maria helena da cruz coelho & maria do rosário morujão cial place in his will to his wife, named as the main executor of his testament. It is known that, in the final years of the king’s life, relations between the royal couple were strained;36 however, this is how Dinis refers to Isabel of Aragon in his second will, dated 1322, entrusting her with the realisation of his final wishes: “as it is my good pleasure that she should be the principal and major executor, because it is certain that she will do for me, and for my soul, all that she is able and that she ought to do”.37 Sometimes a higher authority is indicated to ensure that the execution is properly conducted. For instance, in 1295, after appointing his executors, Pedro Pais, canon of the cathedrals of Coimbra and Guarda, entreated the bishop of Lisbon to enforce the will, and to ask for the king’s help to that effect.38 In 1298, Sancho Peres, bishop of Porto, also requested the king to defend and help his executors carry out their mission.39 From the beginning of the thirteenth century until the decade of the 1320s, kings turned to the pope as guarantor of the fulfilment of their wills.40 The first two wills of King Dinis, dated 1299 and 1322 respectively, and having little difference between them, explain that the king named the pope as a last resort “because he has the power to enforce the execution of the will of the dead, and to maintain and carry out justice”.41 285 36 Relations between the king and queen were tense due to the conflicts and wars between King Dinis and his heir, the future King AfonsoIV(Coelho 1999, pp. 77–78). 37 Sousa 1739, pp. 99–105. Original quotation: “ca ella tenho por bem, que seja a principal, e mayoral Testamenteira, porque som certo que fará por mi, e pola minha alma toda aquelo que ella puder e que deve fazer”. 38 Morujão 2010, doc. 2.36. Original quotation: “e rogo meu senhor dom Johanne bispo de Lixboa que mi faça conprir e agardar o meu testamento e que peça por mercee a eel rey que mho faça conprir”. Royal protection was also requested in the wills of the nobility (Ventura 1997/1998, pp. 137–156, especially p. 149, referring to the 1279 will of the royal chancellor, Estêvão Anes). The same happened in France, as evidenced by the wills of Puy-en-Velay (Bruand 2011-2012, p. 47). 39 Morujão 2010, doc. 7.9. Original quotation: “rogamus nostrum regem Portugalensem quod defendat et adjuvat executores nostros pro bonitate et fiducia quam de eo gerimus ad faciendum compleri inventaria nostra pro bona que sunt in episcopatu et prout in ipsis inventariis continetur”. 40 For the will of King SanchoI(1210), see Azevedo et al. 1979, doc. 194; for the will of AfonsoII (1221), and that of SanchoII (1248), see Sousa 1739, pp. 34–36, 50–51, respectively. 41 The first will was published by Brito 1976, pp. 329–331; original quotation: “porque elle he theudo de fazer cumprir a vontade dos mortos e manter e cumprir justiça”. The second one was published by Sousa 1739, pp. 99–105; original quotation: “porque elle he theudo de fazer comprir as vontades dos passados e de manter justiça em feito d’alma”.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjYyNDk=