The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy

The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.

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Biography of Edward Fitton 1527-1579

Paternal Family Tree: Fitton

Maternal Family Tree: Margaret Markham

Before 31st March 1527 [his uncle] Edward Fitton (age 27) and [his mother] Mary Harbottle (age 20) were married.

On 31st March 1527 Edward Fitton was born to [his uncle] Edward Fitton (age 27) and [his mother] Mary Harbottle (age 20) at Gawsworth, Cheshire [Map].

On 19th January 1539 Edward Fitton (age 11) and Anne Warburton (age 11) were married. They had nine sons and six daughters during their thrity-four year marriage.

Around 1548 [his son] Edward Fitton was born to Edward Fitton (age 20) and [his wife] Anne Warburton (age 20). He married in or before 1572 Alice Holcroft and had issue.

Around 1548 [his daughter] Mary Fitton was born to Edward Fitton (age 20) and [his wife] Anne Warburton (age 20).

On 17th February 1548 [his uncle] Edward Fitton (age 48) died at Gawsworth, Cheshire [Map].

In 1553 Edward Fitton (age 25) was appointed Knight of the Shire Cheshire.

Around 1555 [his daughter] Margaret Fitton was born to Edward Fitton (age 27) and [his wife] Anne Warburton (age 27). She married before 1572 her half fourth cousin twice removed Randle Mainwaring and had issue.

In 1556 Edward Fitton (age 28) was knighted by Henry Sidney (age 27).

On 12th December 1556 [his mother] Mary Harbottle (age 49) died at Gawsworth, Cheshire [Map].

In 1st June 1569 Edward Fitton (age 42) was appointed the first Lord President of Connaught and Thomond arriving in Ireland in Jul 1569.

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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After July 1569 Edward Fitton (age 42) was beseiged in County Galway by Connor O'Brien 3rd Earl of Thomond (age 35) and the sons of Richard Burke 2nd Earl Clanricarde.

Before 1572 [his son-in-law] Randle Mainwaring (age 18) and [his daughter] Margaret Fitton (age 16) were married. They were half fourth cousin twice removed.

In or before 1572 [his son] Edward Fitton (age 23) and [his daughter-in-law] Alice Holcroft (age 31) were married.

On 9th July 1573 [his wife] Anne Warburton (age 46) died at Dublin [Map]. She was buried at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin [Map].

On 3rd July 1579 Edward Fitton (age 52) died at Dublin [Map]. He was buried at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin [Map] on 21st September 1579.

[his son] Alexander Fitton was born to Edward Fitton and Anne Warburton.

Royal Ancestors of Edward Fitton

Kings Wessex: Great x 16 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England

Kings Gwynedd: Great x 13 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd

Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 19 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth

Kings Powys: Great x 14 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys

Kings Godwinson: Great x 16 Grand Son of King Harold II of England

Kings England: Great x 6 Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Kings Scotland: Great x 15 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland

Kings Franks: Great x 12 Grand Son of Louis VII King of the Franks

Kings France: Great x 16 Grand Son of Robert "Pious" II King of the Franks

Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 20 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine

Ancestors of Edward Fitton

GrandFather: John Fitton

Father: Edward Fitton

Great x 4 Grandfather: William Brereton

Great x 3 Grandfather: William Brereton

Great x 2 Grandfather: William Brereton 10th Lord Brereton

Great x 1 Grandfather: Andrew Brereton

GrandMother: Ellen Brereton

Edward Fitton 6 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 2 Grandfather: Bertram Harbottle

Great x 1 Grandfather: Ralph Harbottle 9 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 4 Grandfather: John Lumley 6 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Lumley 1st Baron Lumley 7 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 4 Grandmother: Felicia Wodecok

Great x 2 Grandmother: Joan Lumley 8 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 4 Grandfather: James Harrington

Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Harrington Baroness Knightley

GrandFather: Guiscard Harbottle 4 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry "Hotspur" Percy 3 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Percy 2nd Earl of Northumberland 2 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Mortimer Baroness Camoys Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 2 Grandfather: Ralph Percy 2 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 4 Grandfather: Ralph Neville 1st Earl of Westmoreland 5 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 3 Grandmother: Eleanor Neville Countess Northumberland Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Beaufort Countess of Westmoreland Grand Daughter of

Great x 1 Grandmother: Margaret Percy 3 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 2 Grandmother: Eleanor Acton

Mother: Mary Harbottle 5 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund Willoughby 6 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 3 Grandfather: Hugh Willoughby 7 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabel Annesley

Great x 2 Grandfather: Robert Willoughby 8 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 4 Grandfather: Baldwin Freville

Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Freville

Great x 1 Grandfather: Henry Willoughby 9 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 2 Grandmother: Margaret Griffith

GrandMother: Jane Willoughby 10 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 2 Grandfather: Robert Markham

Great x 1 Grandmother: Margaret Markham