Ada of Holland's letter to the public, year 1205

Source:

https://epistolae.ctl.columbia.edu/letter/25392.html

Above: Ada of Holland, painted by Jan Adam Kruseman.

Ada of Holland (born circa 1163, died 1205) was the daughter of Floris III, Count of Holland, and his wife, Ada of Huntington. She was the sister of Dirk VII, Count of Holland, and William I, Count of Holland.

In 1176 she married Otto I of Brandenburg, becoming Margravine of Brandenburg until his death in 1184. This was Otto's second marriage. He had been married before to Judith of Poland. Otto already had two sons from that marriage: Otto, born in 1149, who later succeeded his father as Margrave of Brandenburg; and Henry, born in 1150, who inherited the Counties of Tangermünde and Gardelegen.

Ada and Otto had a son, Albert II, who would succeed his half-brother Otto II as Margrave of Brandenburg in 1205.

After her husband's death, Ada married her own stepson, the aforementioned Otto II, but the marriage was childless.

In this letter, dated 1205, sometime in the months before her death, Ada confirms a sale of land to a church in Holland, with the consent of her birth family.

The letter:

Omnibus sancte matris ecclesie filiis, clericis et laicis, presentibus et futuris, Ada Dei gratia marchionissa de Brandebrug salutem.

Noverit universitas vestra, me volente et assensu Willelmi comitis et Florentii fratrum meorum et Ade comitisse matris mee et Ade neptis mee, vendidisse ecclesie sancte Marie de Rinesburg et Agnete abbatisse et eiusdem loci conventui duas houas terre in Pole mihi iure hereditatis pertinentes, in perpetuum habendas et possidendas iur[e] perpetuo, liberas et quietas ab omni servitio et consuetudine et exactione mihi et heredibus meis pertinente ita libere, quiete et honorifice sicut aliqua conventualis ecclesia terram aliquam liberius, quietius et honorificentius tenet et possidet.

Hec vendicio facta est anno incarnationis Domini M°CC°V° his testibus: Willelmo de Teilinge et Theodrico fratre eius, Arnoldo de Riswic et fratre eius Heinrico, Giselberto de Tilburg, Philippo de Wasnare et filio eius Theodrico, Hugone de Nortge, Florentio de Sotrewold, Theodrico de Delf et fratre eius Arnoldo, Huberto de Kerecwerf.

Ut autem hec vendicio, concessio et confirmatio in perpetuum rata habeatur in inconcussa permaneat, presentem confirmationem sigilli nostri impressione roboravimus.

English translation:

To all the children of holy mother church, clerics and laymen, present and future, Ada, by the grace of God, margravine of Brandenburg, greetings.

Let your whole community know that with my will and the consent of count William and Floris, my brothers, and countess Ada my mother, and Ada my niece, I have sold to the church of St. Mary of Rijnsburg and Agnes the abbot and the convent of that place two manors of land in Poel belonging to me by right of heredity, to hold in perpetuity and possess by perpetual right, free and immune from all service and custom and charge belonging to me and my heirs as freely, immunely, and honorably as any convent church holds and possesses any land very freely, immunely, and honorably.

This sale was made in the 1205th year from the incarnation with these witnesses: William of Theylinge and his brother Theoderic, Arnold of Riswick and his brother Henry, Giselbert of Tilburg, Philip of Wasnar and his son Theoderic, Hugo of Nortge, Floris of Zoeterwoude, Theoderic of Delft and his brother Arnold, Hubert of Kerecwerf.

That this sale, grant and confirmation may be held firm and remain untroubled, we have strengthened the present confirmation with the impression of our seal.