Abstract
ABSTRACT This article examines the citation of legal texts in late tenth- and eleventh-century pro anima donation charters in favour of ecclesiastical institutions in central Italy. It argues that, in general, these texts were cited by notaries to insist on a general principle, derived from Lombard law, of the irrevocability of all donations and testamentary dispositions in favour of ecclesiastical institutions. It then discusses the spiritual sanctions that were likewise used in such charters, arguing that the prevalence of legal citations as well as spiritual sanctions relates to the same general heightened desire to stress the irrevocability of property donations in the face of ongoing tensions regarding ecclesiastical property. Finally, I point to some evidence that notaries, donors (and donees) were increasingly aware of alternatives to an irrevocable pro anima donation charter, namely the Roman law testament.
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