Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
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21 Feb is in February.
On 21 or 24th February 1244 Louis Capet was born to King Louis IX of France (age 29) and Margaret Provence Queen Consort France (age 23). She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.
Rymer's Fœdera Volume 2. Memorandum that, on the twenty-first day of February, in the fourteenth year [1340] of the reign of King Edward the Third after the Conquest, the same lord King returned from parts beyond the sea to his kingdom of England, for the purpose of attending to certain pressing affairs there to be dispatched, and landed at the port of Orwell at about the ninth hour on the aforesaid day. And the venerable father H[enry], Bishop of Lincoln, and Henry of Lancaster, Earl of Derby, and William de Bohun, Earl of Northampton, Lord Henry de Ferrers, and others, likewise returning from the said parts beyond the sea into England, in the company of the said King, landed at the aforesaid port on the said year, day, and hour. Which lord King, having dealt with the said affairs, intends, God willing, to transfer himself speedily back to the aforesaid parts beyond the sea.
Memorandum quod, vicesimo primo die Februarii, anno regni Regis Edwardi, tertii post conquestum, decimo quarto, idem dominus Rex à partibus transmarinis rediit ad regnum suum Angliæ, pro quibusdam arduis negotiis suis, ibidem expediendis, & applicuit in portu de Orewell quasi horâ nonâ prædicti diei, & venerabilis pater H. Lincoln' episcopus, ac Henricus de Lancastria, Derb', & Willielmus de Bohun, Norhampton', comites, dominus Henricus de Ferariis, & alii, à dictis. partibus transmarinis. in Angliam similiter redeuntes, in comitivâ ipsius Regis, dictis anno, die, & horâ, applicuerunt in portu supradicto. Qui quidem dominus Rex, expeditis dictis negotiis, ad prædictas partes transmarinas celeriter, se transferre proponit, Domino disponente.
On 21st February 1397 Isabella Aviz Duchess Burgundy was born to King John I of Portugal (age 45) and Philippa of Lancaster Queen Consort Portugal (age 36). She a great granddaughter of King Edward III of England. She married 7th January 1430 her third cousin Philip "Good" Valois III Duke Burgundy, son of John "Fearless" Valois Duke Burgundy and Margaret Wittelsbach Duchess Burgundy, and had issue.
On 21st February 1402 Anthony Valois Duke Brabant (age 17) and Jeanne Luxemburg Duchess Brabant were married at Arras. She by marriage Duchess Brabant. He the son of Philip "Bold" Valois II Duke Burgundy (age 60) and Margaret Dampierre Duchess Burgundy (age 54). They were half third cousin once removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.
On 21st February 1437 King James I of Scotland (age 42) was assassinated at Blackfriars. He was buried at Carthusian Charterhouse, Perth. His son James (age 6) succeeded II King Scotland. His wife, Joan Beaufort Queen Consort Scotland (age 33), managed to escape.
On 21st February 1462 Joanna "La Beltraneja" Trastámara Queen Consort Portugal was born to Henry IV King Castile (age 37) and Joan Aviz Queen Consort Castile (age 22). Her nickname "La Beltraneja" a reference to her supposed illegitimacy; she was suspected of being the child of Beltrán de la Cueva 1st Duke of Alburquerque (age 19). She was Henry and Joan's only child. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward III of England. Coefficient of inbreeding 11.39%. She married 1475 her uncle Alfonso "The African" V King Portugal, son of Edward "The Philosopher" I King Portugal and Eleanor Trastámara Queen Consort Portugal.
Patent Rolls. 21st February 1470. Exemplification, at the supplication of Jaquetta, duchess of Bedford (age 55), late, the wife of Richard, earl of Ryvers, of the tenour of an act in the great council, remaining in the office of the privy seal in the chamber of the great council called 'le Parlment chambre' within the palace of Westminster, made on 10 February, 9 Edward IV. In the presence of the king and the cardinal archbishop of Canterbury, the archbishop of York, the bishops of Bath, chancellor, Ely, treasurer, Rochester, keeper of the privy seal, London, Durham and Carlisle, the earls of Warwick, Essex, Northumberland, Shrewsbury and Kent, and the lords Hastings, Mountjoye, Lyle, Cromwell, Scrope of Bolton, Saye and others a supplication addressed to the king on behalf of the said duchess and two schedules in paper annexed were openly read, and afterwards his highness by the advice of the said lords of the council accepting the declaration of the said lady commanded the same to be enacted of record and letters of exemplification to be made. The tenours of the supplication and schedules above mentioned ensue in this wise. The duchess complains that Thomas Wake, esquire, in the time of the late trouble caused her to be brought in a common noise and slander of witchcraft throughout a great part of the realm, insomuch as he caused to be brought to Warwick to divers of the lords present when the king was last there an image of lead made like a man of arms of the length of a man's finger broken in the middle and made fast with a wire, saying that it was made by her to use with witchcraft and sorcery, and for the performing of his malicious intent entreated one John Daunger, parish clerk of Stoke Brewerne, co. Northampton, to say that there were two other images made by her, one for the king and one for the queen, whereunto the said John Daunger neither could nor would be entreated, and the king commanded the said Wake and John Daunger to attend upon the bishop of Carlisle, the earl of Northumberland, the lords Hastyuges and Mountjoye and Master Roger Radcliff to be examined, and their examination is here annexed, and in the great council on 19 January last she was cleared of the said slander, wherefore she prays that the same may be enacted of record. Thomas Wake says that this image was shown and left in Stoke with an honest person who delivered it to the clerk of the church and so showed it to divers neighbours after to the parson in the church openly to men both of Schytlanger and Stoke and after it was shown in Sewrisley, a nunnery, and to many other persons, and of all this he heard or wist nothing till after it was sent him by Thomas Kymbell from the said clerk. John Daunger of Shetyllanger said that Thomas Wake sent to him one Thomas Kymbell, then his bailiff, and bad the said John send him the image of lead that he had and so he sent it, at which time he heard no witchcraft of the lady of Bedford, and that the image was delivered to him by one Harry Kyngeston of Stoke, who found it in his house after the departing of soldiers, and that the said Thomas Wake after he came from London from the king sent for him and said that he had excused himself and laid all the blame on John and bad him say that he durst not keep the image and for that cause sent it to Thomas and also bad him say that there were two other images, one for the king and one for the queen, but he refused to say so. English. [Rolls of Parliament, VI. 232.] By p.s. [3033.]
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Patent Rolls. 21st February 1478. Grant for life to Robert Pemberton (age 34), one of the ushers of the king's Westminster chamber, of the office of steward of the lordship of Neuport Paynell [Map], in the king's hands by the forfeiture of George, late duke of Clarence (deceased), receiving the accustomed fees from the issues of the lordship, with all other profits. By K.
On 21st February 1484 Joachim "Nestor" Hohenzollern Elector Brandenburg was born to John "Cicero" Hohenzollern Elector Brandenburg (age 28) and Margaret of Thuringia (age 35).
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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On 21st February 1499 Edmund Tudor 1st Duke of Somerset was born to King Henry VII of England and Ireland (age 42) and Elizabeth York Queen Consort England (age 33) at the Palace of Placentia, Greenwich [Map] being their sixth child. On 24th February 1499 he was christened at the Church of the Observant Friars, Greenwich [Map]. His godparents were Margaret Beaufort Countess Richmond (age 55), Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham (age 21) and Bishop Richard Foxe (age 51), then Bishop of Durham. He is believed to have been created 1st Duke Somerset on the same day although there is no documentation. He died aged one in 1500.
