The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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In 1105 Melisende Queen of Jerusalem was born to [her father] Baldwin II King Jerusalem [aged 30].
On 14th April 1109 Fulk "Réchin" Anjou 4th Count Anjou [aged 66] died. In 1109 His son [her future husband] Fulk [aged 20] succeeded V Count Anjou.
In 1110 [her future husband] Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem [aged 21] and Ermengarde of Maine Countess of Anjou were married. She by marriage Countess Anjou. She the daughter of Elias I Count Maine and Matilda Chateau Du Loir Countess Maine. He the son of Fulk "Réchin" Anjou 4th Count Anjou and Bertrade Montfort Queen Consort France [aged 40]. They were third cousin twice removed.
On 2nd April 1118 Baldwin I King Jerusalem [aged 60] died. [her father] Baldwin II King Jerusalem [aged 43] succeeded King Jerusalem.
In 1129 [her future husband] Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem [aged 40] travelled to Jerusalem [Map] on pilgrimage. His son [her future step-son] Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy [aged 15] was appointed Count Anjou.
On 2nd June 1129 Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem [aged 40] and Melisende Queen of Jerusalem [aged 24] were married at Jerusalem [Map]. She by marriage Countess Anjou. Her father [aged 54] had written to Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem requesting the marriage since he had no male heirs. She the daughter of Baldwin II King Jerusalem. He the son of Fulk "Réchin" Anjou 4th Count Anjou and Bertrade Montfort Queen Consort France.
In 1130 [her son] Baldwin III King Jerusalem was born to [her husband] Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem [aged 41] and Melisende Queen of Jerusalem [aged 25].
On 21st August 1131 [her father] Baldwin II King Jerusalem [aged 56] died. [her husband] Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem [aged 42] succeeded King Jerusalem. Melisende Queen of Jerusalem [aged 26] by marriage Queen Consort Jerusalem.
After 1132 Thierry Count Flanders [aged 33] and [her step-daughter] Sibylla Anjou Countess Essex [aged 20] were married. She by marriage Countess Flanders. She the daughter of [her husband] Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem [aged 43] and Ermengarde of Maine Countess of Anjou. He the son of Theodoric "Valiant" Metz II Duke Lorraine and Gertrude Flanders Duchess Lorraine. They were fifth cousins.
In 1136 [her son] Almaric I King Jerusalem was born to [her husband] Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem [aged 47] and Melisende Queen of Jerusalem [aged 31]. He married (1) 1157 his third cousin Agnes Courtenay Queen Jerusalem, daughter of Joscelin Courtenay II Count Edessa, and had issue (2) 1167 Maria Komnenos Queen Jerusalem and had issue.
A History of Deeds Done Beyond the Sea by William of Tyre Book 15 Chapter 27. [13th November 1143]. It happened, however, in those days that, when the lord king [[her husband] Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem [aged 54]], along with the lady queen [Melisende Queen of Jerusalem [aged 38]], after autumn had passed, was staying in the city of Acre, the queen wished, to relieve her boredom, to go out of the city to certain suburban places, irrigated by springs, for the sake of recreation; whereupon the lord king, so that the queen might not lack company, decided also himself, with his usual retinue, to set forth. And while they were going along, it happened by chance that the boys who were going before the ranks and retinue stirred up a hare lying in the furrows, which, as it fled, was pursued by the clamor of all. The king, however, seizing a lance, in order to pursue this same hare, driven by a stroke of bad luck, began to urge his horse toward those parts, and to press on the chase vigorously. Finally, as the horse rushed forward heedlessly, it was driven headlong; and falling to the ground, threw the king headlong, and to the one lying there, stunned by the pain of the fall, the saddle crushed his head, so that the brain was emitted both through his ears and even through his nostrils. At this accident, the entire retinue, both those going before and those following, terrified by the harshness of the event, turned around, and wanting to bring help to the one lying there, found him lifeless, for he had neither voice nor sense.
Accidit autem illis diebus, quod cum dominus rex, una cum domina regina transcurso autumno, in civitate Acconense moram faceret, voluit regina, sublevandi gratia fastidii, extra urbem ad loca quaedam suburbana, fontibus irrigua, causa recreationis exire: quo dominus rex, ut solatium reginae non deesset, adjecit etiam ipse, cum solito comitatu proficisci. Dumque inter eundum esset, accidit casu ut qui agmina et comitatum praeibant pueri, leporem in sulcis jacentem excitarent, quem fugientem clamor prosecutus est universorum. Rex autem, arrepta lancea, ut eumdem leporem insectaretur, sinistro actus casu, equum ad illas coepit urgere partes, et cursui vehementer instare. Tandem inconsulte festinans equus in praeceps agitur; corruensque in terram, regem dedit praecipitem, jacentique prae casus dolore attonito, sella caput obtrivit, ita ut cerebrum tam per aures, quam per nares etiam emitteretur. Ad hunc casum, universus qui praeibat et qui sequebatur, facti acerbitate perterritus, conversus est comitatus, et jacenti opem ferre volentes, exanimem reperiunt, cui neque vox erat, neque sensus.
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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On 13th November 1143 [her husband] Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem [aged 54] died in a hunting accident. His wife Melisende Queen of Jerusalem [aged 38] continued to reign in her own right with their son Baldwin III King Jerusalem [aged 13].
In 1157 Almaric I King Jerusalem [aged 21] and Agnes Courtenay Queen Jerusalem [aged 21] were married. She by marriage Queen Jerusalem. She the daughter of Joscelin Courtenay II Count Edessa. He the son of Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem and Melisende Queen of Jerusalem [aged 52]. They were third cousins.
On 11th September 1161 Melisende Queen of Jerusalem [aged 56] died. Her son Baldwin [aged 31] succeeded King Jerusalem.
GrandFather: Hugh I Count of Rethel
Father: Baldwin II King Jerusalem
Great x 1 Grandfather: Guy I of Montlhéry
GrandMother: Melisende of Crécy
Great x 1 Grandmother: Hodierna of Gometz