Letter 33

From: The Austrasian Court To: [Diplomatic correspondent] Date: ~572 AD Context: Austrasian letter 33; diplomatic correspondence on a border dispute between Frankish and neighboring territories, seeking resolution through negotiation. To our friend and neighbor, The matter of the disputed border in the region of the upper Rhine has been before both our courts for too long, and we write in the hope of reaching a resolution that is fair to both sides and that puts the question to rest. Our position, stated plainly, is as follows: the border as established by the agreement of forty years ago runs along the ridgeline of the hills in question, not along the valley. This is what the text of the agreement says and this is how it was understood by those who drafted it. The interpretation your representatives have been advancing — that "ridgeline" in that context meant the line of the foothills rather than the high ground — is, with respect, not persuasive. We propose the following resolution: a joint commission of three persons from each side, selected for their knowledge of the land and their reputation for honesty rather than for their loyalty to either court's position, to examine the terrain and interpret the agreement's language in its original context. We will abide by the commission's determination. We ask you to make the same commitment. This is a dispute about geography, not about honor. It should be resolvable without further bitterness. From the court of Austrasia