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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Paternal Family Tree: Boothby
In or before 1638 [his father] Henry Boothby 1st Baronet [aged 45] and [his mother] Mary Hayes [aged 24] were married. The difference in their ages was 21 years.
Around 1638 William Boothby 1st Baronet was born to [his father] Henry Boothby 1st Baronet [aged 46] and [his mother] Mary Hayes [aged 24].
On 3rd September 1648 [his father] Henry Boothby 1st Baronet [aged 56] died. Baronet Boothby of Clater Cote extinct.
After 1649 [his mother] Mary Hayes [deceased] died.
After 13th August 1653 William Boothby 1st Baronet [aged 15] and Frances Milward were married.
Around 1654 [his son] Francis Boothby was born to William Boothby 1st Baronet [aged 16] and [his wife] Frances Milward.
On 6th April 1657 William Boothby 1st Baronet [aged 19] and Hill Brooke [aged 21] were married at Chiswick.
On 13th July 1660 William Boothby 1st Baronet [aged 22] was created 1st Baronet Boothby of Broadlow Ash in Derbyshire.
In 1661 William Boothby 1st Baronet [aged 23] was appointed High Sheriff of Derbyshire.
Before 1st January 1664 the date he was baptised at Tamworth, Staffordshire [Map], [his son] William Boothby 3rd Baronet was born to William Boothby 1st Baronet [aged 26] and [his wife] Hill Brooke [aged 28]. He married before 1695 Frances Williams, daughter of Trevor Williams 1st Baronet and Elizabeth Morgan Lady Williams, and had issue.
On 8th January 1670 [his son] Brooke Boothby was born to William Boothby 1st Baronet [aged 32] and [his wife] Hill Brooke [aged 34].
In 1671 William Boothby 1st Baronet [aged 33] purchased Ashbourne Hall, Derbyshire [Map] from Aston Cockayne 1st Baronet [aged 62].
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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In 1684 [his son] Francis Boothby [aged 30] died.
Before 1695 [his son] William Boothby 3rd Baronet [aged 30] and [his daughter-in-law] Frances Williams [aged 46] were married.
On 14th May 1704 [his wife] Hill Brooke [aged 68] died.
On 24th March 1707 William Boothby 1st Baronet [aged 69] died at Ashbourne Hall, Derbyshire [Map]. His grandson Henry [aged 25] succeeded 2nd Baronet Boothby of Broadlow Ash in Derbyshire.
On 24th March 1707. St Oswald's Church, Ashbourne [Map]. Monument to William Boothby 1st Baronet [aged 69] and [his former wife] Hill Brooke.
Hill Brooke: Around 1636 she was born to William Brooke and Pembroke Lennard. On 6th April 1657 William Boothby 1st Baronet and she were married at Chiswick. On 14th May 1704 Hill Brooke died.
GrandFather: William Boothby
Father: Henry Boothby 1st Baronet
GrandFather: Thomas Hayes
Mother: Mary Hayes