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All About History Books

The 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. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.

Created Duchesses of England

Created Duchesses of England is in Dukedoms of England.

Richard II Rewards his Supporters

On 29th September 1397 King Richard II (age 30) rewarded his relations with Dukedoms, possibly for their part in downfall of Thomas of Woodstock 1st Duke of Gloucester (deceased), Thomas Beauchamp 12th Earl Warwick (age 59) and Richard Fitzalan 9th Earl of Surrey 4th or 11th Earl of Arundel (deceased) ...

His older half-brother John Holland 1st Duke Exeter (age 45) was created 1st Duke Exeter. Elizabeth Lancaster Duchess Exeter (age 34) by marriage Duchess Exeter.

His nephew Thomas Holland 1st Duke Surrey (age 23) was created 1st Duke Surrey.

His first cousin once-removed Margaret was created 1st Duchess Norfolk - for life only. On the same day her grandson Thomas (age 29) was also created Duke of Norfolk - see below.

His second cousin once removed Thomas Mowbray 1st Duke of Norfolk was created 1st Duke Norfolk. Elizabeth Fitzalan Duchess Norfolk (age 31) by marriage Duchess Norfolk.

His first cousin Edward 2nd Duke of York 1st Duke Albemarle (age 24) was created 1st Duke Albemarle. Beatrice Burgundy Countess Rutland and Cork (age 24) by marriage Duchess Albemarle.

His illegitimate first cousin John Beaufort 1st Marquess Somerset and Dorset (age 24) was created 1st Marquess Somerset, 1st Marquess Dorset. Margaret Holland Duchess Clarence (age 12) by marriage Marchioness Somerset, Marchioness Dorset.

Ralph Neville 1st Earl of Westmoreland (age 33) was created 1st Earl of Westmoreland. Joan Beaufort Countess of Westmoreland (age 18) by marriage Countess of Westmoreland.

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On 23rd May 1644 Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley (age 66) was created 1st Duchess Dudley by King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland (age 43) for life. Her husband Robert Dudley (age 69) had claimed to be the legitimate son of Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester but the Star Chamber found against him. King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland disagreed with their verdict and, in compensation of her subsequent treatment, awarded her the Dukedom ... See Patent of Creation.

In 1670 Barbara Villiers 1st Duchess of Cleveland (age 29) was created 1st Duchess Cleveland, 1st Countess of Southampton and 1st Baroness Nonsuch by King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 39) for having given birth to five of his illegitimate children.

On 19th August 1673 Louise Kéroualle 1st Duchess Portsmouth (age 23) was created 1st Duchess Portsmouth, 1st Countess Fareham, 1st Baroness Petersfield by King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 43) for life for being his mistress and for having given birth to his son Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond (age 1).

On 19th March 1719 Melusine Schulenburg 1st Duchess Munster 1st Duchess Kendal was created 1st Duchess Kendal, 1st Countess Feversham, 1st Baroness Glastonbury.