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15 Dec is in December.
The Ecclesiastical History of England and Normandy by Orderic Vitalis. 15th December 1135. As soon as Stephen, count of Boulogne (age 41), heard of his uncle's death1 he immediately crossed over to England, and being well received by William, archbishop of Canterbury, and the other bishops and temporal lords, ascended the throne, and was crowned on the eighteenth of the calends of January [15th December], being the fourth king of the Norman race who reigned in England.
Note 1. Stephen was probably at Boulogne when he heard of his uncle's death, and he lost not a moment in taking a swift vessel and crossing over to England. The auguries were unfavourable, for, on the morning of his embarkation, although it was in the depth of winter, there was a violent thunder-storm, and the peals were so loud, that people thought, we are told, that the end of the world was come.
Note 2. The coronation took place not on the 15th, but, according to most of the chroniclers, on the 26th of December, the feast of his patron saint, The ceremony was performed by William de Curboil, archbishop of Canterbury, with such carelessness, that he let the consecrated host fall on the ground. Perhaps his conscience was troubled by his perjury; of which all present were guilty, commencing with the archbishop himself, of whom it was predicted, that he would not outlive the year, in punishment of his treason; and this actually happened. It must be recollected, that Henry had caused all the great men of the realm to take the oath of fealty to his daughter, as his successor, twice at least; once at the council of Northampton, before she left England to be confined at Mans, the other ceremony dated back to a period anterior to Matilda's second marriage, probably in the winter or early spring-time of 1127. On this occasion, it was very solemn. The archbishop was the first of the ecclesiastics who took the oath, and after him followed all the bishops and abbots. Then came the king of Scots, Stephen count de Mortain, and the earl of Gloucester; and there was a great discussion among them as to which of them should swear first, It appears that there was a third oath of fealty after the birth of Prince Henry; but several of the great men who had taken the first, and among others Roger, bishop of Salisbury, pretended to be released from their obligation, the king having married his daughter to a foreigner without consulting them.
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On 15th December 1286 William Warenne was killed in a tournament.
On 15th December 1290 Eleanor of Castile Queen Consort England (deceased) body rested at Charing Cross [Map].
Archaeologia Volume 27 Section XIX. And on December 15th [1330] writs tested at Westminster on that day, not in the Fœdera, were issued to the Sheriffs, commanding them to take into their hands the manors, lands, tenements, goods and chattels of John Maltravers (age 40), Thomas de Gournay, Bogo de Baiocis, John Deverel, and William de Ocle, adherents of Roger Mortimer, the enemy of the late King and the realm, who having committed divers felonies and excesses against the peace of the King and kingdom, had clandestinely withdrawn themselves, and not appeared to be judged according to the customs of the realm.
Archaeologia Volume 35 1853 XXXIII. On the 15th of December [1357] the Queen (age 62) was visited by the Countess of Pembroke (age 40), who passed the entire day with her; and, from the frequency of her subsequent visits, it would appear that she was one of Isabella's closest friends. And, again, what can we infer but a clinging on her part to the memory of her lover, when we find that this lady, widow of Lawrence Hastings, Earl of Pembroke, was none other than Agnes, daughter of Mortimer himself; and that we thus have recorded visits received by Isabella of a daughter, the grandson, and grandson's brother-in law of her favourite, within the space of one month?
On 15th December 1357 Gerard Lisle 1st Baron Lisle (age 53) was created 1st Baron Lisle of Kingston Lisle in Oxfordshire.
On 15th December 1447 Albert Wittelsbach IV Duke Bavaria was born to Albert Wittelsbach III Duke Bavaria (age 46) and Anna Brunswick Grubenhagen Duchess Bavaria (age 33). He married 1487 his second cousin once removed Kunigunde Habsburg Duchess Bavaria, daughter of Frederick "Peaceful or Fat" Habsburg III Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor Aviz Holy Roman Empress, and had issue.
On 15th December 1449 Edmund Tudor (age 19) was created 1st Earl Richmond by King Henry VI of England and II of France (age 28).
On 15th December 1455 the Courtenay family, Earls of Devon since 1355, and Bonville family resolved their differences at the Battle of Clyst Heath near Exeter [Map]. Thomas Courtenay 5th or 13th Earl Devon (age 41) defeated William Bonville 1st Baron Bonville (age 63). Battle something of an over-statement; the number of dead reported by one chronicler as being twelve. Following the battle the victorious Courtenay's attacked Bonville's Shute Manor.
On 15th December 1470 John Valois Anjou II Duke Lorraine (age 46) died at Barcelona [Map].
