A letter from Louis IX, king of France (11/1256)

Translated letter:

Louis by the grace of God king of the French, greetings to all who see the present letters. We make known that since there is a dispute between our dearest mother-in-law the countess of Provence on one side and our dearest and loyal brother, Charles, count of Anjou and Provence on the other, over the fruits and revenues of the county of Provence and Forcalquier and the marchionate of Provence and the rights which are or could pertain to that countess in any way in the aforesaid lands and in whatever land belonged to Raymond Berengar of good memory, former count of Provence, husband of that countess, as well as over certain agreements between them and over arrears, which the countess said were owed to her by those agreements, and over the damages which that countess said were inflicted on her and her people and supporters by our brother and his men, and over certain donations and bequests which she said were made to her either by dower and legacy or by other causes, and especially over the 8000 silver marks and other sums of money which she sought from our brother, about which she said a part was to be paid in her life and a part after her death, finally said parties, for the sake of peace, promised on the previous matters and submitted themselves to our ruling over the previous and the following in all things (the whole) and in everything (separate items) high and low, consenting and willing that we say and enact our will on the aforesaid and whatever else pertains thereto or may pertain, promising by corporal oath that they will observe and hold our ruling, our word or judgment in whatever article, and not oppose it in any part directly or indirectly, nor instigate any opposition. We, having carefully considered these matters, with the will and assent of both parties, rule and state our judgment, that said countess quitclaim and hand over henceforth and leave in perpetuity to our said brother, to his wife and their heirs, all the aforesaid lands and every right that she has in those lands or that pertains or can pertain to her in them in any way as to possession or property, excepting the land which said countess is said to hold by concession of churches, that is Valenciole, Villedieu and St. Genisius, with the appurtenances of said churches or places depending on those churches, and excepting other movable goods or claims and debts which are owed to her in the aforesaid counties, about which said count is held to compel the debtors without making war. And she will hand over to our brother or his seneschal in Provence in the name of the count, or others whom that count deputed for it, and will assign possession of said lands, castles as well as other appurtenances to the aforesaid lands, along with the pledges and homages of the men of those lands by the next [feast of the] Purification of the blessed virgin. We enjoin said countess and say by our judgment that she quitclaim/release completely and absolve in perpetuity our brother, his wife and their heirs, from the agreements, donations, bequests, damages, arrears, and whatever else named above. We also enjoin said countess that she restore to that count our brother or his seneschal in Provence all letters and instruments whatsoever that she has, has had, and might have whether from the gaugery [chancellery?] of the king of England or from all and any others mentioned separately above by the next [feast of the] Purification of the Blessed Virgin. And if any documents on the aforesaid matters should be found afterwards, we pronounce that henceforth they are to be held nullified. We also enjoin said countess to restore the Lombards whom she seized with their money and goods to said count our brother in the term indicated. We also enjoin that countess to renounce before the bishop of Belley or his delegate the summons brought for her against our brother by apostolic authority. We also enjoin that countess to cease/refrain from offense and injury to the seneschal of Provence and other supporters and allies of our brother. At the same time, we enjoin our said brother and say by our judgment that for handing over the aforesaid, he pay that contess or her messenger every year as long as said countess lives, 6000 Tours pounds (TL) according to the following terms, namely on the octaves of the coming Purification of the Blessed Virgin 2000 TL, on the following octaves of the Ascension of the Lord, 2000 TL, and on the following octaves of the feast of all saints 2000 TL, and so on from year to year as long as said countess lives. We, however, constitute ourselves and our heir who succeeds us in the kingdom principal debtors for the payment of said money by the warrant of our said brother to that countess. We promise in good faith to pay her or her specified messenger in Paris at the Temple annually as long as that countess lives, said money at the appointed terms, and our said brother, by agreement between us, will be held to fully satisfy our seneschal at Beaucaire in our name with the aforesaid money at Beaucaire. That count our brother wished however and conceded that if it should happen that he or his heirs failed to pay said money at Beaucaire, as specified above, we could take and seize without injury as much of the goods that he holds from us as would repay what we or our said heir paid to satisfy [that debt]. And to this he obligated himself and his heirs and is held to produce letters patent from himself and his wife on said obligation. We also enjoin said count our brother to give and pay that countess or her agent beyond the mentioned sum of 6000 TL, 5000 TL at one time, on the coming octave of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin in Paris at the Temple, for the damages, arrears, agreements, donations, bequests and whatever else she might seek from our said brother or his wife or their heirs, and what pertained or might pertain to that countess in her life or after her death for whatever cause against our brother, his wife and their heirs. For the payment of said 5000 TL to be made on the octave of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin, as noted above, we as the agent of our brother constitute ourselves the principal debtor to the oftmentioned countess. We also enjoin our oftmentioned brother by our judgment to cease/refrain from all offense and injury against the knights Fulk of Puy Richard and William Artoudi and give back all their movable goods or claims and immovables which said count or his men took from them and the father of said William Artoudi in the course of this dispute. We also enjoin our brother to commit no violence or injury on William of Ravenna, citizen of Sisteron, as long as he remains loyal, provided that