Faced with the might of the Venetian navy and the crusading army on their way to Constantinople, the people of Trieste ask forgiveness from Doge Enrico Dandolo for their past transgressions, and promise fealty to the doge and the Commune of Venice, guaranteeing the safety and duty-free trading for the Venetians throughout their jurisdictions, aid in combating piracy in the zone from Rovinj northward, a tribute of fifty urns of wine paid yearly on St. Martin’s feast day and transported to the ducal palace in Venice, and generally to perform all the duties promised by other Istrian communities.
Annoa Dominice incarnationis MoCCob secundo, indictione sexta, actum in civitate Tergestina, die quinto exeunte mense octubris.
Exeunte de Veneciis glorioso ac magnifico domino nostro H(enrico) Dandulo Dei gratia Venecie, Dalmatie atque Chroacie duce, qui in Domini servitio et totius christianitatis ultra mare in copiosa navium, galearum, usiriorum ac militum multitudine erat iturus, altera vero die post egressum eius de Venecia potencialiter ac gloriose Pyranum applicuit. Nos vero homines Tergestine civitatis, cognoscentes de ipsius domini ducis adventu, timentes etiam ne forte nobis ad merita responderet, qui ipsius gratiam amiseramusc, viros utique de melioribus civitatis nostre, videlicet Vitalem gastaldionem, Petrum iudicem, Mauretum, Bonifacium, Dominicum de Antonia, Bernardum, Martinum de Of, Vitalem de Bilissima, Diettemarum, Natalem de Açço, Iohannem de Iema, Dominicum de Laurentio, Dominicum Miriço, Wodolricumd Mesalt, L(e)o(nardum) Mos, Bernardum Zechigna, Leonardum, Cresentiume, Artuichumf Cacarinum, Martinum de Lazera, Almericum de Ghenannag, Ugolinum, Almericum de Bilissima, Almericum de Cono, Matheum de Aurelia, Blagdinum, Iohannem de Venerio, Albericum, Wismannumh, Dedolricum, Iohannem de Leonardo, Andream Rubeum, Matheum de Contaffia, Dominicum Marcheso, Vitalem de Alderico, Iohannem de Isolai, Bertaldum, Andream de Marina et alios quamplures ad ipsius dominationis pedes duximus transmittendos.
Qui de voluntate et consensu omnium hominum dicte civitatis nos et terram nostram ac omnia nostra sue potentie facere subditos, et omnia precepta domini ducis, remota omni occasione, iurarent. Et sic illi pro se et pro nobis omnibus iuraverunt servare et servari facere.
Memoratus vero dominus dux, tamquamj vir christianissimus et qui in Dei servitio ac totius christianitatis iterk arripuerat, non considerata nostrorum malitia, nos ad suam gratiam revocavit, precipientes legatis suprascriptis ut cito ad civitatem redirent, nuntiantes quod nos ad suam revocaverat gratiam, et quod se prepararentl ad ipsum honorifice suscipiendum.
Adveniente itaque eo in magna manum ac exercitu copioso ad civitatem Tergestinam, recepimus cum ornatis sacerdotibus ac clericis, candelis accensis et pulsantibus campanis, subponentes nos per omnia sue dominationis potentie.
Qui vero dominus dux, convocatis hominibus civitatis, precepit ut tale sacramentum illi facere deberemus, videlicet:
[1] Quod illi, usquedum vixerit, simus fideles; post decessum vero eius, similiter suis successoribus fidelitatem servabimus.
[2] Et quod homines Veneciarum in personisn et rebus in toto nostro districtu securos sine datione aliqua haberemus sempero.
[3] Et quod servitia debita illi facere deberemus, sicut alie civitates Ystrie faciunt, secundum nostram tamen possibilitatem.
[4] Et si contingerit pyratasp vel alios predones a Rubino infra venire, nos illos persequi et debellare debeamus. Et si capere eos poterimus, ipsi domino duci eos representari faciemus.
