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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Paternal Family Tree: Anjou aka Plantagenet
Maternal Family Tree: Jeanne Sabran
On 16th December 1571 a triple wedding was celebrated at Whitehall Palace [Map].. with Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland [aged 38] present...
Edward Sutton 4th Baron Dudley [aged 46] and Mary Howard Baroness Dudley [aged 23] were married. She by marriage Baroness Dudley. The difference in their ages was 23 years. They were fourth cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward III of England.
Edward de Vere 17th Earl of Oxford [aged 21] and Anne Cecil Countess of Oxford [aged 15] were married. She by marriage Countess of Oxford. He the son of John de Vere 16th Earl of Oxford and Margery Golding Countess of Oxford.
[her father] Edward Somerset 4th Earl of Worcester [aged 21] and [her mother] Elizabeth Hastings Countess of Worcester [aged 25] were married. She by marriage Countess Worcester. She the daughter of [her grandfather] Francis Hastings 2nd Earl Huntingdon and [her grandmother] Catherine Pole Countess Huntingdon [aged 60]. He the son of William Somerset 3rd Earl of Worcester [aged 45] and Christina North Countess of Worcester. They were third cousin once removed.
In 1575 Catherine Somerset Baroness Windsor was born to Edward Somerset 4th Earl of Worcester [aged 25] and Elizabeth Hastings Countess of Worcester [aged 29].
On 21st February 1589 [her grandfather] William Somerset 3rd Earl of Worcester [aged 63] died at Hackney. He was buried at Church of St Cadoc, Raglan. His son [her father] Edward [aged 39] succeeded 4th Earl Worcester, 6th Baron Herbert of Raglan.
On 8th November 1596 a double marriage ceremony, both daughters of [her father] Edward Somerset 4th Earl of Worcester [aged 46] was held at Essex House. William Petre 2nd Baron Petre [aged 21] and [her sister] Katherine Somerset Baroness Petre [aged 21] were married. Henry Guildford [aged 30] and Elizabeth Somerset [aged 6] were married. The difference in their ages was 24 years. She the daughter of Edward Somerset 4th Earl of Worcester and Elizabeth Hastings Countess of Worcester [aged 50]. She the daughter of Edward Somerset 4th Earl of Worcester and Elizabeth Hastings Countess of Worcester. They were fourth cousins. They were fourth cousin twice removed.
On 16th June 1600 [her brother] Henry Somerset 1st Marquess Worcester [aged 23] and [her sister-in-law] Anne Russell Countess Worcester [aged 22] were married. He the son of [her father] Edward Somerset 4th Earl of Worcester [aged 50] and [her mother] Elizabeth Hastings Countess of Worcester [aged 54]. They were fifth cousins.
Mary Fitton [aged 21] led a Masque in celebration at the Blackfriars residence of Henry Brooke 11th Baron Cobham [aged 35] with Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland [aged 66] and William Herbert 3rd Earl Pembroke [aged 20] attending. She, Mary soon afterwards became the mistress of William Herbert 3rd Earl Pembroke and soon became pregnant.
On 6th April 1605 Henry Windsor 5th Baron Windsor [aged 42] died. His son [her future husband] Thomas [aged 13] succeeded 6th Baron Windsor of Stanwell in Buckinghamshire.
On 11th May 1607 [her brother-in-law] Thomas Arundell 2nd Baron Arundel [aged 21] and [her sister] Blanche Somerset Baroness Arundel [aged 24] were married. She by marriage Baroness Arundel of Wardour in Wiltshire. She the daughter of [her father] Edward Somerset 4th Earl of Worcester [aged 57] and [her mother] Elizabeth Hastings Countess of Worcester [aged 61]. They were third cousin once removed.
On 16th September 1607 Princess Mary Stewart [aged 2] died of pneumonia at the Stanwell Park Stanwell, Surrey home of Thomas Knyvet 1st Baron Knyvet [aged 62] in whose care she had been placed. As soon as Mary died, the [her father] Earl of Worcester [aged 57], the Earl of Leicester [aged 43] and the Earl of Totnes [aged 52] went to Hampton Court Palace [Map], to inform the Queen [aged 32] of her daughter's death. Seeing the three men before her, Queen Anne realized what had happened and spared the men the task of telling her.
On 10th January 1608 the Ben Johnson [aged 36] Masque of Beauty was performed at the Banqueting House, Whitehall Palace [Map] to celebrate the completion of its refurburbishment. King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland [aged 41] attended.
The performers included:
Anne of Denmark Queen Consort Scotland England and Ireland [aged 33].
Alethea Talbot Countess Arundel, Surrey and Norfolk [aged 23].
Catherine Brydges Countess Bedford [aged 28].
Elizabeth Vere Countess Derby [aged 32].
Susan Vere Countess Montgomery [aged 20].
Lettice Perrot Baroness Chichester [aged 48].
Audrey Shelton Lady Walsingham [aged 39].
