A letter to Oliver Bernard

Translated letter:

In the name of God.  This is the agreement made between count Raymond and countess Valencia and Oliver Bernard.  Said count commends to Oliver the castrum of Talarn and gives it to him in fief by such agreement that he hold half of that parish except what was in the domain of Raymond Mir and his mother, and what was Berengar Mir’s; and Oliver would have half of those assemblies/revenues of justice and the governance and service of those men such as Bernard William had there.  And by all these said [agreements] the above-written Oliver agreed that he would give that castrum of Talarn at the will and counsel of count Raymond every time and would make [him]warden of that fortification (balzo) of Solterra.  And moreover said Oliver agreed to count Raymond and countess Valencia that he would do this by righteous faith without deceiving them, and do this every time count Raymond or countess Valencia ordered or asked,  themselves or through messengers.  And moreover, Oliver agreed that he would make lord over that castro of Talarn the viscount or William Folc of Gallineto, and do homage in fidelity, save [what he owed] count Raymond and countess Valencia.  And by all these, Oliver agreed to count Raymond and countess Valencia that he would be their solid* man and do military service and cavalry commands for them as a man should to his higher and solid lord; and he would do fidelity and an oath according to their will.  And, if death came to count Raymond, Oliver would give power over  that castrum of Talarn and those fortifications of Solterra to countess Valencia and to Peter, her son, and make this agreement with them and an oath as he had agreed to count Raymond by righteous faith without deceiving them.  And if death came to Peter, he would make and keep this said agreement and said oath, and give power over the castro of Talarn and those fortifications (esplugas?) of Solterra to him or them, male or female, whom count Raymond designed and passed it on.  This was enacted on the 11th kalends of March in the 20th year of king Philip.  +Raymond count. +Valencia countess, we who made this agreement and signed it and had witnesses sign it.  +William Folk. +Bertran Bertran. +Raymond Bernard. +Raymond, clerk wrote it as asked on the day and year affixed.

Original letter:

In Dei nomine. Hec est conveniencia qui est facta inter Raimundo comite et Valencia comitissa et Oliverus Bernardus. Comandat iam dicto comite ad Oliver ipso castro de Talarn, et dona ad eum ipso fevo in tale conveniencia, que teneat ipsa medietate de ipsa parrochia sine hoc qui fuit indominicatura de Remon Mir et de sua matre, et sine hoc qui fuit de Berengario Mironi; et habeat Oliverus ipsa medietate de ipsos placitos et habeat amiramento et servicio de ipsos homines talem, quomodo Bernardus Guillelmus habebat ibi. Et per ista omnia iam dicta convenit Oliverus suprascriptus que donet ipso castro de Talarn ad sua voluntate et ad suum consilium de Remundo comite omni tempore, et faciat guardar ipso balzo de Sots terras. Et supra, convenit Oliverus iam dictus a Remundo comite et a Valencia comitissa que donet potes­tatem de ipso castro de Talarn et de ipso balzo de Sots terras per totas vices ad Reimundo comite et ad Valentia comitissa, et hoc faciat per directa fide sine illorum enganno, et hoc faciat per omnes vices que Reimundus comes aut Valencia comitissa demandaverint aut requisierint [[per semetipsos, aut per suos missos. Et supra, convenit Oliverius que faciat seniorem per ipso castro de Talarn ipso vicecomite aut Guilielmus Fulcus de Gallineto, et ipso hominatico faciat sua fidelitate, salva de Reimundo comite et de Valencia comitissa. Et per ista omnia iam dicta convenit Oliverus a Raimundo comite et ad Valencia comitissa que siat suum solidum et faciat ad eos hostes et cavalcadas quomodo homo debet facere ad suum meliorem et ad solidum seniorem; et faciat eis fidelitatem et sacramentum secundum illorum voluntatem. Et, si ad Reimundus comes mors venerit, sic donet Oliverus potestatem de ipso castro de Talarn et de ipsas fortezas de Sots Terras a Valencia comitissa et a Petro, suo filio, et faciat ad eos ista convenientia et sacramento, quomodo convenit a Remundo comite per directa fide sine illorum enganno. Et, si ad Petro mors venerit, sic faciat et adtendat ista convenientia iam dicta et isto sacramento iam dicto, et donet potestatem de ipso castro Talarn et de ipsas esplugas de Sots Terras ad ipso aut ad ipsos aut ad ipsas aut cui Reimundus comes dimiserit aut dubitaverit. Actum est hoc xi kalendas marci anno xx regis Philippi.  +Raimundus comes.  +Valencia comitissa, qui ha[n]c conveniencia fecimus et firmavimus et testes firmare fecimus. +Guilielmus Folg.  +Bertran Bertran.  +Remundo Bernard.  +Raimun­dus clericus rogatus scripsit die et annoque prefixo.]]

Historical context:

Agreement between the count and countess and Oliver Bernard over the castrum of Talarn and the fotification of Solterra.  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, 1.88-89, #74. 

Date: