditario pertinere. – Actum in Accorum, anno Domini M CC XXI, mense aprili.

Historical context:

John of Brienne became King of Jerusalem by marriage to the queen, Maria of Montferrat, in 1210. In this letter he asks the countess and her son to honor his nephew's right to inherit his land as count of Brienne. In another letter to Blanche and Thibaut, John asks them to accept the homage of Walter for the lands John had held from Thibaut's father (Cartulary, #38, Epistolae 25826.html).

Printed source:

The Cartulary of Countess Blanche of Champagne, ed. Theodore Evergates  (University of Toronto, 2009), Medieval Academy Books, No.112, 295-96, #33; also in Layettes du Tresor des Chartes, ed. A. Teulet (Paris, Plon, 1863), 1.516, #1446.

Date:

1221, April