A letter from Isabella

Sender

Amalric II, king of Jerusalem
Isabella of Jerusalem

Receiver

Public

Translated letter:

I, Americ, by the grace of God, ninth king of Jerusalem and king of Cyprus, make known to all present and future that Paul and his brother, sons of Theodoric of Sarepta, in our presence and in our court being also [in] the court of our rights, granted a certain house with its garden and all its appurtenances which the brothers of the hospital of St. Mary of the Teutons held in Tyre with its privilege from a gift of the count of good memory Henry and lady Isabella then his wife, daughter of the illustrious king Amalric1, make known to all present and future that Paul and his brother, sons of Theodoric of Sarepta, in our presence and in our court being also [in] the court of our taxes/rights, granted a certain house with its garden and all its appurtenances which the brothers of the hospital of St. Mary of the Teutons held in Tyre with its privilege from a gift of the count of good memory Henry and lady Isabella then his wife, daughter of the illustrious king Amalric, make known to all present and future that Paul and his brother, sons of Theodoric of Sarepta, in our presence and in our court being also [in] the court of our taxes/rights, granted a certain house with its garden and all its appurtenances which the brothers of the hospital of St. Mary of the Teutons held in Tyre with its privilege from a gift of the count of good memory Henry and lady Isabella then his wife, daughter of the illustrious king Amalric, to that hospital and the brothers and the sick in perpetuity and acquitted and declared it immune from all right which they sought in that house, having renounced it to those brothers, on account of which the brothers of that hospital gave to said Paul and his brother 200 besants, at our request, so that we might thence give them the privilege.  We, moreover, acquiescing to their prayers at the will and request of said Paul and his brother, grant the aforenamed house with garden and all its appurtenances to said hospital, brothers and sick, with the will and assent of said lady Isabella, my wife, venerable queen, and we confirm [it] in perpetuity so that we and our successors must guarantee that house with its garden all all its appurtenances from any claim of said Paul and his brother and all their progeny.  And if perhaps they or any of their progeny should make a complaint about said house, they would not be heard further.  So that this may be held in force, we have ordered the present charter to be protected by our seal and the subscribed witnesses.  Witnesses of this thing are Reynald of Sidon; John of Ibelin, constable of the kingdom; Baldwin of Bethsan; Vilanus of Alneto; Terricus of Teneromonte; John, royal marshal; Adam Coste; William of Petra; Aimon Daus.  This was done in this 1200th year of the lord’s incarnation in the month of August.  Given at Acre by the hand of lord Joscius, archbishop of Tyre, and chancellor of the kingdom. 

Original letter:

Ego Aymericus dei gracia rex Ierusalem nonus et rex Cipri notum facio omnibus presentibus et futuris, quod Paulus et frater suus, filii Theodorici de Sarepta, in presencia nostra et in curia nostra et eciam curia iuratorum nostrorum existentes quandam domum cum iardino et universis suis pertinenciis, quam fratres hospitalis sancte Marie Theotonicorum ex dono bone memorie comitis Henrici et domine Isabelle tunc uxoris sue, illustris regis Amalrici filie, tenebant in Tyro et exinde privilegium habebant, eidem hospitali et fra­tribus et infirmis in perpetuum concesserunt, quitaverunt et quietam clamaverunt omni iure, quod in eadem domo expetebant, eisdem fratribus renunciato, unde ob hoc fratres eiusdem hospitalis predicto Paulo et fratri suo cc bisantios sarracenatos dederunt, nos rogantes, ut exinde eis privilegium faceremus. Nos autem eorum precibus acquiescentes voluntate et peticione predicti Pauli et fratris sui prenominatam domum cum iardino et universis suis pertinenciis predicto hospitali, fratribus et infirmis, voluntate et assensu predicte domine Ysabellis uxoris mee, venerabilis regine, concedimus et confirmamus in perpetuum, ita quod nos et successores nostri ipsam domum cum iar­dino et universis suis pertinenciis ab omni calumpnia dicti Pauli et fratris sui et universe eorum progeniei debemus garantizare prescriptis fratribus. et infirmis. Et si forte ipsi vel aliquis ex eorum progenie de dicta domo deinceps querimoniam fecerint, prorsus non audiantur. Quod ut ratum habeatur, presentem cartam sigillo nostro et testibus subscripts precepimus communiri. Huius rei testes sunt Raynaldus Sydonis; Iohannes de Ybelino, regni conestabilis; Balduinus de Betsan; Vilanus de Alneto; Terricus de Tenero monte; Iohannes, regius marescalcus; Adam Coste; Willelmus de Petra; Aimon Daus. Factum est hoc anno dominice incarnationis m° cc° mense augusti. Datum Accon per manum domini Ioscii Tyrensis archiepiscopi regnique cancellarii.

Historical context:

With the consent of his wife, Amalric confirms a gift made earlier by Isabella and her then husband Henry to the hospital of St. Mary of the Teutons, the house at Tyre bought from Paul and his brother, sons of Theodoria of Sarepta. 

Printed source:

Tabulae Ordinis Theutonici:  Ex tabularii Regii Berolinensis Codice Potissimum, ed. Ernestus Strehlke (Berlin:  Weidman, 1869), 29-30, #36.

Date:

1200

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7916/4f3k-4q72

This is an archived work created in 2024 and downloaded from Columbia University Academic Commons.