King Pepin the Short promises to Pope Stephan II military aid against the Lombards and the restitution of occupied lands in Italy to the dominion of the Roman Church, the so-called Promissio Carisiaca; 11th-century forgery.
In nomine Domini.
Ab incarnatione domini nostri Iesu Christi anno ___a, qui cum Patre et Spiritu Sancto regnat Deus ante et in futura sęcula, amen.
Pipinus gratissima Domini eadem largiente gratia patricius Romanorum almo patri beatissimoque apostolorum principi Petro et per eum sancto in Christo patri Gregorio apostolica sublimitate fulgenti eiusque successoribus usque in finem seculi.
Dum post multas iniquissimas calamitates et imminentesb tribulationes quae ab impia Langobardorum gente sanctę catholicę et apostolicę Romanę ecclesię eiusque ditionec subsistentibus populis quotidie prolixius inferebantur, sanctissimus et beatissimus eiusdem almę sedis pontifex Stephanus nomine imperatorem Constantinopolitanum nomine Leonem per legatos accessitd, ab eo, quod et commutationis admittens adminicula tertio expetissete et ne ab illo sicuti et decessores sui almi pontifices capsatas angustiasf fieri voluisset, petiit ut se resociari amicitię licentiam haberet vel, quicquid vellet circa hoc regnum per patronatum defensionemque nominis nostri elegaminig, sibi suisque eligere [pro]h solutei valeret.
Cuius petitioni intercedente eodem clavigero regni celorum isdem imperator adsensum prebens litteris suis non solum Romanis, sed etiam nobis innotuit, quod eidem pontifici concesse haberentj licentiam amicisk et tutorem sanctę suę ecclesię Senatuique Romano atque cuncto Exarchatui Italico illi subiacenti patrono fęderis roboratione firmare, quoniam se plurimis tribulationibus anctum hinc inde circa vicinitatem suam preferebatl.
Igitur per legatumm eiusdem imperatoris nomine Marino uterquen nobis epistolę oblatę sunt, insuper etiam apostolatui epistolamo, in qua continebatur ac insinuatur pręceptaep Dei omnipotentis Eiusque cęlestis ianitoris magni apostoli Petri interq illi[c]r pacificum nos ad usque properandi, quae parassemus, sed dum Aistulphuss Longabardorumt rex per missos nostros hoc didicisset, valde iratus intumuit, pluriora et deteriora quam prius minabatur ipsi sancto loco apostolico suisque omnibus inlaturus, itineri tamen illius post nostras pręces malignant[er]u obviare voluit. Qui summusv pontifex a Roma usque ad Regnum nostrum pariter cum missis nostris accelerans a filiis nostris et a nobis cum omni humilitate seu devotione libentissime suscpetus est, qui totum hyemale tempus nobiscum in Francia moratus est. Verum quidem divina favente potentia non vacui, bis enim legatos super eius facto Longobardorum regi direximus deposcentes pacem et securitatem interventione tutelaque patronatus nostri eidem [Petro]w eiusque vicario atque cunctorum Romanorum cętui, idem namque rex multo magis deteriora promittebat. Interea misimus quod muneribus illi satisfacere voluissemus in tantum, ut viginti septem millia solidos in argento et duodecim millia in auro pro securitate et pace anticipatę almę matris nostrę Ecclesię suisque pertinentiis, quę caput et origo totius christianę religionis fore non ambigitur et ab omnibus christianis pęnitus profitetur, recipere a nobis dignaretur, quoniam nequaquam sine certa securitate eundem sanctum virum, beatissimi apostolorum principis Petri vicarium, a nobis egredere [nec]x ullo modo contristare cognovimusy, quiz tam divino inflammati amore quamque humana amicitia delectantes [non]a' permitteremus. Ille ut prius intolerabilia mala permittens nullum pacis dare voluit responsum. Inter haec iam fatus dominus et benegnissimus papa a Deo ęger effectus est, ut pene omnes de vita illius carnaliterb' diffideremus, sed superna largiente gratia, dum omnes desperati pene astaremus, ictu oculi potissime nimium convenirec' convaluit cępitque nos illico exorare, ut in nomine Domini per intercessionem beatissimi Petri audaciter contra Aystulfum Langobardorumque gentem insurgeremus ob tuitionem sanctę Romanę ecclesię suorumque omnium.