Catherine Somerset Baroness Windsor [aged 33].
Anne Clifford Countess Dorset and Pembroke [aged 17].
Elizabeth Barkham Lady Garrard [aged 15].
[her sister] Elizabeth Somerset [aged 18].
Elizabeth Cecil Lady Hatton [aged 30].
Mary Neville 7th and 5th Baroness Abergavenny 3rd Baroness Despencer [aged 54].
Catherine Somerset Baroness Windsor.
Arabella Stewart [aged 33].
Before 14th January 1608 Thomas Windsor 6th Baron Windsor [aged 16] and Catherine Somerset Baroness Windsor [aged 33] were married. She by marriage Baroness Windsor of Stanwell in Buckinghamshire. She the daughter of Edward Somerset 4th Earl of Worcester [aged 58] and Elizabeth Hastings Countess of Worcester [aged 62]. They were third cousin twice removed.
On 5th June 1610 the Tethy's Festival Masque was performed at Whitehall Palace [Map] to celebrate the investiture of Prince Frederick [aged 16] as Prince of Wales. The script was written by Samuel Daniel at the request of the Queen [aged 35], who appeared in person as Tethys a goddess of the sea. Inigo Jones [aged 36] designed the staging and scenery.
Prince Charles [aged 9] took the part of Zephyrus,.
Princess Elizabeth Stewart Queen Bohemia [aged 13] appeared as the companion or daughter of Tethys, the "Nymph of Thames",.
Arabella Stewart [aged 35] took the part of the "Nymph of Trent",.
Alethea Talbot Countess Arundel, Surrey and Norfolk [aged 25] as "Nymph of Arun".
Elizabeth Vere Countess Derby [aged 34] as "Nymph of Derwent",.
Frances Howard Countess Essex and Somerset [aged 20] as "Nymph of Lee",.
Anne Clifford Countess Dorset and Pembroke [aged 20] as "Nymph of Air",.
Susan Vere Countess Montgomery [aged 23] as "Nymph of Severn",.
Elizabeth Radclyffe Viscountess Haddington as "Nymph of Rother",.
Elizabeth Talbot Countess Kent [aged 28] as "Nymph of Medway",.
Four sisters, daughters of [her father] Edward Somerset 4th Earl of Worcester [aged 60] and [her mother] Elizabeth Hastings Countess of Worcester [aged 64], danced as the rivers of Monmouthshire:
Catherine Somerset Baroness Windsor [aged 35] the "Nymph of Usk".
Katherine Somerset Baroness Petre [aged 35] the "Nymph of Olwy".
Elizabeth Somerset [aged 20] the "Nymph of Dulesse" (Dulas), and.
Mary Wintour the "Nymph of Wye".
Diary of Anne Clifford. 26th April 1619. Monday the 26th my Lord's [aged 30] cocks fought at Whitehall when my Lord won five or six battles. I went in the afternoon to see my Lady Windsor [aged 44]1, my Lady Rawleigh [aged 54] in her house which is hard by Austin Friars. Then went to Clerkenwell to the house that Sir Thomas Challum built.
Note 1. Catherine, daughter of [her father] Edward Somerset [aged 69] Earl of Worcester, Lord Privy Seal, and wife of [her husband] Thomas 6th Lord Windsor [aged 27].
On 24th August 1621 [her mother] Elizabeth Hastings Countess of Worcester [aged 75] died.
On 3rd March 1628 [her father] Edward Somerset 4th Earl of Worcester [aged 78] died. He was buried at Church of St Cadoc, Raglan. His son [her brother] Henry [aged 51] succeeded 5th Earl Worcester, 7th Baron Herbert of Raglan. [her sister-in-law] Anne Russell Countess Worcester [aged 50] by marriage Countess Worcester.
In 1631 [her brother] Thomas Somerset 1st Viscount Somerset [aged 52] and [her sister-in-law] Eleanor Barry Countess Ormonde and Ossory were married. She by marriage Viscountess Somerset of Cashel. He the son of [her father] Edward Somerset 4th Earl of Worcester and [her mother] Elizabeth Hastings Countess of Worcester. They were fifth cousin once removed.
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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On 2nd November 1642 [her brother] Henry Somerset 1st Marquess Worcester [aged 65] was created 1st Marquess Worcester.
On 6th December 1642 [her husband] Thomas Windsor 6th Baron Windsor [aged 51] died. Baron Windsor of Stanwell in Buckinghamshire abeyant between his sisters.
On 18th December 1646 [her brother] Henry Somerset 1st Marquess Worcester [aged 69] died at Covent Garden [Map]. His son [her nephew] Edward [aged 44] succeeded 2nd Marquess Worcester, 6th Earl Worcester, 8th Baron Herbert of Raglan.
On 8th October 1649 [her sister] Blanche Somerset Baroness Arundel [aged 66] died.
In 1651 [her brother] Thomas Somerset 1st Viscount Somerset [aged 72] died.
