A letter from Blanche of Navarre, Countess of Champagne (August, 1214)

Translated letter:

I, Blanche, countess palatine of Troyes, make known to all who will see the present letters that my dearest lord Philip, king of France, at my prayer, received my dearest son Thibaut, count of Champagne, as his liege man for the whole county of Champagne and Brie, as the predecessors of my son had held it from the lord king and his predecessors, except for agreements between the lord king and myself as contained in charters mutually agreed/composed, and except also for my dower and the custody of my son for the county of Champagne and Brie, which I should hold until my son reaches the age of twenty-one. Truly, said count my son in the pledge which he made to the lord king, granted that he will not leave my bailey except through me and my will, until he is twenty one; and the lord king conceded at my son’s prayer that he would have him held so to me. Enacted in the year of grace 1214, in the month of August.

Original letter:

Ego, Blancha, comitissa Trecensis palatina, notum facio universis presentes litteras inspecturis, quod karissimus dominus meus Ph[ilippus], Francie rex, ad preces meas karissimum filium meum Theobaldum, comitem Campanie, recepit in hominem suum ligium de toto comitatu Campanie et Brie, sicut predecessores filii mei illum tenuerunt de domino rege et de predecessoribus suis, salvis quidem conventionibus que sunt inter dominum regem et me, sicut contenetur in cartis hinc inde confectis, salvo etiam dotalicio meo, et salvo ballio filii mei de comitatu Campanie et Brie, quod debeo tenere donec filius meus habeat viginti unum annos. Dictus vero comes filius meus, in ea fidelitate quam fecit domino regi, creantavit quod de ballio meo non exibit nisi per me et de voluntate mea, donec habeat viginti unum annos; et dominus rex, ad preces filii mei, concessit quod ita mihi teneri faciet. Actum anno gratie millesimo ducentesimo quartodecimo, mense augusto.

Historical context:

Blanche records the terms of the king’s acceptance of her son’s hommage, retaining her bailey until his coming of age.

Manuscript source:

Archives nationales, J 199, #13.

Printed source:

Documents relatifs au Comté de Champagne et de Brie, 1172-1361, ed. Auguste Longnon (Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, 1901) v.1 Les Fiefs, 472, ep.12; also in Evergates, Cartulary, 411-21, #452.

Date:

August, 1214