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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Biography of Gilbert Hoghton 2nd Baronet 1591-1648

Paternal Family Tree: Hoghton

Maternal Family Tree: Anne Ratclyffe 1539-1603

In or before 1591 [his father] Richard Hoghton 1st Baronet (age 20) and [his mother] Catherine Gerard Lady Hoghton (age 21) were married. She by marriage Lady Hoghton of Hoghton Tower in Lancashire. They had five sons and eight daughters.

In 1591 Gilbert Hoghton 2nd Baronet was born to [his father] Richard Hoghton 1st Baronet (age 20) and [his mother] Catherine Gerard Lady Hoghton (age 22).

On 21st July 1604 Gilbert Hoghton 2nd Baronet (age 13) was knighted by King James I (age 38) at Whitehall Palace [Map].

In 1614 Gilbert Hoghton 2nd Baronet (age 23) was elected MP Clitheroe.

Around 1616 [his son] Richard Hoghton 3rd Baronet was born to Gilbert Hoghton 2nd Baronet (age 25). He married in or before 1644 Sarah Stanhope Lady Hoghton, daughter of Philip Stanhope 1st Earl Chesterfield and Catherine Hastings Countess Chesterfield, and had issue.

On 17th November 1617 [his mother] Catherine Gerard Lady Hoghton (age 48) died at Houghton Tower, Preston.

In 1621 Gilbert Hoghton 2nd Baronet (age 30) was elected MP Lancashire which seat he held until 1622.

In 1626 Gilbert Hoghton 2nd Baronet (age 35) was elected MP Lancashire.

Before 1630 [his father] Richard Hoghton 1st Baronet (age 59) and Jane Spencer Lady Hoghton were married. She by marriage Lady Hoghton of Hoghton Tower in Lancashire.

Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans

Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.

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In 1630 [his father] Richard Hoghton 1st Baronet (age 59) died. His son Gilbert (age 39) succeeded 2nd Baronet Hoghton of Hoghton Tower in Lancashire.

In April 1640 Gilbert Hoghton 2nd Baronet (age 49) was elected MP Lancashire.

In 1643 Gilbert Hoghton 2nd Baronet (age 52) was appointed High Sheriff of Lancashire.

In or before 1644 [his son] Richard Hoghton 3rd Baronet (age 27) and [his daughter-in-law] Sarah Stanhope Lady Hoghton were married. She the daughter of Philip Stanhope 1st Earl Chesterfield (age 59) and Catherine Hastings Countess Chesterfield.

Before 1647 [his son] Peter Hoghton died.

In April 1648 Gilbert Hoghton 2nd Baronet (age 57) died. His son Richard (age 32) succeeded 3rd Baronet Hoghton of Hoghton Tower in Lancashire. [his daughter-in-law] Sarah Stanhope Lady Hoghton by marriage Lady Hoghton of Hoghton Tower in Lancashire.

[his son] Peter Hoghton was born to Gilbert Hoghton 2nd Baronet.