A letter from Barral, lord of Baux (1250/1249, March 1)

Translated letter:

I Barral lord of Baux, not compelled but by my pure and spontaneous will, promise you, lady Blanche, by the grace of God most serene queen of the Franks, that I shall in good faith take care and do all I can, that the city of Avignon subject itself to lord Alfonse, count of Toulouse and Poitiers, for the life of that lord count, and that he receive all the rents pertaining to the commune of said city, while that count shall live, except for its French citizens, and that after the death of that lord count, said city will recover its commune and it will return to possession of its community and full jurisdiction, in which it was at the time it will have subjected itself to him, without prejudice of either party and also within the possession of the lord count of Provence. I also promise you that in good faith I shall take care and do all I can that the city of Arles subject itself in that manner to lord Charles, count of Provence and Anjou, namely for the life of that count, and that he receive all the rents pertaining to the commune of said city while that count lives, except similarly for the French citizens of Arles, and that after the death of that lord count said city of Arles will recover its commune and return to possession of its community and full jurisdiction, as at the time in which it will have subjected itself to him, without prejudice to either party in possession. If indeed I cannot fulfil this, I shall persuade as best I can the citizens of Arles to give back to you for the lord count of Provence and restore full rights of your same son in the city and district [burgo] of Arles and expressly in the toll district [pedagium] that the lord R[aymond] Berengar, formerly count of Provence, received at Trouillas (?Trolia) and in full jurisdiction from the district to me and the other lords of the district, which we hold in fief from said lord Charles your son, and all other suitable rights to you for said count that same your son for his wife in the city and the district, the castle of Auricula, Cravo, and Camargis. If I am not able to fulfil this at your command given to me by word or letters patent, I shall leave said cities and their rule, and not adhere to them openly or covertly in help, counsel, or favor. Rather if you so order, I shall make war on them, or forbid the use of my land and all communication and commerce, as it please you to command me, nor shall I have peace with them without permission from you or your said sons the counts, as long as it please you or them, and I shall do this in good faith with all my strength and I shall fulfil it within the month of this Easter. For fulfilling and faithfully observing which, having touched the holy Gospels, and sworn bodily oath, I give in return to you and through you your said sons the counts, all that I hold from them in fief, which having done, if I should contravene and, havaing been admonished, not amend within a month, they might fall on them fully committed, to be occupied by you or by them with proper authority justly and freely. Should the aforesaid time lapse, however, within which I should do this, I shall hand over to you, or whomever you charge, my son as hostage to be held in your name as long as it please you, and until you, lady queen, should receive me in your grace and having received my son, write and send letters to your lord sons, containing prayers and counsel that they give me back their love and favor, and send me their letters patent over this, so I shall yet keep faith to you and them as I promise. For I promise and shall do this intending that because of this your said sons put aside all rancor and offense from me and receive me in their favor, and that my rights in the city of Arles and outside are saved for me under them. In testimony of which thing I hand over the present letters to you, having fortified them with the appending of my seal. Enacted in the 1249th year of the Lord on the first day of March.

Original letter:

Ego Barrallus dominus Baucii, non coactus set mera & spontanea voluntate mea, promitto vobis domine Blanche, Dei gratia serenissime Francorum regine,quod ego bona fide procurabo & faciam toto posse, quod civitas Avinionensis subitiet se domino Alfonso, comiti Tholose & Pictavie, ad vitam ipsius domini comitis, & quod omnes redditus ad commune dicte civitatis pertinentes percipiat, dum vixerit idem comes, salvis tamen civibus suis franquesiis, & quod post mortem ejusdem domini comitis dicta civitas commune suum recuperet & in illam possessionem sue communitatis & plene jurisdictionis redeat, in qua erit tempore quo se illi subitiet, sine prejuditio tamen partis utriusque & etiam domini comitis Provincie in proprietate. Promitto etiam vobis me bona fide procuraturum & toto posse facturum, quod in eumdem modum civitas Arelatensis se subitiet domino Carolo, comiti Provintie & Andegavensi, scilicet ad vitam ejusdem comitis, & quod omnes redditus ad commune dicte civitatis pertinentes percipiat, dum vixerit idem comes, salvis similiter civibus Arelatensibus suis franquesiis, & quod post mortem ejusdem domini comitis dicta civitas Arelatensis commune suum recuperet & in possessione sue communitatis & plene jurisdictionis redeat, in qua erit tempore quo se illi subitiet, sine prejuditio tamen utriusque partis in proprietate. Si vero ista complere non possem, inducam toto posse Arelatenses cives, quod vobis pro domino comite Provintie reddent & restituent jura integra ejusdem filii vestri in civitate & burgo Arelatensi, & nominatim in civitate pedagium, quod dominus R. Berengarii, quondam comes Provintie, percipiebat ad Troliam, & in burgo plenam jurisditionem mihi & aliis dominis burgi, qui a dicto domino Carolo filio vestro ea tenemus in feodum, & vobis pro dicto comite omnia alia jura eidem filio vestro pro uxore sua competentia in civitate & burgo, castro Auricule, Crauo, & Camargis. Quod si hec adimplere non possem ad vestrum mandatum, verbo vel litteris patentibus mihi faciendum, deseram dictas civitates & regimen earumdem, nec palam vel occulta eis adherebo in auxilio, consilio vel favore. lmmo si mandaveritis, eis guerram faciam, vel usus terre mee & omnem communionem et commercium interdicam, prout vobis mandare placuerit nec sine vestra vel filiorum vestrorum comitum predictorum licencia cum eis pacem habebo, quamdiu vobis vel ipsis placuerit, &c hec faciam bona fide meis viribus & complebo infra mensem Pasche nunc instantis. Pro quibus complendis & fideliter observandis, tactis sacrosanctis Evangeliis, corporale prestiti juramentum, & do in regressum vobis, & per vos dictis comitibus filiis vestris, omnia illa que ab eis teneo in feodum, que ipso facto, si contravenirem & monitus non emendarem infra mensem, plenarie eis incidant in commissum, a vobis vel eis auctoritate propria juste & libere occupanda. Lapso autem predicto termino, infra quem hec debeo facere, tradam vobis vel cui mandaveritis obsidem filium meum tenendum vestro nomine, quamdiu vobis placuerit, & vos, domina regina, debetis me recipere in vestra gratia & scribere & mittere, recepto filio meo, litteras dominis filiis vestris, preces & consilium continentes, quod amorem & suam gratiam mihi reddant, & super hoc suas patentes litteras mihi mittant, si tamen fidem vobis & eis servavero quam promitto. Hec enim promitto & faciam, intendens quod propter hec dicti filii vestri omnem mihi rancorem & offensam dimittant & in suam gratiam me recipiant, & jura mea in civitate Arelatensi & extra mihi sub eis sint salva. In cujus rei testimonium, presentes litteras vobis trado, sigilli mei appensione munitas. Actum anno Domini m°CC°xl° nono, prima die martii.

Historical context:

The record of promises made by Barral of Baux to the queen in favor of her sons, Alphonse of Toulouse and Charles of Anjou, whose wife at this time was Beatrice of Provence.

Printed source:

Devic and Vaissette, Histoire Generale de Languedoc (Toulouse: Privat, 1875) 8.1274-75, #418.

Date:

1250/1249, March 1