His et cęteris exortati precepimus, ut ex regnis nobis a Domino subditis comites, tribuni et duces et grafiones post octavas pasche nostrę adessent pręsentię, cum quibus de talibus inire debuissemus consilium. Cumque iussum nostrum fuisset impletum et omnes eadem die coram nobis astarent, statuimus cum consensu et clamore omnium, ut tertio kalendas maiarum in Christi nomine hostiliter Longobardiam adissemus sub hoc quippe pactionis fędere, per quod pollicemur et spondimusd' tibi beatissimo Petro clavigero regni cęlestis et principi apostolorum et proe' te huic almo vicario tuo Stefano egregioque papę summoque pontifici pręcibusf' successoribus usque in finem seculi per consensum et voluntatem omnium imperatorg', abbatum, ducum, comitum Franchorum, quod, si dominus Deus noster pro suis meritis sacrisque precibus victores nos in gente et Regno Langobardorum esse constituerit, omnes civitates atque ducatah' seu castra sicque insimul cum Exarchatu Ravennatum necnon et omnia, quae pridiem tuę per imperatorem largitionem subsistebant ditioni, quod specialiter inferius per adnotatos fines fuerit declaratum, omnia quę infra ipsos fines fuerint ullo modo constituta vel reperta, quae [ab]i' inquissima Langobardorum generatione devastata, invasa, subtracta, ullatenus alienata sunt a te tuisque vicariis, sub omni integritate tibi aeternaliter concedimus, nullam nobis nostrisque successoribus infra ipsas terminationes potestatem reservantes, nisi solummodo ut orationibus etj' animę requiem perfruamur et a vobis populoque vestro patricii Romanorum vocemur.
Incipientes ab insula Corsica eandem insulam integriter, deinde a civitate Pistoria, inde in Lunis, deinde in Luca, deinde per monasterium sancti [Se]verianik' in monte Pastoris, inde in Parma, deinde in Regio, inde in Mantua, deinde in Verona, inde in Vincentia, deinde in Monte Silicis, deinde per Bituneas Ducatum Venetiarum et Istrię integriter cum omnibus civitatibus, castris, oppidis, vicis, parrochiis, ecclesiis eis subsistentibus; deinde Andrianensem civitatem in Cumaclum, deinde in Ravenna cum ipso Exarchatu sine diminutione, Aemiliam, Tuscias ambas Langobardorum et Romanorum, Pentapolim, Montemferetrum, Orbinum, Callis, Luciolis, Egubium, Esi[m]l', Auximusm', deinde in Ducatum Spolletinum integriter, Ducatum Perusinum integriter, Bulimastium, Olecha, Narni, Utricolum, Manturanum, Castrum Vetus, Collinano, [Ro]sellen', Populonia, Centumcella, Portus et Hostia; deinde Campania integriter, Anagnia, Segnis, Frisilonis, Vipernis, Getulem, Patrica et Castrum Nebitas, Taracina, Fundi, Spelunca, Gaieta; et si idem dominus Deuso' noster nobis Beneventum et Neapolin subdere dignatus fuerit, integriter tibi beatissime apostolorum princeps Petre concedimus omnia pręfata loca, id est: Aemiliam, Pentapolinp', Tuscias ambas, Ducatum Perusinum, Ducatum Spoletinum cum omnibus civitatibus, castris atque monasteriis, episcopatibus sub huiuscemodi iureiurando – sic et sic et cętera, et deinde sub qua ratione hoc renovaretur pactum.q'
a) sic spatium vacuum rel. T. b) sic T; immensas em. Mühlbacher. c) ditioni em. Mühlbacher. d) add. supra adsensi, fort. ex corr. T. e) expetiisset em. Mühlbacher. f) capsatas angustias] sic T; capsatus angustiis em. Mühlbacher. g) sic T; eligendum em. Mühlbacher. h) om. T; em. Mühlbacher. i) sic T; salute em. Mühlbacher. j) concesse haberent] sic T; concessam haberet em. Mühlbacher. k) amicum em. Mühlbacher. l) referebat em. Mühlbacher. m) ex legatos corr. T. n) utraque em. Mühlbacher. o) apostolatui epistolam] sic T; apostolica epistola em. Mühlbacher. p) insinuatur pręceptae] sic T; insinuabatur pręceptum em. Mühlbacher. q) subsignavit T (pro deletione?); om. Mühlbacher. r) illi T; illic em. Mühlbacher. s) dum Aistulphus] subsignavit T. t) Longobardorum em. Mühlbacher. u) malignant T; malignanter em. Mühlbacher. v) Qui summus] viri summus leg. et in summus vero em. Mühlbacher, sed perperam. w) om. T; em. Mühlbacher. x) om. T; em. Mühlbacher. y) voluimus em. Mühlbacher. z) quod em. Mühlbacher. a') om. T; em. Mühlbacher. b') sic T; carnali em. Mühlbacher. c') om. Mühlbacher. d') spondemus em. Mühlbacher. e') per em. Mühlbacher. f') eiusque em. Mühlbacher. g') sic T; episcoporum em. Mühlbacher. h') ducatus em. Mühlbacher. i') om. T; em. Mühlbacher. j') ad em. Mühlbacher. k') veriani T; Severiani em. Mühlbacher. l') Esi T; Esim em. Mühlbacher. m') Auximum em. Mühlbacher. n') selle T; Roselle em. Mühlbacher. o') dominus Deus] inv. Mühlbacher. p') Pentapolim em. Mühlbacher. q') deest, ut puto, finis, add. in marg. sin. T.
