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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1344 Creation of the Order of the Garter
1350 Creation of Garter Knights
1361 Marriage of Edward "The Black Prince" and Joan "The Fair Maid of Kent"
Before 1310 [his father] Robert Holland 1st Baron Holand and [his mother] Maud Zouche Baroness Holand were married.
Around 1314 Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent was born to [his father] Robert Holland 1st Baron Holand and [his mother] Maud Zouche Baroness Holand.
In 1314 [his father] Robert Holland 1st Baron Holand was created 1st Baron Holand by writ of summons to Parliament. [his mother] Maud Zouche Baroness Holand by marriage Baroness Holand.
Before 26th February 1322 [his brother-in-law] John Mowbray 3rd Baron Mowbray and [his sister] Maud Holland 3rd Baroness Holand, Baroness Lovel were married. The marriage was later declared void.
On 7th October 1328 [his father] Robert Holland 1st Baron Holand was captured at Boreham, Essex. He was beheaded on the 15th October 1328. [his brother] Robert Holland 2nd Baron Holand succeeded 2nd Baron Holand.
Around March 1340 Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent and Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales were married in secret. It isn't clear whether the marriage was canonical given the secrecy; there were no witnesses. She twelve years old. A subsequent investigation by papal commissioners confirmed it as valid. She the daughter of Edmund of Woodstock 1st Earl Kent and Margaret Wake Countess Kent.
Around November 1340 William Montagu 2nd Earl Salisbury and [his wife] Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales were married. She was already married albeit secretly to Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent. The subsequent investigation found her marriage to Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent to be valid. She the daughter of Edmund of Woodstock 1st Earl Kent and [his mother-in-law] Margaret Wake Countess Kent. He the son of William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury and Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury.
On 23rd April 1344 King Edward III of England created the Order of the Garter. The date nominal as there are different accounts; some sources say 1348.
2 Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster.
3 Thomas Beauchamp 11th Earl Warwick.
4 Jean Grailly.
5 Ralph Stafford 1st Earl Stafford.
6 William Montagu 2nd Earl Salisbury.
7 Roger Mortimer 2nd Earl March.
9 Bartholomew "The Younger" Burghesh 2nd Baron Burghesh.
10 John Beauchamp 1st Baron Beauchamp Warwick.
11 John Mohun 2nd Baron Mohun of Dunster.
12 Hugh Courtenay.
13 Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent.
15 Richard Fitzsimon.
16 Miles Stapleton.
17 Thomas Wale.
18 Hugh Wrottesley.
19 Neil Loring.
20 John Chandos.
21 James Audley.
22 [his brother] Otho Holland.
23 Henry Eam.
24 Sanchet Abrichecourt.
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On 3rd April 1348 [his brother-in-law] John Plantagenet 3rd Earl Kent and Isabella aka Elizabeth Julich Countess Kent were married. She by marriage Countess Kent. She the daughter of William Jülich V Duke Jülich and Joanna Hainaut Duchess Guelders. He the son of Edmund of Woodstock 1st Earl Kent and [his mother-in-law] Margaret Wake Countess Kent.
On 11th June 1349 William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury died. William Montagu 2nd Earl Salisbury succeeded 2nd Earl Salisbury, 4th Baron Montagu. [his wife] Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales by marriage Countess Salisbury.
On 29th September 1349 [his mother-in-law] Margaret Wake Countess Kent died of plague. [his brother-in-law] John Plantagenet 3rd Earl Kent succeeded 4th Baron Wake of Liddell and inherited her dower lands and the estates she had inherited from her brother Thomas Wake 2nd Baron Wake of Liddell.
In 1350 [his daughter] Joan Holland Duchess Brittany was born to Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent and [his wife] Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales. She married May 1366 John Montfort V Duke Brittany.
In 1350 [his son] Thomas Holland 2nd Earl Kent was born to Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent and [his wife] Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales. He married before 13th October 1370 Alice Fitzalan Countess Kent, daughter of Richard Fitzalan 3rd or 10th Earl of Arundel 8th Earl of Surrey and Eleanor Plantagenet Countess Arundel and Surrey, and had issue.
