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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Paternal Family Tree: Smith of Jamiaca
On 23rd February 1765 [his father] Benjamin Smith [aged 23] and [his mother] Charlotte Turner [aged 15] were married. They had twelve children.
On 9th October 1778 General Lionel Smith 1st Baronet was born to [his father] Benjamin Smith [aged 36] and [his mother] Charlotte Turner [aged 29].
On 23rd February 1806 [his father] Benjamin Smith [aged 64] died in prison.
On 28th October 1806 [his mother] Charlotte Turner [aged 57] died.
Before 1814 General Lionel Smith 1st Baronet [aged 35] and Ellen Marianne Galway were married.
On 20th November 1819 General Lionel Smith 1st Baronet [aged 41] and Isabella Pottinger Lady Smith [aged 39] were married.
In 1833 General Lionel Smith 1st Baronet [aged 54] was Governor of Barbados which position he held until 1836.
In 1833 General Lionel Smith 1st Baronet [aged 54] was Governor of Tobago.
On 2nd April 1833 [his son] Lionel Eldred Smith-Gordon 2nd Baronet was born to General Lionel Smith 1st Baronet [aged 54] and [his wife] Isabella Pottinger Lady Smith [aged 53]. He married before 22nd March 1857 his first cousin Fanny Pottinger Lady Smith and had issue.
On 19th July 1838 General Lionel Smith 1st Baronet [aged 59] was created 1st Baronet Smith of Jamaica. [his wife] Isabella Pottinger Lady Smith [aged 58] by marriage Lady Smith of Jamaica.
On 2nd January 1842 General Lionel Smith 1st Baronet [aged 63] died. His wife died three days later. His son Lionel [aged 8] succeeded 2nd Baronet Smith of Jamaica.
On 5th January 1842 [his former wife] Isabella Pottinger Lady Smith [aged 62] died three days after her husband's death.
Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall
The Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall (Chronicon Anglicanum) is an indispensable medieval history that brings to life centuries of English and European affairs through the eyes of a learned Cistercian monk. Ralph of Coggeshall, abbot of the Abbey of Coggeshall in Essex in the early 13th century, continued and expanded his community’s chronicle, documenting events from the Norman Conquest of 1066 into the tumultuous reign of King Henry III. Blending eyewitness testimony, careful compilation, and the monastic commitment to record-keeping, this chronicle offers a rare narrative of political intrigue, royal power struggles, and social upheaval in England and beyond. Ralph’s work captures the reigns of pivotal figures such as Richard I and King John, providing invaluable insights into their characters, decisions, and the forces that shaped medieval rule. More than a simple annal, Chronicon Anglicanum conveys the texture of medieval life and governance, making it a rich source for scholars and readers fascinated by English history, monastic authorship, and the shaping of the medieval world.
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[his daughter] Isabella Smith was born to General Lionel Smith 1st Baronet and Isabella Pottinger Lady Smith. She married 21st June 1845 George Floyd Duckett 3rd Baronet, son of George Duckett 2nd Baronet.
GrandFather: Richard Smith
Father: Benjamin Smith
Great x 1 Grandfather: Nathaniel Crow of Barbados
GrandMother: Elizabeth Crow
General Lionel Smith 1st Baronet
GrandFather: Nicholas Turner
Mother: Charlotte Turner
GrandMother: Anna Towers