17 Dec is in December.
943 Assassination of William "Longsword"
1290 Death of Queen Eleanor of Castile
1538 Henry VIII Excommunicated
On 17th December 943 William "Longsword" I Duke Normandy (age 50) was assassinated at Picquigny by the followers of Arnulf "Great" I Count Flanders (age 53) with whom he was attending a peace conference. He was buried at Rouen Cathedral [Map]. His son Richard (age 11) succeeded I Duke Normandy. Gunnora Countess Ponthieu by marriage Countess Ponthieu.
History of the Dukes of Normandy by William of Jumieges. There was an island in the middle of the river, where both leaders sat down after exchanging kisses, to discuss the matters for which they had come. Arnulf, imitating the ways of the traitor Judas, weaved a spider's web of treachery with lamentations and evasions. At last, after the oaths of friendship had been sworn and many kisses of peace exchanged, with the sun sinking toward its setting, they parted from one another. But behold, as William was crossing the river, Henry, and Balzo, and Robert, and Riulf, four sons of the devil, called out to him with loud cries, saying that their lord had forgotten to tell him a matter of better counsel. William, turning his boat back toward the bank, had scarcely touched shore when they drew their swords and, alas, killed the innocent man, who could receive no help from his companions because of the deep water. Straightway they fled, seeking safety in flight, and left the lifeless body of that most holy man. Berengar and Alan the Bretons, and the Norman lords, seeing their lord struck down, filled the shores with cries and wailing, but were unable to help him.
Erat quippe insula in medio alvei, in qua libatis osculis ambo duces consederunt, de rebus pro quibus venerant tractaturi. Arnulpho etenim proditoris Judæ morem imitato, næniis et ambagibus diutius telam araneæ texente, novissime post jurata amicitiarum sacramenta et plurima pacis oscula, sole ruente ad occasum ab invicem dirimuntur. Sed ecce meante Willelmo fluvium, Henricus, necnon Balzo, Robertus quoque atque Ridulphus ( Riulphus ), quatuor diaboli filii, clamoribus illum revocantes, referunt dominum suum melioris consilii omisisse secretum. Quem navim ad ripam retorquentem, moxut terram tetigit, extractis gladiis, proh dolor! interimunt innocentem, nullum juvamen de suis habere valentem, ob decurrentis aquæ profunditatem. Inde protinus petentes subsidium fugæ, corpus piissimi viri reliquerunt exanime. Berengerius atque Alannus Britones, necnon Northmannorum principes, dominum suum cernentes perimi, clamore et ululatu littora implentes, nullo juvamine valuerunt illi subvenire.
Note. Compare with Richerus' description of the murder of Duke William: "The envoys therefore having been sent, request a meeting and obtain it. A time is granted, after thirty days. A place also is agreed upon, in the region of Amiens, beside the River Somme, where the island of Picquigny is. And, the negotiation finished, the envoys return. At the appointed time, Arnulf comes by land, and William by water, to the designated place. And they spoke much about friendship, and very much about the faith to be kept on both sides, and after several words were exchanged, they parted from one another. Arnulf, pretending to return, withdraws for a little while. William, however, returned to his fleet; and boarding a small boat, while he was sailing over the water, he was called out to loudly by the conspirators with great clamour, and he turned the prow around. Rowing back to the shore, intending to ask what they wanted, he returned. They immediately declared that they were bringing something very urgent, which had been overlooked by their lord through forgetfulness. The duke, having brought his small boat up to the shore, receives them; and immediately, with swords drawn, he is slain by them. Two youths also, who were unarmed and present with him, and the sailor, are wounded; the perpetrators of the crime leap from the small boat and flee after their accomplice. But those who had already been sailing across the water turned back again, left the shore, and found their lord murdered, and the two youths and the sailor wounded. And taking up the body of their lord, they carried it with mournful service for burial."
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History of the Dukes of Normandy by William of Jumieges. When his body was brought back to them a little later, they undressed it, they found a silver key hanging in his belt-purse, containing a very precious treasure, a woollen monk's robe and cowl. For if he had lived, no doubt, returning from this meeting, he would have become a monk at Jumièges. Placing him on a bier, they carried him as quickly as they could with great lamentation back to Rouen. There the clergy and all the people of both sexes came out to meet him at the city gate, and, amid sorrowful weeping, bore him into the church of Saint Mary, the perpetual Virgin. Then, sending to the city of Bayeux, they summoned the boy Richard to his father's burial. And there, renewing together the pledge of their loyalty, they placed him under the protection of Bernard the Dane1, so that under his wise and faithful care he might be kept more safely within the walls of the city. The most holy Duke William completed the course of his life on the sixteenth day before the Kalends of January [17th December], while King Louis held the kingdom of the Franks, in the year of the Lord's Incarnation 943. May the same our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns forever and ever, grant him eternal peace. Amen.
Cujus corpus post paululum ad se relatum cum devestirent, argenteam clavim in ejus strophio reperiunt dependentem, satis ditissimum thesaurum sub se habentem, stamineam scilicet et cucullam monachilem. Quæ, si comes ei vita fuisset, ab hoc conventu rediens, apud Gemmeticum factus monachus procul dubio sumpsisset. Imponentes autem illum feretro, quantocius cum multiplici luctu retulerunt Rothomagum. Cui obviam procedens clerus et populus utriusque sexus ad portam urbis, cum mostis singultibus intulerunt eum in ecclesiam Sanctæ Mariæ perpetuæ virginis. Mittentes itaque ad Bajocasinam urbem, puerum Richardum asciscunt ad patris tumulationem. Ibique ei iterato renovantes unanimiter tenorem fidei, tradiderunt illum sub tutela Bernardi Dani, ut sub ejus tam provida quam fideli cura tutius custodiretur intra muros civitatis. Complevit autem sacratissimus dux Willelmus vitæ suæ cursum xvi Kal. Januarii, rege Ludovico regnum Francorum tenente, anno Dominicæ incarnationis 943, regnante eodem Domino nostro Jesu Christo, qui vivit et regnat in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.
