Eleanor of Provence's letter to her son King Edward I, year 1279

Sources:

Lettres de Rois, Reines et Autres Personnages des Cours de France et d'Angleterre, edited by M. Champollion-Figeac, 1839, via

https://epistolae.ctl.columbia.edu/letter/654.html

Letters of royal and illustrious ladies of Great Britain, from the commencement of the twelfth century to the close of the reign of Queen Mary, volume 1, edited by Mary Anne Everett Wood, H. Colburn, London, 1846

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433075905988&view=1up&seq=82

Above: Eleanor of Provence, queen consort of England, in an 1851 lithograph by Mary Howitt.

Above: King Edward I of England.

Eleanor of Provence (born circa 1223, died June 24 or 25, 1291) was a French noblewoman who became queen consort of England as the wife of King Henry III from 1236 until his death in 1272. She served as regent of England during the absence of her husband in 1253.

Although she was completely devoted to her husband, and staunchly defended him against the rebel Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, Eleanor was very much hated by the Londoners. This was because she had brought many relatives with her to England in her retinue; these were known as "the Savoyards", and they were given influential positions in the government and realm. On one occasion, Eleanor's barge was attacked by angry Londoners who pelted her with stones, mud, pieces of paving, rotten eggs and vegetables.

Eleanor had five children, including the future King Edward I of England. She also was renowned for her cleverness, skill at writing poetry, and as a leader of fashion.

The letter:

Alianor, par la grace de Dieu reine d'Engleterre, à nostre cher fis Edward, par cele meisme grace roi d'Engleterre, salus et nostre benoyson. Saschiez, dos fis, que nous avons entendu que uns mariages est en fesant par entre le fis le rei de Cézille et la fille le rei d'Alemagne, et se ceste aliance se face, nos porrons bien estre destorbées du droit que nos avons en la quarte partie de Provence, laquel chose serait grant dammage à nos, et cel damage seroit nostre et vostre. Et por ce vos prioms et requeroms que vous voillés especiaument escrivre à l'avant dit roi, que, puisque Provence est tenue de l'empire et sa dignité veut que il nous en face faire droiture, veille regarder le droit ke nous avoms, et faire le nous avoir. De ceste chose vos requeroms especiaument et vos commandons à Dieu.

English translation (from source 2):

Eleanora, by God's grace queen of England, to our dear son Edward, by the same grace king of England, health and our blessing.

Know, sweet son, that we have understood that a marriage is in agitation between the son of the King of Sicily and the daughter of the King of Germany; and, if this alliance is made, we may well be disturbed in the right that we have to the fourth part of Provence, which thing would be great damage to us, and this damage would be both ours and yours. Wherefore we pray and require you, that you will specially write to the aforesaid king, that since Provence is held from the empire, and his dignity demands that he should have right done to us about it, he will regard the right that we have, and cause us to hold it. Of this thing we especially require you, and we commend you to God.