A letter to and from Alphone of Toulouse and Faidida

Translated letter:

In the name of the Lord.  Be it known to all, present and future, that this is the peace and agreement between Alphonse, count of Toulouse and St. Gilles, and Raymond count of Barcelona and his wife Dulcia, countess, and their sons and daughters for the disputes which they had between them over the castrum of Belcaire and of Argens and the whole territory of Argens and the whole county of all Provence.  We give up and leave, we said Raymond count of Barcelona and my wife Dulcia, countess, and our sons and daughters, to said count Alphonse, that said castrum of Belcaire and said land of Argens, with all its appurtenances, and the whole land of Provence, as it is held and contained from the river Durence to the river of Isère, with the castrum of Vallabrègues, as much as we, or men through us, have or ought to have within the said boundaries, by any judgment or authority, except half the city of Avignon and the castrum and fortifications which are there or will be and the boundaries and all the men and everything that pertains to said city in whatever way, and except half of the castrum of Ponte de Sorgia and the town and its territoy and all that is seen to pertain to said town or the castrum of Ponte de Sorgia in whatever way and except half of the castrum of Caumont, that town and its territory and everything that is seen to pertain to said town or castrum of Caumont in whatever way, and except half of that castrum of Tor and its towns and territories and everything that is seen to pertain to said castrum of Tor or its towns.   As written above, we, said Raymond count of Barcelona and my wife Dulcia, countess, and our sons and daughters, so give up and leave, release and give to said count Alphonse in faith without deception, as you, or anyone through you, can better understand to your use, with cities and castles and all the bishoprics in it and pertaining to it in whatever way, except half the city of Avignon and its castrum and fortifications and territories, similarly with the castrum of Ponte and its town and the [castrum] of Caumont and of Tor, all which things as written above we reserve faithfully to ourselves.  In the aforesaid city of Avignon or in said castris of Ponte, namely Caumont and Tor, if anyone of the aforesaid, count Alphonse, namely and Raymond for himself or his [people] on any occasion, acquired some other honor without the counsel of the other, they would hold the whole in common without payment of money or honor, which he would not make himself there without whose counsel that acquisition was made.

And I, said Alphonse, count of Toulouse, and my wife Faidida, give up and leave, release and give to you, Raymond , count of Barcelona and marquis of Provence, and to your wife Dulcia, countess, and your sons and daughters, half of that city of Avignon and its castrum and the fortifications that are there or will be, and all the men and territories and all things which pertain to said city and similarly half of that castrum of Ponte de Sorgia and of that castrum of Caumont and the town and territories and all the men and things that are seen to pertain to said castrum, the whole land of Provence, with the castrum of Mesoaga, as the river Durance is born in the mountain of Iani and goes to the Rhone river and the Rhone goes between the island of Luparia and Argens and crosses through Fourques and goes before the town of St. Gilles and crosses to the sea.   As written above, I, Alphonse, and my wife Faidida, so give up, leave, release and give to you Raymond, count of Barcelona and marquis of Provence, and to your wife Dulcia, countess, and your sons and daughters that whole aforesaid earth, as written above; [lacuna] and Durance born in the mountain of Iani and that mountain descends through the borders of Italy to that [land*] on the sea and up to the midst of the sea, so Durance goes to the Rhone and the Rhone, as was said, descends to the sea and the midst of the sea, with its cities and all its castles and all fortifications, archbishoprics, bishoprics, towns and all territories as much as can be named or numbered within said boundaries and we have and ought to have by any judgment or authority, with everything in it and pertaining to it in whatever way, as you, or anyone through you, can better understand to your use, without deception.

