A letter to Guilamany Hug

Translated letter:

In the name of God.  This is the agreement made between count Raymond and countess Valencia and Gilaman (sic) Ugo, in which he commends that castrum of Talarn to count Raymond and countess Valencia.  And they give him in fief as his domain half of that parish except for the domain of Raymond Mir and his mother, and  that of Berengar Mir.  And by this Ginaman agrees to count Raymond and countess Valencia that he is their solid* man and will do for them military services and cavalry commands and assemblies and other services as a man should do for his solid lord.  And Ginaman would have governance in that castrum over those men and half those assemblies, except the dominion that belonged to Berengar and Raymond Mir and his mother.  And by this Ginaman would be the warden of the castrum of Talarn and the fortification (balzo) of Solterra and Ginaman would be another of the knights for this, and give fidelity to count Raymond and countess Valencia according to their will; and he would be lord for this castrum, as count Raymond commanded him.  And Ginaman agrees that he would give power over that castrum of Talarn to count Raymond and countess Valencia every time they asked or ordered it themselves or through messengers; and he would do the same with the fortifications of Solterra.  And if death should come to count Raymond, he would hold and keep this above-written  agreement with countess Valencia and her sons or daughters whom count Raymond had designated and passed it on to.  And he would swear an oath to them and give them power over that castrum of Talarn by righteous faith without deceiving them.  This agreement was done in the month of September in the 20th year of the reign of king Philip.  +Raymond count.  +Valencia countess.  +Ginaman Ugo.  +Raymond Peter. +Raymond Girbert. +Guarmon Guarmon.

Original letter:

In Dei nomine. Hec est conveniencia que est facta inter Raimundo comite et Valencia comitissa et Gilaman Ug, que comendat ad eum Raimundo comite et Valencia comitissa ipso castro de Talarn. Et donant ad eum ipso fevo apud indominicaturam ipsa medietate de ipsa parrochia sine hoc qui fuit indominicatura de Remon Mir et de sua matre, et sine hoc qui fuit de Berengario Miro. Et per hec convenit Ginaman a Reimundo comite et a Valencia comitissa que siat suum solidum, et faciat ad eos hostes et cavalcadas et placitos et cunctos servicios quomodo homo debet facere ad suum solidum seniorem. Et habeat Ginaman in ipso castro uno admiramento de ipsos homines et medietate de ipsos placitos, exceptas ipsas dominicaturas qui fuit de Berengario Miro et de Remon Mir et de sua mater. Et per hoc guardet Ginaman ipso castro de Talarn et ipso balzo de Sots terras, et siat Ginatnan si alterum de cavalleros per hoc, et faciat fidelitatem a Remundo comite et a Valencia comitissa secundum illorum voluntatem ; et faciat per ipso castro seniorem, qualem Reimundus comes ad illum mandaverit. Et con­venit Ginaman que donet potestatem de ipso castro de Talarn a Rei­mundo comite et a Valencia comitissa per totas vices que illi demandaverint aut requisierint per semetipsos aut per suos missos; et de ipsas fortezas de Sots terras faciat similiter. Et, si Reimundo comite mors venerit, sic teneat et attendat ista conveniencia suprascripta a Valencia comitissa et ad suos filios aut filias cui Reimundus comes dimiserit aut dubitaverit. Et faciat ad eos ipso Sacramento et donet ad eos potestatem de ipso castro de Talarn per directa fide sine illorum engan. Facta ista conveniencia in mense septembris anno xx regnante Philippo rege.

+Reimundo comite. +Valencia comitissa.  +Ginaman Ug.  +Remon Petro.  +Remon Girbert.  +Guarmon Guarmon.

Historical context:

Agreement between the count and countess and Guilamany Hug (Ugo) over the castrum of Talarn, for half of the parish in fief with exceptions.  The name appears as Gilaman and Ginaman in the document.  A castrum is an administrative district including a castle, a fortification.

Scholarly notes:

• Solid homage is the equivalent of liege homage, the principal obligation in a system of multiple homage, Kosto, 82, n.13. 

Printed source:

Liber Feudorum Maior,  1.86, #72.  

Date: