13 Apr is in April.
14th April 1471 Battle of Barnet
1477 Trial and Execution of Ankarette Twynyho
On 13th April 1111 Henry V Holy Roman Emperor (age 29) was crowned Holy Roman Emperor.
Chronicle of Roger de Hoveden. 13th April 1194. On the thirteenth day of April, the king arrived at Woodstock [Map].
Tertia decima die mensis Aprilis venit rex ad Wudestoc.
On 13th April 1229 Louis "Strict" Wittelsbach II Duke Upper Bavaria was born to Otto "Illustrious" Wittelsbach II Duke Bavaria (age 23) and Agnes Welf Duchess Bavaria (age 28) at Heidelburg. He a great x 2 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. He married (1) 2nd August 1254 his fourth cousin once removed Maria Reginar Duchess Bavaria, daughter of Henry Reginar II Duke Brabant and Marie Swabia Duchess Brabant (2) 1260 Louis Anna Glogau Duchess Bavaria and had issue (3) 24th October 1273 his fourth cousin twice removed Matilda Habsburg Duchess Bavaria and had issue.
On 13th April 1360 a freak weather event known as Black Monday Hailstorm occurred as the army of King Edward III of England (age 47) were camped outside Chartres [Map]. Thomas Beauchamp 11th Earl Warwick (age 47), William Bohun 1st Earl of Northampton (age 50), Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster (age 50), Edward "Black Prince" (age 29) and Walter Mauny were present. Around one thousand English were killed, with up to six thousand horses. King Edward III of England believed the event to be an Act of God and proceeded to negotiate with the French resulting in the Treaty of Brétigny.
On 28th April 1360 Guy Beauchamp died from injuries received during the Black Monday Hailstorm.
Thomas Walsingham [~1422]. [13th April 1360] And on the morrow, the Octave of Easter, he turned his standards with the army toward Orléans, pillaging, laying waste, and consuming many things with fire. At that time, there arose such a fierce and unheard-of storm that many thousands of men and horses in the King's army, while on the march, perished—suddenly collapsing dead due to the intense harshness of the cold. Yet these things did not in the least terrify the King or his men, so as to prevent them from continuing with their undertakings.
Et in crastino, Octavis Paschæ, convretit signa cum excrcitu versus Aurclianum, prædando, vastando, et igni consumendo plurima. Quo tempore ingruebat tam sæva tempestas et inaudita, ut plura millia hominum et equorum in Regis exercitu itinerando perirent, subito mortua corruendo præ frigoris imminentis aspcritatc. Quæ tantum Regem nec suos terruerunt, quin procederent cum inceptis.
A Chronicle of London. [13th April 1360] This same yere, that is for to seye the yere of oure lord a MCCCLX [1360], the xiiij day of Aprill thanne beynge the morwe after Estre day, kyng Edward with hys oost lay aboughte Parys; whiche day was a foul derk day of myst and of hayl, and so bitter cold that manye men deyde for cold: wherfore unto this day manye men callen it the blake Moneday.
History of Bernard Guesclin. [13th April 1360] The storm, which breaks out at that moment near Chartres, comes just in time to save his pride at the end of a campaign that had so miserably failed. This storm is the pretext, the opportunity, if you will—not the cause—of the sudden change in the dispositions of the King of England, which then made possible the conclusion of the Treaty of Brétigny. In reality, the invader's ambition was broken by the foresight and wisdom of the regent Charles, seconded by the patriotic resistance of the people. The proud Edward prefers to let it be believed that he was defeated by the heavens.
La tempête, qui éclate sur ces entrefaites aux environs de Chartres, vient à point pour sauver son amourpropre à la fin d'une campagne qui a si misérablement avorté. Cette tempête est le prétexte, l'occasion, si l'on veut, non la cause du changement soudain qui se fait alors dans les dispositions du roi d'Angleterre et qui rend possible la conclusion du traité de Brétigny. En réalité, l'ambition de l'envahisseur s'est brisée contre la sagesse prévoyante du régent Charles secondé par la patriotique résistance des populations. L'orgueilleux Edouard aime mieux laisser croire qu'il a été vaincu par le ciel.
Note 1. Edward III, like all conquerors, took particular care in shaping public opinion. Froissart is the only chronicler who presents the storm of April 13, 1360 as the determining cause of the peace agreed near Chartres: "And then the King of England looked toward the Church of Our Lady of Chartres and vowed and devotedly surrendered himself to Our Lady, and promised—as he later said and confessed—that he would agree to peace." But this passage is only found in the first version of the first book of his Chronicles, a version written, as is known, from the English point of view and, so to speak, under the dictation of the knights at the court of Edward III. The chronicler from Valenciennes removed this passage in his second version; he merely notes that after this storm the English king "was much more humble and gentle than before." The Grandes Chroniques de France (vol. VI, pp. 170–171) do not mention the storm in question at all. Finally, the only contemporary English chronicle that does mention it, that of the monk of St. Albans, denies that this storm had any influence on Edward's decisions: "At that time there struck such a fierce and unheard-of storm that several thousand men and horses from the king's army perished suddenly, collapsing from the extreme cold. Yet neither the king nor his men were frightened by this from continuing with their undertaking." (Chronicon Angliæ (1328–1388), by a monk of St. Albans, London, 1874, p. 42.) Thomas Walsingham, for the period from 1328 to 1388, merely reproduced the chronicle of the monk of St. Albans.
Edouard III mettait, comme tous les conquérants, un soin particulier à travailler l'opinion publique. Froissart est le seul chroniqueur qui présente l'orage du 13 avril 1360 comme la cause déterminante de la paix convenue près de Chartres : "Et adonc regarda li rois d'Engleterre devers l'église Nostre Dame de Chartres, et se voa et rcndi dévotement à Nostre Dame et prommist, si com il dist et confessa depuis, que il s'accorderuit à le pais." Mais ce passage ne se trouve que dans la première rédaction du Ier livre de ses Chroniques, rédaction écrite, comme on sait, au point de vue anglais et pour ainsi dire sous la dictée des chevaliers de la cour d'Edouard III. Le chroniqueur de Valenciennes a supprimé, dans sa seconde rédaction, le passage que nous avons souligné; il se contente de faire remarquer qu'après cet orage le roi anglais "fu plus liumbles et plus débonnaires assés que devant." Les Grandes Chroniques de France (t. VI, p. 170, 171) ne disent pas un mot de la tempête dont il s'agit. Enfin, la seule chronique anglaise contemporaine qui en parle, celle du moine de Saint-Alban, nie que cette tempête ait eu aucune influence sur les résolutions d'Edouard : "Quo tempore ingruebat tam sæva tempestas et inaudita, ut plura millia hominum et equoruni in régis exercitu ilinerando périrent, subito mortua corruendo præ frigoris imminentis asperitate. Quæ tamen nec regein nec suas terrucrunt,quin proccderent cum inceptis." Chronicon Anglæ (1328-1388), auctore monacho quodam Sancti Albani, London, 1874, in-8o, p. 42. Thomas Walsingham, pour la période comprise entre 1328 et 1388, n'a fait que reproduire la chronique du moine de Saint-Alban.
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Chronicle of Jean de Venette. [13th April 1360] The next day, however, that is, the second feria30, it rained and hailed so abundantly all day long that the strength of the horses failed. They could not pull their loads, and the wagons, soaked with rain, remained stationary on the roads and highways. Many horses and their drivers were pitiably drowned by the hail and the torrential rains. It is said that the English incurred very heavy losses both of baggage and of men on that day31.
Note 30. This is a synonym for Monday, and was a form for referring to the days of the week without using their pagan names.
Note 31. For the other contemporary comments on this storm see Delachenal, Histoire de Charles V, 11, 191-92. "In this same yere, the xiiii day off Aprill Kyng Edward with his Oost lay byfore the Citee off Parys; the which was a ffoule Derke day off myste, and off haylle, and so bytter colde, that syttyng on horse bak men dyed. Wherefore, unto this day yt ys called blak Monday, and wolle be longe tyme here affter." Chronicles of London, p. 13.
Chronicle of Henry Knighton. [13th April 1360] For as they were returning from the city of Paris toward the region of Orléans in the Beauce, a terrible storm suddenly arose, with thunder, lightning, and then hail, and it killed an uncountable number of people and more than 6,000 horses, so that the baggage train of the army was almost entirely lost. It became absolutely necessary to return toward England. But God turned the misery of necessity into a moment of honour for royal majesty. For the pope sent solemn envoys with letters to the king of England to begin negotiations for peace and reconciliation. And they negotiated at Morancez near Chartres, and the negotiations continued on the fifth day of May. Then the king prepared to return to England, both because of necessity and because of the form of the treaty; and whatever they had, they consigned to flame and fire due to the lack of transport, tents, utensils, wagons, saddles, and almost all other things. Nam in eorum reditu de civitate Parisiensi versus partes de Orlions in I'evosina subito supervenit horribilis tempestas tonitrui fulguris deinde grandinis, et occidit gentes absque numero et plusquam vj. millia equorum, ita quod cariagium exercitus defecit fere in toto, et oportuit necessario redire versus Angliam, sed deus transtulit miseriam necessitatis in honorem regi majestatis® Nam papa misit nuncios solemnes cum literis ad regem Anglie ad tractandum de pace et concordia.
Et tractaverunt apud Morens prope Chartres et continuatus est tractatus quinto die Maii. Quando rex disposuit se redire versus Angliam, tum propter necessitatem tum propter formam trac. tatus, quæcunque habebant miserunt flamma et incendio præ defectu cariagii, tentoria, utensilia, currus, sellas, et caters quasi cuncta.
Chronicle of William Nangis, -1300. On the next day, that is, the following Monday [13th April 1360], there was such an abundance of rain and hail throughout the whole day that most of the English wagons and carts remained stuck in the roads and paths, soaked from the excessive downpour. The horses were exhausted and unable to pull them, and in fact, many were miserably drowned together with their drivers by the inestimable torrents of hail and rain. So much so that on that day the English, due to these obstacles, suffered tremendous losses — both in their belongings and in the lives of many who perished, as is reported.
In crastino autem, scilicet feria secunda sequente, per totum diem fuit tantorum imbrium etgrandinum abundantia, quod maxima pars bigarum et curruum ipsorum Anglicorum in viis et itineribus imbre nimio madentibus remansit, equis deficientibus nec trahere valentibus, sed potius multis cum ductoribus suis a grandinibus et aquis pluvialibus inæstimabilibus raiserabiliter suffocatis; in tantum quod illa die Anglici, ex hujusmodi impedimento, jacturam maximam de rebus suis et de corporibus multorum qui deficiebant, ut dicitur, incurrerunt.
Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
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Scalaronica. On Sunday the 13th of April [1360] it became necessary to make a very long march toward Beauce, by reason of want of fodder for the horses. The weather was desperately bad with rain, hail and snow, and so cold that many weakly men and horses perished in the field. They abandoned many vehicles and much baggage on account of the cold, the wind and the wet, which happened to be worse this season than any old memory could recall.
Chronicle of Four Premiers Valois. [13th April 1360] King Edward of England, after he had lifted his siege before Reims, rode with his army until he crossed the Seine and entered the Gâtinais, ravaging and pillaging the land. And he advanced so far that he and his army came into the Chartres region. And there fell upon his army and upon him a very great storm, from which many Englishmen died, and even more of their horses. Such a thing had once before happened, in that very region, to Rou, king in part of Denmark, first duke of Normandy—his ancestor, descended from him in direct line from father to son, down to King William the Bastard, Duke of Normandy, who conquered England. Wherefore the said Edward, King of England, considering that in former times enemies who laid waste to the land of Our Lady of Chartres had there suffered torments, and now in that same land a torment had fallen upon his army, departed from the land as soon as he could, and rode onward before Paris.
Le roy Edouart d'Angleterre, apres ce qu'il oult levé son siege de par devant Rains, chevauca tant o son host qu'il passa Seyne et vint en Gastinois bruiant et courant le pais. Et tant esploita que lui et son host vindrent en Chartrain. Et là chey sur son host et sur lui une très grant tempeste dont moult d'Angloiz moururent et plus encorres de leurs chevaulx. Ainsi avint jadiz eu dit terrouail à Rou, roy en partie de Danemarche, premier duc de Normendie, son anceseur, descendu de lui par droicte ligne de père en filz par la succession du roy Guillaume Le Bastard, duc de Normendie, qui conquist Angleterre. Par quoy le dit Edouart roy d'Angleterre, considérant que jadiz les ennemis qui degastoient la terre Nostre Dame de Chartres avoient là receu tourmens, et en icelle terre lui cheoit sur son host tourment, le plus tost qu'il poult se parti du pais, et vint chevaucant par devant Paris.
History of Charles V. Black Monday Hailstorm7, On Monday, April 13 [1360], the English army, while on the march, was struck by a storm — a true cyclone — of incredible violence, made especially dangerous by the size of the hailstones, which in just a few minutes killed many horses from the baggage teams and even a good number of men. It is hardly possible to deny the reality of "Black Monday," which is mentioned in almost all the chronicles1. Froissart2 attributes to this chance event consequences out of proportion with the actual disaster3. It is possible that Edward III saw in this unleashing of the elements a sign of divine wrath, and above all a reason not to march over the lands of the Church of Chartres. Had not the first Duke of Normandy, Rollo, suffered a bloody defeat for waging war there4. One can thus accept that Edward III may have made a vow to Our Lady of Chartres — provided it is not seen as the sole or decisive reason for the treaty that followed shortly after. Indeed, the storm of April 13 did not halt the English march for long. It continued on to Bonneval and Châteaudun, perhaps aiming for Vendôme, but slowly enough that the Abbot of Cluny was able to resume negotiations — twice previously broken off. Even within his own entourage, the King of England had a passionate advocate for peace; with greater authority, the Duke of Lancaster might have played the role of Cineas to Pyrrhus. He wisely pointed out that "in one day one could lose more than had been gained in twenty years." And in fact, it had taken just one day of tempest to deprive the English army of its baggage and to leave it in a pitiful state.
