A letter from Eleanor of Provence (1280)

Translated letter:

Eleanor, by the grace of God queen of England, to our very dear son the king, greetings and our blessing. Know that my lady of France, our sister, has sent to us that in the urgent matter of Provence, which touches us and our shares of Provence, she sees clearly that there is no action, only words. She has let you know, as we understand, that she intends to act forcefully and pursue vigorously what has been denied her without reason. We would like to know what answer you make to her and pray you to send it to us so that we may be advised to answer according to your instruction. Let us know your condition and your pleasure. Dated Gillingham, 26th of August.

Original letter:

Alianor, par la grace de Diou, roine d’Angleterre, à nostre très cher fis le roi, salus et nostre benéyson. Sachés que madame de France, nostre soer, nous a mandé que endroit de la bosogne de Provence, que toche et nos de nos parties de Provence, ke elle voit bien que il n’i a fore que paroles et rien en oeuvre; laquel chose ele vos mande, si com nos entendoms, par quoi ele vée metre force et parchacer par vigor ce que li est vaée sans reson. Valentiers seussoms quel repons vos li fétes, et vos prions que vos le nos mandés, issi que nos seioms avisées à respondre par vostre aprise. Vostre estat et vostre pleisir non mandés. Donées à Gillengham, XXVI jour d’aust.

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. 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.

Manuscript source:

Lettres de Rois, Reines et Autres Personnages des Cours de France et D'Angleterre, ed. M. Champollion-Figeac (Paris: Imprimerie Royale, 1839), 1.264, ep.209.

Date:

1280