“Ex pacto Stephani secundi pontificis cum Astulpho Longobardo medio et opera Pipini confecto. Hic dominus apostolicus Stephanus perfidiam Aistulphi et Longobardorum eius, quam infestatus erat non ferens, in Franciam ad Pipinum regem perrexit, qui ab illo et a filiis suis Carolo et Carlomanno honorifice, ut decuit, susceptus est. Qui apud Parisium aeger effectus convalescens fędus pacti cum memorato rege inicit ibique terminatos terminos in pacti pagina insenuit, quae ad iura apostolica inviolabiliter perseveret ibi in ipsos terminos Ventię et Istrię cum omni integritate sua, quę scripta sunt sicuti iunioris Stefani epistola ad Ioannem Gradensem declarat, sic enim in termino Romanorum in eodem pacto inserti sunt Cursiga de Cursiga, in Luna de Luna, in Pistoria de Pistoria, in monasterio sancti Severiani, in monte Pardoni de monte Pardoni, ambas Tuscias de Tuscia, in Parmam de Parma, in Regio de Regio, in Monte Silice deinde per Bituneas Ducatum Venet(iarum) et Istriam integriter cum vicis, villis, castris, oppidis et parochiis integriter, deinde Cumaclo et cęteris.” – Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Pacta e aggregati, Codex Trevisaneus, fol. 28r, ed. Josip Banić.
“Qui [Pipinus] de praesenti iureiurando eundem beatissimum papam [Stephanum II] satisfecit omnibus eius mandatis et ammonitionibus sese totis nisibus oboedire, et ut illi placitum fuerit Exarchatum Ravennae et reipublice iura et loca reddere omnibus modis.” – Liber pontificalis, vol. 1, ed. Louis Duchesne (Paris 1886), p. 448.
“At vero quarta feria, egressus praenominatus pontifex cum suis iudicibus, tam cleri quamque militae, in ecclesia beati Petri apostoli pariterque cum eodem rege se loquendum coniungens, constanter eum deprecatus est atque ammonuit et paterno affectu adhortare studuit ut promissionem illam, quam eius sanctae memoriae genitor Pippinus quondam rex et ipse praecellentissimus Carolus cum suo germano Carulomanno atque omnibus iudicibus Francorum fecerant beato Petro et eius vicario sanctae memoriae domno Stephano iuniori papae, quando Franciam perrexit, pro concedendis diversis civitatibus ac territoriis istius Italiae provinciae et contradendis beato Petro eiusque omnibus vicariis in perpetuum possidendis, adimpleret in omnibus. Cumque ipsam promissionem, quae Francia in loco qui vocatur Carisiaco facta est, sibi relegi fecisset, conplacuerunt illi et eius iudicibus omnia quae ibidem erant adnexa. Et propria voluntate, bono ac libenti animo, aliam donationis promissionem ad instar anterioris ipse antedictus praecellentissimus et revera christianissimus Carolus Francorum rex adscribi iussit per Etherium, religiosum ac prudentissimum capellanum et notarium suum; ubi concessit easdem civitates et territoria beato Petro easque praefato pontifici contradi spopondit per designatum confinium, sicut in eadem donationem continere monstratur, id est: a Lunis cum insula Corsica, deinde a Suriano, deinde in monte Bardone, id est in Verceto, deinde in Parma, deinde in Regio; et exinde in Mantua atque Monte Silicis simulque et universum Exarchatum Ravennantium, sicut antiquitus erat, atque provincias Venetiarum et Istria, necnon et cunctum Ducatum Spolitinum seu Beneventanum. Factaque eadem donatione et propria sua manu eam ipse christianissimus Francorum rex eam conroborans, universos episcopos, abbates, duces etiam et grafiones in ea adscribi fecit; quam prius super altare beati Petri et postmodum intus in sancta eius confessione ponentes, tam ipse Francorum rex quamque eius iudices, beato Petro et eius vicario sanctissimo Adriano papae sub terribile sacramento sese omnia conservaturos qui in eadem donatione continentur promittentes tradiderunt.” – Liber pontificalis, vol. 1, ed. Louis Duchesne (Paris 1886), p. 498.
Pope Stephen III's reply to Archbishop John of Grado from 768/772 (doc. 768_SI).
Louis the Pious’ charter to Pope Paschal from 817 (DD LdF, doc. 125).
Otto I’s charter to Pope John XII from 962 (DD O I, doc. 235, to be edited here as well).
Henry II’s charter to Pope Benedict II from 1020 (DD H II, doc. 427, to be edited here as well).
