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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Paternal Family Tree: Churchill
Maternal Family Tree: Susanna Temple 1600-1669
On 1st October 1678 [her father] John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough [aged 28] and [her mother] Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough [aged 18] were married.
On 15th July 1689 Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu was born to John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough [aged 39] and Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough [aged 29].
In March 1698 [her brother-in-law] Francis Godolphin 2nd Earl Godolphin [aged 19] and [her sister] Henrietta Churchill 2nd Duchess of Marlborough [aged 16] were married. She the daughter of [her father] John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough [aged 47] and [her mother] Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough [aged 37]. He the son of Sidney Godolphin 1st Earl Godolphin [aged 52] and Margaret Blagge.
Before 2nd December 1700 [her brother-in-law] Charles Spencer 3rd Earl of Sunderland [aged 25] and [her sister] Anne Churchill Countess Sunderland [aged 17] were married. She the daughter of [her father] John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough [aged 50] and [her mother] Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough [aged 40]. He the son of Robert Spencer 2nd Earl of Sunderland [aged 59] and Anne Digby Countess Sunderland [aged 54].
On 28th September 1702 Robert Spencer 2nd Earl of Sunderland [aged 61] died at Althorp House, Northamptonshire [Map]. His son [her brother-in-law] Charles [aged 27] succeeded 3rd Earl of Sunderland, 5th Baron Spencer Wormleighton. [her sister] Anne Churchill Countess Sunderland [aged 19] by marriage Countess of Sunderland.
In December 1702 [her father] John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough [aged 52] was created 1st Duke Marlborough, 1st Marquess of Blandford. [her mother] Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough [aged 42] by marriage Duchess Marlborough.
On 9th February 1703 [her brother-in-law] Scroop Egerton 1st Duke Bridgewater [aged 21] and [her sister] Elizabeth Churchill Countess Bridgewater [aged 15] were married. She by marriage Countess Bridgewater. She the daughter of [her father] John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough [aged 52] and [her mother] Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough [aged 42]. He the son of John Egerton 3rd Earl Bridgewater and Jane Paulet Countess Bridgewater [aged 47].
In 1705 John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 15] and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 15] were married. She the daughter of John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough [aged 54] and Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough [aged 44]. He the son of Ralph Montagu 1st Duke Montagu [aged 66] and Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland. They were third cousins.
In 1706 [her son] John Montagu was born to [her husband] John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 16] and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 16]. He died aged five in 1711.
Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough
A canon regular of the Augustinian Guisborough Priory, Yorkshire, formerly known as The Chronicle of Walter of Hemingburgh, describes the period from 1066 to 1346. Before 1274 the Chronicle is based on other works. Thereafter, the Chronicle is original, and a remarkable source for the events of the time. This book provides a translation of the Chronicle from that date. The Latin source for our translation is the 1849 work edited by Hans Claude Hamilton. Hamilton, in his preface, says: 'In the present work we behold perhaps one of the finest samples of our early chronicles, both as regards the value of the events recorded, and the correctness with which they are detailed; Nor will the pleasing style of composition be lightly passed over by those capable of seeing reflected from it the tokens of a vigorous and cultivated mind, and a favourable specimen of the learning and taste of the age in which it was framed.'
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Around 1706 [her daughter] Isabella Montagu Duchess Manchester was born to [her husband] John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 16] and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 16]. She married (1) before 21st October 1739 her fourth cousin William Montagu 2nd Duke Manchester, son of Charles Montagu 1st Duke Manchester and Doddington Greville Duchess Manchester (2) 1743 Edward Hussey-Montagu 1st Earl Beaulieu.
On 9th March 1709 [her father-in-law] Ralph Montagu 1st Duke Montagu [aged 70] died. He was buried at Westminster Abbey [Map]. His son [her husband] John [aged 19] succeeded 2nd Duke Montagu, 4th Baron Montagu of Boughton in Northamptonshire. Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 19] by marriage Duchess Montagu.
In 1711 [her son] John Montagu [aged 5] died.
Around 1711 [her daughter] Mary Montagu Duchess of Montagu was born to [her husband] John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 21] and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 21]. She married 7th July 1730 her fourth cousin once removed George Brudenell aka Montagu 1st Duke Montagu, son of George Brudenell 3rd Earl Cardigan and Elizabeth Bruce 3rd Countess Cardigan, and had issue.
On 15th September 1712 Sidney Godolphin 1st Earl Godolphin [aged 67] died. His son [her brother-in-law] Francis [aged 34] succeeded 2nd Earl Godolphin, 2nd Viscount Rialton, 2nd Baron Godolphin of Rialton in Cornwall. [her sister] Henrietta Churchill 2nd Duchess of Marlborough [aged 31] by marriage Countess Godolphin.
On 22nd March 1714 [her sister] Elizabeth Churchill Countess Bridgewater [aged 27] died. She was buried at St Peter and St Paul Church, Little Gaddesden on 29th March 1714.
On 15th April 1716 [her sister] Anne Churchill Countess Sunderland [aged 33] died.
On 16th June 1722 [her father] John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough [aged 72] died at Cranbourne Lodge, Windsor. His daughter [her sister] Henrietta [aged 40] succeeded 2nd Duchess Marlborough, 2nd Marchioness of Blandford, 2nd Countess of Marlborough, 2nd Baroness Churchill of Sandridge in Hertfordshire. [her brother-in-law] Francis Godolphin 2nd Earl Godolphin [aged 43] by marriage Duke Marlborough.
