A letter from Eleanor of Provence (1264)

Translated letter:

To the renowned man, A[lphonse], son of the illustrious king of France [Louis VIII], the count of Poitiers and Toulouse, E[leanor], by the grace of God queen of England, lady of Ireland and duchess of Aquitaine, greetings and affection of sincere love. We do not doubt that the iniquity and treason of certain barons of England who strive to disinherit our lord the king of England and his children by open war has reached your hearing and knowledge. We firmly believe that your goodness and magnanimity could not help but be compassionate and scandalized if you knew that such things were attempted against any king or prince, let alone our lord king to whom blood and special ties of love bind him to you and you similarly to him. Therefore we confidently and assiduously ask your nobility and love for that mentioned lord our king and for us and our children, that you have all the ships of the English that are found in your land and jurisdiction during the said war stopped and detained, so that the enemies of our lord king, who trust in a multitude of ships, may seriously lack ships and be deluded in their iniquitous hope, and the help which is prepared for our lord on this side of the sea [continental Europe] may abound by sea. Certainly among the best ways of helping our lord king, one of the best is the foresaid detaining of ships. For the cause is such and so great that said detaining can be accomplishing without divine offense, since our mentioned lord king is lord and prince of all the English, and all things belong to the prince when there is urgent need. Write back to us on this and [make known] the pleasure of your will in other things through the bearer of the presents. Dated at Poissy, 7th of May, in the 48th year of the reign of our lord king Henry.

Original letter:

Inclito viro A., illustris regis Francie filio, comiti Pictavie et Tholose, A., Dei gratia regina Anglie, domina Ybernie, ducissa Aquitanie, salutem et sincere dilectionis affectum. Iniquitatem et prodicionem quorumdam baronum Anglie qui per vivam guerram dominum nostrum regem Anglie illustrem et liberos ejus exheredare nituntur,ad audienciam vestram et scienciam venisse minime dubitamus, credentes firmiter quod si talia in quemcumque regem vel principem, nedum in dominum nostrum regem quem idem sanguis et speciales cause dilectionis vobis jungunt, et vos ei similiter vice versa, sciretis talia attemptari, vestra bonitas et magnanimitas non compati vel non scandalizari non possent. Ideoque nobilitatem vestram et dilectionem pro memorato domino nostro rege ac nobis et liberis nostris confidenter et attente rogamus quatinus omnes naves Anglicorum, que in terra et districtu vestro invenientur, durante guerra predicta, arrestari et detineri faciatis, ut per arrestacionem eandem inimici domini nostri regis, qui in multitudine navium confidunt, potissime careant navibus et sua spe fraudentur iniqua, et succursus qui de partibus cismarinis paratur pro domino nostro navigio valeat habundare. Sane inter meliores modos subveniendi domino nostro regi est unus de melioribus retencio navium supradicta. Talis siquidem et tantus est casus iste quod sine offensa divina arestacio potest fieri antedicta, cum memoratus dominus noster rex dominus sit et princeps omnium Anglicorum, et omnia sunt principis, neccessitate urgente. Super hoc rescribatis nobis et aliis per latorem presencium vestre beneplacita voluntatis. Datum apud Poissi, die septima maii, anno regni Henrici domini nostri regis XLVIII.

Historical context:

During the dissensions in England, Eleanor went to France and did her best to raise armies and a fleet to prepare an invasion in support of her husband and son in England. In her need for ships to transport the army she is gathering, Eleanor asks Alphonse to detain any British ships that are within his territory, claiming that in a national emergency the king has a right to use them. She addresses Alphonse as "son of the king of France" as an added compliment because Alphonse, unlike his brother, Louis IX, was born after Louis VIII became king, a special distinction. For Alphonse's answer see ep.2023.

Printed source:

Correspondance Administrative d'Alfonse de Poitiers, ed. Auguste Molinier (Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, 1894), Collection de Documents inédits sur l'Histoire de France, 2.545, ep.2022

Date:

1264