VII. —Le lundi 13 avril, l'armée anglaise fut atteinte en pleine marche, par un orage — véritable cyclone — d'une violence inouïe, redoutable surtout par la grosseur des grêlons qui, en quelques minutes, tuèrent quantité de chevaux des attelages et même bon nombre d'hommes. Il n'est guère possible de nier la réalité du "black monday", dont presque toutes les chroniques font mention. Froissart attribue à cet événement fortuit des conséquences hors de proportion avec le désastre. Il est possible qu'Edouard III ait vu dans ce déchaînement des éléments un signe de la colère céleste, et surtout un motif de ne pas passer sur les terres de l'église de Chartres. N'était-ce pas pour y avoir porté la guerre que le premier duc de Normandie, Rollon, avait subi une sanglante défaite? On peut donc admettre qu'un vœu ait été fait par Edouard III à Notre-Dame de Chartres, mais à la condition de n'y pas voir la cause déterminante et unique du traité qui intervint peu de temps après. En effet, l'orage du 13 avril n'arrêta pas longtemps la marche des Anglais. Elle continua sur Bonneval et Chateaudun, peut-être avec Vendôme pour objectif, mais assez lentement pour que l'abbé de Clunypût revenir à la charge et reprendre les négociations, par deux fois rompues. Dans son entourage même, le roi d'Angleterre trouvait un chaleureux avocat de la paix ; avec plus d'autorité, le duc de Lancastre aurait joué le rôle de Cineas auprès de Pyrrhus. Il représentait sagement "qu'en un jour on pourrait perdre plus qu'on n'avait gagné en vingt ans". Et de fait, il avait suffi d'un jour de tempête pour priver l'armée anglaise de ses équipages et pour la mettre dans un pitoyable état.
Note 1. The Great Chronicles say nothing about it.
Les Gr. Chr. n'en disent rien.
Note 2. See Henry Knighton, Volume 2, Page 112.
Note 3. See Chronicle of London from 1189 to 1483 edited by Nicholas Harris-Nicolas, London, Longman and C°, 1827, in-8°, p. 64, ao XXXVI (1360), and Scalaronica, Continuation of the Chronicle of Nangiaco, Froissart Book 2 Chapter 211.
Note 4. See Chronicle of Four Premiers Valois. Rollo, who had come to besiege Chartres, was defeated on July 20, 918, by Richard, Duke of Burgundy, and Robert the Strong. (Orderic Vitalis, vol. I, pp. 160–161; vol. III, p. 143).
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Letters. 13th April 1442. The year unclear. Letter XXXVII. Elizabeth Countess of Oxford (age 32) to Sir John Paston (age 20).
Right entirely well-beloved,.
I greet you well, thanking you of the great gentleness that you have shewed unto my right well-beloved James Arblast, praying you of continuance; and if there be any thing that I may do for you or any of yours here op in any other place I pray you let me wit, and I shall be ready to do it, with the grace of God, who have you in his keeping; and I pray you to be friendly unto my right well-beloved Agnes Arblast, which is to me great pleasure and heart's ease, an you so be. Written at Nevenhow,.
the 13th day of April. Oxford, 1 Elizabeth.
On 13th April 1458 John "Babymaker" La Marck II Duke Cleves was born to John La Marck I Duke Cleves (age 39) and Elizabeth Valois Duchess Cleves (age 19). Coefficient of inbreeding 2.07%. He married 1490 Mathilde Hesse Duchess Cleves, daughter of Margrave Henry III of Upper Hesse, and had issue.
Chronicle of Jean de Waurin Books 3-5 [1400-1474]. [13th April 1471] The King, having arrived in the said town of Barnet, upon hearing this news from his scouts, did not allow anyone to stay in the town but ordered everyone to march to the fields with him. However, as night was approaching and he could not see his enemies who, as mentioned, were arranged in battle formation, he and his entire army lodged closer to them than he had thought. There, he placed his men in good order, commanding that no noise or disturbance be made that night.
Both armies were well stocked with all sorts of gunpowder engines, but the Earl, by far, had more than the King. Therefore, all night long, hoping to make the King and his army retreat by the fire of his engines, he ordered continuous shooting. However, their shots passed over the entire army without causing harm, and the reason was that they were much closer to the enemy than they had thought. Thus, the King and all his people remained quiet that night, without making any noise or shooting any engines. Consequently, their enemies could not clearly discern the location where he was lodged, which proved very advantageous for him and his people.
Le roy doncques venu en ladite ville de Barnet, entendant ces nouvelles par ses ditz avantcoureurs ne voult souffrir que nulz sejournast en ladite ville, ains commanda que chascun tyrast auz champz en sa compaignie; mais pour ce que la nuit aprochoit et quil ne povoit nullement veoir ses annemis qui, comme dit est, estoient rengies en bataille, il se loga et tout son ost plus prez deulz quil ne cuidoit, ou il mist ses gens en bonne ordonnance, commandant que celle nuit nul ne menast bruit ou noise.
Les deux ostz estoient moult bien garnis de tous engiens a pouldre, mais le comte sans comparoison en avoit plus que le roy, et pour ce, toute la nuit, cuidant faire reculler le roy et son ost par le trait de ses engiens, commanda que toute la nuit on ne cessast de tyrer; mais leur trait passoit tout oultre larmee sans les gre ver, et la cause fut pour ce quilz estoient plus prez des annemis beaucop quilz ne cuidoient; et la le roy et tout son peuple se tindrent celle nuit tous coys, sans noise faire ne nulz engiens gecter, parquoy ses annemis ne peurent plainernent congnoistre la place ou il estoit logie, ce quy fut a luy et auz siens moult prouffitable.
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On 13th April 1477 Ankarette Hawkeston aka Twynyho taken to Cirencester, Gloucestershire [Map].
On 13th April 1494 Archbishop Henry Deane was appointed Bishop of Bangor.
On 13th April 1519 Catherine Medici Queen Consort France was born to Lorenzo de Medici Duke of Urbino (age 26) and Madeleine de la Tour d'Auvergne (age 21). She married 28th October 1533 her sixth cousin King Henry II of France, son of King Francis I of France and Claude Valois Orléans Queen Consort France, and had issue.
On 13th April 1532 Frederick Oldenburg was born to King Frederick I of Denmark (age 60) and Sophie of Pomerania Queen Consort of Denmark and Sweden (age 34)..
