Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes
Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.
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On 24th January 1287 Bishop Richard de Bury was born.
Around 1322 Bishop Richard de Bury [aged 34] was appointed tutor to the future King Edward III of England [aged 9].
In 1327 Bishop Richard de Bury [aged 39] was appointed Treasurer of the Wardrobe.
In 1327 Bishop Richard de Bury [aged 39] was appointed Lord Privy Seal.
In 1327 Bishop Richard de Bury [aged 39] was appointed Cofferer of the Household.
In 1330 and 1333 Bishop Richard de Bury [aged 42] was sent as ambassador to the papal court in exile at Avignon.
In February 1333 Bishop Richard de Bury [aged 46] was appointed Dean of Wells.
In September 1333 Bishop Richard de Bury [aged 46] was appointed Bishop of Durham.
In February 1334 Bishop Richard de Bury [aged 47] was appointed Lord Treasurer.
The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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After 1345. Chapel of the Nine Altars, Durham Cathedral [Map]. Memorial to Bishop Richard de Bury [aged 57].
On 14th April 1345 Bishop Richard de Bury [aged 58] died.