Liber instrumentorum vicecomitalium
Encyclopedia
The Liber instrumentorum vicecomitalium (Latin
for "Book of the Instruments of the Viscounts"), sometimes called the Trencavel Cartulary (CT) or Cartulaire de Foix, is a high medieval
cartulary commissioned by the Trencavel
family. It preserves either 585 or 616–7 charter
s, the earliest of which dates to 1028 and the latest to 1214. The charters preserve a record of important feudal customs
relating to the lands of the Trencavel, namely Albi, Agde, Béziers, Carcassonne, Nîmes, and Razès, all of which—save Carcassonne, which was a county
—were viscounties, hence the cartulary's name. It is preserved in a twelfth-century manuscript, now kept with the Société Archéoogique de Montpellier, where it is MS
10.
The compilation of the Liber began probably between 1186 and 1188, under the direction of Roger II Trencavel
. It was completed in two stages and occupies 248 folios. The initial work was done by two scribes in a clear but highly abbreviate "proto-gothic documentary script", with a few decorated initials. In 1206 a few charters from the 1190s and the first years of the new century as well as some older documents from 1176–85 that were omitted in the initial compilation were added by a different scribe, using a smaller, rounder script. The final addition to the charter was a record of the surrender of Bernard Ato VI Trencavel
to Simon de Montfort
in 1214. The earliest eleventh-century charters generally concern Albi, the first Trencavel viscounty, but the majority of charters date to the mid–late twelfth century.
Of the charters 321 (55%) are oaths of fealty, 79 are "grants, recognitions, sales, mortgages" of fiefs, and 57 are convenientiae (accords). A small proportion of the oaths reference other convenientiae, but it is clear from the proportions of documents in the cartulary that "the power of the Trencavels rested on the oath."
Its organisation implies its use as an argument for Trencavel power. For example, it contains the supposed will of Roger the Old
, the founder of the house. Its contents are geographically organised, arranged so as to present Trencavel lordship as regional and territorial. This form of organistaion is mirrored in the contemporary Liber feudorum maior
(and its companion piece, the Liber feudorum Ceritaniae
) of Catalonia
and the Liber instrumentorum memorialium
of the Guilhems of Montpellier
, with which it is often compared. The Trencavel Cartulary contains no documents concerning the church, secular or monastic, and does nota ppear to have been used on a regular basis by its commissioners. It was only periodically augmented, and seems more to have been a monument to Trencavel power.
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
for "Book of the Instruments of the Viscounts"), sometimes called the Trencavel Cartulary (CT) or Cartulaire de Foix, is a high medieval
High Middle Ages
The High Middle Ages was the period of European history around the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries . The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and followed by the Late Middle Ages, which by convention end around 1500....
cartulary commissioned by the Trencavel
Trencavel
The Trencavel were an important noble family in Languedoc during the 10th through 13th centuries. The name "Trencavel," originally a nickname and later a family name, may derive from the Occitan words for "nutcracker"...
family. It preserves either 585 or 616–7 charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
s, the earliest of which dates to 1028 and the latest to 1214. The charters preserve a record of important feudal customs
Feudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
relating to the lands of the Trencavel, namely Albi, Agde, Béziers, Carcassonne, Nîmes, and Razès, all of which—save Carcassonne, which was a county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
—were viscounties, hence the cartulary's name. It is preserved in a twelfth-century manuscript, now kept with the Société Archéoogique de Montpellier, where it is MS
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
10.
The compilation of the Liber began probably between 1186 and 1188, under the direction of Roger II Trencavel
Roger II Trencavel
Roger II Trencavel was the Viscount of Carcassonne, Béziers, Razès, and Albi from 1167 or 1171 until his death. Until 1177 he used the title proconsul, usually as proconsul de Bitteris , but he abandoned the usage when he became a vassal of the Crown of Aragon...
