Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans

Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.

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Biography of Adèle Queen of the Franks 1140-1206

Paternal Family Tree: Blois

Maternal Family Tree: Matilda Carinthia Countess Champagne and Blois 1160

1137 Marriage of Prince Louis and Eleanor of Aquitaine

1152 King Louis and Queen Eleanor's Annulment

1154 Louis VII marries Constance of Castile

1160 Louis VII marries Adela of Blois

1165 Louis VII's Heir

Adèle Queen of the Franks was born to [her father] Theobald Blois II Count Champagne IV Count Blois and [her mother] Matilda Carinthia Countess Champagne and Blois. She a great granddaughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England.

Marriage of Prince Louis and Eleanor of Aquitaine

On 25th July 1137 [her future husband] Louis VII King of the Franks [aged 17] and Eleanor of Aquitaine Queen Consort Franks and England [aged 15] were married at the Cathedral of Saint-André, Bordeaux [Map] by Archbishop Geoffrey of Loroux. Her father William "Saint" Poitiers X Duke Aquitaine had died some three months previously leaving Eleanor of Aquitaine Queen Consort Franks and England as a ward of Louis's father Louis VI King of the Franks [aged 55] who quickly married her to his son Louis with a view to the Duchy of Aquitaine becoming joined with the Kingdom of France. A week later Louis VI King of the Franks died and his son Louis and Eleanor became King and Queen of France. She the daughter of William "Saint" Poitiers X Duke Aquitaine and Aenor Chatellerault Duchess Aquitaine. He the son of Louis VI King of the Franks and Adelaide Savoy Queen Consort France. They were third cousin once removed.

Eleanor gave Louis a rock-crystal vase as a wedding gift which he subsequently gave to Abbot Suger of Saint-Denis. The vase is now in the Louvre.

Crystal vase, 'of Eleanor'. Crystal: Iran (?), 6th-7th century (?). Mounting: Saint-Denis, before 1147; 13th and 14th centuries. Rock crystal, nielloed and gilded silver, precious stones, pearls, champlevé enamels on silver. Originating from the treasury of the Abbey of Saint-Denis. Inscription: "+ HOC VAS SPONSA DEDIT A(ie)NOR-REGI LUDOVICO MITADOL(us) AVO MIHI REX S(an)C(tis)Q(ue) SUGER(ius)" (This vase, Eleanor, his spouse, gave it to King Louis, Mitadolus to his ancestor, the king to me, Suger, who have offered it to the saints).

Vase de cristal, "d'Aliénor". Cristal: Iran (?), VI-VII siécle (?). Monture: Saint-Denis, avant 1147; XIII et XIV siécles. Cristal de roche, argent niellé et doré, pierres pécieuses, perles, émaux champlevés sur argent Provient du trésor de I'abbaye de Saint-Denis. Inscription: "+ HOC VAS SPONSA DEDIT A(ie)NOR-REGI LUDOVICO MITADOL(us) AVO MIHI REX S(an)C(tis)Q(ue) SUGER(ius)". (ce vase, Aliénor, son épouse, l'a donné au roi Lous, Mitadolus a son aïeul, le roi à moi, Suger, qui l'ai offert aux saints).

Archbishop Geoffrey of Loroux: In 1137 he was appointed Archbishop of Bordeaux. On 18th July 1155 he died.

William "Saint" Poitiers X Duke Aquitaine: William "Saint" Poitiers X Duke Aquitaine and Aenor Chatellerault Duchess Aquitaine were married. She by marriage Duchess Aquitaine. He the son of William "Troubadour" Poitiers IX Duke Aquitaine and Philippa Rouerge Duchess Aquitaine. In 1099 he was born to William "Troubadour" Poitiers IX Duke Aquitaine and Philippa Rouerge Duchess Aquitaine at Toulouse. On 10th February 1127 William "Troubadour" Poitiers IX Duke Aquitaine died. His son William succeeded X Duke Aquitaine. On 9th April 1137 William "Saint" Poitiers X Duke Aquitaine died. His daughter Eleanor succeeded XI Duchess Aquitaine.

King Louis and Queen Eleanor's Annulment

On 21st March 1152 the marriage of [her future husband] Louis VII King of the Franks [aged 32] and Eleanor of Aquitaine Queen Consort Franks and England [aged 30] was dissolved by Hugh Toucy Archbishop of Sens at the Château de Beaugency on the grounds of consanguinity. Both Louis and Eleanor were present as were the Archbishops of Rouen and Bordeaux. Samson Mauvoison Archbishop of Reims acted on behalf of Eleanor. In dissolving the marriage Louis lost control of the Duchy of Aquitaine which was to have far reaching consequences for the next three centuries.

