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: Dashwood
On 6th November 1662 Robert Dashwood 1st Baronet was baptised.
On 6th November 1662 Robert Dashwood 1st Baronet was born to [his father] George Dashwood (age 45) and [his mother] Margaret Perry.
On 8th March 1683 [his father] George Dashwood (age 66) died.
On 9th June 1683 Robert Dashwood 1st Baronet (age 20) and Penelope Chamberlayne Lady Dashwood (age 20) were married.
On 16th September 1684 Robert Dashwood 1st Baronet (age 21) was created 1st Baronet Dashwood of Kirtlington Park in Oxfordshire. [his wife] Penelope Chamberlayne Lady Dashwood (age 21) by marriage Lady Dashwood of Kirtlington Park in Oxfordshire.
On 29th August 1686 [his daughter] Penelope Dashwood was born to Robert Dashwood 1st Baronet (age 23) and [his wife] Penelope Chamberlayne Lady Dashwood (age 23). She married in or before 1705 John Stonhouse 3rd Baronet, son of John Stonhouse 2nd Baronet and Martha Briggs, and had issue.
In 1687 [his son] Robert Dashwood was born to Robert Dashwood 1st Baronet (age 24) and [his wife] Penelope Chamberlayne Lady Dashwood (age 24). He married in or before 1713 Dorothy Reade, daughter of James Reade 2nd Baronet and Love Dring Lady Reade, and had issue.
In 1690 [his son] Richard Dashwood was born to Robert Dashwood 1st Baronet (age 27) and [his wife] Penelope Chamberlayne Lady Dashwood (age 27) at Kirtlington, Oxfordshire. He married Elizabeth Lewes and had issue.
Around 1693 [his daughter] Catherine Dashwood Lady Jenkinson was born to Robert Dashwood 1st Baronet (age 30) and [his wife] Penelope Chamberlayne Lady Dashwood (age 30). She married 12th June 1718 Robert Bankes Jenkinson 4th Baronet, son of Robert Jenkinson 2nd Baronet, and had issue.
Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke
Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson.
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In or before 1705 [his son-in-law] John Stonhouse 3rd Baronet (age 32) and [his daughter] Penelope Dashwood (age 18) were married.
Before 24th May 1711 John Closterman (age 51). Portrait of Robert Dashwood 1st Baronet (age 48).
In or before 1713 [his son] Robert Dashwood (age 25) and [his daughter-in-law] Dorothy Reade were married.
On 12th June 1718 [his son-in-law] Robert Bankes Jenkinson 4th Baronet (age 31) and [his daughter] Catherine Dashwood Lady Jenkinson (age 25) were married. She by marriage Lady Jenkinson of Walcot in Oxfordshire and of Hawkesbury in Gloucestershire.
On 29th September 1728 [his son] Robert Dashwood (age 41) died at Paris [Map].
On 14th July 1734 Robert Dashwood 1st Baronet (age 71) died at Northbrook, Oxfordshire. His grandson [his grandson] James (age 21) succeeded 2nd Baronet Dashwood of Kirtlington Park in Oxfordshire.
On 22nd February 1735 [his former wife] Penelope Chamberlayne Lady Dashwood (age 72) died at Kirtlington, Oxfordshire.
[his son] Chamberlayne Dashwood was born to Robert Dashwood 1st Baronet and Penelope Chamberlayne Lady Dashwood.
[his father] George Dashwood and [his mother] Margaret Perry were married.
[his daughter] Anne Dashwood was born to Robert Dashwood 1st Baronet and Penelope Chamberlayne Lady Dashwood.
GrandFather: Samuel Dashwood 
Father: George Dashwood
GrandFather: William Perry
Mother: Margaret Perry