On 20th May 1561 John Eyre died. On 15th December 1558 Margaret Blennerhasset died. They were buried in All Saints Church, Narborough [Map]. Brass. The inscription on the brass says "Here do lye John Eyer Esquire late Receyvor Generale to Elizabeth the Quenes Majestie, in the counties of Norf., Suff., Cantabridge, and Huntyngton, and one of the Masters of her High Court of Chancerye and Margaret his wyfe, one of the daughters of Sir Thomas Blenerhaiset of Frens Knight late Wyfe of John, Spelman Esquire, son and heyre apparent of Sir John Spelman, Knyght." Armorials top left and middle Quartered 
Eyre Arms and 
Townshend Arms with a crescent difference, top right Quartered Eyre Arms and Townshend Arms impaled with 1&6 
Blennerhassett Arms, 2, Argent, three Escutcheons Sable: LOWDHAM 3 Gules a Pall reversed Ermine: KELVEDON or KELDON 4 Azure a Lion rampant Argent crowned Or: ORTON: 5 Azure a Fess between three Fleurs-de-lis Or: SKELTON.
John Eyre: After 27th December 1545 he and Margaret Blennerhasset were married. Her second husband.
Margaret Blennerhasset: she was born to Thomas Blennerhassett of Frens. Before 27th December 1545 John Spelman of and she were married.
On 15th December 1619 Thomas Butler Viscount Thurles (age 38) drowned accidentally at Skerries, Anglesey having been sent to England to answer charges of having garissoned Kilkenny Castle, Kilkenny, County Kilkenny.
Henrici Quinti, Angliæ Regis, Gesta, is a first-hand account of the Agincourt Campaign, and subsequent events to his death in 1422. The author of the first part was a Chaplain in King Henry's retinue who was present from King Henry's departure at Southampton in 1415, at the siege of Harfleur, the battle of Agincourt, and the celebrations on King Henry's return to London. The second part, by another writer, relates the events that took place including the negotiations at Troye, Henry's marriage and his death in 1422.
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Diary of Anne Clifford. 15th December 1619. The 15th my Lord (age 30) and I by Mr Amherst's direction, set our hands to a letter of Attorny for Ralph Conniston to receive those debts which were due to my Lady of the enants, and this day he went on his journey to the North.
After supper my Lord and I had a great falling out, he saying that, if ever my land came to me I should assure it as he would have me.
On 15th December 1657 Richard Clifton (age 53) drowned.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 15th December 1662. Thence walked a good while up and down the gallerys; and among others, met with Dr. Clerke, who in discourse tells me, that Sir Charles Barkeley's (age 32) greatness is only his being pimp to the King (age 32), and to my Baroness Castlemaine's (age 22). And yet for all this, that the King is very kind to the Queen (age 24); who, he says, is one of the best women in the world. Strange how the King is bewitched to this pretty Castlemaine.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 15th December 1662. Thence to my Lord's, and there with Mr. Creed, Moore, and Howe to the Crown and dined, and thence to Whitehall, where I walked up and down the gallerys, spending my time upon the pictures, till the Duke (age 29) and the Committee for Tangier met (the Duke not staying with us), where the only matter was to discourse with my Lord Rutherford, who is this day made Governor of Tangier [Map], for I know not what reasons; and my Lord of Peterborough to be called home; which, though it is said it is done with kindness, yet all the world may see it is done otherwise, and I am sorry to see a Catholick Governor sent to command there, where all the rest of the officers almost are such already. But God knows what the reason is! and all may see how slippery places all courtiers stand in.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 15th December 1662. So back and to his closett, whither my Lord Sandwich (age 37) comes, and there Mr. Coventry (age 34) and we three had long discourse together about the matters of the Navy; and, indeed, I find myself more and more obliged to Mr. Coventry, who studies to do me all the right he can in every thing to the Duke (age 29).