On 13th April 1534 Thomas More (age 56) was asked to appear before a commission and swear his allegiance First Act of Succession. He refused to take the oath and was duly imprisoned in the Tower of London [Map]. Whilst there Thomas Cromwell 1st Earl Essex (age 49) made several visits in an attempt to persuade More to comply.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 13th April 1561. The xiij day dyd pryche at the Powlles [Map] master Juell (age 38) byshope of Salysbere.
On 13th April 1603 Nicholas Tufton 1st Earl of Thanet (age 25) was knighted.
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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Diary of Anne Clifford. 13th April 1616. Upon the 13th my Lord (age 27) and Thomas Glenham (age 22) went up to London.
Diary of Anne Clifford. 13th April 1617. The 13th my Lord (age 28) sat where the gentlemen used to sit. He dined abroad in the great Chamber and supped privately with me in the Drawing Chamber and had much discourse of the manners of the folks at court.
On 13th April 1631 Edward Maria Wingfield of Stoneley Priory was buried at St Andrew's Church, Kimbolton [Map].
Edward Maria Wingfield of Stoneley Priory: In 1550 he was born to Thomas Maria Wingfield and Margaret Kaye of Woodsome in Yorkshire at Stonely Priory [Map]. On 13th May 1607 Edward Maria Wingfield of Stoneley Priory was elected the first President of Jamestown Virginia. His term lasted four months only when in September 1607 he was deposed. On 10th April 1608 Edward Maria Wingfield of Stoneley Priory returned to England to answer charges of "being an atheist". In 1631 Edward Maria Wingfield of Stoneley Priory died. He was buried at St Andrew's Church, Kimbolton [Map].
John Evelyn's Diary. 11th April 1640. I went to London to see the solemnity of his Majesty's (age 39) riding through the city in state to the Short Parliament, which began the 13th following,-a very glorious and magnificent sight, the King circled with his royal diadem and the affections of his people: but the day after I returned to Wotton, Surrey [Map] again, where I stayed, my father's (age 53) indisposition suffering great intervals, till April 27th, when I was sent to London to be first resident at the Middle Temple: so as my being at the University, in regard of these avocations, was of very small benefit to me. Upon May the 5th following, was the Parliament unhappily dissolved; and, on the 20th I returned with my brother George to Wotton, Surrey [Map], who, on the 28th of the same month, was married at Albury to Mrs. Caldwell (an heiress of an ancient Leicestershire family1, where part of the nuptials were celebrated.
Note 1. A daughter of Daniel Caldwell, Esq., by Mary, daughter of George Duncomb, Esq., of Albury. She died 15th May, 1644, and he afterwards married the widow of Sir John Cotton.
On 13th April 1641 Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford (age 48) was attainted by 204 votes to 59 ostensibly for his authoritarian rule as Lord Deputy of Ireland. Despite his promise not to King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland (age 40) signed the death warrant on the 10th May 1641 in the light of increasing pressure from Parliament and the commons.
Wenceslaus Hollar (age 33). Engraving of the Trial of Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford with the following marked:
A. King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland.
C. Henrietta Maria Bourbon Queen Consort England (age 31).
D. King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 10).
E. Thomas Howard 14th or 21st Earl of Arundel 4th Earl of Surrey 1st Earl Norfolk (age 55), Lord High Steward.
F. Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 78), Lord Keeper of the Great Seal.
G. John Paulet 5th Marquess Winchester (age 43).
H. Robert Bertie 1st Earl Lindsey (age 58), Lord Chamberlain.
I. Philip Herbert 4th Earl Pembroke 1st Earl Montgomery (age 56), Lord Chamberlain of the Household.
V. Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford.
Z. Alethea Talbot Countess Arundel, Surrey and Norfolk (age 56).
John Evelyn's Diary. 13th April 1652. I was moved by a letter out of France to publish the letter which some time since I sent to Dean Cosin's (age 57) proselyted son; but I did not conceive it convenient, for fear of displeasing her Majesty (age 21), the Queen.
On 13th April 1658 Louise Charlotte Oldenburg Duchess Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck was born to Ernest Günther Oldenburg I Duke Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg (age 48) and Auguste Oldenburg Duchess Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg (age 24). Coefficient of inbreeding 6.27%. She married 1st January 1685 her first cousin Frederick Louis Oldenburg I Duke Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck, son of August Philipp Oldenburg I Duke Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck and Marie Sibylle Nassau Saarbrücken Duchess Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck, and had issue.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 13th April 1661. That done to my Lord's and dined there, and so by water with parson Turner towards London, and upon my telling of him of Mr. Moore to be a fit man to do his business with Bishop Wren (age 75), about which he was going, he went back out of my boat into another to Whitehall, and so I forwards home and there by and by took coach with Sir W. Pen (age 39) and Captain Terne and went to the buriall of Captain Robert Blake, at Wapping, Essex, and there had each of us a ring, but it being dirty, we would not go to church with them, but with our coach we returned home, and there staid a little, and then he and I alone to the Dolphin (Sir W. Batten (age 60) being this day gone with his wife to Walthamstow, Essex [Map] to keep Easter), and there had a supper by ourselves, we both being very hungry, and staying there late drinking I became very sleepy, and so we went home and I to bed.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 13th April 1662. Thence to Graye's Inn walkes; and there met Mr. Pickering and walked with him two hours till 8 o'clock till I was quite weary. His discourse most about the pride of the Duchess of York (age 25); and how all the ladies envy my Baroness Castlemaine's (age 21). He intends to go to Portsmouth, Hampshire [Map] to meet the Queen (age 23) this week; which is now the discourse and expectation of the town.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 13th April 1663. Up by five o'clock and to my office, where hard at work till towards noon, and home and eat a bit, and so going out met with Mr. Mount my old acquaintance, and took him in and drank a glass or two of wine to him and so parted, having not time to talk together, and I with Sir W. Batten (age 62) to the Stillyard [Map], and there eat a lobster together, and Wyse the King's fishmonger coming in we were very merry half an hour, and so by water to Whitehall, and by and by being all met we went in to the Duke and there did our business and so away, and anon to the Tangier Committee, where we had very fine discourse from Dr. Walker and Wiseman, civilians, against our erecting a court-merchant at Tangier [Map], and well answered in many things by my Lord Sandwich (age 37) (whose speaking I never till now observed so much to be very good) and Sir R. Ford (age 49).
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 13th April 1663. By and by the discourse being ended, we fell to my Lord Rutherford's dispatch, which do not please him, he being a Scott, and one resolved to scrape every penny that he can get by any way, which the Committee will not agree to. He took offence at something and rose away, without taking leave of the board, which all took ill, though nothing said but only by the Duke of Albemarle (age 54), who said that we ought to settle things as they ought to be, and if he will not go upon these terms another man will, no doubt.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 13th April 1666. So back and waited on the Duke (age 32) and received some commands of his, and so by coach to Hales's (age 66), where it is pretty strange to see that his second doing, I mean the second time of her sitting, is less like Mrs. Pierce than the first, and yet I am confident will be most like her, for he is so curious that I do not see how it is possible for him to mistake.
