1147 Medieval Manuscript Document from France Crusades Mentions crusader, hunchback knight, Jerusalem & Church Start Price USD 7,000.00 Current Price USD 7,000.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Sunday, November 30, 2008 End Time Wednesday, December 10, 2008 Location Near Independence Hall See more about '1147 Medieval Manuscript Document from France Crusades' Description A remarkable vellum manuscript in Romanesque Latin that is a description of the noblewoman Letuisa’s covenant with the convent at St. Mary of Rosoy [Rozoy], and mentioning numerous people including her named daughters, and named persons consisting of an archdeacon, a boy, a hunchback knight, a crusader (“Jerusalem soldier”), and concluding with a reference to her sons─four brothers who “set off for Jerusalem for the Lord’s sake”─at the beginning of the Second Crusade.  Rozoy, France, 1147.  A manuscript charter, in which four sons of the French noblewoman Letuisa of Milly, France, join the Crusade to Jersusalem.  A seminal document, with unmistakable pertinence to the battle for the future of the civilized world seen in today’s headlines.  In this document, inspired by Divine Command, she also gives up her fortune to the Church, and seeks out in poverty the Communities of Religious Women, choosing the Church of St. Mary at Rozoy-le-Jeune, near Courtenay in the Diocese of Sens, whose Holy Virgins accepting her.  Seriously ill with fever, she called together her sons and daughters, asking them to make donations to the Church, to which they generously agreed.  The gifts of three (or four?) of her sons, portions of the harvest from their lands, are spelled out.  Witnesses include officials of the Church, the Crusader Arnulfus (Arnulfus Ierosolomitanus) and the Hunchback Knight Stephanus (Miles Gibosus).  The charter closes, “This gift was made in the same year in which the four above-named brothers set out for Jerusalem for the sake of the Lord.”  Approximately 7” by 9”, on vellum, 23 lines in a clear Romanesque hand, in Latin.  Elaborate initial at the beginning.  Penned entirely on one side, with notations au verso.  It is from the reign of King Louis VII (1120-1180), “Louis the Young,” who conquered Charles, and himself joined the Second Crusade.  According to American Book Prices Current, only one other item from his reign has reached the market since 1986, the earliest year searched.  Minor wear and defects expected with a 12th-century original manuscript, else about Fine Condition and dramatic for display.  Medieval documents with such poignant content relating to major historic events are very rare.  Though some 850 years old, it shows the central role of Jerusalem spanning the ages – both its power and its deadly allure – continuing in headlines of today.  “The Crusaders saw themselves as trying to free the Holy Land from the rule of the Muslims.  The Crusades were a defensive act against the flourishing Muslim state, which Christians perceived as a threat to their faith and their way of life. “ (Trautman & Peterson).  By virtue of its content, and context, this is a piece worthy of the finest collection or museum.  It is unlikely that the brothers ever returned home.  THE LATIN:  “Quoniam de relatione digni sunt bona agunt.  Accidit/ ut quedam matrona nobilis nominee Letuisa nutu/divino ammonita divicias spernens pauperitate/ambiens ecclesias religiosarum circumquaque sui contemplans/in qua melius obsequium deo impenderetur ecclesiam sancta Mariae de/roseto maxime omnibus per ceteris elegit.  & sanctas virgins ibidem deo/servientes in sorores accepit.  Haec vero dum in febrium fatigaretur/filijs filiabusque inuno convocatis rogat ut supradictam ecclesiam/suis velint dicari munerbus.  Ipsi & enim benigne annuentes/precibus dilecte matris sicut voluit dederunt.  Buroardus/& Guilelmus modium an none medietatem frumenti.  & medietatem siliginis per singulos annos  Buroardus dedit dimidium modium asserres.  Guilelmus alterum Dimidium modium frumenti ad mainbertviler.  Hoc donum laudaverunt tres filij/ejus.  Symon filius ejus archidiaconus.  Henricus.  Paganus.  Et Quattuor lilie eius.  Agnes Commitissa Mathildis.  Florentia.  Huic/dono inter fuerunt hi testes idonei.  Symon archidiaconus.  Teobaldus./ Almaricus puer.  Eraldus.  Nicholaus.  Hugo filius suus.  Rainbaldus (Rambaldus) praepositus.  Rainaldus aculeus.  Adam pelletarius.  Arnulfus iero/solimitanus.  Stephanus miles gibosus.  Odo clericus Constantinus/sacerdos.  Dominus Gualterius capellanus.  Hoc donum factum anno quo ipsi quattuor fraters supradicti iherosolimam pro domino petierunt.  [signed] Hec carta Letuydis milliacensis.”  MODERN ENGLISH TRANSLATION:  “Those who do good works are worthy of being commemorated.  It happened that a certain noble matron named Letuisa, guided by divine command, gave up her wealth and sought all around in poverty churches of religious women, contemplating how she could better devote her obedience to God.  And she chose the church of St. Mary of Rosoy [Rozoy] before all others, and received the holy virgins who served God there as her sisters.  While she was seriously ill with fever she called her sons and daughters together, and asked them to donate to the above-mentioned church some of their wealth and gift.  They generously agreed, and gave according to the prayers of their beloved mother.  Buroardus & Guilelmus yearly a measure of the best grain of the harvest, and a measure of the sown white wheat.  Guilelmus gave another half measure of grain to Mainbertviler.  Theses gifts were praised by her three sons:  her son Symon, the archdeacon, Henricus (and) Paganus, and her four daughters Agnes, Comitissa, Mathildis, (and) Florentia.  To this gift the following bore suitable witness:  Symon, the Archdeacon, Theobaldus, the boy Amalricus, Ernaldus, Nicholaus, and his son Hugo; Rainbaldus, the praepositus, Rainaldus the Aculeus, Adam the pelletarius, Arnulfus of Jerusalem, Stephanus the Hunchback knight, Odo clericus, Constantin the priest, Master Gualterius, cappelanus.  This gift was made in the same year in which the four above-mentioned brothers set out for Jerusalem for the sake of the Lord.  This [flourish] is a document of Letuisa of Milly.”  The last time this manuscript sold for auction years ago in New York a few years ago, it brought over 10,000 US.  The winning bidder will receive information about the history of this manuscript on the market going back to the 1970 era.  Postage and insurance will be calculated according to price realized and the buyer’s country. 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