On 21st February 1507 James Stewart 1st Duke Rothesay was born to King James IV of Scotland (age 33) and Margaret Tudor Queen Scotland (age 17) at Holyrood Palace, Holyrood. He a grandson of King Henry VII of England and Ireland. He died aged one in 1508.
On 21st February 1518 John Oldenburg was born to Christian II King of Denmark II King Norway (age 36) and Isabella of Austria Queen Consort Denmark and Norway (age 16) at Copenhagen.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 21st February 1559. The xxj day of Feybruary my lade (age 62) was browth in-to Lambethe chyrche the qwer and dobull reylyd, and hangyd with blake and armes; and she had iiij goodly whyt branchys and ij dosen of grett stayffes torchys, and ij haroldes of armes, master Garter and master Clarenshus, in ther cotte armurs; a-for a grett baner of armes, and iiij baners rolles, and iiij baners of santtes; and then cam the corsse, and after morners; the chyff morner was my lade chamberlen Haward (age 44), and dyvers odur of men (and) women; and after durge done to the dukes plasse; and the morow, masse of requiem done, my lade was bered a-for the he awtter.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 21st February 1561. The xxj day of Feybruary dyd pryche a-for the quen (age 27) and the consell master Skamler (age 41), the new bishop of Peterborow in ys chymner and ys whyt rochet.
On 21st February 1590 Ambrose Dudley 3rd Earl Warwick (age 60) died. He was buried at St Mary's Church, Warwick [Map]. Earl Warwick and Baron Lisle extinct.
Monument at St Mary's Church, Warwick [Map] with the inscription: Heare under this Tombe lieth the Corps of the Lord Ambrose Dudley ... deceases of his elder Brethren with out Issue , was Sonne and Heir to John Duke of Northumber- lande ; to whom Quene Elizabeth in the First Yeare of her Reigne gave the Mannour of Kibworth - Beauchamp , in the County of Leicester , to be held by the Service of beinge Pant- ler to the Kings and Quenes of this Reamle , at their Corona- tions , which Office and Mannour his said Father , and other his Ancesters , Erles of Warwick , helde ; In the second Yeare of her Reigne , the said Quene gave him the Office of Mayster of the Ordinaunce ; - 10 the fowrth Yeare of her sayd Reigne , She created Him Baron Lisle and Erle of War- wick ; In the same Yeare she made Him her Lieutenant Generall in Normandy , and during the Tyme of his Service there , He was chosen Knight of the noble Order of the Garter ; In the Twelvth Yeare of her Reigne the said Erle and Edward Lord Cinton , Lord Admerall of England , where made Live - tenantes Generall joinctely , and severally , of her Majesty's Army in the North Parts . In the Thirteenth Yeare of her Reigne the said Quene bestowed on him the Office of Chief Butler of England ; -and in the XVth Yeare of her Reigne he was sworn of her Privy Council ; -who departinge this Lief without Issue , the 21st Day of February , 1589. at Bedford House near the City of London , from whence as himself desired , his Corps was conveyed and interr'd in this Place ; - near his Brother Robert Erle of Leicester and others his noble Ancestors , which was accomplish'd by his last and weli - beloved Wief the Lady Anne Countess of Warwick , who in further testimony of her faithful Love towards Him , bestowed this Monument as a Remembrance of him .
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On 21st February 1594 John Ernest Wettin I Duke Saxe Weimar was born to Johann Wettin II Duke Saxe Weimar (age 23) and Dorothea Maria Anhalt at Altenburg.
Diary of Anne Clifford. 21st February 1616. Upon the 21st my Lord (age 26) and I began our journey northward—the same day my Lord Willoughby (age 32) came and broke his fast with my Lord. We had 2 coaches in our company with 4 horses a piece and about 26 horsemen, I having no women to attend me but Willoughby and Judith, Thomas Glenham (age 22) going with my Lord.
On 21st February 1643 Sophie Saxe Gotha was born to Ernest "The Pious" Saxe Gotha I Duke Saxe Gotha (age 41) and Elisabeth Sophie Saxe Altenburg Duchess Saxe Gotha (age 23) at Gotha. Coefficient of inbreeding 3.17%.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 21st February 1660. Tuesday. In the morning going out I saw many soldiers going towards Westminster, and was told that they were going to admit the secluded members again. So I to Westminster Hall [Map], and in Chancery Row I saw about twenty of them who had been at White Hall with General Monk (age 51), who came thither this morning, and made a speech to them, and recommended to them a Commonwealth, and against Charles Stuart. They came to the House and went in one after another, and at last the Speaker (age 68) came. But it is very strange that this could be carried so private, that the other members of the House heard nothing of all this, till they found them in the House, insomuch that the soldiers that stood there to let in the secluded members, they took for such as they had ordered to stand there to hinder their coming in. Mr. Prin (age 60) came with an old basket-hilt sword on, and had a great many great shouts upon his going into the Hall. They sat till noon, and at their coming out Mr. Crew (age 62) saw me, and bid me come to his house, which I did, and he would have me dine with him, which I did; and he very joyful told me that the House had made General Monk, General of all the Forces in England, Scotland, and Ireland; and that upon Monk's desire, for the service that Lawson (age 45) had lately done in pulling down the Committee of Safety, he had the command of the Sea for the time being. He advised me to send for my Lord forthwith, and told me that there is no question that, if he will, he may now be employed again; and that the House do intend to do nothing more than to issue writs, and to settle a foundation for a free Parliament. After dinner I back to Westminster Hall with him in his coach. Here I met with Mr. Lock (age 39) and Pursell, Masters of Music, [Note. Henry Purcell, father of the celebrated composer, was gentleman of the Chapel Royal.] and with them to the Coffee House, into a room next the water, by ourselves, where we spent an hour or two till Captain Taylor (age 35) came to us, who told us, that the House had voted the gates of the City to be made up again, and the members of the City that are in prison to be set at liberty; and that Sir G. Booth's' (age 37) case be brought into the House to-morrow.
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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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John Evelyn's Diary. 21st February 1661. Prince Rupert (age 41) first showed me how to grave in mezzo tinto.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 21st February 1663. By and by comes Sir J. Minnes (age 63), who (like himself and all that he do) tells us that he can do no good, but that my Chancellor (age 54) wonders that we did not cause the seamen to fall about their ears: which we wished we could have done without our being seen in it; and Captain Grove being there, he did give them some affront, and would have got some seamen to have drubbed them, but he had not time, nor did we think it fit to have done it, they having executed their commission; but there was occasion given that he did draw upon one of them and he did complain that Grove had pricked him in the breast, but no hurt done; but I see that Grove would have done our business to them if we had bid him.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 21st February 1665. So to the office, and after office my Lord Brunckerd (age 45) carried me to Lincolne's Inne Fields, and there I with my Lady Sandwich (age 40) (good lady) talking of innocent discourse of good housewifery and husbands for her daughters, and the luxury and looseness of the times and other such things till past 10 o'clock at night, and so by coach home, where a little at my office, and so to supper and to bed. My Lady tells me how my Lord Castlemayne (age 31) is coming over from France, and is believed will be made friends with his Lady (age 24) again. What mad freaks the Mayds of Honour at Court have: that Mrs. Jenings (age 18), one of the Duchesses mayds, the other day dressed herself like an orange wench, and went up and down and cried oranges; till falling down, or by such accident, though in the evening, her fine shoes were discerned, and she put to a great deale of shame; that such as these tricks being ordinary, and worse among them, thereby few will venture upon them for wives: my Baroness Castlemayne will in merriment say that her daughter (not above a year old or two) will be the first mayde in the Court that will be married. This day my Lord Sandwich (age 39) writ me word from the Downes, that he is like to be in towne this week.
John Evelyn's Diary. 21st February 1666. Went to my Lord Treasurer (age 58) for an assignment of £40,000 upon the last two quarters for support of the next year's charge. Next day, to Duke of Albemarle (age 57) and Secretary of State, to desire them to propose it to the Council.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 21st February 1666. Thence with my Lord Bruncker (age 46) to Gresham College, the first time after the sicknesse that I was there, and the second time any met. And here a good lecture of Mr. Hooke's (age 30) about the trade of felt-making, very pretty. And anon alone with me about the art of drawing pictures by Prince Rupert's (age 46) rule and machine, and another of Dr. Wren's (age 42)1 but he says nothing do like squares, or, which is the best in the world, like a darke roome, [The camera obscura.] which pleased me mightily.
Note 1. Afterwards the famous Sir Christopher Wren. He was one of the mainstays of the Royal Society.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 21st February 1668. Thence with Brouncker and T. Harvey to Westminster Hall [Map], and there met with Colonel Birch (age 52) and Sir John Lowther, and did there in the lobby read over what I have drawn up for our defence, wherein they own themselves mightily satisfied; and Birch, like a particular friend, do take it upon him to defend us, and do mightily do me right in all his discourse. Here walked in the Hall with him a great while, and discoursed with several members, to prepare them in our business against to-morrow, and meeting my cozen Roger Pepys (age 50), he showed me Granger's written confession1, of his being forced by imprisonment, &c., by my Lord Gerard (age 50), most barbarously to confess his forging of a deed in behalf of Fitton (age 38), in the great case between him [Fitton] and my Lord Gerard; which business is under examination, and is the foulest against my Lord Gerard that ever any thing in the world was, and will, all do believe, ruine him; and I shall be glad of it.
Note 1. Pepys here refers to the extraordinary proceedings which occurred between Charles, Lord Gerard, and Alexander Fitton, of which a narrative was published at the Hague in 1665. Granger was a witness in the cause, and was afterwards said to be conscience-stricken from his perjury. Some notice of this case will be found in North's "Examen", p. 558; but the copious and interesting note in Ormerod's "History of Cheshire", Vol. iii., p. 291, will best satisfy the reader, who will not fail to be struck by the paragraph with which it is closed-viz., "It is not improbable that Alexander Fitton, who, in the first instance, gained rightful possession of Gawsworth [Map] under an acknowledged settlement, was driven headlong into unpremeditated guilt by the production of a revocation by will which Lord Gerard had so long concealed. Having lost his own fortune in the prosecution of his claims, he remained in gaol till taken out by James II to be made Chancellor of Ireland (under which character Hume first notices him), was knighted, and subsequently created Lord Gawsworth after the abdication of James, sat in his parliament in Dublin in 1689, and then is supposed to have accompanied his fallen master to France. Whether the conduct of Fitton was met, as he alleges, by similar guilt on the part of Lord Gerard, God only can judge; but his hand fell heavily on the representatives of that noble house. In less than half a century the husbands of its two co-heiresses, James, Duke of Hamilton (age 9), and Charles, Lord Mohun, were slain by each other's hands in a murderous duel arising out of a dispute relative to the partition of the Fitton estates, and Gawsworth itself passed to an unlineal hand, by a series of alienations complicated beyond example in the annals of this country". B.
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Samuel Pepys' Diary. 21st February 1668. At noon by coach towards Westminster, and met my Lord Brouncker (age 48), and W. Pen, and Sir T. Harvey, in King's Street, coming away from the Parliament House; and so I to them, and to the French ordinary, at the Blue Bells, in Lincolne's Inn Fields, and there dined and talked. And, among other things, they tell me how the House this day is still as backward for giving any money as ever, and do declare they will first have an account of the disposals of the last Poll-bill, and eleven months' tax: and it is pretty odde that the very first sum mentioned in the account brought in by Sir Robert Long (age 68), of the disposal of the Poll-bill money, is £5000 to my Lord Arlington (age 50) for intelligence; which was mighty unseasonable, so soon after they had so much cried out against his want of intelligence. The King (age 37) do also own but £250,000, or thereabouts, yet paid on the Poll-bill, and that he hath charged £350,000 upon it. This makes them mad; for that the former Poll-bill, that was so much less in its extent than the last, which took in all sexes and qualities, did come to £350,000. Upon the whole, I perceive they are like to do nothing in this matter to please the King, or relieve the State, be the case never so pressing; and, therefore, it is thought by a great many that the King cannot be worse if he should dissolve them: but there is nobody dares advise it, nor do he consider any thing himself.
John Evelyn's Diary. 21st February 1680. Shrove-Tuesday. My son (age 25) was married to Mrs. Martha Spencer (age 21), daughter to my Lady Stonehouse by a former gentleman, at St. Andrew's [Map], Holborn, by our Vicar, borrowing the church of Dr. Stillingfleet (age 44), Dean of St. Paul's, the present incumbent. We afterward dined at a house in Holborn; and, after the solemnity and dancing was done, they were bedded at Sir John Stonehouse's (age 41) lodgings in Bow Street, Convent Garden.
On 21st February 1687 Vilhelm Oldenburg was born to Christian V King of Denmark and Norway (age 40) and Charlotte Amalie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway (age 36).
John Evelyn's Diary. 21st February 1689. Innumerable were the crowds, who solicited for, and expected offices; most of the old ones were turned out. Two or three white staves were disposed of some days before, as Lord Steward, to the Earl of Devonshire (age 49); Treasurer of the household, to Lord Newport; Lord Chamberlain to the King, to my Lord of Dorset (age 46); but there were as yet none in offices of the civil government save the Marquis of Halifax (age 55) as Privy Seal. A council of thirty was chosen, Lord Derby (age 34) president, but neither Chancellor nor Judges were yet declared, the new Great Seal not yet finished.
John Evelyn's Diary. 21st February 1689. The Archbishop of Canterbury (age 72) and some of the rest, on scruple of conscience and to salve the oaths they had taken, entered their protests and hung off, especially the Archbishop, who had not all this while so much as appeared out of Lambeth [Map]. This occasioned the wonder of many who observed with what zeal they contributed to the Prince's (age 38) expedition, and all the while also rejecting any proposals of sending again to the absent King (age 55); that they should now raise scruples, and such as created much division among the people, greatly rejoicing the old courtiers, and especially the Papists.
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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John Evelyn's Diary. 21st February 1689. Divers Bishops and Noblemen are not at all satisfied with this so sudden assumption of the Crown, without any previous sending, and offering some conditions to the absent King; or on his not returning, or not assenting to those conditions, to have proclaimed him Regent; but the major part of both Houses prevailed to make them King and Queen immediately, and a crown was tempting. This was opposed and spoken against with such vehemence by Lord Clarendon (her own uncle), that it put him by all preferment, which must doubtless have been as great as could have been given him. My Lord of Rochester (age 46), his brother, overshot himself, by the same carriage and stiffness, which their friends thought they might have well spared when they saw how it was like to be overruled, and that it had been sufficient to have declared their dissent with less passion, acquiescing in due time.
John Evelyn's Diary. 21st February 1689. I saw the new Queen (age 26) and King (age 38), with great acclamation and general good reception. Bonfires, bells, guns, etc. It was believed that both, especially the Princess, would have shown some (seeming) reluctance at least, of assuming her father's (age 55) crown, and made some apology, testifying by her regret that he should by his mismanagement necessitate the nation to so extraordinary a proceeding, which would have shown very handsomely to the world, and according to the character given of her piety; consonant also to her husband's first declaration, that there was no intention of deposing the King, but of succoring the nation; but nothing of all this appeared; she came into Whitehall laughing and jolly, as to a wedding, so as to seem quite transported. She rose early the next morning, and in her undress, as it was reported, before her women were up, went about from room to room to see the convenience of Whitehall; lay in the same bed and apartment where the late Queen (age 30) lay, and within a night or two sat down to play at basset, as the Queen, her predecessor used to do. She smiled upon and talked to everybody, so that no change seemed to have taken place at Court since her last going away, save that infinite crowds of people thronged to see her, and that she went to our prayers. This carriage was censured by many. She seems to be of a good nature, and that she takes nothing to heart: while the Prince, her husband, has a thoughtful countenance, is wonderfully serious and silent, and seems to treat all persons alike gravely, and to be very intent on affairs: Holland, Ireland, and France calling for his care.
John Evelyn's Diary. 21st February 1689. Another objection was, the invalidity of what was done by a convention only, and the as yet unabrogated laws; this drew them to make themselves on the 22d a Parliament, the new King (age 38) passing the act with the crown on his head. The lawyers disputed, but necessity prevailed, the government requiring a speedy settlement.
On 21st February 1695 Anthony Grey 3rd Baron Lucas was born to Henry Grey 1st Duke Kent (age 24) and Jemima Crew Marchioness Kent (age 19). He married 17th February 1718 his sixth cousin Mary Tufton Countess Gower, daughter of Thomas Tufton 6th Earl of Thanet and Catherine Cavendish Countess Isle Thanet.
On 21st February 1698 Gabriel More (age 63) died. Monument at St Wulfram's Church, Grantham [Map].
Gabriel More: Around 1635 he was born.
On 21st February 1722 Robert Manners-Sutton was born to John Manners 3rd Duke Rutland (age 25) and Bridget Sutton Duchess Rutland (age 22).
On 21st February 1732 Maria Wilson aka Burrill (age 63) died. She was buried at St Mary's Church, Sprotbrough [Map].
Maria Wilson aka Burrill: In 1669 she was born. Before 5th November 1709 Lionel Copley and she were married.
After 21st February 1736. St Mary the Virgin Church, Ingestre [Map]. Monument, left side, to Walter Chetwynd.
Monument, left middle, to Walter Chetwynd 1st Viscount Chetwynd (deceased) and his wife Mary Berkeley Viscountess Chetwynd (age 65).
After 21st February 1814. Monument to Amelia Sophia Hume (deceased) in St Peter and St Paul Church, Belton [Map]. Sculpted by Antonio Canova (age 56).
On 21st February 1830 Henry Wallis was born.
On 21st February 1839 John Charles Felix Rossi (age 76) died.
Cansisk's Monumental Inscriptions Volume 1 St James' Burial Ground, Hampstead Road. St James' Burial Ground, Hampstead Road. Beneath are deposited the Remains of Mrs. Mary Rossi, Wife of Charles Rossi (deceased), R.A, Died July 30th, 1804. Aged 38 years. Also to the Memory of Charles Rossi, R.A., Who Departed this life Feb. 21st, 1839, in the 77thyear of his age. Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.
On 21st February 1858 Gaetano Trentanove was born.
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 21st February 1860 William Goscombe John was born to Thomas John and Elizabeth Smith in Canton, Cardiff. He married August 1890 Marthe Weiss and had issue.
On 21st February 1862 Sarah Cave 3rd Baroness Braye (age 93) died. Baron Braye abeyant. Monument at St Nicholas' Church, Stanford-on-Avon [Map] sculpted by Mary Francis (age 53) and commissioned by her daughter Catherine Otway (age 53), widow of John Lygon 3rd Earl Beauchamp.
Catherine Otway: Before 1809 she was born to Henry Otway of Castle Otway in Tipperary and Sarah Cave 3rd Baroness Braye. On 19th October 1826 Henry Murray and she were married. He the son of Bishop George Murray. On 11th February 1850 John Lygon 3rd Earl Beauchamp and she were married. The difference in their ages was 24 years. He the son of William Lygon 1st Earl Beauchamp and Catherine Denn Countess Beauchamp. On 4th November 1875 she died without issue.
On 21st February 1865 Stapleton Cotton 1st Viscount Combermere (age 91) died. His son Wellington (age 46) succeeded 2nd Viscount Combermere, 2nd Baron Combermere, 7th Baronet Cotton of Combermere in Cheshire.
St Margaret's Church, Wrenbury [Map]. Monument to Stapleton Cotton 1st Viscount Combermere sculpted by William "The Younger" Theed (age 61).
Wellington Stapleton-Cotton 2nd Viscount Combermere: On 24th November 1818 he was born to Stapleton Cotton 1st Viscount Combermere and Caroline Greville Viscountess Comberemere at Duncombe House, St Thomas. In 1844 Wellington Stapleton-Cotton 2nd Viscount Combermere and Susan Alice Sitwell were married. On 1st December 1891 Wellington Stapleton-Cotton 2nd Viscount Combermere died. His son Robert succeeded 3rd Viscount Combermere, 3rd Baron Combermere, 8th Baronet Cotton of Combermere in Cheshire. Isabel Marion Chetwynd Viscountess Combermere by marriage Viscountess Combermere.
On 21st February 1879 Gertie Millar was born at Manningham, Bradford. Her father, John, was a mill worker and her mother, Elizabeth, a worsted-stuff worker. She began her professional career in a pantomime in Manchester, She married (1) 1902 Lionel Monkton (2) 30th April 1924 William Humble Ward 2nd Earl of Dudley, son of William Ward 1st Earl of Dudley and Georgina Moncrieffe Countess Dudley, and had issue.
On 21st February 1893 John Pettie (age 53) died.
On 21st February 1902 Ursula Mary Grosvenor was born to Hugh "Bendor" Grosvenor 2nd Duke Westminster (age 22) and Constance Edwina "Shelagh" Cornwallis-West Duchess Westminster (age 26). She married (1) 23rd July 1924 William Patrick Filmer-Sankey (2) 5th October 1940 Major Stephen Hardy Vernon.
On 21st February 1919 Sidney Spencer (age 28) died at a Military Hospital in Hounslow. He was buried at St Andrews Church, Barnwell [Map]. Service No. 3/8575. 3rd Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment transf. to (464013), 660th Agricultural Coy. Labour Corps.
Sidney Spencer: Around 1891 he was born.
On 21st February 1921 Ernst Gunther Oldenburg Duke Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg (age 57) died.
On 21st February 1925 Jean-André Rixens (age 78) died.