Jean de Waurin's Chronicle of England Volume 6 Books 3-6: The Wars of the Roses
Jean de Waurin was a French Chronicler, from the Artois region, who was born around 1400, and died around 1474. Waurin’s Chronicle of England, Volume 6, covering the period 1450 to 1471, from which we have selected and translated Chapters relating to the Wars of the Roses, provides a vivid, original, contemporary description of key events some of which he witnessed first-hand, some of which he was told by the key people involved with whom Waurin had a personal relationship.
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Samuel Pepys' Diary. 13th April 1666. Up, being called up by my wife's brother, for whom I have got a commission from the Duke of Yorke (age 32) for Muster-Master of one of the divisions, of which Harman (age 29) is Rere-Admirall, of which I am glad as well as he. After I had acquainted him with it, and discoursed a little of it, I went forth and took him with me by coach to the Duke of Albemarle (age 57), who being not up, I took a walk with Balty (age 26) into the Parke, and to the Queene's Chappell, it being Good Friday, where people were all upon their knees very silent; but, it seems, no masse this day.
On 13th April 1685 Margaret Wilson (age 18), Agnes Wilson and Margaret McLachlan were indicted as being guilty of conventicles. They were found guilty on all charges, and sentenced to be "tied to palisades fixed in the sand, within the floodmark of the sea, and there to stand till the flood o'erflowed them". Agnes Wilson was subsequently granted freedom on a bond of 100 Pounds Scots. Reprieves were written out for the two Margarets with a date of 30th April 1685.
On 13th April 1693 William Coventry 5th Earl Coventry (age 17) matriculated Pembroke College, Cambridge University.
John Evelyn's Diary. 13th April 1694. Mr. Bentley, our Boyle Lecturer, Chaplain to the Bishop of Worcester (age 58), came to see me.
On 13th April 1703 David Colyear 1st Earl Portmore (age 47) was created 1st Earl Portmore. Possibly for having married the King's former mistress Catherine Sedley Countess Dorchester and Portmore (age 45). Catherine Sedley Countess Dorchester and Portmore by marriage Countess Portmore.
On 13th April 1705 Louis Bourbon Duke Brittany died.
On 13th April 1714 Charles Henry Fitzroy was born to Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton (age 30) and Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton (age 23). He a great grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. He died aged one in 1715.
On 13th April 1716 Leopold Johann Habsburg Spain was born to Charles Habsburg Spain VI Holy Roman Emperor (age 30) and Elisabeth of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel Holy Roman Empress (age 24). He died aged less than one years old.
On 13th April 1732 Samuel Pegge (age 27) and Anne Clarke were married.
On 13th April 1747 Louis Philippe II Duke of Orléans was born to Louis Philippe "The Fat" Bourbon I Duke Orléans (age 21).
On 13th April 1751 Frederick Louis Hanover Prince of Wales (deceased) was buried at Westminster Abbey [Map].
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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On 13th April 1761 Thomas Wallis (age 37) died. He was buried at Lincoln Cathedral [Map].
Thomas Wallis: Around 1724 he was born to Newcomen Wallis and Catherine Collingwood.
On 13th April 1769 Thomas Lawrence was born in Bristol, Gloucestershire [Map].
On 13th April 1794 Arthur Dillon (age 43) was guillotined. Two weeks before Dillon was called to Paris for questioning and was ultimately arrested on 1 July 1793 despite being stoutly defended by his aide-de-camp François Séverin Marceau-Desgraviers. He was condemned for alleged participation in a prison conspiracy.
The armies of the first French Republic and the rise of the marshals of Napoleon I by Phipps, Ramsay Weston, 1838-1923: "Dillon, a Royalist at heart, had better have emigrated, as once at least he wished to do. Arrested on the 1st July 1793, he was included amongst the victims of the alleged 'conspiration des prisons' and was guillotined on the 13th April 1794, shouting vigorously, 'Vive le roi', as he mounted the scaffold."
St Peter and St Paul Church, Little Gaddesden. Monument to Anne, youngest daughter of Gervase Norton, dued 13th April 1796 and memorial to her niece Margaret.
Archaeologia Volume 21 Section III. Account of King Edward the Fourth's Second Invasion of England, in 1471, drawn up by one of his Followers; with the King's Letter to the Inhabitants of Bruges upon his success: translated from a French Manuscript in the Public Library at Ghent. Communicated by Edward Jerningham (age 45), Esq. F.S.A. in a Letter to Nicholas Carlisle, Esq. F.R.S. Secretary. Read 13th April, 1820.
Edward Jerningham: On 14th July 1774 he was born to William Jerningham of Cossey Park 6th Baronet and Frances Dillon. He a great x 3 grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. On 29th May 1822 Edward Jerningham died.
On 13th April 1838 Cecilia Catherine Gordon-Lennox Countess Lucan was born to Charles Gordon-Lennox 5th Duke Richmond (age 46) and Caroline Paget Duchess Richmond (age 41). She married before 13th December 1860 her fourth cousin once removed Charles George Bingham 4th Earl Lucan, son of George Charles Bingham 3rd Earl Lucan and Anne Brudenell Countess Lucan, and had issue.
Ten Years' Digging. On the 13th of April we made a cutting in the south-east side of the tumulus, at Lady Low [Map], near Blore, first examined on the 2nd July, 1849, and discovered a heap of calcined bones buried in the earth, without any provision having been made to enclose them. In their midst lay a bronze dagger, of the usual shape as far as regards the blade, but having a shank or tang to fit into the handle, which was secured by a single peg passing through a hole in the former; the handle, where it overlaid the blade, was terminated by a straight end, and not by a crescent-shaped one as usual. The dagger had been burnt along with the body, furnishing the second instance of the kind, and the third in which that instrument has been discovered with calcined bones in our researches. We also made a further search in the other tumulus at Lady Low, where burnt bones were found on the 14th of September, 1849, but found nothing but two blocks of flint.
The Diary of George Price Boyce 1854. 13th April 1854. Rossetti (age 25) came to work on the two drawings. He told me that he had seen Ruskin (age 35) who had been to his studio and complimented him enthusiastically. They had arranged to come here on Saturday to see R.'s two drawings and some of mine. R. thought Ruskin hideous.
On 13th April 1910 William Quiller Orchardson (age 78) died.