Note 1. Bernard the Dane, Count of Senlis. Duke Richard's maternal uncle, brother of his mother Poppa of Bayeux.
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On 17th December 954 William Saxon Ottonian Archbishop of Mainz (age 25) was appointed Archbishop of Mainz.
On 17th December 1290 Eleanor of Castile Queen Consort England (deceased) was buried at the Chapel of St Edward the Confessor, Westminster Abbey [Map].
Annals of Oseney by Thomas Wykes. On the 4th before the Kalends of December [28th November 1290], Eleanor (deceased), Queen, wife of King Edward, after suffering from a mild fever, wasting away from the heat, and freed from her prison, paid the fatal debt of death. Her body was carried in stages and buried in London in Westminster Abbey, with the Bishop of Lincoln, on behalf of the Archbishop of Canterbury, conducting the burial rites on the Sunday before the Feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle, that is, on the 17th of December [1290]. Indeed, the Archbishop of Canterbury refused to attend the funeral rites because, due to a certain dispute between him and the Abbot of the place, he had placed the latter under interdict.
Quarto Kal. Decembris Alianora Regina Domini Regis Edwardi conjux apud Grantham modicæ febris igniculo contabescens, carcere resoluta, fatale mortis debitum solvit; corpus ejus per dietas delatum sepultum est London in Ecclesia Westmonsteriensi, Domino Lincoln vice Domini Archiepiscopi Cantuariensis exequente officium sepulturæ, Dominica proxima ante festum Sancti Thomæ Apostoli, viz. xvi. Kal. Januarii: quippe Dominus Cantuariensis noluit ipsis exequiis interesse, quia in quadam contentione inter ipsum & Abbatem loci supposuerat interdicto.
Annals of Dunstable. Finally, her body was buried on the 16th day before the Kalends of January [17th December 1290] at Westminster in the tomb of King Henry. And when the body of the said queen passed through Dunstable, the bier stopped in the middle of the marketplace until the king's chancellor and the magnates, who were present there at the time, designated a suitable place, where later, at the king's expense, a cross of remarkable size was erected, with our prior present and sprinkling holy water.
Tandem corpus ejus decimo-sexto kalendas Januarii apud Westmonasterium in sepulero Henrici regis est humatum. Et cum corpus dictæ reginæ transiret per Dunstaple, in medio fori substitit feretrum donec cancellarius regis et magnates, qui tunc aderant ibidem, locum congruum designassent, ubi postea, sumptibus regiis, crucem erigerent magnitudinis admirandee, priore nostro tunc præsente, et aquam benedictam aspergente.
On 17th December 1399 the conspirators met at Abbey House Westminster Abbey [Map] including Thomas Blount (age 47), Thomas Despencer 1st Earl Gloucester (age 26), Thomas Holland 1st Duke Surrey (age 25), John Holland 1st Duke Exeter (age 47), Ralph Lumley 1st Baron Lumley (age 39), John Montagu 3rd Earl Salisbury (age 49), Edward 2nd Duke of York 1st Duke Albemarle (age 26), Bernard Brocas (age 45). They plotted to capture King Henry IV of England (age 32) at a Tournament in Windsor, Berkshire [Map] on the Feast of Epiphany hence the Epiphany Rising.
On 17th December 1419 William Gascoigne (age 69) died at Gawthorpe Hall [Map]. He was buried at All Saints Church Harewood [Map] with his wife Elizabeth Mowbray. He in judges robes with a gypciere. She wearing an elaborate Crespine Headress.
Elizabeth Mowbray: In 1350 she was born to Alexander Mowbray. Before 1396 William Gascoigne and she were married. In 1396 Elizabeth Mowbray died.
On 17th December 1538 Henry VIII (age 47) was excommunicated by Pope Paul III (age 70).
On 17th December 1554 Ernest Wittelsbach was born to Albert V Wittelsbach V Duke Bavaria (age 26) and Anna Habsburg Spain Duchess Bavaria (age 26). Coefficient of inbreeding 1.58%.
Chronicle of Greyfriars. 17th December 1554. Item the xvij. of the same monyth came in the prince of [Piedmont1] at after-none by watter, and soo to the cortte.
Note 1. See Machyn, pp. 79, 341. Emanuel Philibert (age 26), Prince of Piedmont, and duke of Savoy, had been the first person elected into the order of the garter in the reign of queen Mary. He was cousin -german to king Philip by their mothers, and it was contemplated that he should marry the princess Elizabeth. See Tytler's Edward VI. and Mary, ii. 448 et seq.
William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
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Henry Machyn's Diary. 17th December 1559. The xvij day of Desember was the nuw byshope of [Canterbury,] doctur Parker (age 55), was mad ther at Lambeth.
On 17th December 1559 Archbishop Matthew Parker (age 55) was consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace [Map] by Bishop William Barlow (age 61).
Henry Machyn's Diary. 17th December 1560. The xvij day of Desember after mydnyth wher sene in the element open, and as red and flames of fyre over London, and odur plases in reme [realm], and sene of M [1000] men.... Elesabeth in the mydes .... and armes, and the over hend [end] was ...., and he had a standard and a pennon of armes, elmett, targett, and sword, mantylles and crest, and a vj [dozen scocheons] and alffe a dosen of bokeram; and ther was iij haroldes in ther cottes armurs, master Clarenshus (age 50), master Somersett .... and mony mornars in blake, a iiijxx, and master Skambler (age 40) the byshope electyd of Peterborow mad the serm[on, and so] in-to the abbey ys plase to dener.
On 17th December 1600 Henry IV King France (age 47) and Marie de Medici Queen Consort France (age 25) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort of France. The difference in their ages was 21 years. He the son of Antoine King Navarre and Jeanne Albret III Queen Navarre. They were fourth cousins.
On 17th December 1619 Prince Rupert Palatinate Simmern 1st Duke Cumberland was born to Frederick Palatinate Simmern V Elector Palatine Rhine (age 23) and Princess Elizabeth Stewart Queen Bohemia (age 23) at Prague. He a grandson of King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland.
In 1622 Francis Fane 1st Earl of Westmoreland (age 41) purchased Fulbeck Hall from George Manners 7th Earl of Rutland (age 42) who continued to live there until he became 7th Earl of Rutland on 17th December 1632.
On 17th December 1632 Francis Manners 6th Earl of Rutland (age 54) died at Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire [Map]. On 20th February 1633 he was buried at St Mary the Virgin Church, Bottesford, Leicestershire [Map]. His daughter Katherine (age 30) succeeded 18th Baroness Ros Helmsley. His brother George (age 52) succeeded 7th Earl of Rutland. Frances Carey Countess Rutland (age 61) by marriage Countess of Rutland.
After 17th December 1642 Monument to Francis Manners 6th Earl of Rutland, Frances Knyvet Lady Bevill and Cecily Tufton Countess Rutland at St Mary the Virgin Church, Bottesford, Leicestershire [Map].
Detail of his Leg Garter.
Detail of the Manner's family Peacock in Pride.
On 17th December 1661 Charles Coote 1st Earl Mountrath (age 51) died of smallpox. He was buried in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin [Map]. Charles Coote 2nd Earl of Mountrath (age 31) succeeded 2nd Earl Mountrath, 3rd Baronet Coote of Castle Cuffe.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 17th December 1661. Up and to the Paynter's (age 52) to see how he went forward in our picture. So back again to dinner at home, and then was sent for to the Privy Seal (age 55), whither I was forced to go and stay so long and late that I was much vexed. At last we got all done, and then made haste to the office, where they were sat, and there we sat late, and so home to supper and to Selden, "Mare Clausum", and so to bed.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 17th December 1664. So home and to my office, where late, and then home to bed. Mighty talke there is of this Comet that is seen a'nights; and the King (age 34) and Queene (age 55) did sit up last night to see it, and did, it seems. And to-night I thought to have done so too; but it is cloudy, and so no stars appear. But I will endeavour it. Mr. Gray did tell me to-night, for certain, that the Dutch, as high as they seem, do begin to buckle; and that one man in this Kingdom did tell the King that he is offered £40,000 to make a peace, and others have been offered money also. It seems the taking of their Bourdeaux fleete thus, arose from a printed Gazette of the Dutch's boasting of fighting, and having beaten the English: in confidence whereof (it coming to Bourdeaux), all the fleete comes out, and so falls into our hands.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 17th December 1665. After dinner back again and to Deptford, Kent [Map] to Mr. Evelyn's (age 45), who was not within, but I had appointed my cozen Thos. Pepys of Hatcham to meet me there, to discourse about getting his £1000 of my Lord Sandwich (age 40), having now an opportunity of my having above that sum in my hands of his. I found this a dull fellow still in all his discourse, but in this he is ready enough to embrace what I counsel him to, which is, to write importunately to my Lord and me about it and I will look after it. I do again and again declare myself a man unfit to be security for such a sum. He walked with me as far as Deptford, Kent [Map] upper towne, being mighty respectfull to me, and there parted, he telling me that this towne is still very bad of the plague.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 17th December 1666. To dinner, and then our company all broke up, and to my chamber to do several things. Among other things, to write a letter to my Lord Sandwich (age 41), it being one of the burdens upon my mind that I have not writ to him since he went into Spain, but now I do intend to give him a brief account of our whole year's actions since he went, which will make amends. My wife well home in the evening from the play; which I was glad of, it being cold and dark, and she having her necklace of pearl on, and none but Mercer with her. Spent the evening in fitting my books, to have the number set upon each, in order to my having an alphabet of my whole, which will be of great ease to me. This day Captain Batters come from sea in his fireship and come to see me, poor man, as his patron, and a poor painful wretch he is as can be. After supper to bed.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 17th December 1667. Up, and to the office, where very busy all the morning, and then in the afternoon I with Sir W. Pen (age 46) and Sir T. Harvy (age 42) to White Hall to attend the Duke of York (age 34), who is now as well as ever, and there we did our usual business with him, and so away home with Sir W. Pen, and there to the office, where pretty late doing business, my wife having been abroad all day with Mrs. Turner (age 44) buying of one thing or other. This day I do hear at White Hall that the Duke of Monmouth (age 18) is sick, and in danger of the smallpox.
On 17th December 1679 John "The Younger" Habsburg Spain (age 50) died.
The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
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John Evelyn's Diary. 17th December 1684. Early in the morning I went into St James' Park [Map] to see three Turkish or Asian horses, newly brought over, and now first shewed to his Ma* (age 54). There were foure, but one of them died at sea, being three weekes coming from Hamborow. They were taken from a Bashaw at the siege of Vienna, at the late famous raising that leaguer. I never beheld so delicate a creature as one of them was, of somewhat a bright bay, two white feet, a blaze; such a head, eyes, cares, neck, breast, belly, haunches, legs, pasterns, and feete, in all reguards beautifull and proportion'd to admiration; spirited, proud, nimble, making halt, turning with that swiftnesse, and in so small a compasse, as was admirable. With all this so gentle and tractable as call'd to mind what I remember Busbequius speakes of them, to the reproch of our groomes in Europe, who bring up their horses so churlishly as makes most of them retain their 111 habits. They trotted like does, as if they did not feele the ground. 500 guinnies was demanded for the first; 300 for the second; and 200 for the third, wch was browne. All of them were choicely shap'd, but the two last not altogether so perfect as the first. It was judg'd by the spectators, among whom was the King, Prince of Denmark (age 31), Duke of Yorke (age 51), and several of the Court, noble persons, skill'd In horses, especialy Mons. Faubert and his sonn, (provost masters of ye Academie, and esteem'd of the best in Europe,) that there were never seene any horses in these parts to be compar'd with them. Add to all this, the furniture, consisting of embroidery on the saddle, houseings, quiver, bow, arrows, scymeter, sword, mace, or battle-axe a la Turcisq; the Bashaw's velvet mantle furr'd with the most perfect Ermine I ever beheld; all which, yron-worke in common furniture, being here of silver, curiously wrought and double gilt, to an incredible icon. Such and so extraordinary was the embrodery, that I never saw any thing approching it. The reins and headstall were of crimson silk, cover'd with chaines of silver gilt. There was also a Turkish royal standard of an horse's taile, together with all sorts of other caparisons belonging to a general's horse, by which one may estimate how gallantly and magnificently those infidels appeare in the field, for nothing could be seene more glorious. The gentleman (a German) who rid the horse was in all this garb. They were shod with yron made round and closed at the heele, with a hole in the middle about as wide as a shilling. The hoofes most intire.
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John Evelyn's Diary. 17th December 1688. That night was a Council; his Majesty (age 38) refuses to assent to all the proposals; goes away again to Rochester, Kent [Map].
On 17th December 1693 Marie Isabella Bourbon was born to Philippe Bourbon II Duke Orléans (age 19) and Françoise Marie Bourbon Duchess Orléans (age 16). She a great x 3 granddaughter of King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland. Coefficient of inbreeding 7.39%. She died aged less than one years old.
On 17th December 1721 Richard Lumley 1st Earl Scarborough (age 71) died of apoplexy at Gerard Street, Soho. His son Richard (age 35) succeeded 2nd Earl of Scarborough, 3rd Viscount Lumley, 2nd Baron Lumley.
On 17th December 1757 Maria Anna Savoy Duchess Chablais was born to Victor Amadeus III King Sardinia (age 31) and Infanta Maria Antonia Spain (age 28). She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland. She married her uncle Benedetto Maria Maurizio Savoy, son of Charles Emmanuel III King Sardinia and Elisabeth Therese Lorraine Queen Consort Sardinia.
On 17th December 1758 Charles Butler 3rd Duke Ormond (age 87) died without issue at his lodgings at Whitehall Palace [Map]. He was buried at St Margaret's Church, Westminster [Map]. Duke Ormonde, Marquess Ormonde, Earl Arran extinct. His second cousin once removed John de jure 16th Earl Ormonde, 8th Earl Ossory although he never used these titles.
On 17th December 1792 George Hayter was born to Charles Hayter (age 31).
On 17th December 1798 Margaret Somerset aka Burr (age 70) died. She was buried with her husband Thomas Gainsborough at St Anne's Church Kew, Surrey.
On 17th December 1800 Bernhard II Duke of Saxe Meiningen was born to Georg I Duke of Saxe Meiningen (age 39).
On 17th December 1806 Thomas Beach (age 68) died in Dorchester, Dorset [Map].
After 17th December 1816. Memorials in St Andrew's Church, Hartburn [Map] to Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Hollis Bradford (deceased) and Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh Fitzroy (age 8).
Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh Fitzroy: On 14th May 1808 he was born to Henry Fitzroy and Caroline Pigot. On 27th February 1828 Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh Fitzroy died. He was buried at St Andrew's Church, Hartburn [Map]. On 9th August 1831 Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh Fitzroy and Lucy Sarah Lethbridge were married. On 4th December 1856 Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh Fitzroy and Louisa Emily Macdonald were married.
On 17th December 1825 Thomas Woolner was born to Thomas Woolner and Rebecca Leeks in Hadleigh, Suffolk. He received his first education at Ipswich, but in his boyhood his father removed to London on obtaining an appointment in the post office. He married 6th September 1864 Alice Gertrude Waugh and had issue.
On 17th December 1843 the first print run of 6,000 copies of Charles Dicken's (age 31) 'A Christmas Carol' was completd. On 19th December 1843 it was made available to the public and all 6,000 copies sold out by the end of Christmas Eve. The book included for colour and four black and white etchings by John Leech: 1. Marley’s Ghost, 2. Mr. Fezziwig’s Ball, 3. Scrooge’s Third Visitor, 4. The Last of the Spirits.
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 17th December 1859 Paul César Helleu was born to Pierre-César Helleu and Marie-Esther Guyot at Vannes, Brittany. He married 28th July 1886 Alice Guérin and had issue.
On 17th December 1860 Henry Pelham-Clinton 5th Duke Newcastle-under-Lyne (age 49) was appointed 727th Knight of the Garter by Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom (age 41).
On 17th December 1864 Douglas Henry Lane Fox-Pitt was born to Augustus Henry Fox Pitt-Rivers (age 37) and Alice Margaret Stanley (age 36).
On 17th December 1866 Reverend Godfrey Harry Arkwright (age 52) died. His son Francis Arkwright (age 20) inherited Sutton Scarsdale Hall, Derbyshire [Map]. He was buried at St Mary's Church, Sutton Scarsdale [Map].
Francis Arkwright: On 17th March 1846 he was born to Reverend Godfrey Harry Arkwright and Frances Rafella FitzHerbert. On 15th September 1875 Francis Arkwright and Evelyn Addington were married. On 1st March 1915 Francis Arkwright died. Sutton Scarsdale Hall, Derbyshire [Map] was inherited by his cousin William Arkwright who
St Mary's Church, Sutton Scarsdale [Map]. Memorial window to Reverend Godfrey Harry Arkwright (deceased).
On 17th December 1873 Ford Madox Ford aka Heuffer was born to Francis Heuffer (age 28) and Catherine Emily Brown (age 23)
On 17th December 1887 Hermine Reuss was born. She married 9th November 1922 Wilhelm Hohenzollern, son of Frederick III King Prussia and Victoria Empress Germany Queen Consort Prussia.
On 17th December 1890 Joachim Hohenzollern was born to Wilhelm Hohenzollern (age 31) and Empress Auguste Viktoria Oldenburg (age 32). He a great grandson of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. He married Marie Auguste Anhalt and had issue.
On 17th December 1899 Frederick Roberts (age 27) died.
On 17th December 1903 the Wright brothers, Edgar and Orville, completed the first powered flight, piloted by Orville, at Kitty Hawk Dare County North Carolina.
On 17th December 1930 William Everard Browne ffolkes 4th Baronet (age 69) died. His brother Francis (age 67) succeeded 5th Baronet ffolkes of Hillington Hall in Norfolk. On 30th December 1917 William Rupert Browne ffolkes was killed in action. Memorial in the Church of St Mary, Hillington [Map].
William Everard Browne ffolkes 4th Baronet: In 1861 he was born to Reverend Henry Edward Browne ffolkes. On 9th May 1912 William ffolkes 3rd Baronet died. His first cousin William succeeded 4th Baronet ffolkes of Hillington Hall in Norfolk.
Francis Arthur Stanley ffolkes 5th Baronet: On 8th December 1863 he was born to Reverend Henry Edward Browne ffolkes. On 18th October 1938 or 20th October 1938 Francis Arthur Stanley ffolkes 5th Baronet died. His son Edward succeeded 6th Baronet ffolkes of Hillington Hall in Norfolk.
William Rupert Browne ffolkes: he was born to William Everard Browne ffolkes 4th Baronet.
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 17th December 1973 James Alexander Wedderburn St Clair-Erskine (age 64) died. He was buried at the Rosslyn Chapel [Map].
James Alexander Wedderburn St Clair-Erskine: On 23rd August 1909 he was born to James St Clair-Erskine 5th Earl of Rosslyn and Vera Mary Bayley Countess of Rosslyn.
On 17th December 1550 Henry Cavendish was born to William Cavendish (age 45) and Bess of Hardwick (age 23). He married 9th February 1568 his sixth cousin Grace Talbot, daughter of George Talbot 6th Earl of Shrewsbury and Gertrude Manners Countess Shrewsbury and Waterford.
On 17th December 1554 Ernest Wittelsbach was born to Albert V Wittelsbach V Duke Bavaria (age 26) and Anna Habsburg Spain Duchess Bavaria (age 26). Coefficient of inbreeding 1.58%.
On 17th December 1619 Prince Rupert Palatinate Simmern 1st Duke Cumberland was born to Frederick Palatinate Simmern V Elector Palatine Rhine (age 23) and Princess Elizabeth Stewart Queen Bohemia (age 23) at Prague. He a grandson of King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland.
On 17th December 1684 Bryan Cooke 4th Baronet was born to George Cooke 3rd Baronet (age 22) and Catherine Copley Lady Cooke.
On 17th December 1693 Marie Isabella Bourbon was born to Philippe Bourbon II Duke Orléans (age 19) and Françoise Marie Bourbon Duchess Orléans (age 16). She a great x 3 granddaughter of King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland. Coefficient of inbreeding 7.39%. She died aged less than one years old.
On 17th December 1738 Andrew Snape Hamond 1st Baronet was born to Robert Hamond (age 44) and Susanna Snape in Blackheath, London. He married (1) April 1763 Cecilia Sutherland (2) 8th March 1779 Anne Graeme Lady Hamond and had issue.
On 17th December 1750 Elizabeth Berkeley Margrave Brandenburg-Ansbach was born to Augustus Berkeley 4th Earl Berkeley (age 35) and Elizabeth Drax Countess Berkeley and Nugent (age 30). She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. She married (1) 30th May 1767 William Craven 6th Baron Craven and had issue (2) 13th October 1791 her fifth cousin Charles Alexander Hohenzollern Margrave Brandenburg-Ansbach, son of Charles William Frederick "The Wild Margrave" Hohenzollern and Frederica Louise Hohenzollern.
On 6th November 1753 George Howland Beaumont 7th Baronet was born to George Beaumont 6th Baronet (age 27) and Rachel Howland (age 35) at Great Dunmow, Essex [Map]. He was baptised at St Mary's Church, Great Dunmow on 17th December 1753. He married 6th May 1778 Margaret Willes Lady Beaumont.
On 17th December 1757 Maria Anna Savoy Duchess Chablais was born to Victor Amadeus III King Sardinia (age 31) and Infanta Maria Antonia Spain (age 28). She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland. She married her uncle Benedetto Maria Maurizio Savoy, son of Charles Emmanuel III King Sardinia and Elisabeth Therese Lorraine Queen Consort Sardinia.
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 17th December 1772 Francis North 6th Earl Guildford was born to Bishop Brownlow North (age 31) and Henrietta Maria Bannister (age 22).
On 17th December 1792 George Hayter was born to Charles Hayter (age 31).
On 17th December 1794 Charles Berney Petre was born to Robert Edward Petre 10th Baron Petre (age 31) and Mary Bridget Howard Baroness Petre (age 27). He married 31st May 1822 his first cousin Elizabeth Howard and had issue.
On 17th December 1797 Reverend Henry Gunning 4th Baronet was born to George William Gunning 2nd Baronet (age 34) and Elizabeth Diana Bridgeman. He married (1) 27th February 1827 Mary Catherine Cartwright and had issue (2) 23rd October 1879 Frances Rose Spencer.
On 17th December 1800 Bernhard II Duke of Saxe Meiningen was born to Georg I Duke of Saxe Meiningen (age 39).
On 17th December 1823 Henry Beilby William Milner was born to William Mordaunt Sturt Milner 4th Baronet (age 44) and Harriet Elizabeth Cavendish-Bentinck (age 36). He married 1853 Charlotte Henrietta Beresford and had issue.
On 17th December 1825 Louisa Susan Cornwallis Eliot Countess Bessborough was born to Edward Granville Eliot 3rd Earl St Germans (age 27) and Jemima Cornwallis Countess St Germans (age 21). She married 15th January 1850 her fifth cousin once removed Walter William Brabazon Ponsonby 7th Earl Bessborough, son of John Ponsonby 4th Earl Bessborough and Maria Fane, and had issue.
On 17th December 1825 Thomas Woolner was born to Thomas Woolner and Rebecca Leeks in Hadleigh, Suffolk. He received his first education at Ipswich, but in his boyhood his father removed to London on obtaining an appointment in the post office. He married 6th September 1864 Alice Gertrude Waugh and had issue.
On 17th December 1829 John Lawson 2nd Baronet was born to William Wright aka Lawson 1st Baronet (age 33).
On 17th December 1845 George Compton Reade 9th Baronet was born to John Stanhope Reade. He married 4th June 1868 Melissa Ray Lady Reade and had issue.
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 17th December 1849 Harriet Gordon was born to George John Hamilton-Gordon 5th Earl Aberdeen (age 33) and Mary Bailie-Hamilton Countess Aberdeen (age 35). She married 7th May 1870 William Lindsay.
On 17th December 1853 Edward Ward 1st Baronet was born to John Ward. He married 15th February 1880 Florence Caroline Simons Lady Ward and had issue.
On 17th December 1858 William Hugh Clifford 10th Baron Clifford of Chudleigh was born to Charles Hugh Clifford 8th Baron Clifford Chudleigh (age 39).
On 17th December 1859 Paul César Helleu was born to Pierre-César Helleu and Marie-Esther Guyot at Vannes, Brittany. He married 28th July 1886 Alice Guérin and had issue.
On 17th December 1864 Douglas Henry Lane Fox-Pitt was born to Augustus Henry Fox Pitt-Rivers (age 37) and Alice Margaret Stanley (age 36).
On 17th December 1871 Ernest Martyn Williams was born to Frederick Martin Williams 2nd Baronet (age 41) and Mary Christian Law Lady Williams.
On 17th December 1873 Ford Madox Ford aka Heuffer was born to Francis Heuffer (age 28) and Catherine Emily Brown (age 23)
On 17th December 1887 Hermine Reuss was born. She married 9th November 1922 Wilhelm Hohenzollern, son of Frederick III King Prussia and Victoria Empress Germany Queen Consort Prussia.
On 17th December 1888 Sackville Pelham 5th Earl of Yarborough was born to Charles Alfred Worsley Anderson 4th Earl Yarborough (age 29) and Marcia Amelia Mary Lane-Fox Countess Yarborough (age 25).
On 17th December 1890 Captain Roden Henry Victor Buxton was born to Thomas Fowell Buxton 4th Baronet (age 25).
On 17th December 1890 Joachim Hohenzollern was born to Wilhelm Hohenzollern (age 31) and Empress Auguste Viktoria Oldenburg (age 32). He a great grandson of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. He married Marie Auguste Anhalt and had issue.
On 17th December 1505 Thomas Stanley 2nd Earl of Derby (age 20) and Anne Hastings Countess Derby (age 20) were married. She by marriage Countess Derby. They were second cousins. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward III of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
Jean de Waurin's Chronicle of England Volume 6 Books 3-6: The Wars of the Roses
Jean de Waurin was a French Chronicler, from the Artois region, who was born around 1400, and died around 1474. Waurin’s Chronicle of England, Volume 6, covering the period 1450 to 1471, from which we have selected and translated Chapters relating to the Wars of the Roses, provides a vivid, original, contemporary description of key events some of which he witnessed first-hand, some of which he was told by the key people involved with whom Waurin had a personal relationship.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 17th December 1600 Henry IV King France (age 47) and Marie de Medici Queen Consort France (age 25) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort of France. The difference in their ages was 21 years. He the son of Antoine King Navarre and Jeanne Albret III Queen Navarre. They were fourth cousins.
On 17th December 1600 George Gresley 1st Baronet (age 20) and Susan Ferrers Lady Gresley were married.
On 17th December 1628 John Lucas 1st Baron Lucas Shenfield (age 22) and Mary Neville (age 17) were married.
On 17th December 1656 Gervase Clifton 1st Baronet (age 69) and Alice Hastings Lady Clifton (age 50) were married at St Andrew Undershaft Church, Aldgate Ward [Map]. She by marriage Lady Clifton of Clifton in Nottinghamshire. She the daughter of Henry Hastings 5th Earl Huntingdon and Elizabeth Stanley Countess Huntingdon.
On 17th December 1657 John Campbell 1st Earl Breadalbaine and Holland (age 21) and Mary Rich (age 21) were married. She the daughter of Henry Rich 1st Earl Holland and Isabel Cope Countess Holland.
On 17th December 1668 John Pakington 3rd Baronet (age 19) and Margaret Keyt Lady Pakington were married.
On 17th December 1674 Philip "Infamous Earl" Herbert 7th Earl Pembroke 4th Earl Montgomery (age 22) and Henrietta Kéroualle Countess Pembroke and Montgomery were married. She by marriage Countess Pembroke, Countess Montgomery. He the son of Philip Herbert 5th Earl Pembroke 2nd Earl Montgomery and Catherine Villiers Countess Pembroke and Montgomery (age 53).
On 17th December 1681 Edward Villiers 1st Earl Jersey (age 25) and Barbara Chiffinch Countess Jersey (age 18) were married.
On 17th December 1749 Hugh Clifford 4th Baron Clifford Chudleigh (age 23) and Anne Lee Baroness Clifford Chudleigh (age 18) were married. She by marriage Baroness Clifford of Chudleigh in Devon. She the daughter of George Henry Lee 2nd Earl Lichfield and Frances Hales Countess Lichfield (age 52).
On 17th December 1750 John Morgan 4th Baronet (age 40) and Anne Jacobsen Lady Morgan (age 36) were married. She by marriage Lady Morgan of Langattock in Monmouthshire.
On 17th December 1810 Thomas Cholmondeley 1st Baron Delamere (age 43) and Henrietta Elizabeth Williams-Wynn Baroness Delamere (age 40) were married.
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 17th December 1872 John Salusbury Salusbury-Trelawny 9th Baronet (age 56) and Harriet Jacqueline Buller Lady Salusbury-Trelawny (age 51) were married. They were fourth cousins.
On 17th December 1889 Henry Arthur Mornington Wellesley 3rd Earl Cowley (age 23) and Violet Neville Countess Cowley (age 23) were married at St George's Church, Hanover Square. She the daughter of William Neville 1st Marquess Abergavenny (age 63) and Caroline Vanden Bempte Johnston Marchioness Abergavenny. He the son of William Henry Wellesley 2nd Earl Cowley (age 55) and Emily Gwendoline Williams Countess Cowley (age 50).
On 17th December 1894 Edmund Byng 6th Earl Strafford (age 32) and Mary Elizabeth Colebrooke Countess Strafford (age 31) were married. He the son of Francis Edmund Cecil Byng 5th Earl Strafford (age 59) and Florence Louisa Miles.
On 17th December 1902 Edward Paulet Stracey 7th Baronet (age 31) and Mary Elizabeth Brinsley Sheridan Lady Stracey (age 31) were married. She by marriage Lady Stracey of Rackheath in Norfolk.
On 17th December 943 William "Longsword" I Duke Normandy (age 50) was assassinated at Picquigny by the followers of Arnulf "Great" I Count Flanders (age 53) with whom he was attending a peace conference. He was buried at Rouen Cathedral [Map]. His son Richard (age 11) succeeded I Duke Normandy. Gunnora Countess Ponthieu by marriage Countess Ponthieu.
On 17th December 1195 Baldwin Flanders V Count Hainaut (age 45) died. His son Baldwin (age 24) succeeded 6th Count Hainault.
On 17th December 1466 Richard Grey 3rd Earl Tankerville (age 30) died.
On 17th December 1632 Francis Manners 6th Earl of Rutland (age 54) died at Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire [Map]. On 20th February 1633 he was buried at St Mary the Virgin Church, Bottesford, Leicestershire [Map]. His daughter Katherine (age 30) succeeded 18th Baroness Ros Helmsley. His brother George (age 52) succeeded 7th Earl of Rutland. Frances Carey Countess Rutland (age 61) by marriage Countess of Rutland.
On 17th December 1640 Francis Foljambe 1st Baronet (age 50) died at Bath, Somerset [Map]. Baronet Foljambe of Walton in Derbyshire extinct.
On 17th December 1650 George Seton 3rd Earl Winton (age 66) died. His grandson George (age 9) succeeded 4th Earl Winton.
On 17th December 1654 William Spring 1st Baronet (age 41) died. His son William (age 12) succeeded 2nd Baronet Spring of Pakenham in Suffolk.
On 17th December 1661 Charles Coote 1st Earl Mountrath (age 51) died of smallpox. He was buried in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin [Map]. Charles Coote 2nd Earl of Mountrath (age 31) succeeded 2nd Earl Mountrath, 3rd Baronet Coote of Castle Cuffe.
On 17th December 1676 Edmund Anderson 3rd Baronet (age 15) died. His uncle Edmund (age 47) succeeded 4th Baronet Anderson of Broughton in Lincolnshire.
On 17th December 1679 John "The Younger" Habsburg Spain (age 50) died.
William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 17th December 1721 Richard Lumley 1st Earl Scarborough (age 71) died of apoplexy at Gerard Street, Soho. His son Richard (age 35) succeeded 2nd Earl of Scarborough, 3rd Viscount Lumley, 2nd Baron Lumley.
On 17th December 1751 John Bettesworth (age 74) died. He was buried at St Mary at Lambeth Church, Surrey [Map].
On 17th December 1758 Mary Waters Lady Tynte died.
On 17th December 1758 Charles Butler 3rd Duke Ormond (age 87) died without issue at his lodgings at Whitehall Palace [Map]. He was buried at St Margaret's Church, Westminster [Map]. Duke Ormonde, Marquess Ormonde, Earl Arran extinct. His second cousin once removed John de jure 16th Earl Ormonde, 8th Earl Ossory although he never used these titles.
On 17th December 1776 Catherine Furnese Countess Guilford and Rockingham died.
On 17th December 1798 Margaret Somerset aka Burr (age 70) died. She was buried with her husband Thomas Gainsborough at St Anne's Church Kew, Surrey.
On 17th December 1806 Thomas Beach (age 68) died in Dorchester, Dorset [Map].
On 17th December 1808 Charles Jenkinson 1st Earl Liverpool (age 79) died. His son Robert (age 38) succeeded 2nd Earl Liverpool, 2nd Baron Hawkesbury of Hawkesbury in Gloucestershire, 8th Baronet Jenkinson of Walcot in Oxfordshire and of Hawkesbury in Gloucestershire. Louisa Theodosia Hervey Countess Liverpool (age 41) by marriage Countess Liverpool.
On 17th December 1824 Elizabeth Coke Baroness Sherborne (age 71) died.
On 17th December 1832 Henry Blackwood 1st Baronet (age 61) died. His son Henry (age 31) succeeded 2nd Baronet Blackwood of the Navy.
On 17th December 1845 or 24th December 1845 Armar Lowry-Corry 3rd Earl Belmore (age 43) died. His son Somerset (age 10) succeeded 4th Earl Belmore in the County of Fermanagh, Viscount Belmore of Fermanagh and Baron Belmore of Castle Coole in the County of Fermanagh.
On 17th December 1853 Marianne Caton Marchioness Wellesley (age 65) died.
William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 17th December 1862 William John Monson 6th Baron Monson (age 66) died. His son William (age 33) succeeded 7th Baron Monson of Burton in Lincolnshire, 11th Baronet Monson of Carleton in Lincolnshire.
On 17th December 1874 George John Milles 4th Baron Sondes of Lees Court (age 80) died. His son George (age 50) succeeded 5th Baron Sondes.
On 17th December 1874 John Trollope 1st Baron Kesteven (age 74) died. His son John (age 23) succeeded 2nd Baron Kesteven, 8th Baronet Trollope of Casewick in Lincolnshire.
On 17th December 1879 Annette Maria Bomford Lady Hesketh (age 80) died. She was buried at St Mary The Virgin Church, Rufford [Map].
On 17th December 1892 Lionel Dawson-Damer 4th Earl of Portarlington (age 60) died. His son Lionel (age 34) succeeded 5th Earl Portarlington.
On 17th December 1892 Mary Amherst Baroness Egerton (age 55) died.
On 17th December 1896 Edward Crofton 2nd Baron Crofton (age 90) died. His son Edward (age 62) succeeded 3rd Baron Crofton, 4th Baronet Crofton of The Mote in Roscommon.
On 17th December 1899 Frederick Roberts (age 27) died.
On 17th December 1904 Wilbraham Tollemache 2nd Baron Tollemache (age 72) died. His grandson Bentley (age 21) succeeded 3rd Baron Tollemache of Helmingham in Suffolk.
On 17th December 1905 Henry Thomas Foley 5th Baron Foley (age 55) died. His brother Fitzalan (age 53) succeeded 6th Baron Foley of Kidderminster in Worcestershire.
On 17th December 1925 Adora Frances Olga Wells Lady Musgrave and Baroness Brougham (age 76) died.
On 17th December 1927 Georgina Fleetwood Fuller Lady Hobhouse (age 60) died.
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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On 17th December 1930 William Everard Browne ffolkes 4th Baronet (age 69) died. His brother Francis (age 67) succeeded 5th Baronet ffolkes of Hillington Hall in Norfolk. On 30th December 1917 William Rupert Browne ffolkes was killed in action. Memorial in the Church of St Mary, Hillington [Map].
William Everard Browne ffolkes 4th Baronet: In 1861 he was born to Reverend Henry Edward Browne ffolkes. On 9th May 1912 William ffolkes 3rd Baronet died. His first cousin William succeeded 4th Baronet ffolkes of Hillington Hall in Norfolk.
Francis Arthur Stanley ffolkes 5th Baronet: On 8th December 1863 he was born to Reverend Henry Edward Browne ffolkes. On 18th October 1938 or 20th October 1938 Francis Arthur Stanley ffolkes 5th Baronet died. His son Edward succeeded 6th Baronet ffolkes of Hillington Hall in Norfolk.
William Rupert Browne ffolkes: he was born to William Everard Browne ffolkes 4th Baronet.
On 17th December 1983 John Meynell Alleyne 4th Baronet (age 94) died. His son John (age 55) succeeded 5th Baronet Alleyne of Four Hills in Barbados.