Annales of England by John Stow. This yeere, on Saint Georges day [23rd April 1350], the king held a great and solemne feast at his castle of Windsor, where he had augmented the chappel which Henry the first and other his progenitors, kings of England, had before erected, of eight chanons. He added to those eight chanons a deane and fifteene chanons more, and 24 poore and impotent knights, with other ministers and servants, as appeareth in his charter dated the two and twentieth of his reigne. Besides the king, there were other also that were contributors to the foundation of this colledge, as followeth: i. The sovereigne king Edward the third, 2. Edward, his eldest sonne, prince of Wales, 3. Henry, duke of Lancaster, 4. the earle of Warwicke, 5. Captaine de Bouch, 6. Ralph, earle of Stafford, 7. William Montacute, earle of Salisburie, 8. Roger, lorde Mortimer, earle of March, 9. sir John de Lisle, 10. sir Bartholomew Burwash, 11. sir John Beauchampe, 12. sir John Mahune, 13. sir Hugh Courtney, 14. sir Thomas Holland, 15. sir John Grey, 16. sir Richard Fitz Simon, 17. sir Miles Stapleton, 18. sir Thomas Walle, 19. sir Hugh Wrothesley, 20. sir Nele Loring, 21. sir John Chandos, 22. sir James de Audley, 23. sir [his brother] Othes Holland, 24. sir Henry Eme, 25. sir Sechet Dabridgecourt, 26. sir Wiliam Panell. All these, together with the king, were clothed in gownes of russet, poudered with garters blew, wearing the like garters also on their right legges, and mantels of blew with scutcheons of S. George. In this sort of apparell they, being bare-headed, heard masse, which was celebrated by Simon Islip, archbishop of Canterbury, and the bishops of Winchester and Excester, and afterwards they went to the feast, setting themselves orderly at the table, for the honor of the feast, which they named to be of S. George the martyr and the choosing of the knights of the Garter.
In 1352 Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent was created 1st Earl Kent, 1st Baron Holand.
In 1352 [his son] John Holland 1st Duke Exeter was born to Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent and [his wife] Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales. He married 24th June 1386 Elizabeth Lancaster Duchess Exeter, daughter of John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster and Blanche Duchess of Lancaster, and had issue.
On 26th December 1352 [his brother-in-law] John Plantagenet 3rd Earl Kent died. He was buried at Greyfriars Church, Winchester. Earl Kent extinct. [his wife] Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales succeeded 5th Baroness Wake of Liddell. Some source suggest she also succeeded as 4th Countess of Kent but this is inconsistent with 1. her husband being created Earl of Kent as a new creation, and 2. her son not succeeding to the original Earldom?
In 1359 [his daughter] Maud Holland was born to Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent and [his wife] Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales. She married (1) 5th September 1363 Hugh Courtenay (2) 1380 Waleran Luxemburg, son of Guy of Luxemburg I Count Saint Pol and Ligny and Mathilde Chatillon Countess Saint Pol, and had issue.
On 26th December 1360 Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent died. He was buried at Blackfriars Friary, Stamford. [his son] Thomas Holland 2nd Earl Kent succeeded 2nd Earl Kent.
On 10th October 1361 Edward "Black Prince" and Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales were married at Windsor Castle. She by marriage Princess of Wales. His first wife, her second (or third depending on how you count them) husband. She had four children already. They had known each other since childhood. Thirty-one and thirty-three respectively. A curious choice for the heir to the throne; foreign princesses were usual. They were married nearly fifteen years and had two children. She the daughter of Edmund of Woodstock 1st Earl Kent and Margaret Wake Countess Kent. He the son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainaut Queen Consort England.
On 7th August 1385 [his former wife] Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales died at Wallingford Castle. She was buried at Blackfriars Friary, Stamford beside her first husband Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent. [his son] Thomas Holland 2nd Earl Kent succeeded 6th Baron Wake of Liddell.