A letter from Eleanor of Provence (1264)

Translated letter:

E[leanor], by the grace of God queen of England, lady of Ireland, duchess of Acquitaine, to the most serene man lord Alphonse, son of the king of France, count of Poitiers, greetings and a will ready to please. We believe it is not unknown to your serenity how much we lack the help of our friends in these times, because of the adverse and unexpected event that happened to us among the English. Whence when we send our special messengers to La Rochelle to seek and get ships, we request and ask your nobility, in which we trust without any doubt, that you make known to your bailiffs in those parts that they should make known to the masters and commanders of ships that they receive our messengers in a friendly and favorable way, and show themselves so courteous to said messengers in piloting the ships or other help necessary to us, acting if it please [you] so that we and ours who are yours be perpetually obliged to you. Dated Paris, 24th of July, in the 48th year of the reign of king Henry our lord.

Original letter:

A., Dei gratia regina Anglie, domina Hybernie, ducissa Aquitanie, serenissimo viro domino Alfonso, filio regis Francie, comiti Pictavie, salutem et paratam ad beneplacita voluntatem. Serenitatem vestram credimus non latere quantum istis temporibus amicorum nostrorum egemus auxilio, propter adversum et inopinatum casum qui nobis contigit inpartibus Anglicanis. Unde cum pro querendis navibus et habendis apud Ruppellam nostros speciales nuncios destinemus, nobilitatem vestram, de qua indubitanter confidimus, requirimus et rogamus quatinus in partibus illis vestris significetis ballivis quod magistris et rectoribus navium significent quod nuncios nostros favorabiliter recipiant et benigne, et in conductione navium sive alio subsidio nobis neccessario dictis nunciis se exhibeant curiales, tantum inde, si placeat, facientes quod nos et nostri qui sumus vestri vobis perpetualiter obligemur. Datum Parisius, XXIIII die julii, anno regni regis H. domini nostri XLVIII.

Historical context:

Having raised a land force to support her husband and son in England, Eleanor still needed ships. Since Alphonse had refused to seize English ships, she asks him in this letter only to encourage captains and sailors to receive her messengers favorably. Meanwhile, she had English ships seized in Gascony which she controlled. 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.

Printed source:

Correspondance Administrative d'Alfonse de Poitiers, ed. Auguste Molinier (Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, 1894), Collection de Documents inédits sur l'Histoire de France, 2.547, ep.2025

Date:

1264