A letter from Marguerite of Provence (1263)

Translated letter:

Marguerite, by the grace of God queen of the French, to her dearest brother Alphonse, son of the king of the French, count of Poitiers and Toulouse, greetings and continuous increase of sincere love. We believe that you have heard enough how the barons of the kingdom of England have treated the illustrious king and queen and their children, at the false instigation of the count of Leicester, and how our most serene and dear lord king approved a day together with said barons of England to draw up a peace between the king, queen, and their children on one side, and said barons on the other, two weeks after the nativity of the blessed virgin Mary, at Boulogne. That is why we ask and request seeking that your love, from affection, by a special gift, help us with your ships and boats from La Rochelle, if it please you, so that we would have them by two weeks after the feast of St. Michael to help the king and queen of England, at their expense, if it happens that by said day peace can not be concluded between the parties. Send us your will about this by letter and with how many ships you will be able to help us by the bearer of the presents.

Original letter:

Margarita, Dei gratia Francorum regina, karissimo fratri suo Alfonso, filio regis Francorum, comiti Pictavie et Tholose, salutem et sincere dilectionis continuum incrementum. Satis vos credimus audivisse qualiter, per falsam suggestionem comitis Leycestrie, barones regni Anglie illustres regem, reginam Anglie ac eorum liberos tractaverunt, et qualiter serenissimus et karissimus dominus noster rex acceptavit diem una cum baronibus Anglie supradictis, ac (sic) tractandum de pace inter regem et reginam ac eorum natos ex una parte et barones predictos ex altera, ad quindenam instantis nativitatis beate Marie virginis, apud Boloniam supra mare. Hinc est quod dilectionem vestram ex affectu requirimus et rogamus, petentes, pro munere speciali, quatinus de vestris navibus et batellis de Rupella velitis nos juvare, si placet, ita quod illas ad quindenam instantis festi sancti Michaelis in subsidium regis et regine Anglie , ad expensas ipsorum, valeamus habere, si contingat quod ad dictam diem inter partes pax non valeat reformari, mandantes nobis super hoc litteratorie voluntatem vestram et de quot navibus juvare nos poteritis, per presencium portitorem.

Historical context:

The queen asks her brother-in-law to make ships available to support the cause of the English king and queen, her sister, in case the peace her husband, Louis IX, is trying to arrange between them and the English barons, fails, as it would. Alphonse answered that he did not have the ships at La Rochelle, see ep.2016 (547.html). The English queen also wrote to Alphonse about getting ships.

Printed source:

Correspondance Administrative d'Alfonse de Poitiers, ed. Auguste Molinier (Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, 1894), Collection de Documents indédits sur l'Histoire de France, 2.541, ep.2015

Date:

1263