The Times. 21st February 1930. THE DUKE OF WESTMINSTER AND MISS PONSONBY. The marriage of the Duke of Westminster (age 50) and Miss Loelia Mary Ponsonby (age 28), daughter of Sir Frederick (age 62) and Lady Ponsonby, of Great Tangley Manor Guildford, and St. James's Palace [Map], took place at Prince's-row Register Office yesterday. Among those present were Mr. Winston Churchill (age 55), Lady Serena James (age 28), Mrs Walter Rubens, Colonel (age 65) and Mrs. Guy Wyndham, Captain and Mrs. Cowes, Mrs. Basil Kerr, Mr. and Mrs. George Drummond, and Mr. and Mrs. Richard Guinness. The Duke and Duchess left for their honeymoon in the Duke's steam yacht the Cutty Sark, wlhich was moored at Deptford [Map].
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 21st February 1933 Charles Francis Sweeny (age 23) and Margaret Whigham (age 20) were married at the Brompton Oratory, Kensington.
Barbara "Baba" Beaton (age 21) and Bridget Poulet (age 21) were bridesmaids.
Hartford Courant:
Miss Margaret Whigham, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Hay Whifham of Ascot, England, was married in London Tuesday to Mr. Charles Sweeney, young American golfer, in Brompton Oratory. This famous Catholic church was thronged with fashionable guests. Outside another crowd, composed largely of women eager to see the brlde, was so large that forty policemen had great difficulty in maintaining traffic lines.
The bride arrived few minutes late. She wore a pearl white satin gown embroidered with pearls. The eighteen-foot train was edged with cloud-like layers or pearl-embroidered silk net. Her veil or tulle, fitted closely like a cap, was held with a narrow filet of pearl leaves interwoven with orange blossoms. She carried a bouquet or white lilies.
There were nine bridesmaids. All dressed in whitc with wreaths or red flowers. They were Lady Bridget Poulett and Miss Shelia Berry, Miss Jeanne Stourton, Miss Margaret Livingstone-Learmouth, Miss Baba Beaton, Miss Angela Brett, Miss Dawn Gold, Miss Molly Vaughan and Miss Pamela Nicholl. The ushers included the Earl of Birkenhead (age 25) and Mr. Randolph Churchill (age 21).
The bride was given by her father, who is connected with an American business firm. The best man was Mr. Robert Sweeney, brother of the bridegroom. Mrs. Whigham, who has a home at 55 Princeiss Gate, gave the wedding reception. The couple then departed for Paris. Later they will cruise in the West Indies.
Among the many wedding presents were a pair of gold cuff links for the bridegroom from the Prlnce of Wales, who last year selected Mr. Sweeney, then captain of the Oxford University golf team, as his partner in the Navy and Royal Marines golf tournament. Mr. Sweeney first played golf here as an American schoolboy in the boys amateur golf championship, which he was runner-up. His brother also attended Oxford and frequently was his golf partner.
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On 21st February 1938 George Charles Beresford (age 73) died.
On 21st February 1944 John Pelham 8th Earl of Chichester (age 31) died in a car accident. John Pelham 9th Earl Chichester was not born until the 14th of April 1944 at which time he succeeded to his father's titles.
On 21st February 1947 Charles Henry Alexander Paget 6th Marquess Anglesey (age 61) died. He was buried at St Edwen's Church, Llanedwen [Map]. His son George (age 24) succeeded 7th Marquess Anglesey, 8th Earl Uxbridge, 16th Baron Paget Beaudasert, 10th Baronet Bayly of Plas Newydd in Anglesey.
Charles Henry Alexander Paget 6th Marquess Anglesey: On 14th April 1885 he was born to Alexander Victor Paget. On 3rd August 1912 Charles Henry Alexander Paget 6th Marquess Anglesey and Victoria Marjorie Harriet Manners Marchioness Anglesey were married. She by marriage Marchioness Anglesey. She the daughter of Henry John Brinsley Manners 8th Duke Rutland and Violet Lindsay Duchess Rutland. They were fifth cousins.
George Charles Henry Victor Paget 7th Marquess Anglesey: On 8th October 1922 he was born to Charles Henry Alexander Paget 6th Marquess Anglesey and Victoria Marjorie Harriet Manners Marchioness Anglesey. On 13th July 2013 George Charles Henry Victor Paget 7th Marquess Anglesey died. His son Charles succeeded 8th Marquess Anglesey, 9th Earl Uxbridge, 17th Baron Paget Beaudasert, 11th Baronet Bayly of Plas Newydd in Anglesey.
On 21st February 1957 Mary Louise Douglas Hamilton Duchess Montrose (age 72) died.
On 21st February 1960 Edwina Ashley Countess Mountbatten Burma (age 58) died in Jesselton, North Borneo [now Kota Kinabalu, Sabah]. She was buried at sea off the coast of Portsmouth from HMS Wakeful on 25 February 1960. Archbishop of Canterbury Archbishop Geoffrey Fisher (age 72) officiated. Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru had the Indian Navy frigate INS Trishul, already stationed in the city for repair for weeks, to escort the Wakeful and cast a wreath.
Sydney Herald 22 Feb 1960. LADY MOUNTBATTEN DIES IN SLEEP ON VISIT TO BORNEO
LONDON, Feb. 21 [1860] (A.A.P.).—Countess Mountbatten, wife of Earl Mountbatten, died last night in her sleep at Jesselton, North Borneo. She was 58.
Lady Mountbatten had been in Borneo since Wednesday visiting units of the St. John Ambulance Brigade.
Her death was announced by a spokesman for the British Commission in Singapore. Lord Mountbatten was at his London home when news of his wife's death reached him. A member of his household said Lady Mountbatten’s body would be flown to England. Lord Mountbatten’s daughter, Lady Pamela Hicks (age 36), returned today from her Honeymoon in the West Indies and New York, unaware of her mother's death. Lady Pamela (age 30) and her husband, Mr David Hicks, were met at London Airport by Lord Brabourne (age 35), who was best man at their wedding, and he broke the news in airshot lounge reserved for special travellers. Lady Mountbatten was an aunt of the Duke of Edinburgh through her marriage to his uncie. Her death has cast a shadow over the rejoicing at jthe birth of the Queen's third baby. The Duke of Edinburgh went to the Queen's room this morning and passed on the news to her. Lady Mountbatten had been on a 10-week inspection of brigade units and medical and nursing services in the Middle East and Far East, She toured Cyprus, India, Malaya and Singapore, before reaching Borneo. Mr Noel Turner, the officer administering the Government in Jesselton, said: "Lady Mountbatten went to bed after a reception at my house yesterday evening. "She had not been feeling very well and did not greet the guests but came down during the reception and sat on a couch and spoke to some of them. I cannot say just when she passed away, but my wife thinks the time of her death was around 2,30 this morning." Mr Turner said a Hastings aircraft of the R.A.F. Transport Command was flying from Singapore to Jesselton to pick up a coffin containing the body of Lady Mountbatten. Mr Turner said the Countess yesterday visited the Red Cross, hospitals, and the local ambulance brigade, but the program was not "unduly heavy." Lady Mounthatten's home was at Broadlands, on the outskirts of the little Hampshire town of Romsey. Her last public appearance in the borough was for the wedding of her daughter [Pamela], at Romsey Abbey on January 13, four days before she left for overseas,
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On 21 or 24th February 1244 Louis Capet was born to King Louis IX of France (age 29) and Margaret Provence Queen Consort France (age 23). She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.