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 15th December 1663. So to White Hall, and there by order found some of the Commissioners of Tangier met, and my Lord Sandwich (age 38) among the rest, to whom I bowed, but he shewed me very little if any countenance at all, which troubles me mightily.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 15th December 1664. So to the Coffeehouse, where great talke of the Comet seen in several places; and among our men at sea, and by my Lord Sandwich (age 39), to whom I intend to write about it to-night.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 15th December 1664. Called up very betimes by Mr. Cholmly (age 32), and with him a good while about some of his Tangier [Map] accounts; and, discoursing of the condition of Tangier [Map], he did give me the whole account of the differences between Fitzgerald and Norwood, which were very high on both sides, but most imperious and base on Fitzgerald's, and yet through my Lord FitzHarding's (age 34) means, the Duke of York (age 31) is led rather to blame Norwood and to speake that he should be called home, than be sensible of the other. He is a creature of FitzHarding's, as a fellow that may be done with what he will, and, himself certainly pretending to be Generall of the King's armies, when Monk (age 56) dyeth, desires to have as few great or wise men in employment as he can now, but such as he can put in and keep under, which he do this coxcomb Fitzgerald. It seems, of all mankind there is no man so led by another as the Duke is by Lord Muskerry and this FitzHarding, insomuch, as when the King (age 34) would have him to be Privy-Purse, the Duke wept, and said, "But, Sir, I must have your promise, if you will have my dear Charles from me, that if ever you have occasion for an army again, I may have him with me; believing him to be the best commander of an army in the world". But Mr. Cholmly thinks, as all other men I meet with do, that he is a very ordinary fellow. It is strange how the Duke also do love naturally, and affect the Irish above the English. He, of the company he carried with him to sea, took above two-thirds Irish and French. He tells me the King do hate my Chancellor (age 55); and that they, that is the King and my Lord FitzHarding, do laugh at him for a dull fellow; and in all this business of the Dutch war do nothing by his advice, hardly consulting him. Only he is a good minister in other respects, and the King cannot be without him; but, above all, being the Duke's father-in-law, he is kept in; otherwise FitzHarding were able to fling down two of him. This, all the wise and grave lords see, and cannot help it; but yield to it. But he bemoans what the end of it may be, the King being ruled by these men, as he hath been all along since his coming; to the razing all the strong-holds in Scotland, and giving liberty to the Irish in Ireland, whom Cromwell had settled all in one corner; who are now able, and it is feared everyday a massacre again among them.
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Samuel Pepys' Diary. 15th December 1666. Good news to-day upon the Exchange [Map], that our Hamburgh fleete is got in; and good hopes that we may soon have the like of our Gottenburgh, and then we shall be well for this winter. Very merry at dinner. And by and by comes in Matt. Wren (age 37) from the Parliament-house; and tells us that he and all his party of the House, which is the Court party, are fools, and have been made so this day by the wise men of the other side; for, after the Court party had carried it yesterday so powerfully for the Paper-Bill1, yet now it is laid aside wholly, and to be supplied by a land-tax; which it is true will do well, and will be the sooner finished, which was the great argument for the doing of it. But then it shews them fools, that they would not permit this to have been done six weeks ago, which they might have had. And next, they have parted with the Paper Bill, which, when once begun, might have proved a very good flower in the Crowne, as any there. So do really say that they are truly outwitted by the other side.
Note 1. It was called "A Bill for raising part of the supply for his Majesty by an imposition on Sealed Paper and Parchment" B.
John Evelyn's Diary. 15th December 1674. Saw a comedy at night, at Court, acted by the ladies only, among them Lady Mary (age 1) and Ann (age 13), his Royal Highness' (age 44) two daughters, and my dear friend Mrs. Blagg (age 22), who, having the principal part, performed it to admiration. They were all covered with jewels.
Several Observations Edward Lyhwd. IV. Several Observations relating to the Antiquities and Natural History of Ireland, made by Mr. Edw. Lhwyd, in his Travels thro' that Kingdom. In a Letter to Dr. Tancred Robinson, Fellow of the College of Physicians and Royal Society.
Bathgate near Linlithgow, Scotland, Dec. 15. 1699.
Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough
A canon regular of the Augustinian Guisborough Priory, Yorkshire, formerly known as The Chronicle of Walter of Hemingburgh, describes the period from 1066 to 1346. Before 1274 the Chronicle is based on other works. Thereafter, the Chronicle is original, and a remarkable source for the events of the time. This book provides a translation of the Chronicle from that date. The Latin source for our translation is the 1849 work edited by Hans Claude Hamilton. Hamilton, in his preface, says: 'In the present work we behold perhaps one of the finest samples of our early chronicles, both as regards the value of the events recorded, and the correctness with which they are detailed; Nor will the pleasing style of composition be lightly passed over by those capable of seeing reflected from it the tokens of a vigorous and cultivated mind, and a favourable specimen of the learning and taste of the age in which it was framed.'
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Philosophical Transactions 335 Section 4. 4. Several Obfervations relating to the Antiquities and Natural Hiftory of Ireland, made by Mr. Edw. Lhwyd, in his Travels thro' that Kingdom. In a Letter to Dr. Tancred Robinfon, Fellow of the College of Phyficians and Royal Society.
Bathgate near Linlithgow r Scotland, Dec. 15. 1699.
Sir
Your laft, dated fome time in July overtook me about a Month after in Ireland; whence I had returned my Thanks, but that I was defirous to fee fomewhat more of the Country, in order to fome Materials, for a Letter; But having no conveniency of difpatching Letters from the Highlands of this Kingdom, I find I have now fo long defer'd if, that I have by me Materials for feveral Letters; which mutt ferve hereafter, when we traverfe Places affording fewer Curiofities;
On 15th December 1717 Margaret Lucas Duchess Newcastle upon Tyne (age 94) died.
On 15th December 1769 Webb Seymour 10th Duke of Somerset (age 51) and Anne Maria Bonnell Duchess Somerset were married. She by marriage Duchess Somerset. He the son of Edward Seymour 8th Duke of Somerset and Mary Webb Duchess Somerset.
