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 Lothair III King West Francia 941-986

Paternal Family Tree: Carolingian

Maternal Family Tree: Matilda Ringelheim Queen Consort East Francia

Before 930 Gilbert Reginarids I Duke Lorraine (age 39) and [his mother] Gerberga Queen Consort West Francia were married. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Henry "Fowler" I King East Francia (age 53) and [his grandmother] Matilda Ringelheim Queen Consort East Francia. He the son of Reginar "Longneck" I Duke Lorraine.

In 939 [his father] Louis "Overseas" IV King West Francia (age 19) and [his mother] Gerberga Queen Consort West Francia were married. She by marriage Queen Consort West Francia. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Henry "Fowler" I King East Francia and [his grandmother] Matilda Ringelheim Queen Consort East Francia. He the son of [his grandfather] Charles "Simple" III King West Francia and [his grandmother] Eadgifu Wessex Queen Consort West Francia.

In 941 Lothair III King West Francia was born to [his father] Louis "Overseas" IV King West Francia (age 21) and [his mother] Gerberga Queen Consort West Francia.

On 10th September 954 [his father] Louis "Overseas" IV King West Francia (age 34) died. His son Lothair (age 13) succeeded III King West Francia.

In 964 [his brother-in-law] Conrad I King Burgundy (age 39) and [his sister] Mathilde Carolingian Queen Consort Burgundy (age 21) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Burgundy. She the daughter of [his father] Louis "Overseas" IV King West Francia and [his mother] Gerberga Queen Consort West Francia. He the son of Rudolph "Pious" II King Burgundy II King Italy and Bertha Swabia Queen Consort Italy. They were fourth cousin once removed.

In 967 [his son] Louis "Do Nothing" V King West Francia was born to Lothair III King West Francia (age 26) and Emma Unknown. He married 982 Adelaide Blanche Ingelger Queen Consort West Francia, daughter of Fulk "Good" Ingelger 2nd Count Anjou and Gerberge Unknown Viscountess Anjou.

Around 970 [his son] Otto Carolingian was born to Lothair III King West Francia (age 29) and Emma Unknown.

In 977 [his brother] Charles Carolingian Duke Lower Lorraine (age 23) was appointed Duke Lower Lorraine.

After 7th September 978 [his half-sister] Gerberge Reginarids Countess Vermandois (deceased) died.

William of Worcester's Chronicle of England

William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.

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In 982 [his son] Louis "Do Nothing" V King West Francia (age 15) and [his daughter-in-law] Adelaide Blanche Ingelger Queen Consort West Francia (age 42) were married. The difference in their ages was 27 years; she, unusually, being older than him. She the daughter of Fulk "Good" Ingelger 2nd Count Anjou and Gerberge Unknown Viscountess Anjou. He the son of Lothair III King West Francia (age 41) and Emma Unknown.