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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Biography of Maria Joséphine of Savoy 1753-1810

Paternal Family Tree: Savoy

Maternal Family Tree: Elisabeth Farnese Queen Consort Spain 1692-1766

On 31st May 1750 [her father] Victor Amadeus III King Sardinia (age 24) and [her mother] Infanta Maria Antonia Spain (age 20) were married. She the daughter of [her grandfather] Philippe V King Spain and [her grandmother] Elisabeth Farnese Queen Consort Spain (age 57). He the son of [her grandfather] Charles Emmanuel III King Sardinia (age 49) and [her grandmother] Polyxena Hesse Rotenburg Queen Consort Sardinia. They were third cousins. He a great x 2 grandson of King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland.

On 2nd September 1753 Maria Joséphine of Savoy was born to [her father] Victor Amadeus III King Sardinia (age 27) and [her mother] Infanta Maria Antonia Spain (age 23). She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland.

On 14th May 1771 Louis XVIII King France (age 15) and Maria Joséphine of Savoy (age 17) were married. She the daughter of Victor Amadeus III King Sardinia (age 45) and Infanta Maria Antonia Spain (age 41). They were second cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland.

On 10th May 1774 Louis XV King France (age 64) died of smallpox. His grandson [her brother-in-law] Louis (age 19) succeeded XVI King France: Capet Valois Bourbon.

In or before 1775. François-Hubert Drouais (age 47). Portrait of Maria Joséphine of Savoy (age 21).

After 1782 Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun (age 26). Portrait of Maria Joséphine of Savoy (age 28).

1785. Joseph Boze (age 38). Portrait of Maria Joséphine of Savoy (age 31).

On 19th September 1785 [her mother] Infanta Maria Antonia Spain (age 55) died.

Execution of Louis XVI

On 21st January 1793 [her brother-in-law] Louis XVI King France (age 38) was guillotined in Paris [Map]. His son Louis (age 7) de jure XVII King France: Capet Valois Bourbon.

On 8th June 1795 Louis XVII King France (age 10) died. His uncle [her husband] Louis (age 39) de jure XVIII King France: Capet Valois Bourbon.

In 1796 [her father] Victor Amadeus III King Sardinia (age 70) died.

The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy

The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.

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On 13th November 1810 Maria Joséphine of Savoy (age 57) died.

On 16th September 1824 [her former husband] Louis XVIII King France (age 68) died. His brother [her former brother-in-law] Charles (age 66) de jure XVIII King France: Capet Valois Bourbon.

Royal Ancestors of Maria Joséphine of Savoy

Kings Wessex: Great x 21 Grand Daughter of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England

Kings Gwynedd: Great x 18 Grand Daughter of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd

Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 24 Grand Daughter of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth

Kings Powys: Great x 19 Grand Daughter of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys

Kings Godwinson: Great x 20 Grand Daughter of King Harold II of England

Kings England: Great x 3 Grand Daughter of King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland

Kings Scotland: Great x 20 Grand Daughter of King Duncan I of Scotland

Kings Franks: Great x 17 Grand Daughter of Louis VII King of the Franks

Kings France: Great x 2 Grand Daughter of Louis "Sun King" XIV King France

Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 25 Grand Daughter of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine

Ancestors of Maria Joséphine of Savoy

Great x 4 Grandfather: Charles Emmanuel Savoy I Duke Savoy 6 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 3 Grandfather: Victor Amadeus I Duke of Savoy 7 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 4 Grandmother: Catherine Habsburg Spain Duchess Savoy 6 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 2 Grandfather: Charles Emmanuel II Duke of Savoy 8 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry IV King France 7 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 3 Grandmother: Christine Marie Bourbon Duchess Savoy 7 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 4 Grandmother: Marie de Medici Queen Consort France 6 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 1 Grandfather: Victor Amadeus King Sardinia 9 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henri I Duke of Nemours 8 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 3 Grandfather: Charles Amadeus Duke of Nemours 9 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 2 Grandmother: Marie Jeanne Baptiste of Savoy 10 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 4 Grandfather: César Bourbon Vendôme 1st Duke Vendôme 8 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 3 Grandmother: Élisabeth Bourbon Vendôme 9 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 4 Grandmother: Françoise Lorraine Duchess Vendôme 9 x Great Grand Daughter of

