On this Day in History ... 13th April

13 Apr is in April.

1360 Black Monday Hailstorm

14th April 1471 Battle of Barnet

1477 Trial and Execution of Ankarette Twynyho

1640 Short Parliament

1641 Trial and Execution of the Earl of Strafford

1685 Execution of the Wigtown Martyrs

See Births, Marriages and Deaths.

Events on the 13th April

On 13th April 1111 Henry V Holy Roman Emperor [aged 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 [aged 23] and Agnes Welf Duchess Bavaria [aged 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 [aged 47] were camped outside Chartres [Map]. Thomas Beauchamp 11th Earl Warwick [aged 47], William Bohun 1st Earl of Northampton [aged 50], Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster [aged 50], Edward "Black Prince" [aged 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.

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.

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.

Letters. 13th April 1442. The year unclear. Letter XXXVII. Elizabeth Countess of Oxford [aged 32] to Sir John Paston [aged 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" de la Marck II Duke Cleves was born to John de la Marck I Duke Cleves [aged 39] and Elizabeth Valois Duchess Cleves [aged 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 1494 Archbishop Henry Deane was appointed Bishop of Bangor.

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 1519 Catherine Medici Queen Consort France was born to Lorenzo de Medici Duke of Urbino [aged 26] and Madeleine de la Tour d'Auvergne [aged 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 [aged 60] and Sophie of Pomerania Queen Consort of Denmark and Sweden [aged 34]..

On 13th April 1534 Thomas More [aged 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 [aged 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 [aged 38] byshope of Salysbere.

On 13th April 1603 Nicholas Tufton 1st Earl of Thanet [aged 25] was knighted.

Diary of Anne Clifford. 13th April 1616. Upon the 13th my Lord [aged 27] and Thomas Glenham [aged 22] went up to London.

Diary of Anne Clifford. 13th April 1617. The 13th my Lord [aged 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 [aged 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 [aged 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 [aged 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 [aged 40] signed the death warrant on the 10th May 1641 in the light of increasing pressure from Parliament and the commons.

Wenceslaus Hollar [aged 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 [aged 31].

D. King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland [aged 10].

E. Thomas Howard 14th or 21st Earl of Arundel 4th Earl of Surrey 1st Earl Norfolk [aged 55], Lord High Steward.

F. Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester [aged 78], Lord Keeper of the Great Seal.

G. John Paulet 5th Marquess Winchester [aged 43].

H. Robert Bertie 1st Earl Lindsey [aged 58], Lord Chamberlain.

I. Philip Herbert 4th Earl Pembroke 1st Earl Montgomery [aged 56], Lord Chamberlain of the Household.

V. Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford.

Z. Alethea Talbot Countess Arundel, Surrey and Norfolk [aged 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 [aged 57] proselyted son; but I did not conceive it convenient, for fear of displeasing her Majesty [aged 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 [aged 48] and Auguste Oldenburg Duchess Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg [aged 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 [aged 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 [aged 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 [aged 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 [aged 25]; and how all the ladies envy my Baroness Castlemaine's [aged 21]. He intends to go to Portsmouth, Hampshire [Map] to meet the Queen [aged 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 [aged 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 [aged 37] (whose speaking I never till now observed so much to be very good) and Sir R. Ford [aged 49].

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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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 [aged 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 [aged 32] and received some commands of his, and so by coach to Hales's [aged 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.

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 [aged 32] for Muster-Master of one of the divisions, of which Harman [aged 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 [aged 57], who being not up, I took a walk with Balty [aged 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 [aged 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.

John Evelyn's Diary. 13th April 1694. Mr. Bentley, our Boyle Lecturer, Chaplain to the Bishop of Worcester [aged 58], came to see me.

On 13th April 1703 David Colyear 1st Earl Portmore [aged 47] was created 1st Earl Portmore. Possibly for having married the King's former mistress Catherine Sedley Countess Dorchester and Portmore [aged 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 [aged 30] and Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton [aged 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 [aged 30] and Elisabeth of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel Holy Roman Empress [aged 24]. He died aged less than one years old.

