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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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Kendal is in Westmoreland.
In 1094 Ivo Taillebois (age 58) died at Kendal [Map].
Around 1190 William Lancaster was born to Gilbert fitzRoger Lancaster (age 28) at Kendal [Map]. He married Agnes Bruce.
Around 1352 William Parr was born at Kendal [Map]. He married before 16th May 1380 Elizabeth Ros and had issue.
On 9th August 1617 Henry Mildmay (age 24) was knighted at Kendal [Map].
The River Kent rises near Kentmere Reservoir, Cumberland [Map] from where it flows through Kentmere, Cumberland [Map], Staveley, Cumberland [Map], Kendal [Map], Sizergh, Cumberland [Map] to Sandside, Cumberland [Map] where it joins the Irish Sea.
In 1456 Jane Bellingham was born to Thomas Bellingham at Burneshead Kendal. She married in or before 1478 Ralph Shirley and had issue.
Around 1162 Gilbert fitzRoger Lancaster was born at Kendal Castle, Westmoreland.
On 4th October 1405 William Parr (age 53) died at Kendal Castle, Westmoreland.
In 1473 Robert Ros 4th Baron Ros Kendal (age 73) died. Baron Ros Kendal abeyant. His aunt Elizabeth Ros and her husband William Parr inherited Kendal Castle, Westmoreland which then descended through the Parr family until it was forfetied to the Crown by the conviction for high treason, and attainder, of William Parr 1st Marquess Northampton in 1553.
Gilbert fitzRoger Lancaster died at Kendal Castle, Westmoreland.
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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
Hawise Lancaster was born to Gilbert fitzRoger Lancaster at Kendal Castle, Westmoreland. She married Peter Bruce and had issue.