On 15th December 1785 King George IV of Great Britain and Ireland (age 23) and Maria Anne Smythe aka "Mrs Fitzherbert" (age 29) were married secretly in the drawing room of her house in Park Street, London; her third marriage, his first. The marriage was invalid under English civil law because his father had not given his consent. Her uncle Henry Errington and her brother John Smythe were witnesses. The ceremony was performed by one of the prince's Chaplains in Ordinary, the Reverend Robert Burt, whose debts of £500 were paid by the prince to release him from Fleet Prison [Map] to preside at the ceremony.. He the son of King George III of Great Britain and Ireland (age 47) and Charlotte Mecklenburg Strelitz Queen Consort England (age 41).
On 15th December 1792 Algernon Percy 4th Duke Northumberland was born to Hugh Percy 2nd Duke Northumberland (age 50) and Frances Julia Burrell Duchess Northumberland (age 39). He married 25th August 1842 his half fifth cousin once removed Eleanor Grosvenor Duchess Northumberland, daughter of Richard Grosvenor 2nd Marquess Westminster and Elizabeth Mary Leveson-Gower Marchioness Westminster.
On 15th December 1793 Webb Seymour 10th Duke of Somerset (age 75) died. His son Edward (age 18) succeeded 11th Duke Somerset, 9th Baronet Seymour of Berry Pomeroy.
Letters of Harriet, Countess Granville. To the Duke of Devonshire (age 26). London: December 15, 1816.
I went yesterday to Whitehall, followed the page and Lady Asgill through the dark and winding passages and staircases. I was received with rapturous joy, embraces, and tremendous spirits. I expected she1 would have put on appearance of something, but to do her justice she only displayed a total want of shame and consummate impudence, which, whatever they may be in themselves, are at least better or rather less disgusting than pretending or acting a more interesting part.
I was dragged to the unresisting William, and dismissed with a repetition of embassades and professions. I looked, as I felt, stupified. And this is the guilty, broken-hearted Calanthe who could only expiate her crimes with her death. I mean my visit to be annual.
We went to Drury Lane, Granville, Lord Harrowby and myself. I admired Kean extremely and Mr. Wallack. How magnificent Kean's countenance is! Sometimes he looks like Lord Byron, sometimes like little Lord Johnny, and sometimes like Mr. Luttrell.
To-morrow we go to see 'Love and the Toothache,' and Liston, I trust, a martyr to both. God bless you.
Note 1. Caroline Ponsonby aka Lamb (age 31).
On 15th December 1844 Alfred East was born to Benjamin East (age 48) and Elizabeth Wright (age 45) at Lower Street, Kettering. He was their youngest child. Alfred attended the local grammar school and took up his father's occupation as a shoe clicker before becoming a commercial traveller in boots & shoes and was a partner in Charles East & Co., shoe manufacturers at Kettering. He married 1874 Sarah Annie Heath.
On 15th December 1849 Archduke Ferdinand Karl Viktor of Austria-Este (age 28) died of typhus.
On 15th December 1857 the jewels of Mary Louisa Campbell Countess Ellesmere (age 32) were stolen. The Countess was travelling in her carriage to Paddington Station to catch a train to Windsor Castle. Her jewel case was tied to the top of the carriage. William Atwell and others ran alongside the vehicle and pulled the case free. He sold the jewels, thinking them to be costume jewelry to Edward Jackson for £40; their actual value was around £16,000. Atwell was subsequently caught for a burglary. He confessed to stealing the Countess' jewels. Edward Jackson was ordered to be transported for a term of ten years. Little of the jewelry was recovered.
The Diary of George Price Boyce 1858. 15th December 1858. To Rossetti (age 30). The new things I noticed were an intensely impressive water colour of the Virgin in the house of John, the latter seated at the window and striking a light and looking out upon Jerusalem at twilight. The Virgin is spinning. A Knight girded for combat embracing his Lady Love [The Chapel before the Lists]. Several studies of Miss Herbert (age 27) (Mrs. Crabbe). A most beautiful pen and ink study of Topsy's (Morris's) "Stunner" at Oxford. He showed me some fine medieval drapery and some gorgeous Eastern pieces lent him from the India House. We went off at dusk and dined at the Cock, and afterwards adjourned to 24 Dean St., Soho, to see "Fanny (age 23)." Interesting face and jolly hair and engaging disposition.
On 15th December 1871 John Stewart-Murray 8th Duke of Atholl was born to John Murray aka Stewart-Murray 7th Duke of Atholl (age 31).
On 15th December 1899 the Battle of Colenso was fought between British and Boer forces from the independent South African Republic and Orange Free State in and around Colenso, Natal, South Africa; the British were defeated.
