A letter to Douce

Sender

Gerberga of Arles

Receiver

Douce of Gévaudan

Translated letter:

Let it be known to all men/people that I, Gerberga, countess, give you, Douce/Dulcia, my daughter, all the honor that I have or ought to have in whatever way, namely the county of Provence and Gévaudan and Carlad/Carlat and that honor which is in the county of Rouergue.  All of these came to me by right of my parents and the generosity of my husband, count Gerbert, your father.  The said honor, also, as I have and ought to have it, so I give it to you that you may have and possess it for all the days of your life without  the consent of any person, and I give it over to your rule and power by my right, so that you may do whatever pleases you therein.  If anyone should presume to disrupt this donation of mine in the future, he would not prevail, but this document would gain perennial power of restoration and settlement to all.  This was enacted on the kalends of February in the 4th year of the reign of king Louis.  Sign+ of Gerberga, countess, I who made this donation and signed it and asked the subscribed witnesses to sign.  Sign+ of Gaufred Porcelleti.  Sign+ of Bernard Bertrand.  Sign+ of Ollabert of Canillac.  Sign+ of Raymond Avirici.

Original letter:

Omnibus innotescat hominibus quod ego, Girberga, comitissa, dono tibi, Dulcie, filie mee, omnem honorem quem habeo vel habere debeo quocumque modo, comitatum, videlicet, Provincie et Gavaldanensis et Carladensis et illum honorem qui est in comitatu Rutenensi.  Que omnia advenerunt mihi voce parentum meorum et largicione viri mei Girberti, comitis, patris tui.  Prescriptum, quoque, honorem, sicut ego habeo et habere debeo, sic dono eum tibi ut habeas et possideas omnibus diebus vite tue sine blandimento alicuius persone, et de meo iure in tuo trado dominio et potestate ut facias exinde quicquid tibi placuerit.  Hanc, autem, donacionem meam si quis in crastinum disrumpere pressumpserit, nil valeat, sed reintegritatis et composicionis omnibus scriptura hec perenne robur obtineat.  Quod est actum kalendas februarii anno IIII Ledovici regis regni.  Sig+num Gerberge, comitisse, que hanc donacionem feci et firmavi testibusque subscriptis firmare rogavi.  Sig+num Gaufredi Porcelleti.  Sig+num Bernardi Bertrandi.  Sig+num Olleberti de Canilag.  Sig+num Raimundi Avirici.

Historical context:

The countess gives most of her lands and those of her deceased husband to their first daughter.

Printed source:

LIber Feudorum Maior, 2.345-46, #875.

Date:

1112, February 1

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7916/rqtc-c270

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