On 13th April 1732 Samuel Pegge [aged 27] and Anne Clarke were married.

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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On 13th April 1751 Frederick Louis Hanover Prince of Wales [deceased] was buried at Westminster Abbey [Map].

On 13th April 1761 Thomas Wallis [aged 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 [aged 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 [aged 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 [aged 46] and Caroline Paget Duchess Richmond [aged 41]. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. 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 [aged 25] came to work on the two drawings. He told me that he had seen Ruskin [aged 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 [aged 78] died.

On 13th April 1915 William Glynne Charles Gladstone [aged 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 [aged 28] and Alexandra Mary Cadogan Duchess of Marlborough [aged 26]. He married (1) 19th October 1951 Susan Mary Hornby.

Anne Boleyn. Her Life as told by Lancelot de Carle's 1536 Letter.

In 1536, two weeks after the execution of Anne Boleyn, her brother George and four others, Lancelot du Carle, wrote an extraordinary letter that described Anne's life, and her trial and execution, to which he was a witness. This book presents a new translation of that letter, with additional material from other contemporary sources such as Letters, Hall's and Wriothesley's Chronicles, the pamphlets of Wynkyn the Worde, the Memorial of George Constantyne, the Portuguese Letter and the Baga de Secrets, all of which are provided in Appendices.

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13th April 1938. The Bystander. Photograph of Deborah Mitford [aged 18].

On 13th April 1945 Frederic Raymond Clegg-Hill [aged 35] was killed in action.

Births on the 13th April

On 13th April 1229 Louis "Strict" Wittelsbach II Duke Upper Bavaria was born to Otto "Illustrious" Wittelsbach II Duke Bavaria [aged 23] and Agnes Welf Duchess Bavaria [aged 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" de la Marck II Duke Cleves was born to John de la Marck I Duke Cleves [aged 39] and Elizabeth Valois Duchess Cleves [aged 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 [aged 26] and Madeleine de la Tour d'Auvergne [aged 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 [aged 60] and Sophie of Pomerania Queen Consort of Denmark and Sweden [aged 34]..

On 13th April 1593 Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford was born to William Wentworth 1st Baronet [aged 31] and Anne Atkins Baroness Wentworth Woodhouse [aged 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 [aged 48] and Auguste Oldenburg Duchess Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg [aged 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 [aged 30] and Alicia Brownlow Baroness Guildford [aged 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 [aged 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 [aged 30] and Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton [aged 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 [aged 30] and Elisabeth of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel Holy Roman Empress [aged 24]. He died aged less than one years old.

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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On 13th April 1732 Frederick North 2nd Earl Guildford was born to Francis North 1st Earl Guildford [aged 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 [aged 28] and Lucy Montagu Baroness Guildford.

On 13th April 1742 Henry Belasyse 2nd Earl Fauconberg was born to Thomas Belasyse 1st Earl Fauconberg [aged 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 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 [aged 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 [aged 23] and Anne Belasyse [aged 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 [aged 36] and Margaretta Elizabeth Wilson Baroness Arden [aged 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 [aged 34] and Joan Scott Viscountess Canning [aged 28]. She married 4th April 1825 Ulick Burgh 1st Marquess Clanricarde, son of John Thomas Burgh 13th Earl Clanricarde, and had issue.

On 13th April 1815 William Frederick Pollock 2nd Baronet was born to Johnathan Frederick Pollock 1st Baronet [aged 31] and Frances Rivers. He married 30th March 1844 Juliet Creed and had issue.

The History of William Marshal, Earl of Chepstow and Pembroke, Regent of England. Book 1 of 2, Lines 1-10152.

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 1822 Georgiana Liddell Baroness Bloomfield was born to Thomas Liddell 1st Baron Ravensworth [aged 47] and Maria Susannah Simpson Baroness Calthorpe [aged 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 [aged 51] and Maria Matilda Bingham [aged 45]. He married 1861 Louisa Emily Charlotte Bulteel Baroness Revelstoke and had issue.

