A letter from Beatrice of Savoy (1263)

Translated letter:

In the year of the lord 1263, 8th kalends of September in the 5th indiction, in the presence of the undersigned witnesses, we Beatrice, widow of lord Raymond Berengar, count of Provence of renowned memory, make known to all who will see the present letters that we, in full knowledge and intent freely give, cede and concede by donation irrevocable among the living to the venerable father in Christ Philip, by the grace of God elected primate of the Lyons church as my deserving and dearest brother, with all rights and actions pertaining to us in the county of Savoy and our whole inheritance from the succession formerly of our dearest mother and from the succession of lord William of good memory our brother the bishop-elect of Valence, and from the donation of our said mother made to us from said succession and whatever other succession, and all the rights and actions that could or ought to fall to us in any way from causes and means of the aforesaid by right of succession, of donation, and of concession we transfer totally to our brother Philip, bishop-elect of Lyons, retaining no right or action over this. We divest ourselves of almost all aforesaid rights and actions, investing said bishop-elect of almost all and every one of the aforesaid and we make and constitute him proctor in the matter. We renounce in this act with certain knowledge any benefit and right of notification and canonic and civil right where a general renunciation is not valid and we make the donation to our said brother in presence of the religious H.(1), formerly bishop of Sisteron, in witness of which we have had our seal affixed to the present charter. We, the aforementioned bishop have had our seal affixed to the present charter at the request of said lady countess. Enacted at Lyons in the house of William of Antiac, inhabitant of Lyons, which is called the house of the Dovecot near the Saône in the room next to the street. There were called to witness this lord Guido of Bocosello, knight, master John clerk of the chapel of the lord bishop of Lyons, John of Channos. And I, Pons of Espagniac, notary of the imperial court and the count of Savoy, was present and wrote and delivered this charter at the order of the aforesaid lady countess.

Original letter:

Anno domini M CC LXIII, VIII kalendas septembris indicione quinta, in presencia testium subsciptorum, nos Beatrix, relicta inclite recordacionis domini Raymundi Berengarii, comitis Provincie, notum facimus universis presentes litteras inspecturis, quod nos, scientes, prudentes et spontanee damus, cedimus et concedimus donacione irrevocabili inter vivos venerabili in Christo patri Philippo dei gratia prime lugdunensis ecclesie electo ut bene merito et fratri meo karissimo omni jura et actiones nobis competencia et competentes in comitatu Sabaudie et tota hereditate nostra ex succesione karissime matris nostre quondam et ex successione bone memorie domini Willelmi fratris nostri electi valentiniensis et ex donacione predicte matris nostre nobis facte de dicta successione, et quelibet alia successione omniaque quidem jura et actiones quocumque modo ex causis et modis predicti ad nos poterant vel debebant obvenire jure successionis donacionis et concessionis in fratrem nostrum Philipum lugdunensem electum transferimus totaliter, nullum jus vel actionem nobis super hoc retinendo. Devestimus autem nos vel quasi de omnibus juribus et actionibus supradictis, dictum electum investientes vel quasi de universis et singulis supradictis et ipsum procuratorem facimus et constituimus in rem suam. Renunciamus autem in hoc facto ex certa scientia cuilibet insinuacionis beneficio et juridicenti generalem renunciationem non valere et omni alii juri canonico et civili hanc autem donacionem facimus dicto fratri nostro in presencia religiosi viri H. episcopi condam sistarici in cuius rei testimonium presenti carte sigillum nostrum duximus apponendum. Nos vero prefatus episcopus ad preces dicte domine comitisse presenti carte sigillum nostrum duximus apponendum. Actum est hoc Lugduni in domo Willelmi de Antiaco civi lugdunensis que dicitur domus de Columberio justa sonnam in camera justa viam. Ad hec fuerunt testes vocati et rogati dominus Guido de Bocosello, miles, magister Johannes capelli clericus domini Lugdunensis electi, Johannes de Channos. Et ego, Poncius Expagniaci, imperialis aule et comitis Sabaudie notarius interfui et hanc cartam de mandato domine comitisse predicte scripsi et tradidi.

Historical context:

Beatrice cedes all her rights to inheritance in her birth family to her youngest brother, Philip, then the elected archbishop of Lyon, who would succeed to the county of Savoy after the death of their brother Peter in 1268.

Scholarly notes:

(1)The French translation has the letter M. here.

Manuscript source:

Archivi di Stato di Torino, Principi del Sangue, Masse 1 #8.

Printed source:

Francisque Viard, Beatrice de Savoye (Lyon: L'Echo de Savoie, 1942) 125-26, document #15.

Date:

1263