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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Baron Shipbrook is in Baronies of England Alphabetically, Baronies of England Chronologically, Forfeit Baronies of England.
Summary
1107. Richard de Vernon 1st Baron Shipbrook (age 57) created.
8th September 1107. Son Guillaume Vernon 2nd Baron Shipbrook (age 12) succeeded.
1165. Son Hugh Vernon 3rd Baron Shipbrook (age 52) succeeded.
1165. Son Warin Vernon 4th Baron Shipbrook (age 30) succeeded.
1190. Son Richard Vernon 5th Baron Shipbrook (age 25) succeeded.
1196. Son Warin Vernon 6th Baron Shipbrook (age 18) succeeded.
1248. Son Warine Vernon 7th Baron Shipbrook (age 28) succeeded.
1252. Brother Ralph Vernon 8th Baron Shipbrook (age 31) succeeded.
1270. Son Ralph Vernon 9th Baron Shipbrook (age 29) succeeded.
July 1325. Grandson Richard Vernon 10th Baron Shipbrook (age 10) succeeded.
1396. Son Richard Vernon 11th Baron Shipbrook (age 41) succeeded.
21st July 1403. Richard Vernon 11th Baron Shipbrook forfeit. See Battle of Shrewsbury.
Before 1107 Richard de Vernon 1st Baron Shipbrook (age 56) was created 1st Baron Shipbrook.
On 8th September 1107 Richard de Vernon 1st Baron Shipbrook (age 57) died. His son Guillaume (age 12) succeeded 2nd Baron Shipbrook.
Before 1165 Guillaume Vernon 2nd Baron Shipbrook (age 69) died at Northwich, Cheshire [Map]. His son Hugh (age 51) succeeded 3rd Baron Shipbrook. The date of his death sometimes given as 1174 which would be inconsistent with his son having become 3rd Baron unless there was a writ of acceleration of similar device?
In 1165 Hugh Vernon 3rd Baron Shipbrook (age 52) died at Shipbrook, Cheshire. His son Warin (age 30) succeeded 4th Baron Shipbrook.
In 1190 Warin Vernon 4th Baron Shipbrook (age 55) died. His son Richard (age 25) succeeded 5th Baron Shipbrook.
After 1196 Richard Vernon 5th Baron Shipbrook (deceased) died. His son Warin (age 18) succeeded 6th Baron Shipbrook.
Around 1248 Warin Vernon 6th Baron Shipbrook (age 70) died at Shipbrook Castle. His son Warine (age 28) succeeded 7th Baron Shipbrook.
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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Around 1252 Warine Vernon 7th Baron Shipbrook (age 32) died. His brother Ralph (age 31) succeeded 8th Baron Shipbrook.
In 1270 Ralph Vernon 8th Baron Shipbrook (age 49) died at Shipbrook, Cheshire. His son Ralph (age 29) succeeded 9th Baron Shipbrook.
In July 1325 Ralph Vernon 9th Baron Shipbrook (age 84) died at Bostock, Cheshire [Map]. His grandson Richard (age 10) succeeded 10th Baron Shipbrook.
In 1396 Richard Vernon 10th Baron Shipbrook (age 81) died. His son Richard (age 41) succeeded 11th Baron Shipbrook.
On 21st July 1403 King Henry IV of England (age 36), with his son the future King Henry V of England (age 16), defeated the rebel army of Henry "Hotspur" Percy (age 39) at the Battle of Shrewsbury at the site now known as Battlefield, Shrewsbury [Map]. King Henry V of England took an arrow to the side of his face. John Stanley (age 53) was wounded in the throat. Thomas Strickland (age 36) fought and was awarded £38 and two of the rebel Henry's horses. Richard Beauchamp 13th Earl Warwick (age 21) fought for the King. Walter Blount (age 55), the King's Standard Bearer, was killed by Archibald Douglas 1st Duke Touraine (age 31).
Thomas Wendesley (age 59), Edmund Cockayne (age 47) and Robert Goushill were killed.
Edmund Stafford 5th Earl Stafford (age 25) was killed. His son Humphrey Stafford succeeded 6th Earl Stafford, 7th Baron Stafford.
Hugh Shirley (age 52) was killed; he was one of four knights dressed as King Henry IV of England.
Of the rebels, Henry "Hotspur" Percy, Madog Kynaston (age 43) and John Clifton were killed.
Thomas Percy 1st Earl of Worcester (age 60) was beheaded after the battle. Earl Worcester extinct.
Richard Vernon 11th Baron Shipbrook (age 48) was hanged. Baron Shipbrook forfeit.
John Rossall was killed. His sister Eleanor Rossall (age 26) inherited a half-share in the Rossall Shrewsbury [Map] estates.
John Massey (age 65) was killed.
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