said William of Ravenna render the account of the stewardsip that he held for R. Berengar of good memory, count of Provence, and either render anything that he still has or our brother should pay him if said count owes something to him. And let the accounting and reckoning be made before Guido Falcodi and determined by his judgment. We also enjoin our said brother to receive the [oath of] fidelity from the knights, brothers, William and Walter of Forcalquier, and continue them in that freedom in which said countess held them. Nor should he or his court do any violence or injury to them, except for the right of that count to what the count is said to have bought from Giraud Guerso, knight, their brother, the part that he owed him from the paternal inheritance. And if said two brothers and their brother William of Pertuis wished to pay the money which said count gave for the aforesaid sale, they would be entirely quit of the claim of said count to it and said count would cede to them the right which pertains to him from said sale. If however said Giraud wishes to bring a claim against said brothers over the aforesaid, it may not be heard in the count's court, unless he paid those brothers the price he received. And if said brothers can not or will not render said money at the same time, let whichever be heard on his third [share]. We also enjoin our said brother to cease/refrain from all offense and injury against the knight Boniface of Castellana and to be a good and loyal lord to him. We also enjoin our brother to cease/refrain from offense and injury to all the men and other supporters and friends of said countess, and to be a good and loyal lord to them, and that neither he nor his court do any violence to them against justice and that he disseise and restore the things taken or seized in the course of the dispute, immovables, movables, and claims which came into the hands of said count or his men. We also will and enjoin our brother to ratify the judgments handed down by that countess or her court and other acts and contracts made in the time of her rule, nor revoke nor permit to be revoked by his court those things in so far as appropriate, except for the inheritance of that count and his heirs. We also enjoin our brother to return to Amelius of Courbain, knight, the land taken from his mother in the course of this dispute. Moreover it is enacted and consented by the oaths sworn between the count and countess that she will hand over, by the Purification to said count or his seneschal of Provence, if she have licence from the king of England to obtain which she will work in good faith within her power, the castles mentioned below pledged to that king of England as it is said for 4000 marks sterling: namely, Forcalquier, Volonce, Médis, and Oseda. And with this deliverance and settlement made to the king of England, by which said count, having made payment, is released from debt, that count is held to pay said countess or her representative, in the house of the Temple at Paris on the coming feast of St. Remigius, said 4000 marks sterling except for deduction from said 4000 marks of expenses of upkeep of those castles and revenues and rents according to the stipulations of the aforesaid loan, over which deduction said countess will stand in good faith, having made a careful investigation of it, according to what she will certify to us or our said brother by her patent letters within the term of said Purification; on the payment to be made at said place and time, if said count should be in default to said countess, we would constitute ourselves the principal debtor. It is to be known also that by the payments made by us to that countess, that count our brother will be freed of the obligation of that money and of that term or terms by which the payments are made, as it pertains to said countess and not to us. It was also agreed between us and our said brother that if that brother should default in any way in said payments, all damages and losses which we, on this occasion, should incur, our said brother will recompense us for in full, and to this he obligated himself and his heirs, all their goods or moveables and immoveables or what might be moved, wherever they should be; and on this our said brother should hand over to us his patent letters and those of his wife with their oath. Said countess, approving and agreeing to this decree and decision of ours, made the said quittances, remissions, and absolutions in our presence and accepted each and every one of the said arrangements in whatever article. Moreover our said brother, approving and agreeing to each and every said arrangement in whatever article, obligated himself and his heirs to observing the aforesaid and will do and make sure that his wife will similarly approve the arrangements, having taken a corporal oath on it. Also on the matter of the Dauphin it was agreed that on the archbishop of Vienne, named on the part of said count from the coming Easter for four years, who could bring together in peace and justice said count our brother and said Dauphin within the term; and pending said agreement, no injury would be caused by said count or his men. If either of said arbiters should die, he whose arbiter had died, could substitute another at his will in place of the dead [man]. The aforesaid countess and count promised to observe each and every arrangement, not to oppose but to fulfill them, with a corporal oath on this sworn by them; except that if said countess would not hand over said four castles of Forcalquier, Volonce, Médis, and Oseda to said count or his seneschal of Provence by the next Purification of the blessed virgin, it was agreed and consented between that countess and count that each and every above agreement would be broken and vain and [not] of better moment, nor will one remained obligated to the other because of this order or agreement, nor will our said brother be obligated to us nor will we be to that countess in any way, and the oaths and actions taken on each side by the agreement they had had between them would remain in effect between them as they had been before this agreement, and a firm truce would stand and last in every relevant case between said count and countess and their men and their supporters until the octave of the coming Easter for the whole day. In witness and protection of this thing and we have had the present letters protected by the impression of our seal. We, said count and countess, in witness and protection of the arrangements, have had our seals appended to the present letters along with the seal of his excellency lord Louis, king of the Franks. Enacted at Paris, in the one thousand two hundred fifty sixth year of the lord, in the month of November, on the Monday after All Saints.

