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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MP Bedfordshire is in Member Parliament.
In 1433 John Wenlock 1st Baron Wenlock (age 33) returned as MP Bedfordshire.
In 1436 John Wenlock 1st Baron Wenlock (age 36) returned as MP Bedfordshire.
In 1447 John Wenlock 1st Baron Wenlock (age 47) returned as MP Bedfordshire.
In 1449 John Wenlock 1st Baron Wenlock (age 49) returned as MP Bedfordshire.
In 1455 John Wenlock 1st Baron Wenlock (age 55) returned as MP Bedfordshire.
In 1553 John Mordaunt 2nd Baron Mordaunt (age 45) was elected MP Bedfordshire.
In April 1554 John Mordaunt 2nd Baron Mordaunt (age 46) was elected MP Bedfordshire.
In November 1554 John Mordaunt 2nd Baron Mordaunt (age 46) was elected MP Bedfordshire.
In 1555 John Mordaunt 2nd Baron Mordaunt (age 47) was elected MP Bedfordshire.
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.
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In 1563 Lewis Mordaunt 3rd Baron Mordaunt (age 24) was elected MP Bedfordshire.
In 1601 Oliver St John 1st Earl Bolingbroke (age 21) was elected MP Bedfordshire.
In 1603 Oliver St John 1st Earl Bolingbroke (age 23) was elected MP Bedfordshire.
In 1641 John Burgoyne 2nd Baronet (age 22) was elected MP Bedfordshire in the Long Parliament.
In 1661 Humphrey Winch 1st Baronet (age 38) was elected MP Bedfordshire which seat he held until 1679.
In 1727 Pattee Byng 2nd Viscount Torrington (age 27) was elected MP Bedfordshire.
In 1794 John Osborn 5th Baronet (age 21) was elected MP Bedfordshire which seat he held until 1807.
In 1818 John Osborn 5th Baronet (age 45) was elected MP Bedfordshire which seat he held until 1820.