John Spencer Cavendish (age 24) took part.
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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Salisbury Cathedral [Map]. On 15th December 1922 Lieutenant General Sir George Montague Harper (age 57) died in a car accident when his car skidded and overturned fracturing his skull. His wife Ella Constance Jackson was injured but recovered. Memorial in Salisbury Cathedral [Map] sculpted by Allan Gairdner Wyon (age 40).
Lieutenant General Sir George Montague Harper: On 11th January 1865 he was born.
On 15th December 1929 Margaret Clitherow née Middleton was beatified by Pope Pius XI.
After 15th December 1949. Church of St Michael and All Angels, Edenham [Map]. Monument to Charles Strathavon Heathcote-Willoughby-Drummond (deceased).
Charles Strathavon Heathcote-Willoughby-Drummond: On 18th May 1870 he was born to Gilbert Henry Heathcote Drummond Willoughby 1st Earl Ancaster and Evelyn Elizabeth Gordon Countess Ancaster. On 9th January 1907 Charles Strathavon Heathcote-Willoughby-Drummond and Muriel Agnes Stuart Erskine were married. She the daughter of Shipley Gordon Stuart Erskine 14th Earl Buchan. He the son of Gilbert Henry Heathcote Drummond Willoughby 1st Earl Ancaster and Evelyn Elizabeth Gordon Countess Ancaster. On 15th December 1949 Charles Strathavon Heathcote-Willoughby-Drummond died.
On 15th December 1952 William Goscombe John (age 92) died. He was buried at Hampstead Cemetery.
On 15th December 1975 Paul Pellew 10th Viscount Exmouth (age 35) and Rosemary Frances Scoones Viscoutess Exmouth were married. She by marriage Viscountess Exmouth. She the former wife of Murray Beauclerk 14th Duke St Albans (age 36).
On 15th December 1291 Aymon "Peaceful" Savoy Count Savoy was born to Amadeus V "Great" Savoy (age 42) and Sybille Bagé. He married 1330 Yolande Palaeologina Countess Savoy and had issue.
On 15th December 1447 Albert Wittelsbach IV Duke Bavaria was born to Albert Wittelsbach III Duke Bavaria (age 46) and Anna Brunswick Grubenhagen Duchess Bavaria (age 33). He married 1487 his second cousin once removed Kunigunde Habsburg Duchess Bavaria, daughter of Frederick "Peaceful or Fat" Habsburg III Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor Aviz Holy Roman Empress, and had issue.
On 15th December 1587 Helen West was born to Thomas West 2nd Baron De La Warr (age 31) and Anne Knollys Baroness De La Warr (age 32). She married William Savage of Winchester and had issue.
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 15th December 1588 Thomas Vyner 1st Baronet was born to Thomas Vyner (age 59) at North Cerney, Gloucestershire.
On 15th December 1608 John Tufton 2nd Earl of Thanet was born to Nicholas Tufton 1st Earl of Thanet (age 30) and Frances Cecil Countess Isle Thanet (age 27). He married 21st April 1629 his fifth cousin once removed Margaret Sackville Countess Isle Thanet, daughter of Richard Sackville 3rd Earl Dorset and Anne Clifford Countess Dorset and Pembroke, and had issue.
On 15th December 1680 Frances Winchcombe Viscountess Bolingbroke was born to Henry Winchcombe 2nd Baronet (age 21). She married 22nd May 1701 Henry St John 1st Viscount Bolingbroke, son of Henry St John 1st Viscount St John and Mary Rich.
On 15th December 1713 Welbore Ellis 1st Baron Mendip was born to Bishop Welbore Ellis (age 62) and Diana Briscoe. He married (1) November 1747 Elizabeth Stanhope (2) 1765 Anne Stanley.
On 15th December 1746 Henry Seymour-Conway was born to Francis Seymour-Conway 1st Marquess Hertford (age 28) and Isabella Fitzroy Countess Hertford (age 20). He a great x 2 grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.
On 15th December 1748 Lucy Fox-Strangways was born to Stephen Fox-Strangways 1st Earl of Ilchester (age 44) and Elizabeth Strangways-Horner Countess Ilchester (age 26). She married 1st October 1771 her first cousin Colonel Stephen Digby and had issue.
On 15th December 1760 Colonel William Monson was born to John Monson 2nd Baron Monson (age 33). He married 10th January 1786 Anne Debonnaire and had issue.
On 15th December 1779 Susan Mordaunt Countess St Germans was born to John Mordaunt 7th Baronet (age 45) and Elizabeth Prowse Lady Mordaunt (age 30). She married 30th August 1814 William Eliot 2nd Earl St Germans, son of Edward Craggs Eliot 1st Baron Eliot and Catherine Elliston Baroness Eliott.
