A letter from Ermengard of Narbonne, viscountess of Narbonne (1163, January 31)

Translated letter:

This is a charter of concord and peace which Raymond-Berengar count of Barcelona with his court made between Ermengard viscountess of Narbonne and the viscount of Trencavel over the complaints which they had and demonstrated that they had. Having seen the writings which they made and conceded recently between them from both sides, they approved that those writings and oathes would be firmly kept by both sides and …. and they had oaths sworn over that writing. Also they approved and ordered that every increase or tax that Trencavel, after he has come to concord and oath, increased in any way in the salt-works and taxes and tolls on the men of said Ermengard’s land, they altogether cut off. Similarly they approved and ordered that if Ermengarde [levied] any increase or tax over the men of Trencavel from that hour to now, they would cut it off and from now on [if] anyone presume any increase or usage unless it is written to increase. Witness of this thing are William, steward of Raymond, Arnald of Lecio, Raymond of Villa de Mulo, Peter of Minerve, William of Poitiers, Ermengaud of Leucate, William of St. Felix, Aymeri of Barbairan, William of Peter of Altpol. This charter of concord [and] peace was made in the year of the lord’s Incarnation, 1162, 2nd kalends of February, in the reign of king Louis. S. of Peter of Aicard, scribe of the court of the count of Barcelona, who wrote this.

Original letter:

HAEC est carta concordiae & pacis, quam Raymundus-Berengarii comes Barchinonae cum curia sua inter Hermengardam Narbonae viceconiitissam & vicecomitem Trencavellum super quaerimoniis quas inter se habebant & habere ostendebant fecerunt. Visis scripturis quas inter se nuper ex utraque parte fecerant & concederant, laudaverunt quod illae scripturae & sacramentalia firmiter ab utraque parte tenerentur & …. super illam scripturam & sacramentalia jurare fecerunt. Item laudaverunt & mandaverunt quod omne augmentum vel usaticum quod Trencavellus, postquam ad concordiam & sacramentale venerit, in salinis & usaticis & leddis hominibus terrae jamdictae Ermengardis ullo modo creverat, omnino decidant. Similiter laudaverunt & mandaverunt quod si Hermengardis ullum augmentum vel usaticum super homines Trencavelli ab ipsa hora usque modo, decidant & amodo ullus alio ullum augmentum vel usaticum nisi quod scriptum est augmentare praesumat. Hujus rei sunt testes Guillelmus Raymundi dapifer, Arnaldus de Lecio, Raymundus de Villa de Mulo, Petrus de Minerba, Guillelmus de Pictavis, Hermengaudus de Leucata, Guillelmus Sancti Felicis, Aimericus de Barbairano, Guillelmus Petri DE ALTPOLL. Facta carta concordiae pacis anno ab Incarnatione dominica mclxii, II kalendas februarii, regnante Lodovico rege. S. Petri Aicardi scribae curiae Barchinonis comitis, qui hoc scripsit.

Historical context:

Accord between Ermengard and Raymond Trencavel, viscount of Beziers to return to previous practice after she levied a salt-tax on his subjects from salt-pans they shared.

Printed source:

Devic and Vaissette, Histoire Generale de Languedoc (Toulouse: Privat, 1875) 5.1264-65, #651.

Date:

1163, January 31