Of the aforesaid honors, however, which we divide between us, I, Alphonse, shall not give nor pledge nor release to anyone after my death, unless to my children whom I will have with my own wife and if I wished to make a pledge, I would take four relatives (propinquos) from you whom another person wished to lend me faithfully and we will await you for six months.  For the knights and other men who are in that honor which I gave up, released and gave to you, with every tribute being put aside, we command that they do fidelity to you, the count of Barcelona, and to your wife countess Dulcia, and to your sons and daughters, and from that fidelity which they gave to me, by the disposition of this document, I absolve them from that homage and oath.  And if I die without a child by my own wife, I give over, release and grant everything that is named above to you the aforesaid without any doubt; and Aymery may have that fief in Belcaire and in Argens through you which he ought to have through me, and Bernard of Anduze may have that fief through Aymery.   Of the aforesaid honors, which we divide between us, I, said Raymond, count of Barcelona, and Dulcia, countess, shall not give nor pledge nor leave after our death to anyone but only our children.  And if we wished to make a pledge, we would take from you four reltiaves whom another person wished to lend us faithfully, and we would await you in this, without deception, for six months.  For the knights, and the other men who are in that honor, which we gave up, released and gave to you, with every tribute being put aside, we command that they do fidelity to said count Alphonse, and we release them from that fidelity which they did to us in homage and oath, by the disposition of this document.  And if we should die without a child, the whole that is named above, we give over, release and grant to you (s), the aforesaid without any delay.  If anyone attempted to disrupt this document of agreement, surrender, release or gift, he would not prevail, but must pay all the aforesaid doubly; and the present writing would remain inviolable perennially.  Which was enacted on the 17th kalends of October in the 125th year after 1000 of the Lord’s incarnation.  Sign+ of Raymond, count.  Sign+ of Dulcia, countess, Sign+ of Alphonse, count of Toulouse. Sign+ of Faidida, wife of said Alphonse. Sign+ of Berengar, steward. Sign+ of Gaufred Procelleti.  Sign+ of William Procelleti. Sign+ of Raymond, sacristan. Sign+ of Gaufred of Mansia. Sign+ of Bertran Porcelleti. Sign+ of Hugo Fulco. Sign+ of William Fulco. Sign+ of G. Bertran. Sign+ of Bertran Albaire. Sign+ of Peter of Moreriis. Sign+ of Raymond of Barjac. Sign+ of Rostaing of Posquières. Sign+ of Rainoard of Medenas. Sign+ of William Raymond. Sign+ of Giraud of Pernas. Sign+ of William Raunes. Sign+ of Gaucelin of Claret. Sign+ of Hugo of Belcaire. Sign+ of Bernard of Anduze. Sign+ of Aymery of Narbonne. Sign+ of Alziard of Uzest. Sign+ of Raymond Giral. Sign+ of Raymond Cadel. Sign+ of William of St. Saturnine.

Original letter:

In nomine Domini.  Sit notum cunctis, presentibus atque futuris, quia hec est pax et concordia inter Ildefonsum, Tolosanum comitem et Sancti Egidii, et Raimundum, Barchinonensem comitem, et uxorem eius Dulciam, comitissam, ac filios eorum ac filias de ipsis querimoniis, quas inter se habebant de ipso castro de Belcaire et de Argencia et de toto territorio Argencie et de toto comitatu totius Provincie.  Definimus, namque, et evacuamus nos, predicti Raimundus Barchinonensis comes et uxor mea Dulcia, comitissa, et filii nostri ac filie, predicto Ildefonso, comiti, predictum castrum de Belcaire et predictam terram de Argencia, cum omnibus sibi pertinentibus, et totam terram de Provincia, sicut habetur et continetur ab ipso flumine Durencie usque ad flumen de Isera, cum ipso castro de Vallobrega, quantum infra predictos terminos habemus vel habere debemus nos, vel homines per nos, aliqua racione vel auctoritate, excepta medietate civitatis de Avinione et de castro et de fortitudinibus que ibi sunt vel erunt et de territoriis et de hominibus omnibus et de universis iis que ad predictam civitatem quocumque modo pertinent, et excepta medietate de ipso castro de Ponte de Sorgia et de ipsa villa et eius territorio et de iis omnibus que ad predictam villam vel castrum de Ponte de Sorgia quocumque modo pertinere videntur, et excepta medietate de ipso castro de Caumono, de ipsa villa et eius terri­torio et de iis omnibus que ad predictum villam vel castrum de Caumono quocumque modo pertinere videntur, et excepta medietate de ipso castro de Tor et de ipsis villis et de eorum territoriis et de iis omnibus que ad predictum castrum de Tor vel ad ipsas villas pertinere videntur. Sicut superius scriptum est, nos, predictus Raimundus, Barchinonensis comes et uxor mea Dulcia, comitissa, et filii nostri ac filie sic deffinimus et evacuamus, laxamus atque donamus predicto Ildefonso comiti per fidem, sine engan, sicut tu, aut aliquis per te, ad utilitatem tuam melius intelligere potest, cum civitatibus et castellis et episcopatibus omnibus universis in se existentibus et ad se qualicumque modo pertinentibus, excepta medie­tate ipsius civitatis de Avinione et de ipsius castro et fortitudinibus ac territoriis et similiter de ipso castro de Ponte et de ipsa villa et de ipso de Caumono et de Tor, que omnia, sicut superius scriptum est, nobis fideliter reservamus. In predicta, autem, civitate de Avinione vel in predictis castris de Ponte, scilicet, et de Caumono et de Tor si quis predictorum comitum Ildefonsi, scilicet, atque Raimundi per se aut suos, aliqua occasione, aliquid honoris adquisierint alter sine alterius consilio, communiter totum habeant sine missione peccunie vel honoris, quam ibi non faciat ipse sine cuius consilio facta fuerit adquisicio illa.

