The confraternity and Chapel of St Edward the Confessor in Acre (1271/1272–1291)

Two newly edited and translated French letters from the English military confraternity of St Edward the Confessor in Acre reveal critical insights into the final decade of Frankish rule over the city. Dated between 1282/3 and 1286, these letters document the confraternity's plea to King Edward I for assistance in securing a priest for their chapel, which was built during his crusade in 1271–1272. The chapel, initially part of the abbey of St Mary in Jehoshaphat, faced challenges due to the abbey's impoverishment and partial control by the Hospitallers. The letters also highlight the decline of the Friars of the Sack, the order that had previously served the chapel, leaving it without a functioning priest. This rare correspondence provides a vivid snapshot of Acre's political and religious landscape during its twilight as a Frankish stronghold.

Pringle, D. (2023). The confraternity and Chapel of St Edward the Confessor in Acre (1271/1272–1291). Exploring Outremer Volume I, 44–58. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003146957-4