A letter from Eleanor of Provence (1279)

Translated letter:

Eleanor, by the grace of God Queen of England, to the King of England, our dear son, greetings and our blessing. Know, sweet son, that we have thought for some time to write to the King of Germany and ask him about our case in Provence, which you know; But we have put it off until now because he was quite occupied and distant in Germany; But now we want to send our letters and entreat him over the case; For which we entreat that you grant us your letters to him and ask him to give us right and grace in the case of Provence. Greetings.

Original letter:

Alianor, par la grace Dieu, Reine d'Engleterre, au Roi d'Engleterre, nostre cher fiz, saluz & nostre beneyzon. Sachez, bieau fiz, que nous avioms pieces en pense d'escrivre au Rei d'Alemane, & requerre le por nostre besogne de Provence, la quele vos savez; Mes nous l'avoms porlogne jesque a ore, por ce ke il estoit molt enbosognez, & estoit loinz en Alemagne: Mes ore le voloms envoer noz letres, & prier le de la besogne; Par quoi nos vos prioms que vos nous graunter voz letres a li, & le voilloz prier que il nous face droiture & grace en la besogne de Provence. Saluz.

Historical context:

Eleanor and her older sister, Marguerite, queen of France attempt to enlist Edward's support for their claims in Provence against their brother-in-law, Charles of Anjou. Charles' wife, Eleanor's youngest sister, Beatrice, who died in 1267, had been her father's heir in Provence, but the other sisters had claims to parts of the land and Eleanor here asks her son to argue her claim with the emperor. Eleanor never realized her claims, but neither did she yield them, and she passed them on to the children of her son Edmund. See letters of Marguerite of Provence, Champollion-Figeac epp.150, 199, 226, 297. The letter is in French.

Printed source:

Rymer, Foedera, 2.573

Date:

1279