On 21st February 1276 Thomas Multon 1st Baron Multon was born. He married in or before 1300 Margaret Mauley Baroness Multon, daughter of Piers Mauley 1st Baron de Mauley and Nicola Gaunt, and had issue.
On 21st February 1397 Isabella Aviz Duchess Burgundy was born to King John I of Portugal (age 45) and Philippa of Lancaster Queen Consort Portugal (age 36). She a great granddaughter of King Edward III of England. She married 7th January 1430 her third cousin Philip "Good" Valois III Duke Burgundy, son of John "Fearless" Valois Duke Burgundy and Margaret Wittelsbach Duchess Burgundy, and had issue.
Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
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On 21st February 1462 Joanna "La Beltraneja" Trastámara Queen Consort Portugal was born to Henry IV King Castile (age 37) and Joan Aviz Queen Consort Castile (age 22). Her nickname "La Beltraneja" a reference to her supposed illegitimacy; she was suspected of being the child of Beltrán de la Cueva 1st Duke of Alburquerque (age 19). She was Henry and Joan's only child. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward III of England. Coefficient of inbreeding 11.39%. She married 1475 her uncle Alfonso "The African" V King Portugal, son of Edward "The Philosopher" I King Portugal and Eleanor Trastámara Queen Consort Portugal.
On 21st February 1484 Joachim "Nestor" Hohenzollern Elector Brandenburg was born to John "Cicero" Hohenzollern Elector Brandenburg (age 28) and Margaret of Thuringia (age 35).
On 21st February 1498 Ralph Neville 4th Earl of Westmoreland was born to Ralph Neville and Edith Sandys Baroness. He married before December 1512 his fourth cousin Katherine Stafford Countess of Westmoreland, daughter of Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham and Eleanor Percy Duchess Buckingham, and had issue.
On 21st February 1499 Edmund Tudor 1st Duke of Somerset was born to King Henry VII of England and Ireland (age 42) and Elizabeth York Queen Consort England (age 33) at the Palace of Placentia, Greenwich [Map] being their sixth child. On 24th February 1499 he was christened at the Church of the Observant Friars, Greenwich [Map]. His godparents were Margaret Beaufort Countess Richmond (age 55), Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham (age 21) and Bishop Richard Foxe (age 51), then Bishop of Durham. He is believed to have been created 1st Duke Somerset on the same day although there is no documentation. He died aged one in 1500.
On 21st February 1507 James Stewart 1st Duke Rothesay was born to King James IV of Scotland (age 33) and Margaret Tudor Queen Scotland (age 17) at Holyrood Palace, Holyrood. He a grandson of King Henry VII of England and Ireland. He died aged one in 1508.
On 21st February 1518 John Oldenburg was born to Christian II King of Denmark II King Norway (age 36) and Isabella of Austria Queen Consort Denmark and Norway (age 16) at Copenhagen.
On 21st February 1572 Bridget Manners was born to John Manners 4th Earl of Rutland (age 21) and Elizabeth Charlton Countess Rutland (age 19). She married August 1594 Robert Tyrwhitt and had issue.
On 21st February 1594 John Ernest Wettin I Duke Saxe Weimar was born to Johann Wettin II Duke Saxe Weimar (age 23) and Dorothea Maria Anhalt at Altenburg.
On 21st February 1623 Godfrey Copley 1st Baronet was born to William Copley (age 18).
On 21st February 1643 Sophie Saxe Gotha was born to Ernest "The Pious" Saxe Gotha I Duke Saxe Gotha (age 41) and Elisabeth Sophie Saxe Altenburg Duchess Saxe Gotha (age 23) at Gotha. Coefficient of inbreeding 3.17%.
On 21st February 1687 Vilhelm Oldenburg was born to Christian V King of Denmark and Norway (age 40) and Charlotte Amalie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway (age 36).
Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 21st February 1695 Anthony Grey 3rd Baron Lucas was born to Henry Grey 1st Duke Kent (age 24) and Jemima Crew Marchioness Kent (age 19). He married 17th February 1718 his sixth cousin Mary Tufton Countess Gower, daughter of Thomas Tufton 6th Earl of Thanet and Catherine Cavendish Countess Isle Thanet.
On 21st February 1707 Margaret Cadogan was born to William Cadogan 1st Earl Cadogan (age 35) and Margaret Cecilia Munter Countess Cadogan. She married 11th January 1738 Charles John Bentinck, son of William Bentinck 1st Earl of Portland and Jane Martha Temple Countess Portland.
On 21st February 1722 Robert Manners-Sutton was born to John Manners 3rd Duke Rutland (age 25) and Bridget Sutton Duchess Rutland (age 22).
On 21st February 1748 Richard Howard 4th Earl of Effingham was born to Thomas Howard 2nd Earl of Effingham (age 34) and Elizabeth Beckford Countess Effingham (age 23).
On 21st February 1764 John Townshend 2nd Viscount Sydney was born to Thomas Townshend 1st Viscount Sydney (age 30) and Elizabeth Powys Viscountess Sydney (age 27). He married (1) 13th April 1790 Sophia Southwell, daughter of Edward Southwell 20th Baron Clifford, and had issue (2) 27th May 1802 Caroline Elizabeth Letitia Clements Viscountess Sydney, daughter of Robert Clements 1st Earl Leitrim and Elizabeth Skeffington Countess Leitrim, and had issue.
On 21st February 1778 Thomas Buckler Lethbridge 2nd Baronet was born to John Lethbridge 1st Baronet (age 32) and Dorothea Buckler. He married (1) 1796 Jacintha Catherine Hesketh and had issue (2) 1803 Anne Goddard.
On 21st February 1783 John Eardley-Wilmot 1st Baronet was born to John Eardley-Wilmot (age 35).
On 21st February 1787 Henry Fox-Strangways 3rd Earl of Ilchester was born to Henry Thomas Fox-Strangways 2nd Earl of Ilchester (age 39) and Mary Theresa O'Grady Countess of Ilchester (age 32). He married 1812 Caroline Leonora Murray Countess Ilchester, daughter of Bishop George Murray, and had issue.
On 21st February 1801 William Hay 18th Earl Erroll was born to William Hay 17th Earl Erroll (age 28) and Alicia Eliot Countess Erroll (age 26). He married before 18th October 1821 Elizabeth Fitz-Clarence Countess Erroll and had issue.
On 21st February 1805 William King Noel 1st Earl Lovelace was born to Peter King 7th Baron King (age 28) and Hester Fortescue Baroness King. He married 1835 Augusta Ada Byron Countess Lovelace, daughter of George "Lord Byron" 6th Baron Byron and Anne Isabella Noel Baroness Byron 11th Baroness Wentworth, and had issue.
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 21st February 1806 William David Murray 4th and 3rd Earl Mansfield was born to David William Murray 3rd Earl of Mansfield (age 28) and Frederica Markham Countess Mansfield (age 32). He married before 22nd July 1835 Louisa Ellison and had issue.
On 21st February 1817 Reginald Windsor Sackville 7th Earl De La Warr was born to George Sackville-West 5th Earl De La Warr (age 25) and Elizabeth Sackville Countess De La Warr (age 21). He married 1867 Constance Mary Elizabeth Baillie-Cochrane Countess De La Warr and had issue.
On 21st February 1826 William Rickford Astley Cooper was born to Astley Paston Cooper 2nd Baronet (age 28) and Elizabeth Harriet Rickford Lady Cooper (age 23).
On 21st February 1828 Arthur Purey Cust was born to William Cust (age 41) and Sophia Newnham. He married 6th June 1854 Emma Bess Bligh, daughter of Edward Bligh 5th Earl Darnley and Emma Jane Parnell Countess Darnley.
On 21st February 1830 Henry Wallis was born.
On 21st February 1830 William Richard Annesley 4th Earl Annesley was born to William Richard Annesley 3rd Earl Annesley (age 57) and Priscilla Cecilia Moore (age 21).
On 21st February 1832 Reverend John Harbord was born to Edward Harbord 3rd Baron Suffield (age 50) and Emily Harriey Shirley Baroness Suffield.
On 21st February 1854 Gwendolen Mary Anne Fitzalan Howard Marchioness Bute was born to Edward George Fitzalan Howard 1st Baron Howard (age 35) and Augusta Talbot (age 22). She married 1872 her fifth cousin John Crichton-Stuart 3rd Marquis of the Isle of Bute, son of John Crichton-Stuart 2nd Marquis of the Isle of Bute and Sophia Frederica Christina Rawdon-Hastings Marchioness Bute, and had issue.
On 21st February 1858 Gaetano Trentanove was born.
On 21st February 1860 William Goscombe John was born to Thomas John and Elizabeth Smith in Canton, Cardiff. He married August 1890 Marthe Weiss and had issue.
On 21st February 1871 Osbert Molyneux 6th Earl Sefton was born to William Molyneux 4th Earl Sefton (age 35) and Cecil Emily Jolliffe (age 33). He married 8th January 1898 his sixth cousin Helena Mary Bridgeman Countess Sefton, daughter of George Cecil Orlando Bridgeman 4th Earl Bradford and Ida Frances Annabella Lumley Countess Bradford, and had issue.
Anne Boleyn. Her Life as told by Lancelot de Carle's 1536 Letter.
In 1536, two weeks after the execution of Anne Boleyn, her brother George and four others, Lancelot du Carle, wrote an extraordinary letter that described Anne's life, and her trial and execution, to which he was a witness. This book presents a new translation of that letter, with additional material from other contemporary sources such as Letters, Hall's and Wriothesley's Chronicles, the pamphlets of Wynkyn the Worde, the Memorial of George Constantyne, the Portuguese Letter and the Baga de Secrets, all of which are provided in Appendices.
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On 21st February 1879 Gertie Millar was born at Manningham, Bradford. Her father, John, was a mill worker and her mother, Elizabeth, a worsted-stuff worker. She began her professional career in a pantomime in Manchester, She married (1) 1902 Lionel Monkton (2) 30th April 1924 William Humble Ward 2nd Earl of Dudley, son of William Ward 1st Earl of Dudley and Georgina Moncrieffe Countess Dudley, and had issue.
On 21st February 1884 Algernon George de Vere Capell 8th Earl of Essex was born to George Capell 7th Earl of Essex (age 26) and Ellenor Harriet Maria Harford (age 23). He married (1) 28th September 1905 Mary Eveline Stewart Freeman and had issue (2) 10th February 1926 Alys Montgomery Falkiner Countess of Essex (3) 10th December 1950 Zara Mildred Carlson Countess of Essex (4) 1957 Christine Mary Davis Countess of Essex.
On 21st February 1888 George Brodrick was born to William St John Brodrick 1st Earl of Midleton (age 31) and Hilda Charteris (age 34).
On 21st February 1895 Frederick Eden 6th Baron Auckland was born to William Morton Eden 5th Baron Auckland (age 35).
On 21st February 1896 Richard Hugh Jessel was born to Charles James Jessel 1st Baronet (age 35) and Edith Goldsmid Lady Jessel. He married before 8th May 1926 Margaret Ella Lewis, daughter of George James Graham Lewis 2nd Baronet, and had issue.
On 21st February 1902 Ursula Mary Grosvenor was born to Hugh "Bendor" Grosvenor 2nd Duke Westminster (age 22) and Constance Edwina "Shelagh" Cornwallis-West Duchess Westminster (age 26). She married (1) 23rd July 1924 William Patrick Filmer-Sankey (2) 5th October 1940 Major Stephen Hardy Vernon.
On 21st February 1903 Ivor Grosvenor Guest 2nd Viscount Wimborne was born to Ivor Churchill Guest 1st Viscount Wimborne (age 30) and Alice Katherine Sibell Grosvenor (age 22). He married 22nd November 1938 his third cousin Mabel Edith Fox-Strangways Viscountess Wimborne, daughter of Giles Fox-Strangways 6th Earl of Ilchester and Helen Vane-Tempest-Stewart Countess Ilchester, and had issue.
On 21st February 1921 Ashley Ponsonby 2nd Baronet was born to Charles Edward Ponsonby 1st Baronet (age 41) and Winifred Gibbs (age 33). He married before 1951 Martha Butler Lady Ponsonby, daughter of James Arthur Norman Butler 6th Marquess Ormonde, and had issue.
On 21st February 1923 Charles James Ruthven Howard 12th Earl Carlisle was born to George Josslyn L'Estrange Howard 11th Earl Carlisle (age 28) and Bridget Helen "Biddy" Ruthven Countess Carlisle (age 26). He married 3rd October 1945 Ela Helen Aline Beaumont Countess Carlisle, daughter of Wentworth Henry Canning Beaumont 2nd Viscount Allendale and Violet Lucy Emily Seely Viscountess Allendale, and had issue.
On 21st February 1925 John de Grey 9th Baron Walsingham was born to George de Grey 8th Baron Walsingham (age 40).
On 21st February 1941 Charles Petty-Fitzmaurice 9th Marquess of Lansdowne was born to George Petty-Fitzmaurice 8th Marquess of Lansdowne (age 28).
This is a translation of the 'Memoires of Jacques du Clercq', published in 1823 in two volumes, edited by Frederic, Baron de Reissenberg. In his introduction Reissenberg writes: 'Jacques du Clercq tells us that he was born in 1424, and that he was a licentiate in law and a counsellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in the castellany of Douai, Lille, and Orchies. It appears that he established his residence at Arras. In 1446, he married the daughter of Baldwin de la Lacherie, a gentleman who lived in Lille. We read in the fifth book of his Memoirs that his father, also named Jacques du Clercq, had married a lady of the Le Camelin family, from Compiègne. His ancestors, always attached to the counts of Flanders, had constantly served them, whether in their councils or in their armies.' The Memoires cover a period of nineteen years beginning in in 1448, ending in in 1467. It appears that the author had intended to extend the Memoirs beyond that date; no doubt illness or death prevented him from carrying out this plan. As Reissenberg writes the 'merit of this work lies in the simplicity of its narrative, in its tone of good faith, and in a certain air of frankness which naturally wins the reader’s confidence.' Du Clercq ranges from events of national and international importance, including events of the Wars of the Roses in England, to simple, everyday local events such as marriages, robberies, murders, trials and deaths, including that of his own father in Book 5; one of his last entries.
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On 21st February 1947 Charles Manners Gamaliel Nightingale 17th Baronet was born to Charles Athelstan Nightingale 16th Baronet (age 44).
