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: Shelley
On 23rd May 1909 William Philip Sidney 1st Viscount de l'Isle was born to [his father] William Sidney 5th Baron De Lisle and Dudley [aged 49]. He a great x 2 grandson of King William IV of the United Kingdom.
On 8th June 1940 William Philip Sidney 1st Viscount de l'Isle [aged 31] and Jacqueline Vereker Countess de l'Isle [aged 25] were married.
On 18th April 1945 [his uncle] Algernon Sidney 4th Baron De Lisle and Dudley [aged 90] died. His brother [his father] William [aged 85] succeeded 5th Baron De Lisle and Dudley, 6th Baronet Shelley-Sidney of Penshurst Place in Kent.
On 21st April 1945 [his son] Philip Sidney 2nd Viscount de L'Isle was born to William Philip Sidney 1st Viscount de l'Isle [aged 35] and [his wife] Jacqueline Vereker Countess de l'Isle [aged 30]. He a great x 3 grandson of King William IV of the United Kingdom.
On 18th June 1945 [his father] William Sidney 5th Baron De Lisle and Dudley [aged 85] died. His son William [aged 36] succeeded 6th Baron De Lisle and Dudley, 7th Baronet Shelley-Sidney of Penshurst Place in Kent.
On 21st February 1953 [his daughter] Lucy Corinna Agneta Sidney Baroness Middleton was born to William Philip Sidney 1st Viscount de l'Isle [aged 43] and [his wife] Jacqueline Vereker Countess de l'Isle [aged 38]. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King William IV of the United Kingdom. She married 26th January 1974 Michael Charles James Willoughby 13th Baron Middleton, son of Digby Michael Godfrey John Willoughby 12th Baron Middleton.
The London Gazette 40684. Whitehall, January 13, 1956. The Queen has been pleased by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Realm, bearing date the 12th instant, to confer the dignity of a Viscounty of the United Kingdom upon Colonel the Right Honourable William Philip [aged 46], Baron De L'Isle and Dudley VC, and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten, by the name, style and title of Viscount De L'isle Of Penshurst In The County Of Kent. [[his wife] Jacqueline Vereker Countess de l'Isle [aged 41] by marriage Viscountess de Lisle of Penshurst in Kent.]
On 15th November 1962 [his wife] Jacqueline Vereker Countess de l'Isle [aged 48] died.
On 25th July 1965 Sidney Patrick Shelley 8th Baronet [aged 85] died. His third cousin once removed William [aged 56] succeeded 9th Baronet Shelley of Castle Goring in Sussex.
On 26th January 1974 [his son-in-law] Michael Charles James Willoughby 13th Baron Middleton [aged 25] and [his daughter] Lucy Corinna Agneta Sidney Baroness Middleton [aged 20] were married.
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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On 5th April 1991 William Philip Sidney 1st Viscount de l'Isle [aged 81] died. His son Philip [aged 45] succeeded 2nd Viscount de Lisle of Penshurst in Kent, 7th Baron De Lisle and Dudley, 10th Baronet Shelley of Castle Goring in Sussex, 8th Baronet Shelley-Sidney of Penshurst Place in Kent.
Kings Wessex: Great x 24 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 21 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 25 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 22 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 25 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 2 Grand Son of King William IV of the United Kingdom
Kings Scotland: Great x 23 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 31 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 9 Grand Son of Henry IV King France
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 28 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Timothy Shelley
Great x 3 Grandfather: Bysshe Shelley 1st Baronet
Great x 4 Grandmother: Johanna Plume
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Shelley-Sidney 1st Baronet
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Jane Perry
Great x 1 Grandfather: Philip Sidney 1st Baron De Lisle and Dudley 
13 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Windsor Hunloke 3rd Baronet 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Hunloke 4th Baronet 12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Charlotte Throckmorton Lady Hunloke 
11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Henrietta Hunloke 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Wenman Roberts aka Coke 
10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Coke Lady Hunloke 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Chamberlayne
GrandFather: Philip Sidney 2nd Baron De Lisle and Dudley Grand Son of King William IV of the United Kingdom
Great x 4 Grandfather: Frederick Louis Hanover Prince of Wales Son of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland
Great x 3 Grandfather: King George III of Great Britain and Ireland Grand Son of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Augusta Saxe Coburg Altenburg 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: King William IV of the United Kingdom Son of King George III of Great Britain and Ireland
Great x 1 Grandmother: Sophia Fitz-Clarence Baroness De Lisle and Dudley Daughter of King William IV of the United Kingdom
Great x 2 Grandmother: Dorothea Bland aka "Mrs Jordan"
Father: William Sidney 5th Baron De Lisle and Dudley Great Grand Son of King William IV of the United Kingdom
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Foulis 7th Baronet
Great x 1 Grandfather: William Foulis 8th Baronet 13 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund Turnor of Stoke Rochford 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Edmund Turnor 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Mary Anne Turnor 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
GrandMother: Mary Foulis 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: James Lockhart 2nd Baronet 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Admiral John Lockhart-Ross 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Charles Lockhart-Ross 7th Baronet 12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Mary Jane Ross 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: James Fitzgerald 1st Duke Leinster 
9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Robert Fitzgerald 2nd Duke Leinster 2 x Great Grand Son of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Emilia Mary Lennox Duchess Leinster 
Great Grand Daughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland
Great x 2 Grandmother: Mary Rebecca Fitzgerald 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: St George Ussher aka St George 1st Baron Saint George 12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Emilia St George Duchess Leinster 13 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
William Philip Sidney 1st Viscount de l'Isle 2 x Great Grand Son of King William IV of the United Kingdom