Treaty of Corbeil (1258) facts for kids
The Treaty of Corbeil was an important agreement signed on May 11, 1258. It took place in Corbeil, a town in France. This treaty was signed between two powerful leaders: Louis IX of France, who was the King of France, and James I of Aragon, who was the King of Aragon.
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What Was the Treaty of Corbeil?
The Treaty of Corbeil was a peace agreement. It helped to settle long-standing arguments over land and power between the French and Aragonese kingdoms. Both kings gave up certain claims to territories. This helped to define the borders and who ruled which areas.
What France Gave Up
King Louis IX of France was a descendant of Charlemagne. He gave up France's claims to be the feudal overlord of certain areas. These areas were known as the Hispanic March. This part of the March of Gothia is now known as Catalonia. By doing this, France officially recognized that these lands belonged to the King of Aragon.
What Aragon Gave Up
King James I of Aragon also gave up many claims. He renounced his rights to several areas in what is now southern France. These included places like Fenouillet-du-Razès and Peyrepertuse. He also gave up claims to castles like Puilaurens and Quéribus.
James I also gave up his feudal overlordship over many important cities and regions. These included Toulouse, Saint Gilles, Quercy, Narbonne, Albi, Carcassonne, Razès, Béziers, Lauragais, Termes, and Ménerbes. He also gave up claims to Agde, Nîmes, Rouergue, Millau, and Gévaudan.
However, James I kept control over the viscounty of Carlat. He also kept the lordship of Montpellier and the barony of Aumelas.
The County of Foix
The treaty originally included the County of Foix. But King James I refused to give up his rights to this area. He said that the County of Foix was not under the French king's rule. He ratified, or officially approved, the rest of the treaty on July 16, 1258.
A Royal Marriage
An important part of the treaty was a marriage agreement. Isabella, who was the daughter of King James I, would marry Philip. Philip was the son of King Louis IX. This marriage helped to strengthen the peace between the two kingdoms.
Provence and the Treaty
On July 17, 1258, King James I also gave up his family's rights to the County of Provence. Provence was a territory that belonged to the Holy Roman Empire at that time. James I gave these rights to Margaret. Margaret was the daughter of his uncle, Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence. She was also the wife of the French king, Louis IX.
Why Was This Treaty Important?
The Treaty of Corbeil had big consequences for both France and Aragon.
Separating Catalonia and Southern France
One main result was that the House of Barcelona (the ruling family of Aragon and Catalonia) stopped being involved in the politics of southern France. This meant that the strong cultural and economic connections between Catalonia and Languedoc (a region in southern France) slowly faded away.
Provence Joins France
Another important effect was that Provence eventually became part of France. The treaty helped transfer Provence to the Capetian House of Anjou, a French noble family. Later, when that family died out, Provence was fully joined with France.
Editions
- Joseph de Laborde, Layettes du Trésor des chartes, vol. 3 (Paris: E. Plon, 1875), pp. 405ff.
See also
In Spanish: Tratado de Corbeil para niños