Original letter:

Ludovicus dei gratia Francorum rex, universis presentes litteras inspecturis salutem. Notum facimus quod cum discordia esset inter karissiman socrum nostram comitissimam Provincie ex una parte et karissimum et fidelem fratrem nostrum K., Andegavie et Provincie comitem ex altera super fructibus et proventibus comitatum Provincie et Forcalquerii ac marchionatus Provincie et omni jure quod eidem comitisse competebat vel competere poterat ullo modo in terris predictis et in quacumque terra que pertinuit ad bone memorie Raymondum Berengarii, quondam comitem Provincie maritum ipsius comitisse, necnon et super quibusdam compositionibus habitis inter eos et super arreragiis, que ex eisdem compositionibus sibi deberi comitissa dicebat, ac super dampnis que ipsa comitissa ab eodem fratre nostro et hominibus suis sibi et hominibus suis et valitoribus dicebat illata, et super quibusdam donationibus et legatis quas et que dicebat sibi factas tam ratione dotalicii et legati, quam aliis de causis, et specialiter super octo milibus marcharum argenti et aliis summis pecunie quas ipsa ab eodem fratre nostro petebat, de quibus dicebat partem esse solvendam in vita sua et partem post decessum suum, tandem dicte partes, pro bono pacis, super premissis in nos compromiserunt et se supposuerunt ordinationi nostre super premissis et infrascriptis omnibus et singulis de alto et basso, consencientes et volentes quod de predictis omnibus et aliis quibuscumque que ad premissa pertinent vel possunt pertinere, nostram dicamus et faciamus voluntatem; promittentes quod ordinationem nostram, dictum nostrum seu arbitrium servabunt et tenebunt in quolibet articulo nec contra venient in aliquo per se vel per alium, nec contra procurabunt aliquod fieri, juramento corporali prestito super hoc ab eisdem. Nos autem, habito super hiis diligenti tractatu, de voluntnte et assensu partis utriusque, ordinamus et per arbitrium nostrum dicimus, quod dicta comitissa quittet et dimittat ex nunc et relinquat imperpetuum dicto fratri nostro, uxori sue et heredibus eorumdem omnes terras predictas et omne jus quod in eisdem terris habet vel sibi competit seu competere potest, quoquo modo, in eisdem quoad possessionem seu etiam proprietatem, excepta terra quam dicitur habere dicta comitissa ex concessione ecclesiarum, scilicet apud Valenciolam et Villam Dei et Sanctum Genesium, cum pertinenciis dictarum ecclesiarum sive locorum ratione dictarum ecclesiarum, et exceptis aliis bonis suis mobilibus seu se moventibus et debitis que ei debentur in supradictis comitatibus, de quibus dictus comes tenetur compellere debitores sine guerra facienda; et deliberet eidem fratri nostro vel senescallo suo Provincie, nomine ipsius comitis, vel alii quem ad hoc deputaverit idem comes, ac assignet possessionem dictarum terrarum tam castrorum quam aliorum pertinentium ad terras predictas, necnon fidelitates et homagia hominum earumdem terrarum infra Purificationem beate virginis proxime instantem. Injungimus eciam dicte comitisse et per arbitrium nostrum dicimus quod eundem fratrem nostrum, uxorem suam et heredes eorundem, de compositionibus, donationabus, legatis, dampnis, arreragiis et aliis quibuscumque supra nominatis quittet penitus imperpetuum et absolvat. Item injungimus dicte comitisse quod omnes litteras et instrumenta quecumque que ipsa habet et habuit et habere poterit, tam de guageria regis Anglie quam de omnibus aliis et singulis supradictis, restituat eidem comiti fratri nostro vel senescallo suo Provincie infra instatem Purificationem beate Virginis. Et si qua instrumenta de predictis postmodum inventa fuerint, ex nunc pronunciamus ipsa haberi pro infectis. Item injungimus dicte comitisse quod Lombardos quos cepit cum pecunia et