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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Paternal Family Tree: Marsham
Before 17th September 1685 [his father] Robert Marsham 4th Baronet (age 34) and [his mother] Margaret Bosvile were married.
On 17th September 1685 Robert Marsham 1st was born to [his father] Robert Marsham 4th Baronet (age 34) and [his mother] Margaret Bosvile.
In 1696 John Marsham 3rd Baronet died. His uncle [his father] Robert (age 45) succeeded 4th Baronet Marsham of Cuckston in Kent and inherited The Mote, Maidstone.
In 1701 Robert Marsham 1st (age 15) was educated at St John's College, Oxford University.
On 25th July 1703 [his father] Robert Marsham 4th Baronet (age 52) died. His son Robert (age 17) succeeded 5th Baronet Marsham of Cuckston in Kent.
In 1708 Robert Marsham 1st (age 22) was elected MP Maidstone.
On 19th August 1708 Robert Marsham 1st (age 22) and Elizabeth Shovell Baroness Romney were married.
On 5th August 1711 [his daughter] Elizabeth Marsham Viscountess Fokestone was born to Robert Marsham 1st (age 25) and [his wife] Elizabeth Shovell Baroness Romney. She married 21st April 1741 Jacob Bouverie 1st Viscount Folkestone, son of William des Bouverie 1st Baronet and Anne Urry Lady Bouverie, and had issue.
In 1712 [his son] Robert Marsham 2nd Baron Romney was born to Robert Marsham 1st (age 26) and [his wife] Elizabeth Shovell Baroness Romney. He married before 28th September 1744 Priscilla Pym Baroness Romney and had issue.
On 22nd June 1716 Robert Marsham 1st (age 30) was created 1st Baron Romney. [his wife] Elizabeth Shovell Baroness Romney by marriage Baroness Romney.
In 1723 Robert Marsham 1st (age 37) was elected Fellow of the Royal Society.
On 28th November 1724 Robert Marsham 1st (age 39) died. His son Robert (age 12) succeeded 2nd Baron Romney, 6th Baronet Marsham of Cuckston in Kent.
GrandFather: John Marsham 1st Baronet
Father: Robert Marsham 4th Baronet
Great x 1 Grandfather: William Hammond of St Albans Court in Nonington, Kent
GrandMother: Elizabeth Hammond Lady Marsham
Robert Marsham 1st Baron Romney
GrandFather: Thomas Bosvile of Little Motte, Eynsford, Kent
Mother: Margaret Bosvile