On 13th April 1915 William Glynne Charles Gladstone (age 29) was killed in action near Laventie; shot by a sniper. He was initially buried in France, but permission was granted by King George V for his body to be brought back to the United Kingdom. Nine days after his death, his body was disinterred and re-buried in the churchyard of St Deiniol's, Hawarden. His body was the last to be officially repatriated to the United Kingdom during the First World War. As a memorial, a rood was installed at St Deiniol's, Hawarden, and a new theatre and wards at Chester Royal Infirmary. Gladstone is also commemorated on Panel 8 of the Parliamentary War Memorial in Westminster Hall, one of 22 MPs who died during the War to be named on that memorial.
On 13th April 1926 John Spencer-Churchill 11th Duke of Marlborough was born to John Albert William Spencer-Churchill 10th Duke of Marlborough (age 28) and Alexandra Mary Cadogan Duchess of Marlborough (age 26). He married (1) 19th October 1951 Susan Mary Hornby.
13th April 1938. The Bystander. Photograph of Deborah Mitford (age 18).
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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On 13th April 1945 Frederic Raymond Clegg-Hill (age 35) was killed in action.
On 13th April 1229 Louis "Strict" Wittelsbach II Duke Upper Bavaria was born to Otto "Illustrious" Wittelsbach II Duke Bavaria (age 23) and Agnes Welf Duchess Bavaria (age 28) at Heidelburg. He a great x 2 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. He married (1) 2nd August 1254 his fourth cousin once removed Maria Reginar Duchess Bavaria, daughter of Henry Reginar II Duke Brabant and Marie Swabia Duchess Brabant (2) 1260 Louis Anna Glogau Duchess Bavaria and had issue (3) 24th October 1273 his fourth cousin twice removed Matilda Habsburg Duchess Bavaria and had issue.
On 13th April 1458 John "Babymaker" La Marck II Duke Cleves was born to John La Marck I Duke Cleves (age 39) and Elizabeth Valois Duchess Cleves (age 19). Coefficient of inbreeding 2.07%. He married 1490 Mathilde Hesse Duchess Cleves, daughter of Margrave Henry III of Upper Hesse, and had issue.
On 13th April 1519 Catherine Medici Queen Consort France was born to Lorenzo de Medici Duke of Urbino (age 26) and Madeleine de la Tour d'Auvergne (age 21). She married 28th October 1533 her sixth cousin King Henry II of France, son of King Francis I of France and Claude Valois Orléans Queen Consort France, and had issue.
On 13th April 1532 Frederick Oldenburg was born to King Frederick I of Denmark (age 60) and Sophie of Pomerania Queen Consort of Denmark and Sweden (age 34)..
On 13th April 1593 Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford was born to William Wentworth 1st Baronet (age 31) and Anne Atkins Baroness Wentworth Woodhouse (age 26). He married (1) in or before 1622 his fifth cousin once removed Margaret Clifford, daughter of Francis Clifford 4th Earl of Cumberland and Grisold Hughes Countess Cumberland (2) February 1625 his sixth cousin Arabella Holles, daughter of John Holles 1st Earl de Clare and Anne Stanhope Countess de Clare, and had issue (3) October 1632 Elizabeth Rhodes Countess Strafford.
On 13th April 1658 Louise Charlotte Oldenburg Duchess Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck was born to Ernest Günther Oldenburg I Duke Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg (age 48) and Auguste Oldenburg Duchess Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg (age 24). Coefficient of inbreeding 6.27%. She married 1st January 1685 her first cousin Frederick Louis Oldenburg I Duke Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck, son of August Philipp Oldenburg I Duke Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck and Marie Sibylle Nassau Saarbrücken Duchess Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck, and had issue.
On 13th April 1704 Francis North 1st Earl Guildford was born to Francis North 2nd Baron Guildford (age 30) and Alicia Brownlow Baroness Guildford (age 20). He married (1) 1728 his fourth cousin Lucy Montagu Baroness Guildford, daughter of George Montagu 1st Earl Halifax and Ricarda Posthuma Saltonstale, and had issue (2) 24th January 1736 Elizabeth Kaye Baroness North and Guildford, daughter of Arthur Kaye 3rd Baronet, and had issue (3) 13th June 1751 Catherine Furnese Countess Guilford and Rockingham, daughter of Robert Furnese 2nd Baronet.
On 13th April 1707 Henry Cavendish 1st Baronet was born to William Cavendish of Doveridge Hall (age 24). He married 9th January 1730 his fifth cousin once removed Anne Pyne and had issue.
On 13th April 1714 Charles Henry Fitzroy was born to Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton (age 30) and Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton (age 23). He a great grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. He died aged one in 1715.
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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On 13th April 1716 Leopold Johann Habsburg Spain was born to Charles Habsburg Spain VI Holy Roman Emperor (age 30) and Elisabeth of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel Holy Roman Empress (age 24). He died aged less than one years old.
On 13th April 1732 Frederick North 2nd Earl Guildford was born to Francis North 1st Earl Guildford (age 28) and Lucy Montagu Baroness Guildford. He married 20th May 1756 Anne Speke Countess Guilford and had issue.
On 13th April 1732 Lucy North was born to Francis North 1st Earl Guildford (age 28) and Lucy Montagu Baroness Guildford.
On 13th April 1742 Henry Belasyse 2nd Earl Fauconberg was born to Thomas Belasyse 1st Earl Fauconberg (age 42). He married 29th May 1766 Charlotte Lamb Countess Fauconberg, daughter of Matthew Lamb 1st Baronet and Charlotte Coke, and had issue.
On 13th April 1747 Louis Philippe II Duke of Orléans was born to Louis Philippe "The Fat" Bourbon I Duke Orléans (age 21).
On 13th April 1768 Benjamin Bloomfield 1st Baron Bloomfield was born.
On 13th April 1769 Thomas Lawrence was born in Bristol, Gloucestershire [Map].
On 13th April 1769 Georgiana Augusta Leveson-Gower was born to Granville Leveson-Gower 1st Marquess Stafford (age 47) and Susanna Stewart Marchioness Stafford. She married 30th January 1797 William Eliot 2nd Earl St Germans, son of Edward Craggs Eliot 1st Baron Eliot and Catherine Elliston Baroness Eliott, and had issue.
On 13th April 1792 George Wombwell 3rd Baronet was born to George Wombwell 2nd Baronet (age 23) and Anne Belasyse (age 15). He married 23rd June 1824 Georgiana Hunter and had issue.
On 13th April 1793 John Perceval was born to Charles George Perceval 1st and 2nd Baron Arden (age 36) and Margaretta Elizabeth Wilson Baroness Arden (age 25). He married 20th August 1816 Elizabeth Anne Brudenell, daughter of Robert Brudenell 6th Earl Cardigan and Penelope Cooke Countess Cardigan.
On 13th April 1804 Harriet Canning Marchioness Clanricarde was born to George Canning Prime Mininster (age 34) and Joan Scott Viscountess Canning (age 28). She married 4th April 1825 Ulick Burgh 1st Marquess Clanricarde, son of John Thomas Burgh 13th Earl Clanricarde, and had issue.