rebus ipsorum restituat dicto comiti fratri nostro infra terminum prenotatum. Item injungimus eidem comitisse quod renunciet citationi facte pro ipsa contra eundem fratrem nostrum, auctoritate apostolica, coram episcopo Bellicensi vel subdelegato ipsius. Item injungimus eidem comitisse quod remittat offensam et injuriam senescallo Provincie et aliis valitoribus et fautoribus dicti comitis fratris nostri. Injungimus autem dicto fratri nostro et per arbitrium nostrum dicimus quod ipse, quolibet anno, quoad vixerit comitissa predicta, solvat eidem comitisse vel ejus certo nuncio pro deliberatione predictorum sex milia librarum turonensium terminis infrascriptis, videlicet in octabis instantis Purificationis beate virginis duo milia librarum turonensium, in sequentibus octabis instantis Ascensionis Domini duo milia librarum turonensium et in sequentibus octabis instantis festi omnium sanctorum duo milia libraram turonensium, et sic de anno in annum quamdiu dicta vixerit comitissa. Nos autem, constituentes nos et heredem nostrum qui nobis succedet in regno principales debitores super solutione predicte pecunie facienda de mandato dicti fratris nostri eidem comitisse, promittimus bona fide nos sibi vel suo certo nuncio solvere Parisius apud Templum annuatim quoad vixerit eadem comitissa, predictam pecuniam terminis prenotatis, et dictus frater noster, ex conventione inter nos et ipsum habita, tenetur eisdem terminis senescallo nostro Belliquadri nomine nostro apud Belliquadrum pleniarie satisfacere de pecunia supradicta. Voluit autem et concessit idem comes frater noster quod si contingeret ipsum vel heredes suos deficere in solutione dicte pecunie facienda apud Belliquadrum, sicut predictum est, quod possimus sine nos mesfacere tantum capere et saisire de bonis que tenet a nobis, quod nobis esset de hiis que nos solveremus vel heres noster predictus solveret occasione predicta plenarie satisfactum; et ad hoc obligavit se et heredes suos, et tenetur dare de dicta obligatione litteras suas patentes et uxoris sue. Injungimus eciam dicto comiti fratri nostro quod eidem comitisse vel mandato suo, ultra summam sex milium librarum turonensium que predicta est, quinque milia librarum turonensium, semel tantummodo, reddat et solvat in octabis Purificationis beate Virginis proxime venturis Parisius, apud Templum, pro dampnis, arreragiis, compositionibus, donationibus et legatis et aliis quibuscumque que ipsa petere posset ab eodem fratre nostro vel uxore sua, aut heredibus eorundem, et que eidem comitisse tam in vita sua quam post decessum suum ex quacumque causa competebant vel competere possent contra eundem fratrem nostrum, uxorem eciam suam ac heredes eorundem. Pro qua solutione dictarum quinque milium librarum turonensium facienda in octabis Purificationis beate virginis, ut supradictum est, nos de mandato ejusdem fratris nostri sepedicte comitisse principalemen nos constituimus debitorum. Item injungimus sepedicto fratri nostro per arbitrium nostrum quod Fulconi de Podio Richardo et Guillelmo Artoudi militibus, remittat omnem offensam et injuriam et reddat eisdem omnia mobilia seu se moventia et immobilia, que dictus comes vel sui ceperunt ab eisdem et patre dicti Guillelmi Artoudi occasione istius discordie. Item injungimus eidem fratri nostro quod nullam violenciam, nullam injuriam faciat Guillelmo de Ravenna, civi cistaricensi, quamdiu sibi fidelis fuerit, salvo eo quod dictus Guillelmus de Ravenna reddat racionem de bajulia quam tenuit pro bone memorie R. Berengarii, comite Provincie, et reddat reliqua, si qua penes cum remanserunt, vel frater noster ei satisfaciat si dictus comes eidem remansit in aliquo obligatus ; et reddatur super hoc ratio sive compotus coram Guidone Falcodii et ad arbitrium