Et ego, Ildefonsus predictus, comes Tolosanus, et coniux mea Faidida diffinimus, evacuamus, laxamus atque donamus tibi, Raimundo, Barchinonensi comiti et Provincie marchioni, et uxori tue Dulcie, comitisse, et filiis ac filiabus vestris medietatein ipsius civitatis de Avinione et de ipso castro et de fortitudinibus quas ibi sunt vel erunt et de hominibus omnibus et territoriis et de his omnibus que ad predictam civitatem pertinent et similiter medietatem de ipso castro de Ponte de Sorgia et de ipsa villa et territoriis et omnibus hominibus et de iis omnibus que ad predictum cas­trum de Ponte de Sorgia pertinere videntur et medietatem de ipso castro de Caumono et de ipsa villa et territoriis et omnibus hominibus et de iis omnibus que ad predictum castrum pertinere videntur, totam terram Provincie, cum ipso castro de Mesoaga, sicut in monte Iani flumen Durencie nascitur et vadit usque in ipsum flumen Rodani et ipse Rodanus vadit inter insulam de Lupariis et Argenciam et transit per Furcas et vadit ante villam Sancti Egidii et transit usque ad ipsum mare. Sicut superius scriptum est, ego, Ildefonsus, et uxor mea Faidida sic diffinimus, evacuamus, laxamus atque donamus tibi, Raimundo, Barchinonensi comiti et Provincie marchioni, et uxori tue Dulcie, comitisse, et filiis ac filiabus vestris predictam terram totam, sicut superius scriptum est; et Durencia in monte Iani nascitur, et ipse mons per fines Italie descendit ad ipsam turbiam* in mare et usque in medium maris, ut ipsa Durencia vadit in Rodanum et ipse Rodamus, sicut dictum est, descendit in mare et usque in medium maris, cum civitatibus et castellis omnibus et fortitudinibus universis, archiepiscopatibus, episcopatibus et villis et territoriis omnibus, quantum dici vel numerari potest infra predictos terminos et nos habemus vel aliqua racione vel auctoritate habere debemus, cum universis in se existentibus et ad se qualicumque modo pertinentibus, sicut vos, vel aliqui per vos, ad vestram utilitatem melius intelligere potest per fidem, sine engan.

