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 Henry Green -1369

Paternal Family Tree: Green

Maternal Family Tree: Aoife ni Diarmait Macmurrough Countess Pembroke and Buckingham 1145-1188

Henry Green and Katherine Drayton were married.

Henry Green was born to [his father] Thomas Green and [his mother] Lucy Zouche.

In 1341 [his daughter] Agnes Greene Baroness Zouche Harringworth was born to Henry Green and Katherine Drayton. She married in or before 1365 her second cousin once removed William Zouche 3rd Baron Zouche Harringworth, son of William Zouche 2nd Baron Zouche Harringworth and Elizabeth Ros Baroness Zouche Harringworth, and had issue.

In 1345 [his son] Thomas Green was born to Henry Green and Katherine Drayton at Greens Norton, Northamptonshire.

Around 1347 [his son] Henry Green was born to Henry Green and Katherine Drayton. He married Maud Maudit and had issue.

In 1354 Henry Green was appointed Justice of the Common Pleas.

In 1354 Henry Green was knighted by King Edward III of England (age 41).

In 1357 Henry Green was excommunicated for non-attendance of the trial of Bishop Thomas Lisle (age 59).

In or before 1365 [his son-in-law] William Zouche 3rd Baron Zouche Harringworth (age 13) and [his daughter] Agnes Greene Baroness Zouche Harringworth (age 23) were married. She by marriage Baroness Zouche Harringworth. They were second cousin once removed.

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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In 1365 William Skipwith (age 51) and Lord Chief Justice, Henry Green, were removed from office for having acted "contrary to law and justice", and having unlawfully obtained large sums of money. Green never held office again, but Skipwith was only in temporary disgrace.

In 1365 Henry Green arrested and stripped of his office.

On 6th August 1369 Henry Green died at Boughton, Northamptonshire. He was buried at Church of St John the Baptist, Boughton. [his son] Henry Green (age 22) inherited at Drayton House, Northamptonshire [Map].