On 13th April 1832 Frances Wilhelmina Welby was born to Glynne Earl Welby 3rd Baronet [aged 25] and Frances Cholmeley. She married before 9th October 1858 Lieutenant Colonel William Henry Reeve and had issue.

On 13th April 1838 Cecilia Catherine Gordon-Lennox Countess Lucan was born to Charles Gordon-Lennox 5th Duke Richmond [aged 46] and Caroline Paget Duchess Richmond [aged 41]. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. 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 [aged 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.

On 13th April 1915 Anne Winifred Sullivan Marchioness Westminster was born.

The History of William Marshal, Earl of Chepstow and Pembroke, Regent of England. Book 1 of 2, Lines 1-10152.

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 1926 John Spencer-Churchill 11th Duke of Marlborough was born to John Albert William Spencer-Churchill 10th Duke of Marlborough [aged 28] and Alexandra Mary Cadogan Duchess of Marlborough [aged 26]. He married (1) 19th October 1951 Susan Mary Hornby.

Marriages on the 13th April

On 13th April 1614 George Berkeley 8th Baron Berkeley [aged 12] and Elizabeth Stanhope Baroness Berkeley [aged 9] were married. She by marriage Baroness Berkeley.

On 13th April 1686 Rushout Cullen 3rd Baronet [aged 25] and Mary Maynard were married.

On 13th April 1732 Samuel Pegge [aged 27] and Anne Clarke were married.

On 13th April 1736 Vere Beauclerk 1st Baron de Vere [aged 36] and Mary Chambers Baroness Spencer [aged 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 [aged 57].

On 13th April 1738 Edward Devereux 11th Viscount Hereford [aged 28] and Catherine Mytton were married.

On 13th April 1765 Horatio Mann 2nd Baronet [aged 21] and Lucy Noel were married. She the daughter of Baptist Noel 4th Earl Gainsborough and Elizabeth Chapman Countess Gainsborough [aged 57].

On 13th April 1769 Penistone Lamb 1st Viscount Melbourne [aged 24] and Elizabeth Milbanke Viscountess Melbourne [aged 17] were married.

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 11th or 13th April 1769 Watkin Williams-Wynn 4th Baronet [aged 19] and Henrietta Somerset Lady Williams-Wynn [aged 20] were married. She died fifteen weeks later. She the daughter of Charles Noel Somerset 4th Duke Beaufort and Elizabeth Berkeley Duchess Beaufort [aged 56].

On 13th April 1773 William Burrell 2nd Baronet [aged 40] and Sophia Raymond Lady Burrell [aged 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 [aged 26] and Sophia Southwell [aged 18] were married.

On 13th April 1912 William Lever 2nd Viscount Leverhulme [aged 24] and Marion Beatrice Smith Viscountess Leverhulme [aged 25] were married.

On 13th April 1946 Hector Wroth Lethbridge 6th Baronet [aged 47] and Evelyn Diana Noel Lady Lethbridge [aged 31] were married.

Deaths on the 13th April

On 13th April 1035 Herbert "Wakedog" Maine I Count Maine [aged 51] died. His son Hugh [aged 15] succeeded IV Count Maine.

On 13th April 1113 Ida of Lorraine Countess Boulogne [aged 73] died.

On 13th April 1360 a freak weather event known as Black Monday Hailstorm occurred as the army of King Edward III of England [aged 47] were camped outside Chartres [Map]. Thomas Beauchamp 11th Earl Warwick [aged 47], William Bohun 1st Earl of Northampton [aged 50], Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster [aged 50], Edward "Black Prince" [aged 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 [aged 53] died. His son Robert [aged 26] succeeded 3rd Baron Tibetot.

On 13th April 1444 Walter Tailboys 6th Baron Kyme [aged 56] died. His son William [aged 29] succeeded 7th Baron Kyme.