suum diffiniatur, Item injungimus dicto fratri nostro quod recipiat fidelitatcm a Guillelmo et Galtherio de Forcalquerio, fratribus, militibus, et in ea libertate cos teneat qua tenebat cos dicta comitissa. Nec ipse vel curia sua aliquam violenciam seu injuriam inferat eisdem, salvo tamen jure ipsius comitis super eo quod idem comes dicitur emisse a Giraudo Guerso, milite, fratre eorundem, partem que ipsum debebat contingere de heredidate paterna; ita tamen quod si dicti duo fratres et Guillelmus de Pertusio, frater eorum, voluerint solvere pecuniam quam dedit dictus comes pro emptione predicta, omnino quitti sint ab impetitione dicti comitis super hoc et dictus comes cedat eis jus quod sibi competit ex emptione predicta. Si autem dictus Giraudus vellet dictos fratres super predictis impetere, non audiatur in curia comitis, nisi ipsis fratribus solveret precium quod recepit. Et si dicti fratres non possent vel nollent insimul dictam pecuniam reddere, quilibet pro suo tercia, audiatur, Item injungimus dicto fratri nostro ut Bonefacio de Castellana, militi, remittat omnem offensam et injuriam et sit ei bonus dominus et legalis. Item injungimus eidem fratri nostro quod remissionem offense et injurie faciat omnibus hominibus et aliis valitoribus et amicis dicte comitisse, et quod sit eisdem bonus dominus et legalis, et quod nec ipse vel curia sua aliquam eis violenciam contra justiciam faciant, ac res captas sive saisitas occasione istius discordie, immobiles, mobiles et se moventes que pervenerunt ad manus dicti comitis vel suorum, desaisiat et restituat eisdem. Item volumus et injungimus eidem fratri nostro quod sententias per ipsam comitissam vel curiam suam latas et alia acta et laudationes contractuum factas tempore sui regiminis rata habeat, nec ipsa, quantum ad ipsum pertinet, aliquatenus revocet, nec per suam curiam sustineat revocari, salva tamen hereditate ipsius comitis et heredum suorum. Item injungimus eidem fratri nostro quod terram ablatem matri Amelii de Courbanis, militis, occasione istius discordie, reddat eidem. Insuper actum est et consensum per juramenta prestita inter comitem et comitissam quod ipsa deliberabit infra Purificationem predictam dicto comiti, vel senescallo suo Provincie, si possit habere licenciam regis Anglie, ad quam habendam bona fide pro posse suo laborabit castra infrascripta eidem regi Anglie, sicut dicitur, obligata pro quatuor milibus marcharum sterlingorum: videlicet Forcalquerium, Volonam, Medis et Osedam; et occasione hujusmodi delberationis et guagerie facte regi Anglie, a qua dictus comes facta solutione liberatur, tenetur idem comes solvere dicte comitisse vel ejus certo nuncio, in domo Templi, Parisius, ad instans festum Sancti Remigii, dicta quatuor milia marcharum sterlingorum; salvo tamen quod de dicta summa dictorum quatuor milium marcharum deducatur, habita ratione expansarum custodum eorundem castrorum ac proventuum et redituum eorundem secundum tenorem litterarum obligationis predicte, super qua deducione stabitur bone fidei dicte comitisse, facta per ipsam super hoc inquisitione diligenti, secundum quod nos vel predictum fratrem nostrum per suas patentes litteras certificabit infra terminum Purificationis predictum; de qua solutione facienda, predictis loco et termino, si dictus comes in ea deficeret dicte comitisse, principalem nos constituimus debitorem; sciendum est autem quod per solutiones que fient a nobis eidem comitisse, liberabitur idem comes frater noster ab obligatione illius pecunie et illius termini seu terminorum in quo vel quibus fient solutiones, quantum ad dictam comitissimam pertinet et non quantum ad nos. Actum eciam est inter nos et fratrem nostrum predictum quod si idem frater noster in aliqua vel aliquo predictarum