On 6th November 1654 Catherine Somerset Baroness Windsor [aged 79] died.
Kings Wessex: Great x 16 Grand Daughter of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 14 Grand Daughter of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 20 Grand Daughter of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 15 Grand Daughter of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 17 Grand Daughter of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 7 Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 15 Grand Daughter of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 23 Grand Daughter of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 17 Grand Daughter of Hugh I King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 21 Grand Daughter of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund Beaufort 1st or 2nd Duke of Somerset 
Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Beaufort 2nd or 3rd Duke of Somerset 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor Beauchamp Duchess Somerset 
4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Charles Somerset 1st Earl of Worcester 3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Hill of Shilston
Great x 3 Grandmother: Joan Hill
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Champernoun
Great x 1 Grandfather: Henry Somerset 2nd Earl of Worcester 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Herbert 1st Earl Pembroke 
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Herbert 2nd Earl Pembroke 1st Earl Huntingdon 9 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Devereux 
8 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Herbert 3rd Baroness Herbert Raglan 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Woodville 1st Earl Rivers 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Mary Woodville Countess Pembroke and Huntingdon 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Jacquetta of Luxemburg Duchess Bedford 
5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
GrandFather: William Somerset 3rd Earl of Worcester 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Browne 
Great x 2 Grandfather: Anthony Browne 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Fitzalan 
4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Eleanor Fitzalan 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Moyns
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Browne Countess of Worcester 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Neville Earl Salisbury Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Neville 1st Marquess Montagu 
2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Alice Montagu 5th Countess of Salisbury 
3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Lucy Neville 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund Ingaldsthorpe
Great x 3 Grandmother: Isabel Ingaldsthorpe 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Tiptoft 
4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Father: Edward Somerset 4th Earl of Worcester 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Edward North 1st Baron North
GrandMother: Christina North Countess of Worcester
Great x 2 Grandfather: Oliver Squier of Southby in Hampshire
Great x 1 Grandmother: Alice Squier Baroness North
Catherine Somerset Baroness Windsor 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Leonard Hastings 
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Hastings 1st Baron Hastings 9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Alice Camoys 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Edward Hastings 2nd Baron Hastings Baron Botreaux, Hungerford and Moleyns 3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Neville Earl Salisbury Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Katherine Neville Baroness Bonville and Hastings 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Alice Montagu 5th Countess of Salisbury 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: George Hastings 1st Earl Huntingdon 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Hungerford 3rd Baron Hungerford 1st Baron Moleyns 
6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Hungerford 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor Moleyns Baroness Hungerford 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Mary Hungerford Baroness Hastings, 4th Baroness Hungerford, 5th Baroness Botreaux and 2nd Baroness Moleyns 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Percy 3rd Earl of Northumberland 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Percy 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor Poynings Countess Northumberland 
6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
GrandFather: Francis Hastings 2nd Earl Huntingdon 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Humphrey Stafford 1st Duke of Buckingham 
Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Humphrey Stafford 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Neville Duchess Buckingham Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Henry Stafford 2nd Duke of Buckingham 3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund Beaufort 1st or 2nd Duke of Somerset Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Beaufort 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor Beauchamp Duchess Somerset 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Anne Stafford Countess Huntingdon 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Woodville
Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard Woodville 1st Earl Rivers
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Bittelsgate
Great x 2 Grandmother: Catherine Woodville Duchess Buckingham and Bedford 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Peter Luxemburg I Count Saint Pol 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Jacquetta of Luxemburg Duchess Bedford 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margherita Baux 
5 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Mother: Elizabeth Hastings Countess of Worcester 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Pole 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Geoffrey Pole
Great x 2 Grandfather: Richard Pole 8 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Oliver St John 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Edith St John 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Beauchamp Duchess Somerset 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Henry Pole 1st Baron Montagu 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York 
Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: George York 1st Duke of Clarence 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Cecily "Rose of Raby" Neville Duchess York Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Margaret York aka Pole Countess of Salisbury 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard "Kingmaker" Neville Earl Warwick, 6th Earl Salisbury 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Isabel Neville Duchess Clarence 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Beauchamp 16th Countess Warwick 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
GrandMother: Catherine Pole Countess Huntingdon 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edward Neville 1st Baron Abergavenny Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: George Neville 4th and 2nd Baron Abergavenny 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Beauchamp 3rd Baroness Bergavenny 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: George Neville 5th and 3rd Baron Abergavenny 3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Hugh Fenn
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Fenne Baroness Bergavenny
Great x 1 Grandmother: Jane Neville Baroness Montagu 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Fitzalan 9th or 16th Earl of Arundel 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Fitzalan 10th or 17th Earl of Arundel 3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Neville Countess Arundel 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Joan Fitzalan Baroness Bergavenny 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Woodville 1st Earl Rivers
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Woodville Countess Arundel 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Jacquetta of Luxemburg Duchess Bedford 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England