Ulrich II, patriarch elect of Aquileia, exchanges properties with Abbot Ulrich and the St. Gall’s Monastery of Moggio, bestowing the estate that was previously held in fief from the Patriarchate of Aquileia by a certain Vetradis, wife of Eckbert, at San Canziano and from Fiumicello to the Karst, and receiving Oprtalj in Istria in return. Following the death of Vetradis, Ulrich II, patriarch elect of Aquileia, confirms the exchanged property to the monastery and establishes an anniversary for himself and his predecessors.
In nomine sanctę et individuę Trinitatis, amen.
Quicquid memoratu dignum in Ecclesia Dei ordinatur, idcirco scripture auctoritate solet coroborari, ut ad memoriam facilius possit in posterum revocari.
Quapropter cunctis Christi fidelibus, tam futuris quam presentibus, notum esse volumus, qualiter nos Volricus Dei gratia sanctę Acquilegiensis ecclesię ellectus patriarcha totum prędium quod Vetradis quondam uxor Ecchiberti apud Sanctum Cancianum et quicquid a Flumisello usque ad Carstum ab Acquilegiensi ecclesia et nobis hinc inde in feudum habuit cum villis, portubus, famulis et famulabus, mansis, vineis, campis, pratis, pascuis, capulis, silvis, venationibus, piscationibus, paludibus, aquis, aquarum ductibus, molendinis, ripis, rupis, cultis et incultis, introytibus et exitibus et cum omni districtu ac iurisdictione et cum omnibus pertinentiis eorum dilecto fratri nostro Volrico Mosacensi Albertia et per eum Mosacensi ecclesię in concambium pro villa que in Istria constituta Portule nominative et in remedium anime nostre ac predecessorum nostrorum, predicta Vetrade refutante ac pettente, in pręsentia venerabilium fratrum nostrorum Chononis Concordiensis, Vernardi Tergestini, Philippi Polensis et Artuici Emonensis episcoporum, Volrici Aquilegiensis archidiaconi, Ionathe Sancti Felicis et Vetrici Sancti Stephani prepositorum aliorumque religiosorum virorum, laicorum quoque Leonardi de Lez, Alberti et Volrici Polensibus, Nopponis de Muchon et fratris sui Henrici, Conradi Svevi aliorumque vassallorum nostrorum, cimiterialiumb/c quoque nostrorum Růberti de Cranlsdorf, Geradrami, Pelegrini de Carlins et Iohannis filii eius, Ardemanni Acquilegiensis et aliorum quam plurimum, proprietario iure imperpetuum habendum et possidendum de comuni eorum consilio tradimus, donavimus et contulimus, et fideles nostros Vetricum de Gaçil et Arnoldum Sbissam in nuntios intromittende possessionis eidem abbati et ecclesię assignavimus.
Hoc autem actum est Acquilegie feliciter in maiori ecclesia.
***
Post hec vero prefata Vetrade in brevi decedente, ut supra dicta donatio et traditio magis rata et firma habeatur, petitione eiusdem abbatis sibi et ecclesię suę iddemd predium denuo contullimus, et corroborantes in perpetuum habendum et possidendum contradidimus, et ministeriales nostros Vernerium de V̊ide et Ioannem de Portis ad intromittendam possessionem in nuntios ei dedimus.
Statuentes ut fratres ibidem Domino famulantes nostris ac predecessorum nostrorum memoriam in orationibus suis attente haberent, et post decessum nostrum anniversarii nostri diem annuatim diligenter commemorarent. Quo quidem die de predicto predio II modios frumenti, II urnas vini, dimidiam marcham pro piscibus et oleo ac fabis eisdem fratribus et pro vacca una aliisque necessariis pauperibus dari statuimus.
Successorum nostrorumque reverentiam affectuose rogamus, et in Domino commonemus, ut quod divino et iustitie intuitu fecimus, ratum habere et inconvulsum semper conservare vellint.
Quod si que clericalis secularisve persona huius nostre traditioni et donationi diabolico intuitu aut quolibet temerario ausu contraire presumpserit, divino iudicio puniendum ipsum committimus et relinquimus.
Quod quidem, ut verius credatur et inviolatum in evum permaneat, presentem paginam inde scribi et sigillo Acquilegiensis ecclesię, proprio adhuc sigillo carentes, insigniri iussimus.
Huius autem rei testes sunt: Vernardus Rosacensis abbas, Ionathas Sancti Felicis et Hermanus Sancti Volrici prepositi, Hermanus Carnię archidiaconus, Bertholdus Acquilegiensis canonicus, Volricus de Rivime et Volricus de Gavania plebanus, Volschalgus cappellanus et alii clerici, laici verof Egilbertus Albus marchio Veteris Civitatis, Volarannus, Vetrandus et Artuicus fratres de Varmo, Leonardus gastaldio, Herbordus, Vernerius de Ellectione, Chono de Osevio, Leonardus de Socleno, Givridusg de Vergach, Hartmuot de Veldes, Octo liber et alii quam plures.
Actum est Civitate feliciter in maiori ecclesia, in Purificatione Sanctę Marie, anno Dominicę incarnationis MCLXVI, indictione XIIII.
Ego Romulus domini ellecti notarius mandato eius scripsi et dedi.
a) sic D: certe pro abbate, sicut ed. Härtel. b) sic D: certe pro ministerialium, sicut ed. Härtel. c) seq. Růberti de Cranlsdorf canc. D. d) sic D. e) sic D; Rivinis leg. Härtel; fort. pro Ruvin? f) seq. ebr canc. D. g) nisi Gviridus.
The document of exchange of properties between the Patriarchate of Aquileia and St. Gall’s Monastery in Moggio is notable for the local history of Oprtalj – this charter marks the return of Castrum Portulense to the secular dominion of the Aquileian patriarchs (see doc. 1136_PM and doc. 1072_PM).
Moreover, as highlighted by Brunettin (cited above), this property exchange was strategic and political in nature. Namely, for the Aquileian patriarchs, this exchange of property was a strategic move to reinforce their influence in a contested region near the County of Gorizia and the Karst. By ceding these substantial estates, previously held in fief by a Vetradis, widow of Eckbert, to the Moggio monastery, Ulrich II ensured the monastery’s loyalty while countering the expansionist ambitions of the counts of Gorizia and their vassals. The exchange of this Aquileian fief, stretching from San Canziano and Fiumicello to the Karst, for Oprtalj in Istria, reflects a pragmatic decision to bolster patriarchal dominance in Istria, a region of growing significance.
As a curious sidenote, this is one of the rare documents in which Count Engelbert III of Spanheim, the de iure margrave of Istria (1124–1173), appears in a charter concerning Istria.
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