On 24th November 1722 [her sister-in-law] Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset [aged 55] died.
On 27th December 1725 [her son] Edward Montagu was born to [her husband] John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 35] and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 36]. He died aged one in 1727.
In May 1727 [her son] Edward Montagu [aged 1] died.
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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On 7th July 1730 [her son-in-law] George Brudenell aka Montagu 1st Duke Montagu [aged 17] and Mary Montagu Duchess of Montagu [aged 19] were married. She the daughter of John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 40] and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 40]. He the son of George Brudenell 3rd Earl Cardigan [aged 44] and Elizabeth Bruce 3rd Countess Cardigan [aged 41]. They were fourth cousin once removed.
On 24th October 1733 [her sister] Henrietta Churchill 2nd Duchess of Marlborough [aged 52] died. Her nephew Charles [aged 26] succeeded 3rd Duke Marlborough, 3rd Marquess of Blandford, 3rd Earl of Marlborough, 3rd Baron Churchill of Sandridge in Hertfordshire. Elizabeth Trevor Duchess of Marlborough [aged 20] by marriage Duchess Marlborough.
Around 1735 Gavin Hamilton [aged 12]. Portrait of [her husband] John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 45] and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 45], and [her daughter] Mary Montagu Duchess of Montagu [aged 24].
Before 21st October 1739 [her son-in-law] William Montagu 2nd Duke Manchester [aged 39] and Isabella Montagu Duchess Manchester [aged 33] were married. She by marriage Duchess Manchester. She the daughter of John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 49] and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 50]. He the son of Charles Montagu 1st Duke Manchester and Doddington Greville Duchess Manchester. They were fourth cousins.
On 29th January 1740 Richard Lumley 2nd Earl Scarborough [aged 53] committed suicide by shooting himself through the roof of the mouth possibly as a result of his having told the [her daughter] Dowager Duchess of Manchester [aged 34], who he had intended to marry the following day, a state secret which she then shared with her grandmother [her mother] Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough [aged 79] who shared it with William Pulteney 1st Earl Bath [aged 55] who shared it with everyone else. His brother Thomas [aged 49] succeeded 3rd Earl of Scarborough, 4th Viscount Lumley, 3rd Baron Lumley. Frances Hamilton Countess Scarborough by marriage Countess of Scarborough. He left his estates to his youngest brother James Lumley [aged 34].
On 4th February 1740 Richard Lumley 2nd Earl Scarborough was buried at the Grosvenor Chapel, Mayfair.
In 1743 [her son-in-law] Edward Hussey-Montagu 1st Earl Beaulieu [aged 22] and Isabella Montagu Duchess Manchester [aged 37] were married. She the daughter of John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 53] and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 53].
On 18th October 1744 [her mother] Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough [aged 84] died.
On 6th July 1749 John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 59] died without surviving male issue. Duke Montagu extinct. His estates were inherited by his daughter Mary [aged 38] and her husband George Brudenell aka Montagu 1st Duke Montagu [aged 36] who changed his name to Montagu from Brudenell. Monument in St Edmund's Church, Warkton [Map]. Sculpted by Louis Francois Roubiliac [aged 46]. Erected by his widow, Mary Churchill [aged 59], the daughter of the 1st Duke of Marlborough, who stands at the left hand side of the monument.
On 14th May 1751 Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 61] died. Monument in St Edmund's Church, Warkton [Map]. Sculpted by Louis Francois Roubiliac [aged 48]. Erected by her Daughter, Lady Mary Montagu. The monument is adorned with figures representing the three fates of Clotho, Atropos and Lachesis, arranged to show the cutting of Mary's life thread, and Lachesis' dismay at it being cut short. Three putti also figure on the monument, one of whom holds the spindle from which the thread was cut.
Clotho: Clotho is one of the Three Fates. She spins the thread of human life.
Atropos: Atropos is one of the Three Fates. She cuts the thread of human life.
Lachesis: Lachesis is one of the Three Fates. She measures the thread of human life.
[her son] George Montagu was born to John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu.
Kings Wessex: Great x 22 Grand Daughter of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 19 Grand Daughter of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 25 Grand Daughter of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 20 Grand Daughter of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings England: Great x 15 Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 21 Grand Daughter of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 29 Grand Daughter of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 23 Grand Daughter of Hugh I King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 27 Grand Daughter of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
GrandFather: Winston Churchill 
Father: John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough 14 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John "The Elder" Drake
Great x 3 Grandfather: Bernard Drake
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Drake
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Drake
GrandMother: Elizabeth Drake 13 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Boteler 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Boteler 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Griselda Roche
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Boteler 1st Baron Boteler 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Waller
Great x 3 Grandmother: Catherine Waller
Great x 1 Grandmother: Helen Boteler 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Villiers of Brooksby Leicestershire 
Great x 3 Grandfather: George Villiers of Brokesby
Great x 4 Grandmother: Collette Clarke
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Villiers Baroness Boteler Brantfield
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Saunders of Harrington Northamptonshire
Great x 3 Grandmother: Audrey Saunders
Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu 15 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Jennings
GrandFather: Richard Jennings
Mother: Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough
Great x 1 Grandfather: Gifford Thornhurst 1st Baronet
GrandMother: Frances Thornhurst
Great x 4 Grandfather: Peter Temple of Stowe 
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Temple
Great x 2 Grandfather: Alexander Temple
Great x 1 Grandmother: Susanna Temple