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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Biography of William Brandon 1425-1491

Paternal Family Tree: Brandon

4th May 1471 Battle of Tewkesbury

1483 Coronation of King Richard III

1485 Battle of Bosworth

Around 1425 William Brandon was born to [his father] Robert Brandon [aged 15] and [his mother] Ada Calthorpe at Wangford Brandon, Suffolk.

Around 1455 William Brandon [aged 30] and Elizabeth Wingfield were married.

In 1456 [his son] William Brandon was born to William Brandon [aged 31] and [his wife] Elizabeth Wingfield at Soham. He married 4th November 1475 Elizabeth Bruyn and had issue.

Around 1460 [his son] Robert Brandon was born to William Brandon [aged 35]. He married after 1528 Katherine Zouche, daughter of John Zouche 7th Baron Zouche Harringworth and Joan Dynham Baroness Zouche Harringworth.

In 1468 William Brandon [aged 43] was elected MP North Shoreham.

4th May 1471 Battle of Tewkesbury

On 4th May 1471 King Edward IV of England [aged 29] was victorious at the 4th May 1471 Battle of Tewkesbury. His brother Richard [aged 18], Richard Beauchamp 2nd Baron Beauchamp Powick [aged 36], John Howard 1st Duke of Norfolk [aged 46], George Neville 4th and 2nd Baron Abergavenny [aged 31], John Savage [aged 49], John Savage [aged 27], Thomas St Leger [aged 31], John Tuchet 6th Baron Audley, 3rd Baron Tuchet [aged 45], Thomas Burgh 1st Baron Burgh of Gainsborough [aged 40] fought. William Brandon [aged 46], George Browne [aged 31], Ralph Hastings, Richard Hastings Baron Willoughby [aged 38], James Tyrrell [aged 16], Roger Kynaston of Myddle and Hordley [aged 38] were knighted. William Hastings 1st Baron Hastings [aged 40] commanded.

Margaret of Anjou [aged 41] was captured. Her son Edward of Westminster Prince of Wales [aged 17] was killed. He was the last of the Lancastrian line excluding the illegitmate Charles Somerset 1st Earl of Worcester [aged 11] whose line continues to the present.

John Courtenay 7th or 15th Earl Devon [aged 36] was killed and attainted. Earl Devon forfeit. Some sources refer to these titles as being abeyant?

John Wenlock 1st Baron Wenlock [aged 71] was killed. Baron Wenlock extinct.

John Delves [aged 49], John Beaufort [aged 30], William Vaux of Harrowden [aged 35] and Robert Whittingham [aged 42] were killed.

Edmund Beaufort [aged 32], Humphrey Tuchet [aged 37] and Hugh Courtenay [aged 44] were captured.

Henry Roos fought and escaped to Tewkesbury Abbey [Map] where he sought sanctuary. He was subsequently pardoned.

William Carey [aged 34] was killed.

On 4th November 1475 [his son] William Brandon [aged 19] and [his daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Bruyn [aged 30] were married at Bishop's Lynn, Norfolk.

On 30th June 1480 [his daughter] Eleanor Brandon died.

Coronation of King Richard III

On 6th July 1483 King Richard III of England [aged 30] and his wife Anne Neville [aged 27] at Westminster Abbey [Map]. Duke Gloucester, Earl Richmond forfeit merged with the Crown. Cardinal Thomas Bourchier [aged 65] officiated. Anne Neville Queen Consort England by marriage Queen Consort England.

John Howard 1st Duke of Norfolk [aged 58] was appointed Lord High Steward. William Brandon [aged 58], Thomas Fitzalan 10th or 17th Earl of Arundel [aged 33], Thomas St Leger [aged 43], Richard Hastings Baron Willoughby [aged 50], Elizabeth Woodville Queen Consort England [aged 46], Elizabeth York Duchess Suffolk [aged 39], Giles Daubeney 1st Baron Daubeney [aged 32] and Humphrey Dacre 1st Baron Dacre Gilsland [aged 59] attended.

Robert Dymoke [aged 22] attended as the Kings' Champion.

Edmund Grey 1st Earl Kent [aged 66] carried The Pointed Sword of Justice. Thomas Howard 2nd Duke of Norfolk [aged 40] carried the Crown. Francis Lovell 1st Viscount Lovell [aged 27] carried the Third Sword of State. John de la Pole 2nd Duke of Suffolk [aged 40] carried the Sceptre. John de la Pole Earl Lincoln 1st [aged 21] carried the Cross and Ball. Henry Stafford 2nd Duke of Buckingham [aged 28] carried the king's train. Edward Stafford 2nd Earl Wiltshire [aged 13] bore the Queen's Crown.

Thomas Stanley 1st Earl of Derby [aged 48] carried the Lord High Constable's Mace. Margaret Beaufort Countess Richmond [aged 40] held Queen Anne's train. Henry Percy 4th Earl of Northumberland [aged 34] carried The Blunt Sword of Mercy. Christopher Willoughby 10th Baron Willoughby [aged 30] was appointed Knight of the Bath.

Humphrey Dacre 1st Baron Dacre Gilsland attended.

Cecily "Rose of Raby" Neville Duchess York [aged 68] refused to attend the Coronation of King Richard III. History doesn't record her reason.

