PROSPERITY OF THE REPUBLIC

At the time when this new mode started, Marseilles came to conclude into 1211 with Génois, peace a twenty years. With little close at the same time it had made alliance with Arles. In 1216, Sance, count de Provence, signed with the vice-chancellors of the city the commitment to defend and protect the commune. In 1219, Hugues, count d'Empurias, appointed an embassy with the Marseillais and concludes with our city a treaty which gave to its citizens the right of trade in the States of the count. Lastly, the same year, it is Nice which treats with our city and which is combined with it.
For a few years, Marseilles had been supported by the count of Toulouse, Raymond VI, who had fact causes common with the Albigensians. But Raymond VI had fact amends honourable and delivered most of his fields; then it had been turned over against its old allies, except the Marseillais. Those had thus remained, with its death, faithful to penny wire Raymond VII. They wanted to help it to re-enter in possession of its States. They fought with him in Venaissin, accompanied by the inhabitants of Avignon, Saint­Gilles, Beaucaire and Tarascon.

But Raymond VII was definitively beaten by the king of France, Louis VIII, and the Marseillais left a state of war where they had fought the pope, counters which they had a serious resentment.

Louis VIII the Lion (1187-1226). King of France of 1223 to 1226

Disagreement enters the Commune and Saint-Victor.
Here which was the cause of this disagreement with the Church which had caused in Marseilles a sharp agitation and serious riots.
Roncelin, Viscount of Marseilles, had sold its goods with one named Anselme which had them, resold to the City. But it appears that Roncelin had also yielded them to Saint-Victor. The monks claimed the goods on which the City had justifiably put the hand. The Commune challenged the validity of the sale made with the abbey, but it offered to compromise.

Honorius III, Cencio Savelli, Pope of July 18 1216 to March 18 1227.

The prior of Saint-Victor refused and resorted to the pope Honorius III. This one took the party of the monks naturally and threatened the Commune of excommunication if it persisted. The Marseillais were annoyed. They reversed the cross and the banner that Saint-Victor had placed on the palate of the Viscounts and faced the lightnings of the Vatican with impunity. Lastly, time calmed the spirits. A convention intervened, in which the City became tenant of the monks.

It is understood that these events were well made to launch the Marseillais in the party of the Albigensians and the count de Toulouse.

The prosperity of Marseilles makes him the jealous ones.
These disagreements were thus alleviated and Marseilles lived in peace, increasing each year the importance of its traffic and being created everywhere, even on the Algerian coast (in Bougie) of the counters of exchange. It is understood that such a prosperity was not to be without him to attract the jealous ones at one so disturbed time, where the large lords were in constant fight with their neighbors, where the heritages disputed the weapons with the hand. The vicinity and the alliance of a rich city, managed well, powerful, were not to scorn but this richness, this always increasing activity were to also to create enemies him. If some large neighbors often came to request the assistance of the Marseillais, others dreamed to be ensured for always their contest by annexing them.

Claims of the former Viscounts.
Raymond and his Hugues brother of the Beams, belonging both to the family of the Viscounts, asserted the portions of the seigneurial field which they had given up. In 1225, Raymond took the weapons, but one treated. Raymond renewed the transfer of his rights, but Marseilles paid him a perpetual revenue of 3.000 royal pennies, gave him a house and recognized it like citizen of Marseilles him and the members of his family. This lord gave, in guarantee of his good faith during three years, the castle of Vitrolles.
Hugues of the Beams, the following year, encouraged by the example of his brother, resorted to the protection of Raymond-Berenger, count de Provence. This one made him promises, but it missed word, preferring to work for its own account. Hugues called then upon the emperor Frederic II This one wrote to the Marseillais to return his rights to Hugues. He was for his letter. Then he threatened the commune to put it at the round of applause empire. This time the Marseillais were frightened; they tried to bend Hugues, this one refused; they sent ambassadors to the count de Thomas Savoy, legate of the emperor. This one which loved the Marseillais lit Frederic II and this last gave up its protected.

Claims of Raymond-Berenger.
Raymond Berenger having come to Provence to take possession of his heritage after the defeat of the Albigensians, had found his authority ignored. Helped of the Marseillais, it restores it quickly, but, enivré of its success, it wanted to tackle the independent cities. It detached Arles and Nice of Marseilles alliance, then it took the road of Marseilles, where it also claimed to make recognize its suzerainty, with the contempt of all the treaties. But its claims were pushed back and it had to move away after a seat three months (1230).
On these at this time there, the emperor of Germany gave to Raymond VII part of the fields of Raymond-Berenger. Raymond VII thus returned to Provence, devastated all the country, set fire to the villages and the houses and arrived to Marseilles, where it signed a treaty with the commune which ensured the seigniory for life of the low city to him, while being committed not carrying of anything reached to the rights and preferences of the Marseillais. Then the emperor took again Raymond-Berenger under his protection and invited all the belligerents to choose it like referee, but the Marseillais did not want initially to subscribe to this engagement. Once again threatened to be put at the round of applause of the empire, they yielded and trêve intervened.

End of the Republic.
Constrained Raymond-Berenger Marseilles to capitulate.
Raymond-Berenger benefitted from trêve to manage his States and to return peace to Provence. He believed capacity to make enter under his suzerainty all the cities which had resisted to him. He thus sent to the Marseillais the bishop Benoît d' Alignani who endeavoured to show all the disadvantages of the democratic mode and the advantages to them of living in the vassalage of a powerful and rich prince. The Marseillais pushed back the proposals of the bishop vigorously.
Irritated, Raymond-Bérenger took again the weapons (1236), but his/her son-in-law, the holy king of France Louis, intervened. There was trêve. The fight started again the following year however. It lasted six years during which Marseilles was supported by its ally the count of Toulouse; but this one having been obliged to submit itself to saint Louis, the count of Provence forced Marseilles to capitulate. It imposed its protection to him, while leaving to the inhabitants their institutions, their magistrates, freedom in their elections. It reserved the right to beat the currency (1243).