On 13th April 1466 Giles Brugge 4th Baron Chandos [aged 69] died at Coberley, Gloucestershire. His son Thomas [aged 39] succeeded 5th Baron Chandos. Florence Darrell Baroness Chandos [aged 41] by marriage Baroness Chandos.

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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On 13th April 1657 Catherine Southwell Baroness Latimer and Willoughby Broke [aged 64] died.

On 13th April 1666 Henry Carey 1st Earl Dover [aged 86] died at Hunsdon, Hertfordshire [Map]. His son John [aged 58] succeeded 2nd Earl Dover, 2nd Viscount Rochford. Abigail Cockayne Countess Dover [aged 56] by marriage Countess Dover.

On 13th April 1673 Charles Cornwallis 2nd Baron Cornwallis [aged 41] died. His son Charles [aged 17] succeeded 3rd Baron Cornwallis.

On 13th April 1679 Thomas Morgan 1st Baronet [aged 48] died. His son John [aged 28] succeeded 2nd Baronet Morgan of Langattock in Monmouthshire.

On 13th April 1705 Louis Bourbon Duke Brittany died.

On 13th April 1755 Edward Stawell 4th Baron Stawell died. Baron Stawell of Somerton in Somerset extinct. His daughter Mary Stawell 1st Baroness Stawell [aged 30] inherited his estates. She was created Baron Stawell of Somerton in Somerset in 1760.

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 [aged 22] de jure 24th Baron Vavasour, 6th Baronet Vavasour of Hazlewood in Yorkshire.

On 13th April 1784 Bourchier Wrey 6th Baronet [aged 70] died. His son Bourchier [aged 27] succeeded 7th Baronet Wrey of Trebitch in Cornwall.

On 13th April 1796 Bellingham Graham 6th Baronet [aged 32] died. His son Bellingham [aged 6] succeeded 7th Baronet Graham of Norton Conyers in Yorkshire.

On 13th April 1797 Jane Hall Lady Barrington [aged 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 [aged 63] died. His son James [aged 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 [aged 82] died. His son Charles [aged 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 [aged 69] died. His grandson John [aged 18] succeeded 3rd Baronet Lister-Kaye of Grange in Yorkshire.

On 13th April 1879 James Annesley Stewart 8th Baronet [aged 91] died.

On 13th April 1883 Charles Russell 3rd Baronet [aged 56] died unmarried. His brother George [aged 54] succeeded 4th Baronet Russell of Swallowfield in Berkshire.

On 13th April 1893 George Whichcote 8th Baronet [aged 75] died. His son George [aged 22] succeeded 9th Baronet Whichcote of the Inner Temple in the City of London.

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.

Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.

On 13th April 1910 William Quiller Orchardson [aged 78] died.

On 13th April 1918 William Ashley Webb Ponsonby 3rd Baron de Mauley [aged 75] died unmarried. His brother Maurice [aged 72] succeeded 4th Baron de Mauley.

On 13th April 1919 Rowland Winn 2nd Baron St Oswald [aged 61] died. His son Rowland [aged 25] succeeded 3rd Baron St Oswald of Nostell in the West Riding of Yorkshire.

On 13th April 1944 Hugh Cecil Lowther 5th Earl Lonsdale [aged 87] died. His brother Lancelot [aged 76] succeeded 6th Earl Lonsdale, 7th Viscount Lowther, 7th Baron Lowther.

On 13th April 1951 Francis Burdett 8th Baronet [aged 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 [aged 73] died without issue. Earl Sefton, Viscount Molyneux, Baronet Molyneux of Sefton extinct.

On 13th April 1973 Beatrice Mary Burrow Lady Prevost [aged 85] died.

On 13th April 1976 John St John 20th Baron St John [aged 58] died unmarried. His first cousin Andrew [aged 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 [aged 78] died. His son Hugh [aged 45] succeeded 5th Baron Delamere of Vale Royal in Cheshire.

On 13th April 2007 Michael Perryman Heathcote 11th Baronet [aged 79] died. His son Timothy [aged 49] succeeded 12th Baronet Heathcote of Hursley in Hampshire.