The hereby edited document is doubtlessly a forgery, drawn up on the basis of Charlemagne's promise to Pope Hadrian I from The Life of Pope Hadrian, Louis the Pious’ promise to Pope Paschal from 817, Otto I’s promise to Pope John XII from 962 (all referenced above under Medieval Recollections). The forgery was drawn up in the 11th century for the purpose of proclaiming the full independence of the Papal States, as read from the line nullam nobis nostrisque successoribus infra ipsas terminationes potestatem reservantes (see Mühlbacher’s introduction referenced under Previous Editions and the older literature cited therein).
However, a treaty between King Pepin the Short and Pope Stephen II did exist, but it did not survive in any manuscript tradition. This nowadays lost Treaty of Quieryz or Promissio Carisiaca is referenced in most detail in the Life of Pope Hadrian I (edited in Liber pontificalis and referenced above) and the subsequent surviving confirmations of this pact – Louis the Pious’, Otto I’s and Henry II’s all explicitly mention Pepin’s promissio. Thus, even though the hereby-edited text is merely an imagination based on later confirmations and narrative accounts, it is still built on the traces of an authentic document. The Promissio Carisiaca forged a basis from which the Patrimonium beati Petri – the later papal state – arose, covering the territories of “the Exarchate of Ravenna, the Pentapolis and the districts reaching from Comacchio down south to Ancona-Jesi-Gubbio” (Ullmann, cited above, p. 57).
The inclusion of Venetia et Istria is of particular interest here. Caspar and Ullmann (cited above) claimed that the region was in Byzantine hands and that the papacy could not demand the “restitution” of these lands as the Lombards did not occupy them. However, there are notices, albeit in later narrative sources, that Lombard King Aistulf occupied Istria in 751 (doc. 751_CS). If Istria was indeed under the Lombard rule before the signing of the Treaty of Quieryz, the entire region (Venetia et Histria) could be included in the deal as the totum pro parte metonymy. Caspar, however, argued that the Lombard invasion of 751 did not result in a stable lordship over the peninsula. Thus, reasons Caspar, the inclusion of the region Venetia et Histria in Pepin's promissio was meant only as an area to which the Frankish defensio Romanae eclessiae extended.
Another interpretation is that the Treaty of Quierzy was contingent on Pepin's military successes in Italy. Thus, summarizes Noble, “[i]t represented a maximum scheme beneath which any number of lesser enactments might have been necessary, expedient, or acceptable. Historically, the great significance of the Quierzy document is that it displays unambiguously what can be called the papacy's ‘maximum plan’ for the territorial dimensions of the Republic. In the best possible circumstances, the Republic would have consisted of all of formerly Byzantine central Italy, plus Lombard Tuscany and the two greatest Lombard duchies. Lombard Tuscany was doubtless seen as a buffer zone between Rome with its immediate environs and the regnum, whether the regnum passed into Prankish hands or remained under Lombard control.” (Noble, cited above, p. 86).
This interpretation would explain why Venetia and Istria were not discussed in the later Treaties of Pavia of 755 and 756. Unfortunately, the texts of these two treaties are also not preserved, but the main contents can be reconstructed on the basis of (near) contemporary chronicle accounts. The First Treaty of Pavia decreed that King Aistulf was to relinquish Narni, Ceccano, Ravenna and the Pentapolis (Liber pontificalis, vol. 1, p. 451; Annals of Metz, sub anno 754, ed. Simson, p. 47; Noble, cited above, p. 89). As Aistulf did not relinquish anything, King Pepin descended with his army a second time, beat the Lombard king again, and made him sign another treaty in Pavia in 756. According to this Second Treaty of Pavia, Aistulf was forced to relinquish Ravenna, Rimini, Pesaro, Conca, Fano, Cesena, Sinigaglia, Jesi, Forlimpopoli, Forlì, Montefeltro, Arcevia, Mons Lucatium by Cesena, Serra dei Conti, San Marino, Sarsina, Urbino, Cagli,
Cantiano, Gubbio, Comacchio and Narni (Liber pontificalis, vol. 1, p. 460, Noble, cited above, pp. 92-93). Venetia and Istria are mentioned neither in the First nor in the Second Treaty of Pavia. For some (Caspar, cited above), this was interpreted as both regions being returned to Byzantium. However, a more substantiated interpretation is that, since Pepin never managed (nor aimed to) conquer and dissolve the entire Lombard kingdom, the majority of the territories listed in the Treaty of Quierzy were not impacted in any way, including Venetia and Istria. Thus, the papacy was content with what Pepin managed to achieve and did not want to push their territorial claims any further.
Be that as it may, no part of the region Venetia et Histria was ever “restituted” to the papacy and the phrase, like the majority of others in these promissiones, remained an empty promise, duly repeated but never acted upon by the subsequent kings and emperors of the Romans.
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