Quod sacramentum faciendum nobis fuit valde delectabile, et fecimus animo diligenti.
Nomina vero eorum qui iuraverunt hec sunt, videlicet: Vitalis gastaldio, P(etrus) iudex, Wodolricus iudex, L(e)o(nardus) iudex, Maurus, Diettemarus, F. de Porta, M. de Offo, Anto, N. de Azzo, Almericus de Ghenanna, Az. murator, Paganus, Ca. Bruda, L(e)o(nardus)q de Iemma, Wisman, L(e)o(nardus) Cervo, Bernardus, L(e)o(nardus) der Feltro, A. de Dobrofin, F. de Liutoldo, L(e)o(nardus) Corgna, Zanitinus, Dominicus, F. de Melenda, Lannis, B. de Iemma, B. de Hellaro, M. de Iusta, A. Berra, Mar. Bonfilius, D. de Laurentio, Iustinus, V. Ramfo, Iacobus Gradingna, Ve. Conzarosa, R. faber, C. Piot, Bernardus de Pinsendas, M. Saleth, B. Susol, Al. de Helica, Vidoto, Ca. faber, D. Mancula, Dominicus Niblo, Gaudius, N. Zinht, L(e)o(nardus) de Piran, N. de Pre Weceli, Dominicus de Iemma, Nicolaus, A. frater eius, L(e)o(nardus) de Matheo, D. mulinar, A. de Clarissima, L(e)o(nardus) de Budina, Gaudi, Vizartu, Agustin, I. filius eius, L(e)o(nardus) Maugaranv, L(e)o(nardus) de Cruce Devia, M. de Umera, Vi. Pavilla, Urso, Iubanus, N. filius Cadoli, C. filius Dominici, Triesto Suteg, M. Berra, M. Baguario, I. Mulla, L. de Fabiaw, H(enricus)x de Citta, Za. de Isolfery, Triest Pavor, B. de Liprando, T. de Madrelda, D. de Mariota, Io(hannes) capellar, D. de Benedicta, B. Ruffus, Ar. Tamisadro, Wo(dalricus) filius Gostantiz, Maurus de Pertolt, M. Blanc, M. Bolesta, D. de Antonia, P(etrus) iugulator, Triest de Iustina, A. Nielieza', Salewardus, D. Tidadol, D. de Vivera, D. de Caborio, Berto Becabob', M. Sterperol, D. de Alfrina, L(e)o(nardus) mulinar, L. de Hellaro, Cost Mancula, A. Ros, R. Zurlot, Zan. Cacari, Sobossclav, L. Sine Bragis, B. Caraburse, R. de Grumaz, M. Cegot, L(e)o(nardus) de Drocha, Zarlo, Urso magister, Ve. de Sancto Salvatore, Iustus de Vera, M. Rablo, D. Zalco, D. Curivet, Henricus de Armelenda, Cadol de Laurença, Io(hannes) de Diedemmac', B. de Piderna, B. portonar, D. Butigna, D. Mesolto, C. de Caretta, Iustus de Todolfus, Tho(mas) de Prezatheu, D. de Donato, Witman, Timoteusd', Carolus filius Iemme, D. Mesaldo, Al. filius Felicie, F. de Rivola, C. filius Valere, Io(hannes) Glamonaz, Ar. Cacariu, C. Mancula, Al. de Daniel, D. nepus Triesto Delpavor, D. Gosoldo, Wocina, P(etrus) de Pap, Martinus Zurlot, V. filius Ade, Michel de Lena, Io(hannes) Sclavo, M. de Margarita, M. Mostel, Al. de Cono, Colman, A. de Tupista, Arbori, Leo, Marin piliçar, Dragongna, Io(hannes) de Rosetta, Dominicus de Dominico presbiteri, Triebez, Baron Niblo, Ludo Lampo, Al. de Adela, P(etrus) filius Venerio, Beren filius Alfenie, Io(hannes) Girda, Dominicus, Iacobus, Venerius filius Ripaldi, Hettiche', Marin filius Angnelef', Colman Ros, L. Cormoneso, Io(hannes) frater Arborio, B. de la Curte, Tristan, D. frater Girardini, P(etrus) de Ingaldeo, Marquardus de Sobongna, Cresius filius Salvie, D. Marcheso, N. Budina, Dominico de Prinnag', Liepardus, Iusto de Daniotta, Agino de Sinesia, Iustus de Sonde, Dominicus Pisez, P(etrus) de Sentazza, Venerius filius Gaudi, H(enricus)h' filius Peniolf, D. Malfanto, Io(hannes) Salamon, Wido, Io(hannes) Draccoi', P(etrus) filius eius, Colman capellario, Albericus frater Natalis, Dominicus filius Almerici, Selnich caligar, Agino Bobiej', Gostantinus filius Goster, Bissclav, An. magister, Io(hannes) de Leo, B. frater Gaudi, M. Zusol, E.k' de Smerada, R. Curiuzl', R. Padruzm', Niexco, D. filius Hermiten', L. Lallo, Leonardus, Gonterus filius Vodolrici, Laçerus filius Remenardi, L. de Albin, Gheruluso', Bellop' capellar, Math(eus) Mesaldo, Adalgherus, Iustus de Walpurga, W(odalricus) Scoda, Bor, Io(hannes) de Remedia, Phylipq', D. filius eius, M. abbatisse, Io(hannes) Trivisanr', W(odalricus) de Aldiunto, A. filius Almerici, Aldericus filius Maralde, Don. filius Mariote, Ottobonus, Wolriça, Bertaldus filius Marcelle, H(enricus) filius Wolperii presbiteri, Andrea Budina, Ivan mulinar, Wasgrim, Çanetus, D. capelar de Rivola, Ogerius miles, Blagelinus, Io(hannes) de Dumina, Ludo Niblo, M. filius Auliveri, Çurman, D. de Lena, Todolf, P(etrus) caligar, Saumich, Ravantinus, M. filius Donati, P(etrus) Calcangno caligar, Io(hannes) de Cola, Stephanus faber, Zeno, P(etrus) Bocabo, Iori del Volta, Megnardus, Çilius, Gheroldus, Veceli beccar, Walter Sclavo, Artuic piliçar, A. Borma, Iacobus Cirus, Vitalis nepus gastaldio, M. filius Widonis, Iohannes frater eius, Stanco Crabre, Lacca, Manolez, D. Mursel, Constantinus filius Artuichoos', Iohannes Mancula, Martinus Berra, Çoaldus, B. Piulat', F. de Andrea de Mergrat, A. de Boneçan, Stoianus Sclavo, P(etrus) magister, Waltram, M. Bragher, Diettericus, Ottonellusu', Leonardus caligar, C. Claba, M. de Laçero, Çilius, Girardinus, Sergius filius Gaudi, V. de domina Pirma, Blagosit, Dane Pilice, Vodolricus de Go(n)t, A. gener eius, Tephani, Zan. de Grumaz, Remenardus, M. Littezv', Iohannes Blanco, M. generus Blagosit, Pervinus, D. Smeth, Ripaldus de Domadrac, Iohannes Mons, Adam, D. Burda, Ar. de Subilia, Io(hannes) Marcha, Peceli, O. Inçingnosus, Matheus filius Remenardi, David, M. de Berta, Vitalis de Liprando, Miro, D. Trinoga, Iacobus Conas, A. de Rivela, Warnerius piliçar, Iacobus Viullaw', Cancianus Ludic, Ludo de Mactilda, D. Boccasinus, M. magister, D. Miriç, Matheus de Contasia, B. de Tupista, Cancianus, Bonaldus, M. çampar, Dominicus zampar, P. de Andrea de Marina, Marco de Glirosa, Matheus filius Marie, Iacobus de Pirisenda, D. filius Salewardi, Vitalis caligar, Io(hannes) Marcha, Bertolasx', H(enricus)y' dela Musena, Ar. caligar, Iacobus de Porta filius Iustini, Io(hannes) Budina, Arpus, M. frater eius, H(enricus)z' Fadena, Ripaldus, F. tessutor, H(enricus)a'' de Salvia, Io(hannes) Niblo, M. Bonafeber, Marin, Warein, Az filius Armelende, Wo(dalricus) de Tupista, Weceli de Gaselda.