On 15th December 1792 Algernon Percy 4th Duke Northumberland was born to Hugh Percy 2nd Duke Northumberland (age 50) and Frances Julia Burrell Duchess Northumberland (age 39). He married 25th August 1842 his half fifth cousin once removed Eleanor Grosvenor Duchess Northumberland, daughter of Richard Grosvenor 2nd Marquess Westminster and Elizabeth Mary Leveson-Gower Marchioness Westminster.
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 15th December 1793 Edwyn Francis Scudamore-Stanhope 2nd Baronet was born to Henry Edwin Stanhope 1st Baronet (age 39).
On 15th December 1827 Edward Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie 1st Earl Wharncliffe was born to John Stuart-Wortley-Mackenzie 2nd Baron Wharncliffe (age 26) and Georgiana Elizabeth Ryder Baroness Wharncliffe (age 23). He married 1855 his sixth cousin Susan Charlotte Lascelles Countess Wharncliffe, daughter of Henry Lascelles 3rd Earl Harewood and Louisa Thynne Countess Harewood.
On 15th December 1837 Katherine Frances Scott was born to John Scott 2nd Earl Eldon (age 32) and Louisa Duncombe Countess Eldon (age 30). She married 2nd September 1858 Gustavus Russell Hamilton-Russell 8th Viscount Boyne and had issue.
On 15th December 1844 Alfred East was born to Benjamin East (age 48) and Elizabeth Wright (age 45) at Lower Street, Kettering. He was their youngest child. Alfred attended the local grammar school and took up his father's occupation as a shoe clicker before becoming a commercial traveller in boots & shoes and was a partner in Charles East & Co., shoe manufacturers at Kettering. He married 1874 Sarah Annie Heath.
On 15th December 1849 William Henry Holland 1st Baron Rotherham was born.
On 15th December 1849 William Turnour Thomas Poulett was born to William Henry Paulett 6th Earl Paulett (age 22) and Elizabeth Lavinia Newman Countess Poulett. Given that he was born six months after his parents were married his paternity was subject to some doubt. His father William Henry Paulett 6th Earl Paulett suspected Captain William Turnor Granville was the boys father and barred him from successoin to the Earl Paulett title.
On 15th December 1866 Henry Holmes Miller 9th Baronet was born to Henry John Miller (age 36).
On 15th December 1870 George Lane-Fox 1st Baron Bingley was born to James Thomas Richard Lane Fox. He married 17th March 1905 Mary Agnes Emily Wood Baroness Bingley, daughter of Charles Lindley Wood 2nd Viscount Halifax and Agnes Elizabeth Courtenay Viscountess Halifax, and had issue.
On 15th December 1871 John Stewart-Murray 8th Duke of Atholl was born to John Murray aka Stewart-Murray 7th Duke of Atholl (age 31).
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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 15th December 1879 Charles Robert Grey 5th Earl Grey was born to Albert Henry George Grey 4th Earl Grey (age 28) and Alice Holford Countess Grey. He married 16th June 1906 Mabel Laura Georgiana Palmer Countess Grey, daughter of William Palmer 2nd Earl Selborne and Beatrix Maud Gascoyne-Cecil Countess Selborne, and had issue.
On 15th December 1881 Yvo Vesey 5th Viscount Vesey was born to Eustace Vesey (age 30) and Constance Mary Lawley (age 27). He married before 16th August 1958 Frances Lois Vesey Viscountess de Vesci, daughter of Cecil Lister-Kaye 4th Baronet and Beatrice Adeline Pelham-Clinton.
On 15th December 1885 Ivo Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes 14th or 20th Baron Saye and Sele was born to Geoffrey Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes 12th or 18th Baron Saye and Sele (age 27) and Marion Ruperta Murray Lawes Baroness Saye and Sele.
On 15th December 1900 Cynthia Maud Beckett was born to William Gervase Beckett 1st Baronet (age 34) and Mabel Theresa Duncombe (age 22). Coefficient of inbreeding 3.32%.
On 15th December 1907 John Lyon-Dalberg-Acton 3rd Baron Acton was born to Richard Maximilian Lyon-Dalberg-Acton 2nd Baron Acton (age 37). He married 25th November 1931 Daphne Strutt Baroness Acton, daughter of Robert Strutt 4th Baron Rayleigh and Mary Hilda Clements, and had issue.
On 15th December 1911 Louise Fermor-Hesketh was born to Thomas Fermor-Hesketh 1st Baron Hesketh (age 30) and Florence Louise Breckinridge (age 30). She married 1937 Edmund Stockdale 1st Baronet and had issue.
On 15th December 1926 John Arscott Molesworth-St Aubyn 15th Baronet was born to John Molesworth-St Aubyn 14th Baronet (age 27).
On 15th December 1944 George Hobart-Hampden 10th Earl of Buckinghamshire was born to Cyril Langel Hobart-Hampden (age 42).
On 15th December 1957 George Elphinstone Jessel 4th Baronet was born to Charles John Jessel 3rd Baronet (age 32).
Henrici Quinti, Angliæ Regis, Gesta, is a first-hand account of the Agincourt Campaign, and subsequent events to his death in 1422. The author of the first part was a Chaplain in King Henry's retinue who was present from King Henry's departure at Southampton in 1415, at the siege of Harfleur, the battle of Agincourt, and the celebrations on King Henry's return to London. The second part, by another writer, relates the events that took place including the negotiations at Troye, Henry's marriage and his death in 1422.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 5th or 15th December 1392 Alexander "The Wolf of Badenoch" Stewart 3rd Earl Buchan (age 49) and Euphemia 6th Countess of Ross were divorced.
On 15th December 1578 William Bourchier 3rd Earl Bath (age 21) and Mary Cornwallis Countess Bath were married. The marriage, apparently, taking place secretly at night. She by marriage Countess Bath.
On 15th December 1600 Edward Seymour 2nd Baronet (age 20) and Dorothy Killigrew Baroness Seymour were married. She by marriage Lady Seymour of Berry Pomeroy.
On 15th December 1711 George Granville 1st Baron Lansdowne (age 45) and Mary Villiers Baroness Lansdowne were married at St Martin in the Fields Church [Map]. She the daughter of Edward Villiers 1st Earl Jersey and Barbara Chiffinch Countess Jersey (age 48).
On 15th December 1763 Richard Boyle 2nd Earl Shannon (age 36) and Catherine Ponsonby Countess Shannon were married. He the son of Henry Boyle 1st Earl Shannon (age 81) and Henrietta Boyle. They were fourth cousin twice removed.
On 15th December 1768 George Devereux 13th Viscount Hereford (age 24) and Marianna Devereux Viscountess Hereford were married. They were third cousins?
On 15th December 1769 Webb Seymour 10th Duke of Somerset (age 51) and Anne Maria Bonnell Duchess Somerset were married. She by marriage Duchess Somerset. He the son of Edward Seymour 8th Duke of Somerset and Mary Webb Duchess Somerset.
On 15th December 1785 King George IV of Great Britain and Ireland (age 23) and Maria Anne Smythe aka "Mrs Fitzherbert" (age 29) were married secretly in the drawing room of her house in Park Street, London; her third marriage, his first. The marriage was invalid under English civil law because his father had not given his consent. Her uncle Henry Errington and her brother John Smythe were witnesses. The ceremony was performed by one of the prince's Chaplains in Ordinary, the Reverend Robert Burt, whose debts of £500 were paid by the prince to release him from Fleet Prison [Map] to preside at the ceremony.. He the son of King George III of Great Britain and Ireland (age 47) and Charlotte Mecklenburg Strelitz Queen Consort England (age 41).
On 15th December 1795 Augustus George Legge (age 22) and Honora Bagot (age 20) were married. He the son of William Legge 2nd Earl Dartmouth (age 64) and Frances Catherine Gounter Nicoll Countess Dartmouth (age 62). They were second cousins.
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 15th December 1814 John Vereker 3rd Viscount Gort (age 24) and Maria O'Grady Viscountess Gort (age 23) were married.
On 15th December 1886 William Charles Evans 8th Baron Carbery (age 74) and Victoria Cecil Baroness Carbery (age 43) were married. The difference in their ages was 31 years. She the daughter of Brownlow Cecil 2nd Marquess Exeter and Frances Isabella Selina Poyntz Marchioness of Exeter.
On 15th December 1952 Herbert Hervey 5th Marquess of Bristol (age 82) and Dora Frances Emblin Marchioness Bristol were married. She by marriage Marchioness of Bristol.
On 15th December 1975 Paul Pellew 10th Viscount Exmouth (age 35) and Rosemary Frances Scoones Viscoutess Exmouth were married. She by marriage Viscountess Exmouth. She the former wife of Murray Beauclerk 14th Duke St Albans (age 36).
On 15th December 1037 Manasses Montdidier Count Dammartin died. His son Odo succeeded Count Dammartin.
On 15th December 1470 John Valois Anjou II Duke Lorraine (age 46) died at Barcelona [Map].
On 15th December 1603 Christopher Plunkett 8th Baron Dunsany died. His son Patrick (age 8) succeeded 9th Baron Dunsany.
On 15th December 1680 George Coventry 3rd Baron Coventry (age 52) died. His son John (age 26) succeeded 4th Baron Coventry.
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 15th December 1681 James Compton 3rd Earl of Northampton (age 59) died. His son George (age 17) succeeded 4th Earl of Northampton, 5th Baron Compton of Compton in Warwickshire.
On 15th December 1690 Thomas Allen 1st Baronet (age 57) died. His son Thomas (age 42) succeeded 2nd Baronet Allen of Totteridge in Middlesex.
On 15th December 1696 John Knatchbull 2nd Baronet (age 60) died. His brother Thomas (age 56) succeeded 3rd Baronet Knatchbull of Mersham Hatch in Kent.
On 15th December 1702 Edward Sebright 3rd Baronet (age 34) died. His son Thomas (age 10) succeeded 4th Baronet Sebright of Besford in Worcestershire.
On 15th December 1715 William Maynard 2nd Baronet (age 39) died. His brother Henry (age 39) succeeded 3rd Baronet Maynard of Walthamstow in Essex.
On 15th December 1717 Margaret Lucas Duchess Newcastle upon Tyne (age 94) died.
On 15th December 1750 William Legge 1st Earl Dartmouth (age 78) died. His grandson William (age 19) succeeded 2nd Earl Dartmouth, 3rd Baron Dartmouth.
On 15th December 1761 Henriette Louise Jeffreys Countess Pomfret (age 63) died.
The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 15th December 1762 Henry Charles Hatton 3rd Viscount (age 62) died. Viscount Hatton and Baron Hatton extinct.
On 15th December 1772 Edmund Isham 6th Baronet (age 81) died without issue. His nephew Justinian (age 32) succeeded 7th Baronet Isham of Lamport in Northamptonshire.
On 15th December 1773 James Grimston 2nd Viscount Grimston (age 62) died. His son James (age 26) succeeded 3rd Viscount Grimston, 7th Baronet Grimston of Little Waltham in Essex.
On 15th December 1793 Webb Seymour 10th Duke of Somerset (age 75) died. His son Edward (age 18) succeeded 11th Duke Somerset, 9th Baronet Seymour of Berry Pomeroy.
On 15th December 1816 Charles Stanhope 3rd Earl Stanhope (age 63) died. His son Philip (age 35) succeeded 4th Earl Stanhope. Catherine Lucy Smith Countess Stanhope by marriage Countess Stanhope.
On 15th December 1821 Harry Niven Lumsden 1st Baronet died. Baronet Lumsden of Auchindoir in Aberdeenshire extinct; he had held the title for four months.
On 15th December 1828 John Crichton 1st Earl Erne (age 97) died. His son Abraham (age 63) succeeded 2nd Earl Erne of Crom Castle in County Fermanagh, 2nd Viscount Erne of Crom Castle in County Fermanagh, 3rd Baron Erne of Crom Castle in Fermanagh.
On 15th December 1841 John Fane 10th Earl of Westmoreland (age 82) died. His son John (age 57) succeeded 11th Earl of Westmoreland. Priscilla Anne Wellesley-Pole Countess of Westmoreland (age 48) by marriage Countess of Westmoreland.
On 15th December 1857 Anna Maria Truter Lady Barrow (age 80) died.
On 15th December 1865 Captain George Bishopp 11th Baronet (age 42) died. His brother Edward (age 39) succeeded 12th Baronet Bishopp of Parham in Sussex.
On 15th December 1869 James Lindsay 7th Earl Balcarres 24th Earl of Crawford (age 86) died.
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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 15th December 1891 Georgiana Lennox Baroness Ros of Helmsley (age 96) died.
On 15th December 1898 George William Henry Venables-Vernon 7th Baron Vernon (age 44) died. His son George (age 10) succeeded 8th Baron Vernon of Kinderton in Cheshire.
On 15th December 1898 William John Legh 1st Baron Newton (age 69) died. His son Thomas (age 41) succeeded 2nd Baron Newton of Newton-in-Makerfield in Lancashire. Evelyn Caroline Davenport Baroness Newton by marriage Baroness Newton of Newton-in-Makerfield in Lancashire.
On 15th December 1908 Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh Annesley 5th Earl Annesley (age 77) died. His son Francis (age 24) succeeded 6th Earl Annesley of Castlewellan in County Down, 7th Viscount Glerawly of County Fermanagh, 7th Baron Annesley of Castle Wellan in County Down.
On 15th December 1917 Anne King-Noel 15th Baroness Wentworth (age 80) died. Her daughter Judith (age 44) succeeded 16th Baroness Wentworth, 20th Baroness Despencer.
On 15th December 1943 John Pratt 4th Marquess Camden (age 71) died. His son John (age 44) succeeded 5th Marquess Camden, 5th Earl Brecknock, 6th Earl Camden, 6th Viscount Bayham of Bayham Abbey in Kent, 6th Baron Camden of Camden Place in Kent.
On 15th December 1952 William Goscombe John (age 92) died. He was buried at Hampstead Cemetery.
On 15th December 1962 Charles Arthur Uryan Rhys 8th Baron Dynevor (age 63) died. His son Richard (age 27) succeeded 9th Baron Dynevor of Dynevor in Camarthenshire.