A letter from Innocent IV, pope (1245)

Translated letter:

Bishop Innocent, servant of the servants of God, to his beloved daughter in Christ the noble woman countess of Provence, greetings and apostolic blessing. When the death of the count of Provence your husband of bright memory was recently announced to us, it brought bitterness and grief to our heart and moved our innards with grave distress, since we and the apostolic see held him especially among the noble men of the whole circle of earth in the bowels of charity since we believe he had the same affection and the zeal of filial reverence towards us and his holy mother the Roman church and we are certain that you are distressed by sadness that is not light and afflicted by the darts of tribulation all the more bitterly that by his loss who was a part of your body, you feel the force of grief more closely. And since it is recognized that in common danger it is necessary to recur to a common remedy, we ask and urge your nobility, advising you with the concern of paternal affection, that you consider the condition of human nature that God did not even spare his own son in this case, and accept the counsel of consolation in this instance of adversity, and having laudably grieved you put an end to your tears, particularly since the said count died in devotion to mother church as a catholic man and, as we have been assured, kindled by fervor for his own salvation received all the ecclesiastical sacraments in the throes of death. Truly it is our intent to cherish you and the aforesaid heirs of the count with the protection of the apostolic see and to be present to you and them on all occasions with the favor of paternal benevolence. In all those things which are known to concern the preservation of your and said heirs' estate, you may recur to our support without delay, whenever it seems expedient to you. Given at Lyon, 10th kalends of september, in the third year of our pontificate.

Original letter:

Innocentius episcopus servus servorum Dei dilecte in Christo filie nobili mulieri comitisse Provincie salutem et apostolicam benedictionem. Obitis clare memorie comitis Provincie viri tui nobis nuperrime nuntiatus amaritudinem et dolorem cordi nostro vehementer advexit et viscera nostra gravi perturbatione commovit, quia nos et apostolica sedes eum inter totius nobiles orbis terre specialiter gerebamus in visceribus caritatis et idem erga nos et romanam ecclesiam matrem suam affectionem habebat et zelum reverentie filialis credimus etiam et pro certo tenemus quod et tu propter hoc non levis mestitia perturbata eo acerbius affligeris tributionis aculeis, quo per amissionem ipsius que pars tui corporis erat sentis propinquius vim doloris, ceterum quia per necessarium esse dignoscitur ut in communi periculo ad commune remedium recurratur, nobilitatem tuam rogamus et hortamur, paterni tibi affectus diligentia consulentes, quatenus humanae nature conditionem considerans ut discreta quoque in casu proprio non pepercit filio suo deus, super instantis adversitatis articulo consilium consolationis assumas, et te laudabiliter miserata tuis finem fletibus iam imponas, ex eo maxime quod dictus comes in matris ecclesie devotione sicut vir catolicus obiit, et sicut pro certo didicimus omnia sacramenta ecclesiastica proprie salutis fervore succensus in extremis laborando recepit, quia vero nostre intentionis existit te ac heredes comitis prelibatis apostolice sedis presidio confovere ac in tuis et eorum opportunitatibus universis tibi et ipsis favore paterne benignitatis adesse in omnibus que ad conservandum statum suum et predictorum heredum spectare noscuntur ad nostrum [...]urras subsidium incunctanter, quoties videris expedire. Datum Lugduni X Kalendas septembris pontificatus nostri anno III.

Historical context:

The pope sends the countess of Provence a letter of consolation for the death of her husband, Raymond Berengar, with assurances of support for her and her daughter. Innocent also sent a letter to the archbishop of Vienne and the bishop of Tarentaise declaring that he had taken the countess and her possessions under his protection and exempting her from excommunication and her lands from interdict except by the papacy (Viard, #5, March 1246).

Printed source:

Francisque Viard, Beatrice de Savoye (Lyon: L'Echo de Savoie, 1942), 66-67, document #4; also in Cibrario e Promis, Documenti, sigilli e monete appartenenti alla storia della monarchia di Savoia (Torino: Stampatore reale, 1883), 148 and E. Berger, Registres d'Innocent IV.

Date:

1245