Louis VII marries Constance of Castile

In 1154 [her future husband] Louis VII King of the Franks [aged 34] and Constance of Castile Queen of the Franks [aged 14] were married in Orléans. She by marriage Queen of the Franks. Somewhat curiously they were more closely related than Louis and his first wife Eleanor of Aquitaine [aged 32] whose marriage had been annulled on account of consanguinity. The difference in their ages was 20 years. She the daughter of Alfonso VII King Castile VII King Leon [aged 48] and Berenguela Barcelona Queen Consort Castile and Leon. He the son of Louis VI King of the Franks and Adelaide Savoy Queen Consort France. They were second cousins.

Louis VII marries Adela of Blois

On 13th November 1160 Louis VII King of the Franks [aged 40] and Adèle Queen of the Franks were married a month or so after his second wife [deceased] had died in childbirth; Louis needed an heir. She by marriage Queen of the Franks. She the daughter of Theobald Blois II Count Champagne IV Count Blois and Matilda Carinthia Countess Champagne and Blois. He the son of Louis VI King of the Franks and Adelaide Savoy Queen Consort France. They were third cousin once removed. She a great granddaughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England.

Louis VII's Heir

On 22nd August 1165 [her son] King Philip II of France was born to [her husband] Louis VII King of the Franks [aged 45] and Adèle Queen of the Franks in Gonesse. The much longed for heir to the crown of France. He was also given the name 'Dieu Donné' meaning God Given. He a great x 2 grandson of King William "Conqueror" I of England. He married (1) 28th April 1180 his half third cousin Isabelle Flanders Queen Consort France, daughter of Baldwin Flanders V Count Hainaut and Margaret Metz Countess Hainaut and Flanders, and had issue (2) 15th August 1193 Ingeborg Estridsen Queen Consort France (3) 7th May 1196 Agnes of Merania Queen Consort France, daughter of Berthold Andechs Duke Merania and Agnes Rochlitz, and had issue.

In 1171 [her daughter] Agnes Empress of Byzantine was born to [her husband] Louis VII King of the Franks [aged 51] and Adèle Queen of the Franks. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England. She married 2nd March 1180 her second cousin twice removed Emperor Alexios II Komnenos.

On 18th September 1180 [her husband] Louis VII King of the Franks [aged 60] died in Paris [Map]. His son Philip [aged 15] succeeded II King France: Capet.

Adèle Queen of the Franks 1140-1206 appears on the following Descendants Family Trees:

Royal Ancestors of Adèle Queen of the Franks 1140-1206

Kings Wessex: Great x 7 Grand Daughter of King Edward "Elder" of the Anglo Saxons

Kings England: Great Grand Daughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Kings Franks: Great x 9 Grand Daughter of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor

Kings France: Great x 4 Grand Daughter of Hugh I King of the Franks

Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 8 Grand Daughter of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine

Royal Descendants of Adèle Queen of the Franks 1140-1206
Number after indicates the number of unique routes of descent. Descendants of Kings and Queens not included.

King Philip II of France [1]

Ancestors of Adèle Queen of the Franks 1140-1206

Great x 3 Grandfather: Odo Blois I Count Blois

Great x 4 Grandmother: Luitgarde Vermandois Duchess Normandy

Great x 2 Grandfather: Odo Blois II Count Blois

Great x 4 Grandfather: Conrad I King Burgundy

Great x 3 Grandmother: Bertha Welf Queen Consort France

Great x 1 Grandfather: Theobald Blois III Count Blois

Great x 3 Grandfather: William IV Auvergne

Great x 2 Grandmother: Ermengarde Auvergne Countess Blois

GrandFather: Stephen Blois II Count Blois and Chartres

Great x 4 Grandfather: Hugh Maine II Count Maine

Great x 3 Grandfather: Hugh Maine III Count Maine

Great x 2 Grandfather: Herbert "Wakedog" Maine I Count Maine

Great x 1 Grandmother: Gersenda Maine Countess Blois

Father: Theobald Blois II Count Champagne IV Count Blois Grand Son of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard "Good" Normandy II Duke Normandy

Great x 4 Grandmother: Gunnora Countess Ponthieu

Great x 2 Grandfather: Robert "Magnificent" Normandy I Duke Normandy

Great x 1 Grandfather: King William "Conqueror" I of England -2 x Great Grand Son of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Father of Beatrix and Herleva

Great x 2 Grandmother: Herleva of Falaise

GrandMother: Adela Normandy Countess Blois Daughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Arnulf II Count Flanders

Great x 3 Grandfather: Baldwin "Bearded" IV Count Flanders

Great x 4 Grandmother: Rozala of Italy

Great x 2 Grandfather: Baldwin "The Good" V Count Flanders

Great x 4 Grandfather: Frederick Luxemburg Ardennes

Great x 3 Grandmother: Ogive Luxemburg Countess Flanders

Great x 4 Grandmother: Ermentrude Gleiburg

Great x 1 Grandmother: Matilda Flanders Queen Consort England

Adèle Queen of the Franks Great Grand Daughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England

GrandFather: Engelbert II Duke of Carinthia

Mother: Matilda Carinthia Countess Champagne and Blois