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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 13th April 1815 William Frederick Pollock 2nd Baronet was born to Johnathan Frederick Pollock 1st Baronet (age 31) and Frances Rivers. He married 30th March 1844 Juliet Creed and had issue.
On 13th April 1822 Georgiana Liddell Baroness Bloomfield was born to Thomas Liddell 1st Baron Ravensworth (age 47) and Maria Susannah Simpson Baroness Calthorpe (age 49). She married 4th September 1845 John Arthur Douglas Bloomfield 1st and 2nd Baron Bloomfield, son of Benjamin Bloomfield 1st Baron Bloomfield.
On 13th April 1828 Bishop Joseph Barber Lightfoot was born to John Jackson Lightfoot and Ann Matilda Barber.
On 13th April 1828 Edward Baring 1st Baron Revelstoke was born to Henry Baring (age 51) and Maria Matilda Bingham (age 45). He married 1861 Louisa Emily Charlotte Bulteel Baroness Revelstoke and had issue.
On 13th April 1830 Charles Chetwynd-Talbot 19th Earl of Shrewsbury 4th Earl Talbot was born to Henry John Chetwynd-Talbot 3rd Earl Talbot 18th Earl of Shrewsbury (age 26) and Sarah Elizabeth Beresford Countess Talbot Shrewsbury Waterford (age 22). He married 15th February 1855 Anna Theresa Cockerell Countess Shrewsbury and Waterford and had issue.
On 13th April 1832 Frances Wilhelmina Welby was born to Glynne Earl Welby 3rd Baronet (age 25) and Frances Cholmeley. She married before 9th October 1858 Lieutenant Colonel William Henry Reeve and had issue.
On 13th April 1833 Algernon William Peyton 4th Baronet was born to Henry Peyton 3rd Baronet (age 28) and Georgina Elizabeth Bethell-Codrington Lady Peyton (age 34).
On 13th April 1838 Cecilia Catherine Gordon-Lennox Countess Lucan was born to Charles Gordon-Lennox 5th Duke Richmond (age 46) and Caroline Paget Duchess Richmond (age 41). She married before 13th December 1860 her fourth cousin once removed Charles George Bingham 4th Earl Lucan, son of George Charles Bingham 3rd Earl Lucan and Anne Brudenell Countess Lucan, and had issue.
On 13th April 1863 Ismay Fitzroy was born to Charles Fitzroy 3rd Baron Southampton (age 58) and Ismania Katharine Nugent Baroness Southampton. She married 12th June 1883 her third cousin once removed Charles Edward Fitzroy, son of Augustus Charles Lennox Fitzroy 7th Duke Grafton and Anne Balfour, and had issue.
On 13th April 1875 Christopher Thomson 1st Baron Thomson was born.
Jean de Waurin's Chronicle of England Volume 6 Books 3-6: The Wars of the Roses
Jean de Waurin was a French Chronicler, from the Artois region, who was born around 1400, and died around 1474. Waurin’s Chronicle of England, Volume 6, covering the period 1450 to 1471, from which we have selected and translated Chapters relating to the Wars of the Roses, provides a vivid, original, contemporary description of key events some of which he witnessed first-hand, some of which he was told by the key people involved with whom Waurin had a personal relationship.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 13th April 1915 Anne Winifred Sullivan Marchioness Westminster was born. She married 7th February 1947 Hugh "Bendor" Grosvenor 2nd Duke Westminster.
On 13th April 1916 Colonel Lewis Clifford 13th Baron Clifford was born to Lewis Joseph Clifford 12th Baron Clifford (age 27).
On 13th April 1926 John Spencer-Churchill 11th Duke of Marlborough was born to John Albert William Spencer-Churchill 10th Duke of Marlborough (age 28) and Alexandra Mary Cadogan Duchess of Marlborough (age 26). He married (1) 19th October 1951 Susan Mary Hornby.
On 13th April 1959 David Frederick Pollock 6th Baronet was born to George Frederick Pollock 5th Baronet (age 30).
On 13th April 1614 George Berkeley 8th Baron Berkeley (age 12) and Elizabeth Stanhope Baroness Berkeley (age 9) were married. She by marriage Baroness Berkeley.
On 13th April 1686 Rushout Cullen 3rd Baronet (age 25) and Mary Maynard were married.
On 13th April 1732 Samuel Pegge (age 27) and Anne Clarke were married.
On 13th April 1736 Vere Beauclerk 1st Baron de Vere (age 36) and Mary Chambers Baroness Spencer (age 22) were married. She by marriage Baroness Vere of Hanworth in Middlesex. He the son of Charles Beauclerk 1st Duke St Albans and Diana Vere Duchess St Albans (age 57).
On 13th April 1738 Edward Devereux 11th Viscount Hereford (age 28) and Catherine Mytton were married.
On 13th April 1765 Horatio Mann 2nd Baronet (age 21) and Lucy Noel were married. She the daughter of Baptist Noel 4th Earl Gainsborough and Elizabeth Chapman Countess Gainsborough (age 57).
On 13th April 1769 Penistone Lamb 1st Viscount Melbourne (age 24) and Elizabeth Milbanke Viscountess Melbourne (age 17) were married.
On 13th April 1769 Watkin Williams-Wynn 4th Baronet (age 19) and Henrietta Somerset Lady Williams-Wynn (age 20) were married. She died fifteen weeks later. She the daughter of Charles Noel Somerset 4th Duke Beaufort and Elizabeth Berekeley Duchess Beaufort (age 56).
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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 13th April 1773 William Burrell 2nd Baronet (age 40) and Sophia Raymond Lady Burrell (age 20) were married. The difference in their ages was 20 years. They were half second cousins.
On 13th April 1790 John Townshend 2nd Viscount Sydney (age 26) and Sophia Southwell (age 18) were married.
On 13th April 1912 William Lever 2nd Viscount Leverhulme (age 24) and Marion Beatrice Smith Viscountess Leverhulme (age 25) were married.
On 13th April 1946 Hector Wroth Lethbridge 6th Baronet (age 47) and Evelyn Diana Noel Lady Lethbridge (age 31) were married.
On 13th April 1035 Herbert "Wakedog" Maine I Count Maine (age 51) died. His son Hugh (age 15) succeeded IV Count Maine.
On 13th April 1113 Ida of Lorraine Countess Boulogne (age 73) died.
On 13th April 1275 Eleanor Plantagenet Countess Pembroke and Leicester (age 60) died at Montargis Abbey.
On 13th April 1360 a freak weather event known as Black Monday Hailstorm occurred as the army of King Edward III of England (age 47) were camped outside Chartres [Map]. Thomas Beauchamp 11th Earl Warwick (age 47), William Bohun 1st Earl of Northampton (age 50), Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster (age 50), Edward "Black Prince" (age 29) and Walter Mauny were present. Around one thousand English were killed, with up to six thousand horses. King Edward III of England believed the event to be an Act of God and proceeded to negotiate with the French resulting in the Treaty of Brétigny.