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Battle of Bosworth

On 22nd August 1485 King Richard III of England [aged 32] was killed during the Battle of Bosworth. His second cousin once removed Henry Tudor [aged 28] succeeded VII King of England.

Humphrey Cotes [aged 35] died. It isn't clear on which side he was fighting.

Those supporting Henry Tudor included:

John Blount 3rd Baron Mountjoy [aged 35].

John Cheney 1st Baron Cheyne [aged 43].

Richard Guildford [aged 35].

Walter Hungerford [aged 21].

Thomas Stanley 1st Earl of Derby [aged 50].

John Wingfield.

Edward Woodville Lord Scales [aged 29].

Edward Courtenay 1st Earl Devon [aged 26].

Rhys ap Thomas Deheubarth [aged 36].

Jasper Tudor 1st Duke Bedford [aged 53].

William Beaumont 2nd Viscount Beaumont [aged 47].

Giles Daubeney 1st Baron Daubeney [aged 34].

William Stanley [aged 50].

Roger Kynaston of Myddle and Hordley [aged 52].

Henry Marney 1st Baron Marney [aged 38].

[his son] William Brandon [aged 29] was killed.

James Harrington [aged 55] was killed.

John Howard 1st Duke of Norfolk [aged 60] was killed and attainted. He was buried firstly at Thetford Priory, Norfolk [Map] and therafter at Church of St Michael the Archangel, Framlingham [Map]. Duke Norfolk, Baron Mowbray, Baron Segrave, Baron Howard forfeit.

John Sacheverell [aged 85] was killed.

Philibert Chandee 1st Earl Bath

William Norreys [aged 44], Gilbert Talbot [aged 33], John de Vere 13th Earl of Oxford [aged 42] and John Savage [aged 41] commanded,.

Robert Poyntz [aged 35] was knighted.

Those who fought for Richard III included:

John Bourchier 6th Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 47].

John Conyers [aged 74].

Thomas Dacre 2nd Baron Dacre Gilsland [aged 17].

William Berkeley 1st Marquess Berkeley [aged 59].

Richard Fitzhugh 6th Baron Fitzhugh [aged 28].

John Scrope 5th Baron Scrope of Bolton [aged 48].

Thomas Scrope 6th Baron Scrope of Masham [aged 26].

Henry Grey 4th or 7th Baron Grey of Codnor [aged 50].

Edmund Grey 1st Earl Kent [aged 68].

Ralph Neville 3rd Earl of Westmoreland [aged 29].

John de la Pole Earl Lincoln 1st [aged 23].

Humphrey Stafford [aged 59].

George Talbot 4th Earl of Shrewsbury [aged 17].

Thomas Howard 2nd Duke of Norfolk [aged 42] was wounded, captured and imprisoned in the Tower of London [Map] for three years. He was attainted; Earl Surrey forfeit.

Francis Lovell 1st Viscount Lovell [aged 29] fought and escaped.

John Zouche 7th Baron Zouche Harringworth [aged 26] was captured.

John Babington [aged 62], William Alington [aged 65], Robert Mortimer [aged 43], Robert Brackenbury, Richard Ratclyffe [aged 55] and Richard Bagot [aged 73] were killed

Walter Devereux Baron Ferrers of Chartley [aged 53] was killed.

William Catesby [aged 35] was executed at Leicester, Leicestershire [Map] after the battle.

George Stanley 9th Baron Strange Knockin 5th Baron Mohun Dunster [aged 25] held as a hostage by Richard III before the Battle of Bosworth.

Henry Percy 4th Earl of Northumberland [aged 36] betrayed King Richard III of England by not committing his forces at the Battle of Bosworth.

John Iwardby [aged 35] was killed.

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On 22nd August 1485 [his father] Robert Brandon [aged 75] died at North Cray, Bromley.

On 4th March 1491 William Brandon [aged 66] died at Boughton Monchelsea, Kent.

On 28th April 1497 [his former wife] Elizabeth Wingfield died.

The History of William Marshal, Earl of Chepstow and Pembroke, Regent of England. Book 1 of 2, Lines 1-10152.

The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.

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[his daughter] Elizabeth Brandon was born to William Brandon. She married Augustin Cavendish.

[his daughter] Anne Brandon was born to William Brandon. She married Nicholas Sidney and had issue.

[his daughter] Eleanor Brandon was born to William Brandon.

[his daughter] Margaret "The Elder" Brandon was born to William Brandon.

[his daughter] Catherine Brandon was born to William Brandon.

[his daughter] Mary Brandon was born to William Brandon. She married John Reading.

[his son] Thomas Brandon was born to William Brandon. He married (1) after 14th February 1492 Anne Fiennes Marchioness Berkeley (2) after 10th September 1497 Elizabeth Dynham Baroness Fitzwarin.

[his father] Robert Brandon and [his mother] Ada Calthorpe were married.

[his daughter] Margaret "The Younger" Brandon was born to William Brandon.

Royal Descendants of William Brandon 1425-1491
Number after indicates the number of unique routes of descent. Descendants of Kings and Queens not included.

Jane Grey I Queen England and Ireland [1]

Brigadier-General Charles Fitz-Clarence [2]

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom [7]

Diana Spencer Princess Wales [21]