A letter from Amalric and (1160, November 30)

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 Amalric, by the grace of God count of Ascalon, with the consent and will of my lord and brother Baldwin, king of Jerusalem, equally with the approval of my lady and mother, queen Melisende, for my salvation and for the souls of all my relatives, living and dead, for the expense and also the output which they made in taking Ascalon, I give and grant and confirm to the canons of the Lord’s Sepulchre, my brothers in God now serving there and the canons who will serve in perpetuity a certain village which is called Geladia with sixteen carrucatas of land according to what was determined by my men, handed over to them, divided and marked with boundaries and limits. I also give and confirm to those canons, my colleagues/confreres a house in Ascalon and two carrucatas of land in a village which is called Baineolbederan, in exchange for a certain mahumeria which was given to them in Ascalon from the capture, which my said canons granted, donated and handed over by equal vote in their chapter and the consent of the lord patriach Amalric, all equally, to me and my successors in exchange for these two carrucatas and the aforesaid house; this mahumeria is called Cathara by the Sarracen, Viridis in Latin. I confirm equally to my said confreres four carrucatas of land which is over the river before Jaffa, as it is divided and limited by boundaries and a garden before Jaffa and adjacent vineyard, and that vineyard which was given to them in alms. I confirm to them whatever they have justly and legitimately and possess in peace and without charges in Ascalon and its territory, similarly in Jaffa and its territory. That the canons my brothers, may by previous agreement, possess all these free and clear, without contention, without exaction or burden, in perpetuity, I fortified the present charter with my seal and the subscribed witnesses. This was done in the year 1160 of the incarnation of the Lord, indiction 9. Witnesses of this matter are: Gunther, prior of Mount Sion, Aimeric, prior of Mount Olivet, Rainier chancellor, Ralph, archdeacon of Jerusalem, Simon of Osdenc, Jocelyn of Samusac, Bertram marshal, Rohard of Jaffa and his brother Barisan, Raynald of Jaffa, Gerbert, Albert, Lambert, Pilatus, William Rufus, Gilbert castellan. Given by the hand of Ralph, chancellor, 2 kalends of December

Original letter:

In nomine sancte et individue Trinitatis Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti, amen.Notum sit omnibus, tam presentibus quam futuris, quod ego Amalricus, per Dei gratiam comes Ascalonis, ex assensu et voluntate domini et fratris mei Balduini, Iherosolimorum regis, laudamento pariter domine et matris mee, regine Milisendis, pro salute mea et pro animabus omnium parentum meorum, tam vivorum quam defunctorum, pro expensa etiam et mis[s]ione, quam fecerunt ad capiendum Ascalonem, dono et concedo [et] confirmo Dominici Sepulcri canonicis et confratribus meis Deo nunc ibi servientibus et canonicis servituris in perpetuum casale quoddam, quod vocatur Geliadia, cum sexdecim carrucatis terre, iuxta quod per homines meos fuit eis tradita, divisa, terminis et metis presignata, determinata. Dono etiam et confirmo eisdem canonicis confratribusque meis unam domum in Ascalone et duas carrucatas terre in casali, quod dicitur Baineolbederan, in cambium cuiusdam mahumerie, que data fuit eis in Ascalone a captione eiusdem, quam predicti canonici mei in capitulo suo pari voto assensuque domini patriarche A[malrici] omnes equanimiter mihi et successoribus meis in commutationem harum duarum carrucatarum domusque prefate concesserunt, condonaverunt, contradiderunt; hec autem mahumeria a Sarracenis dicitur Cathara, latine vero Viridis. Confirmo pariter tociens dictis confratribus meis quatuor carrucatas terre, que est super flumen ante Ioppen, sicut divisa est et terminis metata, et gardinum unum ante Ioppen et vineam adiacentem, et vineam illam, que data fuit eis in helemosinam. Confirmo eisdem quidquid iuste et legitime habent, et in pace et sine calumpnia possident in Ascalone et territorio eius, in Ioppe et territorio eius similiter. Ut igitur hec omnia libere et quiete, solute, sine [omni] exactione ac gravamine cumcanonici et confratris mei pretaxati in perpetuum possideant, cartam presentem sigillo meo testibusque subscriptis communivi. Factum est autem hoc anno incarnationis Domini MCLX, indictione ix. Huius rei testes sunt: Gunterius, prior Montis Syon. Aimericus, prior Montis Oliveti. Rainerus, cancellarius. Radulfus, archidiaconus Iherusalem. Simon de Hosdenc. Iocelinus de Samusac. Bertram, marescaldus. Rohardus de Ioppe et frater eius, Barisanus. Raynaldus de Ioppe. Gerbertus. Albertus. Lambertus. Pilatus. Guillelmus Rufus. Gillebertus, castellanus. Data Ioppe, per manum Radulfi cancellarii, ii kalendas decembris.

Historical context:

Amalric, count of Ascalon, with the consent of his brother king Baldwin III and his mother Melisende, gives to the canons of the Holy Sepulchre for the expenses which they had in taking Ascalon, the village of Geladia, with 16 carrucatas of land a carrucata is about 35 hectars), a house in the city of Ascalon and 2 carrucatas in the villageof Baineolbederan in exchange for a certain mahumeria (site of a mosque?), which is stituated in said city and Cathara, formerly given but returned by them to the king, with other land and vineyards

Printed source:

Roziere, Eugene de, Cartulaire de l’Eglise du St. Sepulchre (Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, 1849), 115-17, #58, RRH #356.

Date:

1160, November 30