solutionum deficeret, omnia dampna et deperdita que nos, occasione ista, incurrere contingeret, nobis dictus frater noster plenarie resarciret, et de hoc se et heredes suos, omnia bona sua mobilia et immobilia seu se movencia nobis, ubicumque fuerint, obligavit; et super hoc debet nobis tradere dictus frater noster patentes litteras suas et uxoris sue cum juramento eorundem. Dicta autem comitissa, ordinationem nostram et arbitrium nostrum laudans et approbans, quittationes, remissiones et absolutiones predictas in presentia nostra fecit, ac premissa omnia et singula in quolibet articulo acceptavit. Insuper dictus frater noster, laudans et approbans premissa omnia omnia et singula in quolibet articulo, obligavit se et heredes suos ad observanda predicta et faciet et curabit quod uxor sua premissa similiter approbabit, prestito ab eadem corporali super hoc juramento. Item de facto Dalphini compromissum est in archiepiscopum viennensem, electum ex parte dicti comitis, ab instanti pascha in annos quatuor duraturum, qui possent dictum comitem fratrem nostrum et dictum Dalphinum infra dictum terminum pace vel judicio concordare; et pendente dicto compromisso nulla injuria inferatur per dictum comitem vel per suos. Quod si alter dictorum arbitrorum decederet, ille cnjus arbiter decederet, posset alium ad voluntatem suam, loco mortui, subrogare. Predicti autem comitissa et comes omnia predicta et singula promiserunt se observare, non contra venire, sed adimplere, prestito juramento corporali super hoc ab eisdem; salvo eo quod si dicta comitissa non deliberaret predicta quatuor castra videlicet Forcalquerium, Volonam, Medis et Osedam dicto comiti vel senescallo suo Provincie infra instantem Purificationem beate virginis, actum est et consensum inter eosdem comitissam et comitem quod omnia et singula supradicta cassa sint et vana ac mellius momenti, nec unus alteri, occasione istius ordinationis seu compromissi, remaneat obligatus, nec dictus frater noster nobis nec nos eidem comitisse erimus in aliquo obligati, et jura et actiones competentia et competentes utrique parti ex conventione habita inter ipsas remaneant penes ipsos et eisdem competant sicut competebant ante factum compromissum, et sit et duret omni casu contingente firma treuga inter dictos com (item) (et comi)tissam et suos homines et valitores usque ad octabas instantis Pasche per totam diem. In hujus autem rei testimonium et munimen presentes litteras sigill (is nostri fecimua) impressione muniri. Nos autem comes et comitissa predicti in premissorum testimonium ac munimen sigilla nostra, una cum sigillo Excellentissimi domini Lud(ovici Francorum regis), presentibus litteris duximua apponenda. Actum Parisius, anno domini millesimo ducentesimo quinquagesimo sexto, mense novembris, die lune post... Omnium Sanctorum.

Historical context:

The king renders his detailed arbitration judgment in the continuing conflict between his brother Charles of Anjou and their mother-in-law, Beatrice, countess of Provence. He awards the disputed lands to Charles, but orders his brother to pay a sizeable annual sum for them, for which sum he stands surety. The French translation of this document by Viard names the count's choice for archbishop of Vienne, Barral de Baux.

Scholarly notes:

(1)The phrase in brackets is not in the Latin text as transcribed by Viard, but is in the accompanying French translation. Since it makes better sense of the passage, I have included it, assuming that the phrase is in the archival text but was omitted from the printed transcription.

Manuscript source:

Archives départementales des Bouces-du-Rhône, B.353

Printed source:

Francisque Viard, Beatrice de Savoye (Lyon: L'Echo de Savoie, 1942) 90-97, document #9.

Date:

11/1256