A letter from Ermengol, count of Urgell

Translated letter:

In the name of God.  I, Ermengol, count and marquis, am the donator to you, Raymond, count, and your[his] wife Valencia, countess, and son Arnau.  By this document of my donation I give you that castrum of Biscarra with all its boundaries and appurtenances which it has today and ought to have and had in the time of Arnau Miro.  The forenamed town is in the county of Urgell and said castrum abuts:  in the east the boundaries of Taraval, in the south of Benavente or land of St. Giles, in the west in Gavete or in Lagunuas, and it rises through the territory of Jordan and Castelion up to the mountain called Alto. As much as is enclosed and surrounded by these abutments I give you the said castrum with all its boundaries and appurtenances and rights of use, and with exit and return, and meadows and pastures and woods and uncultivated lands and pastures and waters of waters (aquis aquarum) cultivated and undeveloped, completely and wholly, and it is clear that it is not permitted to you to choose another lord over said castrum, not to you or your posterity, except for me, Ermengol, or my posterity.  Which I, indeed, of my said right, hand over to your dominion and power to do whatever you will as your own allod.  And if I the donor or any other man or woman should oppose this charter of donation to break it, he could not prevail, but must pay you double with all its amelioration; and henceforth this charter will remain firm now and for all time.  Which was enacted  5 ides of September in the 19th year of the reign of king Philip.  Sign+ of Ermengol, count and marquis, who ordered this charter of donation to be written and signed it by my own hand with the sign of the cross and had witnesses sign.  Sign+ of viscount Mir.  Sign+ of Guitard Isarn.  Sign+ of William Guitard.  Sign+ of Arnau Peter.  Sign+ of William Arnau.  Sign+ of Bertrand Ato.  Sign+ of Peter Raymond. Sign+ of Mir Guerreta. Sign+ of Berengar Mir. Sign+ of Peter Roger.  Raymond, cleric, wrote this as asked and inserted letters in line 10 where it says, as your own allod, with the day and year affixed.  William, judge.

Original letter:

In nomine Dei. Ego Ermengaudus, comes et marchio, donator sum vobis, Raimundus comes et eius coniugem Valencia comitissa et filium eius Arnallum. Per hanc mee scriptura donacionis dono, namque, vobis ipsum castrum de Biscarri cum omnibus suis terminis et pertinenciis cunctis quod hodie habet vel habere debet et habebat in tempore Arnalli Mironis. Est, autem, prenominatum castrum in comitatu Urgellensi, et habet affrontaciones predictum castrum: de parte orientis in termines de castrum Taravalli, de meridie in termines de castrum Benavente vel in quallum Sancti Egidii, de occiduo in Gavete vel in Lagunuas, et ascendit per termines de castrum Iordani et de Castelione usque in montem que dicunt Alto. Quantum inter istas affrontaciones includunt et circumeunt, sic dono vobis prenominatum castrum cum omnibus suis terminis et pertinenciis et usus, et cum exio et regressio, et cum pratis et pascuis et silvis et garriciis; et pascuis et aquis aquarum, cultum et eremum, totum ab integrum, et est manifestum ita ut non liceat vobis alium seniorem eligere de supradicto castro neque ad vos, neque ad posterita vestra, nisi me, Ermengaudum, aut posterita mea. Quod, vero, predicto de meo iure in vestro trado dominio et potestate ad facere quodcumque volueritis ad vestrum proprium alodium. Quod si ego donator aut ullus homo vel femina qui contra ista carta donacionis venerit pro inrumpendum, non hoc valeat vendicare, sed componat vobis in duplo cum omni suam melioracionem; et in antea ista carta firma permaneat modo vel omnique tempore. Que est acta v idus septembris anno xviiii regis Philippi. Sig+num Ermengaudus, comes et marchio, qui ista carta donacionis scribere iussi et per signum crucis manu pro­pria eam firmavi et testes firmare feci. Sig+num Mironi vicecomitis. Sig+num Guitardi Isarni. Sig+num Guillelmi Guitardi. Sig+num Arnalli Petri. Sig+num Guillelmi Arnalli. Sig+num Bertrandi Ato­nis. Sig+num Petrus Raimundi. Sig+num. Mironi Guerreta. Sig+num Berengario Mironi. Sig+num Petrus Rodger. Raimundus, cle­ricus, rogatus scripsit et cum litteris intromissis in verso x ubi dicit ad proprium. alodium vestrum, die et annoque prefixo. Wilielmus, iudex.

Historical context:

Ermengol, count of Urgell, gives the castrum of Biscarra as allod to Raymond and Valencia.  A castrum is an administrative district including a castle, a fortification.  Arnau Mir is Valencia’s father, who became hostage for his lord Ermengol III to Raymond Berengar I of Barcelona; when Ermengol died fighting the Muslims, Arnau took over the regency of Urgell for Ermengol IV.

Translation notes:

Liber Feudorum Maior 1.70, #54.

Date: