A letter from Ermengard of Narbonne, viscountess of Narbonne (1/1/1173)

Translated letter:

To her most reverend lord Louis, by grace of God most illustrious king of the French, Ermengard viscountess of Narbonne, his loyal and humble woman, greetings/good health and the magnanimity of king Charles. Since it pleased your highness, most serene lord, to send your legate, master R[alph] to visit me, your handmaid, with letters, I am grateful and thank your majesty profusely. About what you charged me, truly, that I flee the company of your enemies and persevere in love of you as I began, I want your nobility to know without doubt that I have made no pact with the enemies of your crown, nor shall I be closely associated with them. Vowing to love you with sincere affection, I shall strive to deliver up me and mine to your commands and service at the [appropriate] time and place. I desire to protect/defend the affairs of Toulouse and as necessary, I shall not resist your prayers. But if your right arm should take up the shield of your protection and rise in aid of Toulouse, I would more willingly and constantly follow behind your arms. I do not grieve alone, but all our compatriots are consumed by ineffable sadness that we see our region, on which the vigor of French kings has conferred the tokens of freedom, coming under the rule of another, to which they are little inclined, by your failure, lest I say guilt. Let it not offend your highness, dearest lord, that I presume to speak so boldly with you. The more I am a special woman of your crown, the more I suffer when I see it sink from its height. For it is not Toulouse alone but all our region from the Garonne to the Rhone, as our adversaries boast, that I feel them hastening to seize, so that, with the members reduced to servitude, the head may more easily be overthrown. Let your vigor therefore assume strength and enter our region with a strong arm to repress the boldness of your enemies and give solace to the worthy hope of your friends. It may be that prelates as well as princes of our regions who all, if they dare, want to be associated with you, will protect Toulouse with or without your presence, and strive to bring it back to its acustomed status. So I ask, and others beg as well, that you not consider the weight of expenses, since you will recover a hundred marks for one, and what is more you will exalt your name, which is now darkened amongst us. If we omit anything that should be said, you will learn it from the report of master R who knows our situation and the region’s. Fare well, may they fare well who love you.

Original letter:

Referentissimo domino Ludovico, Dei gratia Francorum Regi illustrissimo, Ermingardis Narbonensium vicecomitissa, ejus fidelis et humilis femina, salutem et Karoli Regis magnanimitatem. Quia vestrae, serenissime domine, placuit celsitudini, ut ad me ancillam suam visitandam legatum suum magistrum R. et proprias literas delegaret, pergratum habeo, et inde grates innumeras vestrae refero majestati. De hoc vero quod mihi mandastis, ut inimicorum vestrorum consortia fugerem, et in dilectione vestra sicut incoeperam perseverarem; nobilitatem vestram indubitanter tenere volo, quoniam cum coronae vestrae hostibus nec foedus inii, nec familiaritatem habitura fui: in voto gerens, ut vos sincero aflectu diligam, et me ac mea praeceptis vestris atque obsequiis pro loco et tempore exhibere studeam. Tolosae autem negotium protegere et desidero; et, cum necessarium fuerit, vestris precibus non desistam. Sed si protectionis vestrae dextera arma et scutum apprehenderit, et exsurget in adjutorium Tolosae, constantius et libentius sequar vestigia armorum vestrorum. Doleo siquidem non solum ego, sed et omnes compatriotae nostri ineffabili tabescunt moestitia, quia partes nostras, quibus Francorum Regum strenuitas insignia contulit libertatis, defectu vestro, ne dicam culpa, sub alterius dominio, ad quod minime spectant, devenire videmus. Non vestrae sit molestum altitudini, carissine domine, quia ita audacter vobiscum loqui praesumo; quia quanto coronae vestrae femina sum specialior, tanto molestius fero cum eam a status sui culmine video inclinari. Non enim ad solam Tolosam, sed ad omnes partes nostras a Garona usque Rodanum, sicut adversariorum vestrorum est jactantia, obtinendas sentio festinari, ut, membris sub servitute redactis, caput ipsum facilius queat labefactari. Assumat ergo virtutem strenuitas vestra, et in brachio forti partes nostras ingrediatur, ut et hostium vestrorum reprimatur audacia, et amicorum spes digna habeat solatia. Sicque fiet, ut tam partium nostrarum praelati quam principes, qui omnes si audeant vobis cupiunt famulari, cum vestra praesentia et sine ea Tolosam tueantur, et in statum solitum studeant reformare. Rogo itaque, et pro eodem supplicant caeteri, ut ad expensarum gravamen non respiciatis, quia pro una marcha centum recuperabitis, et insuper nomen vestrum, quod apud nos obscuratum est, apud omnes exaltabitis. Si qua de his quae dicenda sunt praetermittimus, ea magistri R. qui esse nostrum et nostrarum partium novit, relatione addiscetis. Valete, valeant qui vos amant.

Historical context:

Ermengard attempts to rouse Louis to withstand political and military moves of the English king, Henry II, in southern France. She wants Louis to come in person — his presence in Toulouse had been a factor in Henry’s failure (or unwillingness) to take the city in an earlier campaign. Henry had remote claims to Toulouse through his wife Eleanor, but Toulouse was connected to the French crown and Louis was technically Henry’s overlord. After an abortive campaign in 1159, Henry made no direct move, though he continued to threaten Toulouse. Count Raymond, who had been married to Louis’s sister Constance (a marriage annulled in 1166) negotiated with Henry and did homage to him for Toulouse in early 1173. In the early 1170’s, Henry was having problems with his son Henry (married to Louis’s daughter, Margaret) about land and was warned by Raymond of Toulouse about a plot involving Louis and Henry’s sons and wife (see W.L.Warren, Henry II [Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California, 1973], 117-18).

Printed source:

HGF16 ep.472, p.158-59, which dates it 1173

Date:

1/1/1173