An agreement with the Count of Barcelona

Translated letter:

This is the record [of] what was done between Raymond, count of Barcelona and prince of Aragon, and lady Teresa of Boria.  Lady Teresa agreed, namely, to the said count that she would give him power over Boria and that whole honor, in anger or in peace, as many times as the count should ask by himself or by his messengers or messenger in good faith, without deception, without withholding anything, except Holy Cross.  And the lord count agreed to said lady Teresa, that he would retain her in that honor for her lifetime and, after her death, whomever she designated among her relatives, male or female, who would have and hold it through that count.  Similarly, the lord count agreed to said lady Teresa, that he would make her quit/absolved from debt with the lords of the KnightsTemplar and the lords Hospitallers until the next feast of St. Mary in the middle of August.  And if the above-named lords did not wish to appear to the lord count, the count would stand to right/law for them and  if they did not wish to accept the judgment, lady Teresa would stand to the count in said agreement.  And if the lord count could not remedy by reason or law with the named lords, that he would absolve/pay Boria to lady Teresa with her honor and that man that had made it to her; and lady Teresa that she would render to the count that honor and wealth that she received from him.

This record was made 1089 in that azuta* of Boria, on the last Thursday of April.  The observors and listeners and witnesses of this above writing are:  the count of Pallars and Bertran Reimbal and Rostan Porcellet and William of Castel Viel and Garsia Ortiz and Raimon of higher Pug and Fortunion Azenariz of Tarazona and Bernard of Mount Esquivo and Robert of Matalan and Alaman of Luna and Peter Medalia, justice of Tarazona, and Ennech Sanz of Burbacana, and Roland/Rodlan of Spiellis and Fortunio Sanz of Bera and Peter of Santa Cruce and Sancio Abarcha and Gazo of Fillera and Ato Banzones and Ennech Sanz of las Serras and Berenguer Arnal and Pere of Montagut and many others who were present.  And I, Andreo, scribe, wrote this charter and made this sign.

Original letter:

Hec est memoria que facta est inter Raimundus, comes Barchinonensis et princeps Aragonensis, et domna Teresa de Boria.  Convenit, namque, domna Teresa ad iam dictum comitem, ut donet ei potestatem de Boria et de toto alio honore, irata et pagata, per quantas vices ei comes demandaverit per se aut per suos nuntios vel nuntium per bonam fidem, sine engan, sine ullo retinimento, excepto Sancta Cruce.  Et convenit domnus comes ad iam dicta domna Teresa, que teneat eam illo honore in vita sua, et, post obitum suum, ad qualicumque dimiserit de suos parentos vel parentas que habeant et teneant eam per illo comite.  Similiter, convenit dominus comes ad predicta domna Teresa, que faciat eam soltare ad seniores Milicie Templi et seniores Ospitali usque ad festivitatem Sancte Marie de mediante augusto prima qui venit.  Et si illos supranominatos seniores noluerint advenire cum dominus comes, quod comes stet eis ad directum, et, si illos noluerint accipere directum, domna Teresa stet ad comite in supradicta convenientia.  Et si dominus comes non potuerit guarire per rationem vel directum de senioribus prenominatis, quod soltet ad domna Teresa Boria cum sua honore et illo hominio quod ei fecit; et domna Teresa que reddat ad comite ipso honore et avere que accepit de illo.  Facta memoria era MLXXXVIIII in illa azuta de Boria, die iovis postero de aprilis.  Sunt visores et auditores et testes de hoc super scriptum:  comite de Paliars et Bertran Reimbal et Rostan Porcellet et Guillelmus de Castel Viel et Garsi Ortiz et Raimon de Pug alto et Fortunio Azenaris de Tarazona et Bernard de Mont Esquivo et Robert de Matalon et Alaman de Luna et Petro Medalia, iusticia de Tarazona, et Ennech Sanz de Burbacana et Rodlan de Spiels et Fortunio Sanz de Bera et Petro de Sancta Cruce et Sancio Abarcha et Gazo de Fillera et Ato Banzones et Ennech Sanz de las Serras et Berenguer Arnal et Pere de Mont agut et multi alii qui ibi aderant.   Et ego Andreo, scriptor, hanc cartam scripsi et hoc signum feci.

Historical context:

Adam Kosto mentions this document, called a memoria or conveniencia, as an example of changes of formula under Ramon Berenguer IV (Making Agreements in medieval Catalonia, Cambridge University, 2001), 256-57.  It records the turning over of the castle of Boria/Borja to lady Teresa which her recently deceased son had conceded to the Templars and her promise to turn it back to him whenever he required it.  The related agreement with the Templars (LFM 1.21-22, #15) is a firma concordia ac spontanea diffinicio between the count and the brothers of the military order.  The Brothers of Milicie Templi Iherosolimitani on this side of the sea and overseas discharge the donation or concession which Teresa’s son, Petrus/Pedro Teresa, had made to them on the castrum of Boria and and that of Magalon with all their appurtenances and every honor that Petrus Teresa held and they absolve lady Teresa, from homage and fidelity to said brothers.  Henceforth she is not to be asked or disturbed by the brothers in perpetuity as long as said Teresa and her heirs remain faithful to the count.  Because of this decision and quittance, and in remission for his sins, the count concedes the castrum and villa of Ambel and of Albarit, and huts between Novellas and Maien, to be hereditary.  The document is signed by the count and his wife, Peronella queen of Aragon.  Lady Teresa is a witness:  Signum domne Terese, que hec laudat et propria manu confirmat.  There are some oddities of language in the Latin texts of both documents.

Scholarly notes:

* Adam Kosto notes that “al-zuda” is a common term for a fortification from the Arabic  and the castillo de Borja is also called the castillo de la Zuda.

Printed source:

Liber Feudorum Maior, I.20, #14 Borja, 30 april, 1151. 

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