2733

March 24. Lyons. Innocent IV writes to the [cardinal-]bishop of Tusculum (Frascati) and papal legate (Eudes de Châteauroux), relating that he received a humble request on behalf of the noble woman Melisende (Mellisent), widow of Prince B[ohemund IV] of Antioch and daughter of the late King A[imery] and Queen Y[sabella] (Isabella I) of Jerusalem: since, as she asserts, she is linked to C[onrad], son of the former emperor F[rederick] and heir to the Kingdom of Jerusalem, via a closer line of consanguinity than all the other relatives that he has in those parts, and both de iure and by the ancient custom of the kingdom the person closest to the heir must have the lordship (dominium) and the regency (baiulatum) of the kingdom in the heir’s absence, she asked that the pope have the addressee put her in possession of this lordship and regency and defend her in that position, removing any illicit detainer. The pope thus orders the addressee to investigate and learn diligently the truth in this matter, and if it is so, to do what is just, if it can be done without argument (de plano) or scandal, using ecclesiastical censure against those who contradict. Otherwise he shall tell the pope in a letter what he does or what can be done.