 The diplomatic texts consistently written in French in Angevin Italy were from the treasury accounts under the administration of Charles I. Scholars have speculated about why the King ordered that only these types of texts be written in French, but Charles makes his wishes clear in a reform measure dating to 1277. The reform specified exacly how the records were to be kept, and that a copy of both the debits and credits should be maintained in two monthly reports, one in Latin and the other in French. These texts form an important background to our understanding of Charles' vision of language use and the expectations he held for his southern kingdom.
Also listed are additional French Diplomatic manuscripts relating to Southern Italy or to rulers there. We welcome any information on texts that can be added to this list.
Diplomatic Texts from the Angevin Treasury under Charles I
Edition:
Les Documents en Français des Archives de Naples. Transcribed by P. Durrieu and A. de Boüard. Vol. 1 Les Mandements aux Trésories. Paris, E. de Boccard, 1933.Vol. 2, Les Comptes des Trésoriers. Paris, E. de Boccard, 1935.
Background Studies
Cadier, L. Essai sur l’administration du royaume de Sicile sous Charles Ier et Charles II d’Anjou. Paris: Bibliotheque des ecoles françaises d'Athenes et de Rome, 1891.
Durrieu, P. Les archives angevines de Naples. Etude sur les registres du roi Charles 1er (1265-1285), vols. 1-2. Paris: E. Thorin, 1886-1887.
Kiesewetter, Andrea. “La Cancelleria Angioina.” In L'Etat Angevin, Pouvoir, Culture et Société entre XIIIe et XIVe siècle. Rome: Ecole française de Rome, 1998.
Mazzoleni, Jole “Les archives des Angevins de Naples.” In Marseille et ses rois de Naples. La diagonale angevine, 1265-1382, 25-29. Marseille: Archives municipales, Editions Sud, 1988.
Palmieri, Stefano.“La chancellerie angevine de Sicile au temps de Charles Ier(1266-1285).” In Rives nord-méditerranéennes, Réformer l'Eglise, réformer l'Etat : une quête de légitimité (XIe-XIVe siècle), online 15 october 2008. http://rives.revues.org/document1183.html.
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Miscellaneous Diplomatic Manuscripts in French,
Exchanged with Southern Italy
(Descriptions are from the British Library website)
British Library 12,770-12,772: DEEDS relating to René I. and René II., Kings of Sicily,
and to John, Duke of Calabria, eldest son of René I.; 1460-1497. With signatures and seals.
British Library 21, 509. Autograph letters and signatures of French sovereigns and
royal personages; 1410-1833. Fr.: 1. Jehan [Duc de Berri, son of John II. of France] to his nephew
[Louis II. d'Anjou, titular] King of Jerusalem and Sicily; Paris, 28 Aug. [circa 1410 ?], f. 2.
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