On 28th April 1360 Guy Beauchamp died from injuries received during the Black Monday Hailstorm.
On 13th April 1367 John Tiptoft 2nd Baron Tibetot (age 53) died. His son Robert (age 26) succeeded 3rd Baron Tibetot.
On 13th April 1444 Walter Tailboys 6th Baron Kyme (age 56) died. His son William (age 29) succeeded 7th Baron Kyme.
On 13th April 1466 Giles Brugge 4th Baron Chandos (age 69) died at Coberley, Gloucestershire. His son Thomas (age 39) succeeded 5th Baron Chandos. Florence Darrell Baroness Chandos (age 41) by marriage Baroness Chandos.
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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 13th April 1657 Catherine Southwell Baroness Latimer and Willoughby Broke (age 64) died.
On 13th April 1666 Henry Carey 1st Earl Dover (age 86) died at Hunsdon, Hertfordshire [Map]. His son John (age 58) succeeded 2nd Earl Dover, 2nd Viscount Rochford. Abigail Cockayne Countess Dover (age 56) by marriage Countess Dover.
On 13th April 1673 Charles Cornwallis 2nd Baron Cornwallis (age 41) died. His son Charles (age 17) succeeded 3rd Baron Cornwallis.
On 13th April 1679 Thomas Morgan 1st Baronet (age 48) died. His son John (age 28) succeeded 2nd Baronet Morgan of Langattock in Monmouthshire.
On 13th April 1705 Louis Bourbon Duke Brittany died.
On 13th April 1716 Admiral Arthur Herbert 1st Earl Torrington (age 68) died. Earl Torrington, Baron Herbert of Torbay in Devon extinct.
On 13th April 1755 Edward Stawell 4th Baron Stawell died. Baron Stawell of Somerton in Somerset extinct. His daughter Mary Stawell 1st Baroness Stawell (age 30) inherited his estates. She was created Baron Stawell of Somerton in Somerset in 1760.
On 13th April 1763 James Waldegrave 2nd Earl Waldegrave (age 48) died. His brother John (age 44) succeeded 3rd Earl Waldegrave, 4th Baron Waldegrave Chewton Somerset, 7th Baronet Waldegrave of Hever Castle. Elizabeth Leveson-Gower Countess Waldegrave (age 39) by marriage Countess Waldegrave.
On 13th April 1764 John Redmond Freke 3rd Baronet died without issue. Baronet Freke of West Bilney in Norfolk extinct. His estates were inherited by his sister Grace Freke wife of John Evans.
On 13th April 1766 Walter Vavasour 5th Baronet died. His son Walter (age 22) de jure 24th Baron Vavasour, 6th Baronet Vavasour of Hazlewood in Yorkshire.
On 13th April 1784 Bourchier Wrey 6th Baronet (age 70) died. His son Bourchier (age 27) succeeded 7th Baronet Wrey of Trebitch in Cornwall.
On 13th April 1796 Bellingham Graham 6th Baronet (age 32) died. His son Bellingham (age 6) succeeded 7th Baronet Graham of Norton Conyers in Yorkshire.
On 13th April 1797 Jane Hall Lady Barrington (age 74) died.
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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On 13th April 1824 James Graham 1st Baronet (age 63) died. His son James (age 31) succeeded 2nd Baronet Graham of Netherby in Cumberland.
On 13th April 1825 Mary Cunliffe Lady Brooke died.
On 13th April 1825 Harriet Cunliffe Lady Brooke died.
On 13th April 1860 Henry Edward Bunbury 7th Baronet (age 82) died. His son Charles (age 51) succeeded 8th Baronet Bunbury of Bunbury in Oxfordshire and Stanney Hall in Cheshire.
On 6th April 1863 Lydia Haggaer Lady Buckworth-Herne-Soame died. She was buried on 13th April 1863.
On 13th April 1871 John Lister Lister-Kaye 2nd Baronet (age 69) died. His grandson John (age 18) succeeded 3rd Baronet Lister-Kaye of Grange in Yorkshire.
On 13th April 1883 Charles Russell 3rd Baronet (age 56) died unmarried. His brother George (age 54) succeeded 4th Baronet Russell of Swallowfield in Berkshire.
On 13th April 1886 Anthony Ashley-Cooper 8th Earl Shaftesbury (age 54) died. His son Anthony (age 16) succeeded 9th Earl Shaftesbury, 9th Baron Ashley of Wimborne St Giles, 10th Baronet Cooper of Rockbourne in Southampton.
On 13th April 1893 George Whichcote 8th Baronet (age 75) died. His son George (age 22) succeeded 9th Baronet Whichcote of the Inner Temple in the City of London.
On 13th April 1910 William Quiller Orchardson (age 78) died.
On 13th April 1918 Thomas Fremantle 2nd Baron Cottesloe (age 88) died. His son Thomas (age 56) succeeded 3rd Baron Cottesloe of Swanbourne and Hardwick in Buckinghamshire, 3rd Baronet Fremantle of Swanborne in Buckinghamshire.
On 13th April 1918 William Ashley Webb Ponsonby 3rd Baron de Mauley (age 75) died unmarried. His brother Maurice (age 72) succeeded 4th Baron de Mauley.
On 13th April 1919 Rowland Winn 2nd Baron St Oswald (age 61) died. His son Rowland (age 25) succeeded 3rd Baron St Oswald of Nostell in the West Riding of Yorkshire.
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 April 1944 Hugh Cecil Lowther 5th Earl Lonsdale (age 87) died. His brother Lancelot (age 76) succeeded 6th Earl Lonsdale, 7th Viscount Lowther, 7th Baron Lowther.
On 13th April 1951 Francis Burdett 8th Baronet (age 81) died. Baronet Burdett of Bramcote in Warwickshire dormant. Some sources describe a Paul Andrew Burdett 9th Baronet born 1964?
On 13th April 1972 Hugh Molyneux 7th Earl of Sefton (age 73) died without issue. Earl Sefton, Viscount Molyneux, Baronet Molyneux of Sefton extinct.
On 13th April 1973 Beatrice Mary Burrow Lady Prevost (age 85) died.
On 13th April 1976 John St John 20th Baron St John (age 58) died unmarried. His first cousin Andrew (age 57) succeeded 21st Baron St John of Bletso, 18th Baronet St John of Woodford in Northamptonshire.
On 13th April 1979 Thomas Cholmondeley 4th Baron Delamere (age 78) died. His son Hugh (age 45) succeeded 5th Baron Delamere of Vale Royal in Cheshire.
On 13th April 2007 Michael Perryman Heathcote 11th Baronet (age 79) died. His son Timothy (age 49) succeeded 12th Baronet Heathcote of Hursley in Hampshire.