A letter from Louis VII (1164)

Translated letter:

Louis, by the grace of God king of the French, to his dearest illustrious lady E[rmengard] of Narbonne, greetings. As your love indicated to us through the worthy messengers, the abbot of St. Paul and Peter Raymond, there is hesitation in your area to permit judicial power to women in matters of imperial law.(1) But the custom of our kingdom is far more benign, allowing women, if the better sex is lacking, to succeed and administer their inheritance. Remember therefore that you are from our kingdom and we want you to keep the usage of our kingdom; and although you are a neighbor of the empire, do not acquiesce to its custom or laws in this. Sit therefore in judgment of cases, diligently examining matters with the zeal of him who created you a woman when he might have [made you] a man, and in his benignity gave the rule of the province of Narbonne into the hand of a woman. By our authority, no person is permitted to turn away from your jurisdiction because you are a woman. Fare well.

Original letter:

Ludovicus, Dei gratia Francorum Rex, carissimae suae illustri domine E. de Narbona salutem. Sicut nobis significavit dilectio tua per commendabiles nuncios abbatem Sancti-Pauli et Petrum-Raimundi, apud vos deciduntur negotia legis Imperatorum, in quibus cautum est ne feminis permittatur judicandi potestas. Benignior longe est consuetudo regni nostri, ubi, si melior sexus defuerit, mulieribus succedere et haereditatem administrare conceditur. Memento itaque quia de regno nostro es, et nos volumus ut regni nostri usum teneas; et quamvis imperio vicina sis, in hac parte eorum consuetudini et legibus non acquiescas. Sedeas ergo ad cognitionem causarum, diligenter negotia examinans zelo illius qui te feminam creavit, cum potuerit virum, et sua benignitate in manu feminae dedit regnum Narbonensis provinciae; et propter hoc quod femina, nostri auctoritate nulli personae liceat a tua jurisdictione declinare. Vale.

Historical context:

Louis writes after finding for Berengar, see ep.275 above, to reassure Ermengard that he recognizes and defends her authority, or as Cheyette suggests, to reverse himself, "Women, Poets and Politics in Occitania," Aristocratic Women in Medieval France, 165.

Scholarly notes:

(1) More literally: matters of imperial law are being decided in which there is caution lest the power of judging be permitted to women. Cheyette translates "Roman law is used among you to decide legal issues," Ermengard of Narbonne, 216.

Printed source:

HGF16, ep.280, p.91, which dates it 1164

Date:

1164