A letter to Richard Altemir

Translated letter:

In the name of Christ.  This is the agreement which was made between Raymond, count of Barcelona, and Almodis, countess, and Richard Altemir over the town of Tarrega.  For said count and countess entrust that town of Tarrega to said Richard.  And they give him in fief those boundaries and appurtenances of said town of Tarrega; and they give them[1] for the castellancy of said place each year 40 ounces of Barcelona gold of numbered marks, and of said 40 ounces, half be given each year at the feast of St. Peter and the other half at the feast of St. Michael.  And said count and countess give to said Richard for the workings of Tarrega between what they have already given him and have to give him, a hundred ounces of Barcelona gold of numbered marks.

And said Richard for all the above agreed to said count and countess, that he would add to that tower that is now begun in that town of Tarrega until it is a hundred palms high; and let said Richard make in said town another tower of stone and lime a hundred palms high and another hundred wide. And, moreover, let said Richard make there another two besturres [2] of fifty palms in height each, and fifty in width.  And between said towers and besturres, let said Richard make the best walls of stone and lime, whatever is suitable there.  And also said Richard agrees to said count and countess that he will establish in said town of Tarrega ten of the best horsemen, who would be attendants there.

Also, they agree among themselves, said count and countess and Richard that as much as the return on that land from said town of Tarrega increases to take care of the said horsemen who will be there, so much is deducted from said 40 ounces. 

Also, said Richard agreed to said [count and] countess that he be in homage and fidelity to them, and swear fidelity to them and be an aid to them to hold and defend every one of their honors against all men or women by direct faith without deception.  And also, said Richard agreed to said count and countess that when they send their armies to said Richard, that Richard and his son will go in said armies with ten mounted men.  And said Richard agreed to said count and countess that the aforesaid works of said town of Tarrega be done in two years from this first coming Nativity of the Lord, and he will have established there said ten mounted men by the coming feast of St. Michael.  Also said Richard agreed to said count and countess that he would swear to them that he would not refuse [their] power over said town of Tarrega, not to them nor to that son or sons to whom they had handed over said town, but give that power to them.  And the castellans, whom said Richard had placed in that said town, be men of that count and countess, and swear to them what said Richard will have sworn for said town.  And this whole be done without deception.  The agreement was made on the nones of February in the 27th year of the reign of king Henry.  Count Raymond.  Countess Almodis.  Sign+ of Richard Altemir.  Sign+ of Arnall Miro.  Sign+ of Berengar Ermemir.  Sign+ of Raymond Ermemir.

Original letter:

In Christi nomine. Hec est conveniencia que est facta inter Remundum, comitem Barchinonensem, et Almodem, comitissam, et Ricardum Altemiri de ipso castro de Tarrega. Commendant, namque, predicti comes et comitissa ad iam dictum Ricardum ipsum castrum de Tarrega. Et donant ei per fevum ipsos terminos et pertinencias de iam dicto castro de Tarrega; et donant ad eos per castlaniam de iam dicto per unumquemque annum xl uncias auri Barchinonensis de mancusis numeratis, et de predictis xl unciis sit medietas data omni, anno ad festivitatem Sancti Petri et altera medietas ad festivitatem Sancti Michaelis. Et predicti comes et comitissa pro ipsa opera de Tarrega donant ad iam dictum Ricardum, inter hoc quod iam habent ei donatum et adhuc habent ei ad dare, centum uncias auri Barchinonensis de mancusis numeritis.

Et predictus Ricardus pro his omnibus supradictis causis convenit ad predictos comitem et comitissam, ut adcrescat ipsam turrem que modo est incoata in ipso castro de Tarrega usquequo habeat centum palmos in altum; et faciat in predicto castro iam dictus Ricardus al­teram turrem de petra et cale de centum palmos in altum et de alios centum in gros. Et, insuper, iam dictus Ricardus faciat ibi alias duas besturres de quinquaginta palmos in altum unaqueque, et de quinquaginta in gros. Et inter predictas turres et besturres faciat predictus Ricardus optimos muros de petra et de cale, quales ibi conveniunt. Et iterum convenit iam dictus Ricardus ad predictos comitem et comi­tissam, ut stabiliat in predicto castro de Tarrega decem caballarios optimos, qui sint ibi statores.

Iterum, conveniunt inter se, iam dicti comes et comitissa et Ricar­dus, ut ab hinc quantum creverit ipsa expleta de ipsa terra de iam dicto castro de Tarrega ad alegrir de predictos caballarios qui ibi steterint, tantum sit minoratum de predictis xl unciis.

Iterum, convenit predictus Ricardus ad iam dictos [comitem et] comitissam, ut stet in illorum, hominatico et in illorum fidelitate, et ut iuret eis fidelitatem, et ut adiutor sit ad eos ad tenere et defendere omnem illorum honorem contra cunctos homines vel feminas per directam fidem, sine engan. Et item, convenit iam dictus Ricardus ad pre­dictos comitem et comitissam ut, quando ipsi suas misserint hostes ad predictum Ricardum, ipse Ricardus aut filius eius vadant in predictas hostes cum decem caballarios. Et iam dictus Ricardus convenit ad predictos comitem et comitissam ut supradicta opera de supradicto castro de Tarrega sit facta de isto Natale Domini primo veniente ad duos annos, et habeat ibi stabilitos iam dictos x caballarios usque ad festivitatem Sancti Michaelis prima veniente. Item, convenit predictus Ri­cardus ad iam dictos comitem et comitissam, ut iuret eis quod non devetet potestatem de iam dicto castro de Tarrega, nec ad ipsos nec ad illum filium vel filios quibus ipsi dimiserint iam dictum castrum, set donet ipsam potestatem ad illos. Et castellani, quos predictus Ricardus miserit in iam dicto castro, sint homines de ipso comite et comitissa, et iurent ad eos hoc quod predictus Ricardus iuraverit eis de iam dicto castro. Et hoc totum sit factum, sine engan. Facta conveniencia nonas februarii anno xxvii regni Henrici, regis. Reimundus, comes. Almodis, comitissa. Sig+num Ricardi Altemiri. Sig+num Arnalli Mironis. Sig+num Berengarii Ermemiri. Sig+num Raimundi Ermemiri.

Historical context:

An agreement between the count and countess and Richard Altemir over the town of Tarrega.

Scholarly notes:

Printed source:

LFM 1.180-81, #171.  

Date: