Eudochia, widow of Pothas: Crete, 1340

Dublin Core

Title

Eudochia, widow of Pothas: Crete, 1340

Subject

Eudochia, widow of Pothas

Description

Eudochia records a will because she is planning to travel from Candia to Jerusalem. She names her three grandsons (Lingiachus, Iochuda, and Chavi) as her executors. She also seems to have a fourth grandson, still a minor, named Lingiachus, who is the son of deceased parents: Chana and Chagi of Alexandria. (The will does not specify that Chana is Eudochia's daughter.)

In her will, Eudochia leaves her home in the Jewish quarter of Candia to her executors on the condition that her minor grandson Lingiachus marry Eudochia, the daughter of Chavi, one of the executors. The condition here divides the home into four parts; three parts get divided between the three executors. The fourth part goes to Chavi, to give over to Lingiachus as dowry for Eudochia.

If Eudochia, daughter of Chavi, dies, then Lingiachus is instructed to marry another great-granddaughter named Eudochia, here the daughter of Iochuda. In this case, the fourth part of the real estate would go to Iochuda, to use as dowry for his daughter.

Should Lingiachus not marry either girl, he should not get a chunk of the real estate, i.e. via the dowry. He should receive instead a payment of 45 hyperpera.

Eudochia also seeks to nullify a lease agreement that had been made between the minor Lingiachus's late mother Chana and the testator, through which she held the top floor of the building owned by Eudochia.

Another conditional bequest expresses further anxiety about Lingiachus not fulfilling his grandmother's request. If Lingiachus or anyone else tries to undermine Eudochia's order, he should not get anything that he's been previously promised in the will, but it would go instead to the executors.

Next, Eudochia wants it known that Chavi, representing all three executors, has promised to pay her sixty hyperpera for the house, and that they have already paid 22 hyperpera of this amount.

She leaves another 38 hyperpera to a Jewish man named Michael Tobia who is involved in getting Eudochia to Jerusalem, apparently leaving on 15 November (about a month after this will is made). Should Eudochia die before leaving, the executors are told not to pay Michael anything, but rather to do what they see fit with this money "for the sake of my soul" (i.e. give it to charity), and also to give the young Lingiachus five hyperpera.

Creator

Candia, Crete

Date

2 October 1340

Source

Archivio di Stato, Venice
ASV Notai di Candia, b. 295 (not. Giovanni Gerardo), fol. 11v.
McKee, Wills, no. 137

Language

Latin

Coverage

Eastern Mediterranean
Italy

Contributor

Rena Lauer