Insuper etiamb'' nos omnes homines Tergestine civitatis universaliter promittimus omnia suprascripta inviolabiliter observarec''.
Et quod omni anno perpetualiter nos et successores nostri vobis et vestris successoribus solvere debeamus vel solvi facere urnas optimi vini puri de nostro territorio quinquaginta nostris expensis ad ripam ducalis palatii in festo Sancti Martini.
Et si contra hanc pactionis, cautionis et promissionis cartulam ire temptaverimus, componere promittimus cum nostris successoribus vobis et vestris successoribus auri obricii libras centum.
Et hec pactionis, cautionis et promissionis cartula maneat in sua firmitate.
Huius rei testes sunt, scilicetd'': Dominicus Dalfinus, Iacobus Quirinus, Iacobus Basilius, Marcus Sanudo, Andreas Valleresso, Almericus potestas Iustinopolitane civitatis, Matheus Sarracenus eiusdem civitatis, Almericus frater Sofie et alii quamplures.
Ego Andreas diaconus sacri palatii notarius rogatus interfui et manu mea scripsi, complevi atque firmavi.
a) spatium vacuum pro capitali littera initiali rel. P. b) millesimo CC L. c) ex admiseramus corr. P; admiseramus L. d) Wobolricum L. e) Crescentium L. f) Arthuicum L. g) Ghenana L. h) Wismanum L. i) Ysola L. j) L; tanquam P. k) inter L. l) preparent L. m) L; mani P. n) L; personibus P. o) om. L. p) piratas L. q) Lom. L. r) del L. s) Piuscenda L. t) Zinch L. u) Vicart L. v) Maugaram L. w) Fubia L. x) N. L. y) de Isolfer] Disolfer L. z) Gostantin L. a') Meliez L. b') Boccabo L. c') Diedema L. d') Timotheus L. e') Hetic L. f') Angnde L. g') Prenna L. h') N. L. i') Draco L. j') Bobic L. k') M. L. l') Curvim L. m') Padrum L. n') Heremitte L. o') Gerulus L. p') cum sign. abbr. supra o P. q') Philip L. r') Tervisan L. s') sic PL. t') om. L. u') Ortonellus L. v') Littem L. w') Viula L. x') Bartholas L. y') N. L. z') N. L. a'') N. L. b'') om. L. c'') L; conservare P. d'') silicet L.
“Veneti cum peregrinis ascendentes mare [kalendis octobris] in Ystriam venerunt, Triestum et Muglam ad dedicionem compulerunt; totam Ystriam, Dalmatiam, Slaviniam tributa reddere coegerunt.” – Devastatio Constantinopolitana, ed. Alfred J. Andrea, Historical Reflections / Réflexions Historiques 19/1 (1993): p. 132.
“Dux tunc [post egressionem stoli de Venecia in mense octubris] Tergestinos et Muglenses mare infestantes comprimere annelans cum parte stoli illuc divertit, et illos, apertis portis, obvios habuit, votivam subiecionem offerentes. Dux autem malens eos fideles quam subiectos aquirere, de perpetua fidelitate servanda et inmunitate Venetorum, et annuali censu quinquaginta urnarum vini a Tergestinis et XXV a Muglensibus sibi et successoribus exibendo promisionem suscepti, et illi, missis sindicis Veneciam, hec observare policiti sunt.” – Andrea Dandolo, Chronica per extensum descripta, ed. Ester Pastorello, RIS, ser. 2, 12/1 (Bologna 1958), pp. 276–277.
“Iste dux namque confederationem cum Balduino comite Flandrie et marchione Montisfferati et aliis commitibus et baronibus pro recuperatione Terre Sancte composuit, et cum stolio inmenso galearum, ussoriorum et navium cum ipsis de Venetiis recessit, et ad Istrie partes primo pergens, civitates Tergestii et Mugle sibi fideles et tributarias annuatim vinculo iuramenti fecit.” – Andrea Dandolo, Chronica brevis, ed. Ester Pastorello, RIS, ser. 2, 12/1 (Bologna 1958) p. 367.
“Paratis igitur galeis, asiriis et navibus in omnibus optime perfulcitis, dux gratiosisimus cum memoratis comitibus et magnatibus anno domini nostri Iesu Christi MCII, mense octubris, cum stolo CCC navigiorum Veneciarum portum exivit et, hinitians iter suum, pars dicti exercitus Tergestinam applicuit civitatem, cuius incole annuale censum L urnarum vini duci et eius successoribus dare spopondit. Deinde Muglam navigantes, Muglani similiter se subdiderunt et XXV urnas vini modo predicto dare promittunt, dicto duci fidelitatem iurantes utrique.” – Venetiarum Historia vulgo Petro Iustiniano Iustiniani filio adiudicata, ed. Roberto Cessi and Fanny Bennato (Venice 1964), pp. 134–135.
“Et non solum spesero in fare tale armada, ma etiam servirono questi signori Oltramontani di denari, e questi s’offersero d’essere in aiuto del doge alla riformazione del tributo delle terre dell’Istria e della ricuperazione di Zara, che il re d’Ungheria teneva. […] E partito di porto, andarano in Istria, ma gl’Istriani pavidi mandarano ambasciatori al doge, richiedendogli perdono. E così fu perdonato loro e fermato il tributo annuale, cioè che que’ di Trieste diano ogn’anno orne 50 di vino al doge, e così que’ d’Umago e Muja orne 25 e giurata fedeltà.” – Marin Sanudo, Le vite dei dogi, ed. Muratori, RIS 22 (Milan 1733), col. 528.
The major profits that Venice reaped from the Fourth Crusade are well known and often discussed in historiography, especially prominent being the conquests of Zadar and of Constantinople (see, e.g., Madden, cited above). This is the context within which the hereby edited oath of fealty was pledged. Namely, as a sort of payment for their services, the Venetians expected the crusading army to help “bring to heel” the Eastern Adriatic communities, especially those that were still not formally tied to Venice by official oaths of fealty, such as Trieste (edited here) and Muggia (doc. 1202_PM) in Istria.
The contemporary account of the Fourth Crusade, the Devastatio Constantinopolitana, states that the crusading army departed from Venice on October 1, 1202. According to the hereby edited document, the armada stopped in Piran for unknown reasons. It was in Piran that the citizens of Trieste and of Muggia approached the doge and humbly asked for pardon for their aptly undefined past transgressions. According to Doge-chronicler Andrea Dandolo, the two cities of northern Istria were guilty of “disturbances on the sea” (mare infestantes), although the exact nature of these “disturbances” cannot be inferred. The doge’s pardon did not come cheap: the two communities were ordered to prepare their cities for the solemn reception of the doge and the crusader army and to line up their citizens for the pledging of the solemn oath of fealty to the Commune of Venice. Moreover, it was the doge who dictated the terms of these oaths: perpetual fealty to Venice and its doges, security and free trade to all the Venetians in the districts of Trieste and Muggia, military aid to combat piracy in the area north of Rovinj, a symbolic tribute of fifty (twenty-five for Muggia) urns of fine wine, and generally all other “services” owed by other Istrian communities. Essentially, the oaths largely mirror those pledged by Pula, Rovinj, Poreč, Novigrad and Umag in 1150 (edited here as doc. 1150_FV), although without the explicit mention of arming Venetian galleys and serving in Venetian military ventures in the triangle Venice–Ancona–Zadar.
Older historiography (such as Benussi, cited above), interpreted these two oaths of fealty to Venice as “subjections” of both Trieste and Muggia. This is incorrect. Trieste remained de iure an imperial city and the jurisdiction over the civitas was placed in the hands of the local bishops by way of a royal donation charter promulgated in 948 by Lothair II (see Ana Jenko Kovačič, “Javna oblast tržaških škofov v mestu Trst od sredine 10. do konca 13. stoletja skozi prizmo odnosov s tržaško komuno”, Kronika 3 (2019): pp. 66–67). Contemporary historiography, aware that there was no “sovereignty” in the Middle Ages but only “sovereignties”, offered a much better interpretation. In the words of Paolo Cammarosano, “[t]he “fidelitas” was not incompatible with either a “high”, sovereign dependence, towards the patriarch and the Empire from which every formal power derived, possibly through the mediation of the bishop, or with strong municipal autonomy. Like other Italian cities, Trieste entered the thirteenth century within a system of plurality of relationships and dependencies, without well-defined hierarchies of the different levels of dependence” (Cammarosano, cited above, translated by the editor; the same is argued by Bottazzi, also cited above). Asbolutely the same was the case for all other Istrian communities that had pledged their oaths of fealty to Venice in the 12th century.
The two charters of promise, that of Trieste (hereby edited) and Muggia (doc. 1202_PM), are identical in many parts, a testament to the fact that one oath of fealty served as charter model for the other. The Trieste document is precisely dates: October 27, 1202, sixth indiction (testifying to the use of the Byzantine indiction). The Muggia charter, however, is only dated October, 1202, sixth indiciton. Did Muggia pledge its oath first or was it Trieste? The answer to this question identifies the charter model and the derivative text. The chronicles simply state that Trieste and Muggia pledged their oaths to Venice, always putting Trieste first and Muggia in second place. The Venetiarum chronica states that the fleet journeyed from Venice directly to Trieste and then to Muggia, but this is not entirely correct as the fleet made anchor in Piran, as per the text of this charter. Madden interpreted the course of events as the fleet stopping in Piran, then journeying north to Trieste, the doge pompously receiving the oath of fealty of the citizens of Trieste, and then travelling southward to Muggia where the ceremony was re-enacted (Madden, cited above). Such a movement of the fleet indeed makes sense. Consequently, this would mean that the oath of Trieste is the charter model upon which the oath of Muggia was modelled. This is the interpretation followed in the critical edition of these two documents.
The charter is famous for recording a great number of personal names, enumerating the heads of families of the city of Trieste in 1202. According to this critical edition, a total of 361 men pledged to uphold this oath. Cammarosano (cited above) used this number to calculate the approximate number of citizens living in Trieste in the first half of the 13th century and he reached the number of “little less than 2000 inhabitants”. Indeed, multiplying the 361 heads of households with 5 (thus hypothesizing 5 persons per household) gives 1805. Added to this number are the clergy and the marginals (circa 5% of the total population), for a total of circa 1900 people.
The publication of the facsimiles of P (Venice, Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Pacta e aggregati, Pactorum Liber II, fol. 155r–156v) is granted free of charge by Archivio di Stato di Venezia by way of the “simplified procedure” of publishing archival facsimiles (La circolare della Direzione generale archivi n. 39 del 29 settembre 2017: procedura semplificata: pubblicazioni online che perseguano finalità scientifiche o pedagogiche, non beneficino di inserzioni pubblicitarie o commerciali e non siano soggette ad accesso a pagamento).
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