. It was completed in two stages and occupies 248 folios. The initial work was done by two scribes in a clear but highly abbreviate "proto-gothic documentary script", with a few decorated initials. In 1206 a few charters from the 1190s and the first years of the new century as well as some older documents from 1176–85 that were omitted in the initial compilation were added by a different scribe, using a smaller, rounder script. The final addition to the charter was a record of the surrender of Bernard Ato VI Trencavel
Bernard Ato VI
Bernard Ato VI was the posthumous son and successor of Bernard Ato V, Viscount of Nîmes and Agde. He reigned from 1163 until 1214, when he surrendered his fiefs to Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester and leader of the Albigensian Crusade...
to Simon de Montfort
Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester
Simon IV de Montfort, Seigneur de Montfort-l'Amaury, 5th Earl of Leicester , also known as Simon de Montfort the elder, was a French nobleman who took part in the Fourth Crusade and was a prominent leader of the Albigensian Crusade...
in 1214. The earliest eleventh-century charters generally concern Albi, the first Trencavel viscounty, but the majority of charters date to the mid–late twelfth century.
Of the charters 321 (55%) are oaths of fealty, 79 are "grants, recognitions, sales, mortgages" of fiefs, and 57 are convenientiae (accords). A small proportion of the oaths reference other convenientiae, but it is clear from the proportions of documents in the cartulary that "the power of the Trencavels rested on the oath."
Its organisation implies its use as an argument for Trencavel power. For example, it contains the supposed will of Roger the Old
Roger I Trencavel
Roger I Trencavel was the eldest son of Bernard Ato IV, Viscount of Albi, Agde, Béziers, Carcassonne, Nîmes, and Razès. On his father's death in 1130 he inherited Albi, Carcassonne, and Razès, while his younger brother Raymond inherited Agde and Béziers and his youngest brother Bernard Ato V...
, the founder of the house. Its contents are geographically organised, arranged so as to present Trencavel lordship as regional and territorial. This form of organistaion is mirrored in the contemporary Liber feudorum maior
Liber feudorum maior
The Liber feudorum maior , originally called the Liber domini regis , is a late twelfth-century illuminated cartulary of the Crown of Aragon. It was compiled by the royal archivist Ramon de Caldes with the help of Guillem de Bassa for Alfonso II, beginning in 1192...
(and its companion piece, the Liber feudorum Ceritaniae
Liber feudorum Ceritaniae
The Liber feudorum Ceritaniae is, as its Latin title indicates, a book registering the fiefs within the counties of County of Cerdagne , which at the time included the old counties of Roussillon and Conflent, and the feudal obligations of the count and his vassals...
) of Catalonia
Principality of Catalonia
The Principality of Catalonia , is a historic territory in the northeastern Iberian Peninsula, mostly in Spain and with an adjoining portion in southern France....
and the Liber instrumentorum memorialium
Liber instrumentorum memorialium
The Liber instrumentorum memorialium is the surviving cartulary of the Lords of Montpellier, the Guilhems , and an important source for their history. It was compiled in the early thirteenth century, under the patronage of William VIII, whose lordship is extensively catalogued in it. Its earliest...
of the Guilhems of Montpellier
Lords of Montpellier
The following is a list of lords of Montpellier:* William I of Montpellier 26 November 986–1019* William II of Montpellier 1019–1025* William III of Montpellier 1025–1058* William IV of Montpellier 1058–1068* William V of Montpellier 1090–1121...
, with which it is often compared. The Trencavel Cartulary contains no documents concerning the church, secular or monastic, and does nota ppear to have been used on a regular basis by its commissioners. It was only periodically augmented, and seems more to have been a monument to Trencavel power.
Editions
- Débax, Hélène. 1993. "Le cartulaire des Trencavel (Liber instrumentorum vicecomitalium)." Les cartulaires: Actes de la table ronde organisée par l'École nationale des chartes et le G.D.R. 121 du C.N.R.S. (Paris, 5–7 décembre 1991), Olivier Guyotjeannin, Laurent Morelle, and Michel Parisse, edd. Mémoires et documents de l'École des chartes, 39 (Paris: École des Chartes), 291–99.
- Dovetto, Joseph. 1997. Cartulaire des Trencavel: analyse détaillée des 617 actes, 957–1214. Centre de recherches et d'information historiques des conférenciers de la Cité. Carcassonne, 1977. B000WXR47M.