GrandFather: Charles Emmanuel III King Sardinia Great Grand Son of

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry IV King France 7 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 3 Grandfather: Louis XIII King France 7 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 4 Grandmother: Marie de Medici Queen Consort France 6 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 2 Grandfather: Philip Bourbon I Duke Orléans 8 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 4 Grandfather: Philip III King Spain 6 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne of Austria Spain Queen Consort France 7 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret of Austria Queen Consort Spain 6 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 1 Grandmother: Anne Marie Bourbon Queen Consort Sardinia Grand Daughter of

Great x 4 Grandfather: King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland 2 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 3 Grandfather: King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland Son of

Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne of Denmark Queen Consort Scotland England and Ireland 12 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 2 Grandmother: Princess Henrietta Stewart Duchess Orléans Daughter of

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry IV King France 7 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 3 Grandmother: Henrietta Maria Bourbon Queen Consort England 7 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 4 Grandmother: Marie de Medici Queen Consort France 6 x Great Grand Daughter of

Father: Victor Amadeus III King Sardinia 2 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 4 Grandfather: Landgrave Maurice of Hesse-Kassel 11 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 3 Grandfather: Landgrave Ernest of Hesse-Rheinfels 12 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 2 Grandfather: Landgrave William of Hesse-Rotenburg 13 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 1 Grandfather: Landgrave Ernest Leopold of Hesse-Rotenburg 14 x Great Grand Son of

GrandMother: Polyxena Hesse Rotenburg Queen Consort Sardinia 15 x Great Grand Daughter of

Maria Joséphine of Savoy 3 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry IV King France 7 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 3 Grandfather: Louis XIII King France 7 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 4 Grandmother: Marie de Medici Queen Consort France 6 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 2 Grandfather: Louis "Sun King" XIV King France 8 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 4 Grandfather: Philip III King Spain 6 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne of Austria Spain Queen Consort France 7 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret of Austria Queen Consort Spain 6 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 1 Grandfather: Louis "Le Grand Dauphin" Bourbon Duke Burgundy 9 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 4 Grandfather: Philip III King Spain 6 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 3 Grandfather: Philip IV King Spain 7 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret of Austria Queen Consort Spain 6 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 2 Grandmother: Maria Theresa of Spain Queen Consort France 8 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry IV King France 7 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 3 Grandmother: Elisabeth Bourbon Queen Consort Spain 7 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 4 Grandmother: Marie de Medici Queen Consort France 6 x Great Grand Daughter of

GrandFather: Philippe V King Spain 10 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 4 Grandfather: William Wittelsbach V Duke Bavaria 6 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 3 Grandfather: Maximilian "The Great" Wittelsbach I Duke Bavaria I Elector Bavaria 7 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 4 Grandmother: Renata Lorraine Duchess Bavaria 6 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 2 Grandfather: Ferdinand Maria Wittelsbach 8 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 4 Grandfather: Ferdinand of Spain II Holy Roman Emperor 6 x Great Grand Son of

Great x 3 Grandmother: Maria Anna Habsburg Spain Duchess Bavaria 7 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 4 Grandmother: Maria Anna Wittelsbach Holy Roman Empress 7 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 1 Grandmother: Maria Anna Victoria Wittelsbach Duchess Burgundy 9 x Great Grand Daughter of

Great x 2 Grandmother: Henriette Adelaide Savoy

Mother: Infanta Maria Antonia Spain 11 x Great Grand Daughter of

GrandMother: Elisabeth Farnese Queen Consort Spain