De predictis, autem, honoribus quos inter nos dividimus, ego, Ilde­fonsus, non dabo nec impignorabo nec post mortem meam alicui laxabo, nisi tantum infantibus meis quos de propria uxore habuerim et, si pignoracionem facere voluero, suscipiam a vobis quatuor propinquos, quos alia persona mihi prestare voluerit, et de hoc spectabo vos, sine vestro engan, per menses sex. Militibus, autem, et hominibus ceteris qui sunt in illo honore, quem vobis deffinivi, laxavi atque donavi, omni occasione postposita, mando ut vobis, predictis Barchinonensi comiti et uxori vestre Dulcie, comitisse, et filiis ac filiabus vestris, fidelitatem faciant et ab illa, quam mihi fecerunt, fidelitate, hac iudicante scriptura, de hominio et sacramento absolvo. Et si obiero sine infante de propria uxore, totum quod superius dictum est, vobis prescriptis sine omni dubitacione dimitto, laxo atque concedo; et Aimericus habeat in Belcaire et in Argencia per vos illum feudum, quod per me debet habere, et Bernardus de Andusia habeat illum feudum per Aimericum. De predictis, autem, honoribus, quos inter nos dividimus, ego, Raimundus predictus, comes Barchinonensis, et Dulcia, comitissa, non dabimus nec impignorabimus nec post mortem nostram alicui laxabimus, nisi tantum infantibus nostris. Et si impignoracionem facere voluerimus, suscipiamus a vobis quatuor propinquos, quos alia persona fideliter nobis prestare voluerit, et de hoc spectabimus vos, sine vestro enganno, per menses sex. Militibus, autem, et hominibus ceteris qui in honore illo sunt, quem vobis diffinivimus, laxavimus atque donavimus, omni occasione postposita, mandamus ut ibi, prescripto Ildefonso comiti, fidelitatem faciant, et ab illa, quam nobis fecerunt, fidelitate, hac iudicante scriptura, de hominio et sacramento absolvimus. Et si obierimus sine infante, totum, quod superius dictum est, tibi prescripto sine omni dilacione dimittimus, laxamus atque concedimus. Si quis, autem, hanc concordacionis, diffinicionis, evacuacionis sive donacionis scripturam dirrumpere tentaverit, non valeat, sed predicta omnia in duplum componat; et presens scriptura perenniter inviolabiliter maneat. Que acta est xvii calendas octobris Dominice eciam incarnacionis anno cxxv post M. <Signum+> Raimundi, comitis. Sig+num Dulcie, comitisse. Sig+num Ildefonsi, Tolosani comitis. Sig+num Faidide, predicti Ildefonsi uxoris. Sig+num Berengarii, dapiferi. Sig+num Gaufredi Porcelleti. Sig+num <Guillelmi> Porcelleti. Sig+num Raimundi, sacriste. Sig+num Gaufredi de Mansia. Sig+num Bertrandi Porcelleti. Sig+num Hugo Fulco. Sig+num Guillelmo Fulco. Sig+num G. Bertran. Sig+num Bertranni Albaire. Sig+num Petri de Moreriis. Sig+num Raimundi de Barjac. Sig+num Rostagni de Posqueriis. Sig+num Rainoardi de Medenas. Sig+num Guillelmi Raimundi. Sig+num Giraudi de Pernas. Sig+num Guillelmi Raunes. Sig+num Gaucelini de Claret. Sig+num Hugo de Belcaire. Sig+num Bernardi de Andusia. Sig+num Aimericus de Narbona. Sig+num Alziardi de Uzest. Sig+ num Raimundi Giral. Sig+num Raimundi Cadel. Sig+num Guillelmi de Sancto Saturnino.

Historical context:

Peace treaty between the count and countess and count Alphonse of Toulouse and St. Gilles and his wife Faidida.  (#896 notes that an oath was taken again in 1134, but no text is given).   They divide the territory on either side of the Durance river and the city of Avignon.  Aymery, viscount of Narbonne, would now hold Beaucaire and Argens from the counts of Toulouse rather than those of Barcelona.  There would be no alienation of lands except to each other’s progeny.  A castrum is an administrative unit with a fortification/castle at the center.

Scholarly notes:

• The text gives turbiam, but the variant terram makes better sense.

Printed source:

Liber Feudorum Maior  2.357-60, #895.  

Date: