A letter of commitment for her fief

Translated letter:

I, Marguerite, countess of Burgundy, lady of Oisy , make known to all who will see the present letters that for that whole fief which my predecessors held from the counts of Champagne, which came to me from the death of my dearest nephew Thibaut, count of Blois, I did homage to my dearest lady Blanche, countess of Troyes, and to the dearest lord, my (blood) relative Thibaut, her son, saving the right of my dearest sister, Isabelle, lady of Amboise.  Since when I made that homage I did not have sufficient pledges with me which I could give said countess and count for its relief/redemption (rachato), I placed the whole said fief in their hands until I could give them good and sufficient pledges for having the right payment. Enacted in the year of grace 1218, in the month of May.

Original letter:

Ego Margareta comitissa Burgundie domina Oysiaci. Notum facio universis presentes litteras inspecturis quod de toto feodo illo quod de comitatibus Campanie tenuerunt predecessores mei, quod michi accidit de morte karissime nepotis mei Theob(aldi) comitis Blesensis homagium ligium feci, karissime domine mee B(lancha) comitissa Trecensis, et karissimo domino, consanguineo meo Theob(aldo) filio ejus, salvo jure karissime sororis mee, Isabelle do­mine Ambaziensis. Quia vero quando hominagium istud feci, non habebam mecum sufficientes plegios, quos dictis comitisse et comiti dare possem de rachato suo, totum feodum predictum posui in manu eorumdem, donec eis dederim bonos et sufficientes plegios de recto rachato suo habendo. Actum anno gratie M CC octavodecimo, mense mayo.

Historical context:

When Marguerite inherited Blois after the death of her nephew Thibaut VI, she did homage for it to Blanche, countess of Troyes and her son Thibaut.  Since she did not have enough pledges to guarantee her payment of relief (a kind of inheritance tax for collateral succession), she put the fief in their hands until she could make the payment.  Her sister Isabelle of Amboise wrote a similar letter (Cartulary# 162, which simply notes its existence: Eodem modo loquitur Ysabella domina Ambaziensis). The intricate financial arrangements for this fief are mentioned also in Cartulary #190 from Guy of Dampierre, and #294, from Henri of Bar-le-Duc.

Printed source:

The Cartulary of Countess Blanche of Champagne, ed. Theodore Evergates (Univ of Toronto for MMA, 2009), 167-68, #161.

Date: