Title: Manuscript Account book of the Chastellenie of La Chaize-le-Vicomte, for Louis II de la Trémoille, 1480-1481
Condition: Good
A late 15th century manuscript account book of the chastellenie, or seigniory, of the region of La Chaize-le-Vicomte, a commune in the region of modern-day Vendee, France. This manuscript sports beautiful calligraphy of the late 15th century, with some extravagant initials, particularly at the beginning, and is written in a flowing script. As mentioned on the verso of the second leaf, this manuscript in question possesses the account of receipts and deposits of tax, rents, farms, profits, income and emoluments of the chastelle, land and lordship of La Cheze le Vicomte, keeping records from August 15, 1480, to August 14, 1481. Most significantly, said lordship at the time belongs to one Lord Monsignor Loys de la Tremoille, otherwise known as Louis II de la Trémoille, Count of Guines and Benon, Prince of Talmon, Vicount of Thouars, First Chamberlain of the King, Lord of Suly, of the Islands of Ré, Marant, Rochefort, and of the said place of Chaize le Vicomte.
Also known as La Trimouille, Louis was a French general with a rich career, serving under Charles VIII, Louis XII, and Francis I, winning the decisive victory at the Battle of Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier that ended Breton independence in 1488, participating in several battles in the Italian Wars, and securing a victory at the Battle of Marignano in 1515, though sadly perishing at the Battle of Pavia on February 24, 1525, shot through the heart by an arquebus. Though his marriage was childless, he did also marry Louise Borgia, Duchess of Valentinois, the only legitimate child of Cesare Borgia, of the famed Borgia Family.
The tax collector Pierre des Bordes has reported the tax due by each inhabitant of the seigniory at different times of the year. Estates, movable income, annuities, income from the sale of poultry, wood, taxes in kind such as wheat, rye, oats, capons, jelly, geese and wax are then followed. After that, are the expenses of the domain, the lawsuits which have involved costs, the wages and pensions paid to the personnel of the seigneury.
This manuscript serves as a unique glimpse into the daily ongoings of a then-medieval Vendee, through the lives of its taxpayers, and serves as an additional look towards the life of a major lord of the late Middle Ages, in the case of La Trimouille, with an additional connection to the Borgia Family.
One vellum bound manuscript in folio, 130 leaves
This manuscript is in good shape, with some rubbing and wear to the binding, and some vellum lacking to the rear. The last five leaves are lacking some paper at the bottom, with some text lacking. There is some staining scattered throughout.