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: Tatton
In May 1747 [his step-father] William Tatton (age 43) and [his mother] Hester Egerton (age 39) were married.
On 9th May 1749 William Tatton Egerton was born to [his step-father] William Tatton (age 45) and [his mother] Hester Egerton (age 41).
On 27th February 1773 William Tatton Egerton (age 23) and Frances Maria Fountayne (age 22) were married.
On 28th April 1776 [his step-father] William Tatton (age 72) died.
On 9th January 1777 [his wife] Frances Maria Fountayne (age 26) died.
On 9th July 1780 [his mother] Hester Egerton (age 72) died.
On 26th October 1780 William Tatton Egerton (age 31) and Mary Wilbraham-Bootle (age 21) were married.
On 1st September 1781 [his son] Wilbraham Egerton was born to William Tatton Egerton (age 32) and [his wife] Mary Wilbraham-Bootle (age 22). He married before 30th December 1806 his half first cousin Elizabeth Sykes, daughter of Christopher Sykes 2nd Baronet and Elizabeth Tatton, and had issue.
On 13th November 1784 [his wife] Mary Wilbraham-Bootle (age 25) died.
This is a translation of the 'Memoires of Jacques du Clercq', published in 1823 in two volumes, edited by Frederic, Baron de Reissenberg. In his introduction Reissenberg writes: 'Jacques du Clercq tells us that he was born in 1424, and that he was a licentiate in law and a counsellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in the castellany of Douai, Lille, and Orchies. It appears that he established his residence at Arras. In 1446, he married the daughter of Baldwin de la Lacherie, a gentleman who lived in Lille. We read in the fifth book of his Memoirs that his father, also named Jacques du Clercq, had married a lady of the Le Camelin family, from Compiègne. His ancestors, always attached to the counts of Flanders, had constantly served them, whether in their councils or in their armies.' The Memoires cover a period of nineteen years beginning in in 1448, ending in in 1467. It appears that the author had intended to extend the Memoirs beyond that date; no doubt illness or death prevented him from carrying out this plan. As Reissenberg writes the 'merit of this work lies in the simplicity of its narrative, in its tone of good faith, and in a certain air of frankness which naturally wins the reader’s confidence.' Du Clercq ranges from events of national and international importance, including events of the Wars of the Roses in England, to simple, everyday local events such as marriages, robberies, murders, trials and deaths, including that of his own father in Book 5; one of his last entries.
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On 31st May 1787 William Tatton Egerton (age 38) and Anna Maria Armytage were married.
On 3rd September 1799 [his wife] Anna Maria Armytage died.
On 1st November 1803 William Tatton Egerton (age 54) and Charlotte Clara Watkinson were married.
On 21st April 1806 William Tatton Egerton (age 56) died.
[his son] Thomas William Tatton was born to William Tatton Egerton and Mary Wilbraham-Bootle. He married 20th October 1807 Emma Grey and had issue.
[his daughter] Mary Elizabeth Egerton Lady Sledmere was born to William Tatton Egerton and Mary Wilbraham-Bootle. She married 2nd August 1814 her half first cousin Mark Masterman-Sykes 3rd Baronet, son of Christopher Sykes 2nd Baronet and Elizabeth Tatton.
Kings Wessex: Great x 21 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 17 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 23 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 18 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 22 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 8 Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Kings Scotland: Great x 20 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 18 Grand Son of Louis VII King of the Franks
Kings France: Great x 11 Grand Son of Charles "Beloved Mad" VI King France
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 25 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Father: William Tatton
William Tatton Egerton 8 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Egerton 1st Viscount Brackley 
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Egerton 1st Earl Bridgewater
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Ravenscroft
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Egerton 2nd Earl Bridgewater 4 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 4 Grandfather: Ferdinando Stanley 5th Earl of Derby 
2 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 3 Grandmother: Frances Stanley Countess Bridgewater 3 x Great Grand Daughter of
Great x 4 Grandmother: Alice Spencer Countess Derby 
Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Egerton 5 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 4 Grandfather: Charles Cavendish 
8 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Cavendish 1st Duke Newcastle upon Tyne 4 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 4 Grandmother: Catherine Ogle 8th Baroness Ogle 3 x Great Grand Daughter of
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Cavendish Countess Bridgewater 5 x Great Grand Daughter of
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Bassett 
11 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Bassett Countess Newcastle upon Tyne 12 x Great Grand Daughter of
GrandFather: John Egerton 6 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Busby
Great x 1 Grandmother: Hester Busby
Mother: Hester Egerton 7 x Great Grand Daughter of
Great x 1 Grandfather: Samuel Barbour of Preese
GrandMother: Elizabeth Barbour
Great x 3 Grandfather: Rowland Hill of Hawkestone
Great x 2 Grandfather: Rowland Hill
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Hill