A letter from Melisende, queen of Jerusalem (1156)

Translated letter:

In the name of the holy and individual Trinity of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit, amen. Let it be known to all, present and future, that I, Melisende, by the grace of God queen of Jerusalem, approve and grant the sale and purchase of the land of Hugo of Hybelino, legally made between himself and our brother canons of the Lord’s Sepulchre, namely Vuetmoamel with all its serfs and appurtenances, Dersabeth with all its serfs and appurtenances, Corteis with all its serfs and appurtenances, and all the rest, as are contained in the privilege of king Baldwin my beloved son, at the prayer and admonition of that king, and similarly of Almaric, count of Ascalon, and at the voluntary petition and request of the aforesaid Hugo, who made this sale, and his brother Baldwin, similarly at the petition of lord Amalric, patriarch of Antioch, which the aforesaid canons requested and, so that it be held more firmly, I confirm this present page with the authority of my seal. Therefore, Hugo of Hybelino sold the aforesaid to the canons of the Lord’s Sepulchre for seven thousand bezants to be possessed by hereditary right and exempt from all service and lordship or exaction, free and without contention. Witnesses of this matter are: Rainier, bishop of Sebastiens, Galfred, abbot of the Temple, Philip of Nablus and his brother Henry, Rohard of Nablus and several others. This was done in the year 1155 from the incarnation of the Lord, indicition 4. Given by the hand of Guido, clerk of the queen.

Original letter:

In nomine sancte et individue Trinitatis Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti, amen. Notum sit omnibus, tam futuris quam presentibus, quod ego Melisendis, per Dei gratiam Iherosolimorum regina, venditionem et emptionem terre Hugonis de Hibelino inter se et fratres nostros Dominici Sepulcri canonicos legitime factam, [videlicet] Vuetmoamel cum villanis et omnibus pertinentiis suis, Dersabeth cum villanis et omnibus pertinentiis suis, Corteis cum villanis et omnibus pertinentiis suis, et cetera omnia, prout privilegio regis Balduini dilecti filii mei continentur, ipsius regis prece et a[d]monitione, similiter et Almarici, Ascalonis comitis, necnon voluntaria petitione et rogatu prefati Hugonis, regis prece et et a[d]monitiione, similiter et Amalrici, Ascalonis comitis, necnon voluntaria petitione et rogatu prefati Hugonis qui hanc venditionem facit, et Balduini fratris sui, similiter et petitione domni Amalrici, patriarche Antiocheni, quem predicti canonici inde rogaverunt, laudo et concedo, et, ut firmius teneatur, hanc presentem paginam auctoritate sigilli mei confirmo. Hec igitur predicta vendidit Hugo de Hibelino cannonicis Dominici Sepulcri pro septem millibus bizanciis iure hereditario possidenda et ab omni servi[ti]o atque dominio vel exaccione soluta, libera et quieta. Huius siquidem rei testes sunt: Rainerius, Sebastiensis episcopus. Gaufridus, abbas Templi. Philippus Neapolitanus et Henricus, frater eius. Et Roardus de Neapolim, et quamplures alii. Factum est autem hoc anno ab incarnatione Domini MCLV, indictione iv. Data per manum Guidonis, regine clerici.

Historical context:

Melisende, queen of Jerusalem, ratifies a sale at the requests of king Baldwin III and Amalric, count of Ascalon, her sons, and others. The sale was registered in RRH#299, confirmed by Baldwin. There are also confirmations of the sale by Baldwin and Amalric in the Cartulaire. The village may be Wadi al Naml.

Printed source:

Roziere, Eugène de, Cartulaire de l’Eglise du St. Sepulchre (Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, 1849), 92-93, #50, RRH #313; PL 155, c.1139.

Date:

1155/56