On 21st February 1953 Lucy Corinna Agneta Sidney Baroness Middleton was born to William Philip Sidney 1st Viscount de l'Isle (age 43) and Jacqueline Vereker Countess de l'Isle (age 38). She a great x 3 granddaughter of King William IV of the United Kingdom. She married 26th January 1974 Michael Charles James Willoughby 13th Baron Middleton, son of Digby Michael Godfrey John Willoughby 12th Baron Middleton.
On 21st February 1954 Francis Thomas Baring 6th Baron Northbrook was born to Francis John Baring 5th Baron Northbrook (age 39).
On 21st February 1402 Anthony Valois Duke Brabant (age 17) and Jeanne Luxemburg Duchess Brabant were married at Arras. She by marriage Duchess Brabant. He the son of Philip "Bold" Valois II Duke Burgundy (age 60) and Margaret Dampierre Duchess Burgundy (age 54). They were half third cousin once removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.
On 21st February 1491 Patrick Hepburn 1st Earl Bothwell (age 39) and Margaret Gordon Countess Bothwell were married. She by marriage Countess Bothwell. She the daughter of George Gordon 2nd Earl Huntley (age 35).
On 21st February 1497 Edmund Braye 1st Baron Braye (age 13) and Jane Halwell Baroness Bray were married. She by marriage Baroness Braye.
On 21st February 1635 Arthur Haselrigge 2nd Baronet (age 34) and Dorothy Greville Lady Haselrigge were married. She by marriage Lady Haselrigge of Noseley Hall in Leicestershire. They had three sons and five daughters.
On 21st February 1660 Robert Sutton 1st Baron Lexinton (age 65) and Mary St Leger Baroness Lexington (age 20) were married. She by marriage Baroness Lexinton of Aram in Nottinghamshire. The difference in their ages was 45 years.
On 21st February 1722 George Neville 2nd Baron Abergavenny (age 19) and Elizabeth Thorneycroft Baroness Bergavenny were married. She by marriage Baroness Abergavenny.
On 21st February 1722 William Anne Keppel 2nd Earl Albermarle (age 19) and Anne Lennox Countess Albermarle (age 18) were married at Caversham, Reading. She by marriage Countess Albermarle. She the daughter of Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond (age 49) and Anne Brudenell Duchess Richmond (age 51). He the son of Arnold Keppel 1st Earl Albermarle and Geertruid Johanna Quirina Van Der Duyn Countess Albermarle.
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 21st February 1733 William Talbot 1st Earl Talbot (age 22) and Mary Cardonnel Countess Talbot (age 14) were married at St George's Church, Hanover Square.
On 21st February 1759 John Murray 4th Earl Dunmore (age 29) and Charlotte Stewart Countess Dunmore (age 29) were married. She the daughter of Alexander Stewart 6th Earl Galloway (age 65) and Catherine Cochrane Countess Galloway (age 50). He the son of William Murray 3rd Earl Dunmore.
On 21st February 1789 Richard Edgecumbe 2nd Earl of Mount Edgcumbe (age 24) and Sophia Hobart Countess Mount Edgcumbe (age 21) were married. She the daughter of John Hobart 2nd Earl Buckinghamshire (age 65) and Mary Anne Drury Countess Buckinghamshire. He the son of George Edgecumbe 1st Earl of Mount Edgcumbe (age 68) and Emma Gilbert Countess Mount Edgcumbe.
On 21 or 23rd February 1789 Joseph Strutt (age 30) and Charlotte Fitzgerald 1st Baroness Rayleigh (age 30) were married. She the daughter of James Fitzgerald 1st Duke Leinster and Emilia Mary Lennox Duchess Leinster (age 57).
On 21st February 1865 Arthur Saunders Gore 5th Earl Arran (age 26) and Edith Jocelyn (age 20) were married. He the son of Philip Gore 4th Earl Arran (age 63) and Elizabeth Marianne Napier Countess Arran (age 45).
On 21st February 1877 Cecil George Savile Foljambe 1st Earl Liverpool (age 30) and Susan Louisa Cavendish Countess Liverpool were married. She was a first cousin of his first wife Louise Blanche Howard.
On 21st February 1933 Charles Francis Sweeny (age 23) and Margaret Whigham (age 20) were married at the Brompton Oratory, Kensington.
Barbara "Baba" Beaton (age 21) and Bridget Poulet (age 21) were bridesmaids.
Hartford Courant:
Miss Margaret Whigham, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Hay Whifham of Ascot, England, was married in London Tuesday to Mr. Charles Sweeney, young American golfer, in Brompton Oratory. This famous Catholic church was thronged with fashionable guests. Outside another crowd, composed largely of women eager to see the brlde, was so large that forty policemen had great difficulty in maintaining traffic lines.
The bride arrived few minutes late. She wore a pearl white satin gown embroidered with pearls. The eighteen-foot train was edged with cloud-like layers or pearl-embroidered silk net. Her veil or tulle, fitted closely like a cap, was held with a narrow filet of pearl leaves interwoven with orange blossoms. She carried a bouquet or white lilies.
There were nine bridesmaids. All dressed in whitc with wreaths or red flowers. They were Lady Bridget Poulett and Miss Shelia Berry, Miss Jeanne Stourton, Miss Margaret Livingstone-Learmouth, Miss Baba Beaton, Miss Angela Brett, Miss Dawn Gold, Miss Molly Vaughan and Miss Pamela Nicholl. The ushers included the Earl of Birkenhead (age 25) and Mr. Randolph Churchill (age 21).
The bride was given by her father, who is connected with an American business firm. The best man was Mr. Robert Sweeney, brother of the bridegroom. Mrs. Whigham, who has a home at 55 Princeiss Gate, gave the wedding reception. The couple then departed for Paris. Later they will cruise in the West Indies.
Among the many wedding presents were a pair of gold cuff links for the bridegroom from the Prlnce of Wales, who last year selected Mr. Sweeney, then captain of the Oxford University golf team, as his partner in the Navy and Royal Marines golf tournament. Mr. Sweeney first played golf here as an American schoolboy in the boys amateur golf championship, which he was runner-up. His brother also attended Oxford and frequently was his golf partner.
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On 21st February 1034 Hawise Normandy Countess Rennes died.
On 21st February 1437 King James I of Scotland (age 42) was assassinated at Blackfriars. He was buried at Carthusian Charterhouse, Perth. His son James (age 6) succeeded II King Scotland. His wife, Joan Beaufort Queen Consort Scotland (age 33), managed to escape.
On 21st February 1549 Richard Gresham (age 64) died.
On 26th January 1568 Catherine Grey Countess Hertford (age 27) died at Cockfield Hall, Suffolk; see Ellis' Letters. She was under house arrest at the time, in the custody of Owen Hopton (age 49), who was at her deathbed. On 21st February 1567 she was buried at the Cockfield Chapel in St Peter's Church, Yoxford [Map] - see Gentleman's Magazine 1823. Her remains were later moved to Salisbury Cathedral [Map].
On 21st February 1581 Robert Keilway (age 84) died. His only child Anne Keilway Baroness Harington (age 27) and her husband John Harington 1st Baron Harington (age 41) inherited the Minster Lovell, Oxfordshire [Map] and Coombe Abbey [Map] estates.
Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 21st February 1589 William Somerset 3rd Earl of Worcester (age 63) died at Hackney. He was buried at Church of St Cadoc, Raglan. His son Edward (age 39) succeeded 4th Earl Worcester, 6th Baron Herbert of Raglan.
On 21st February 1590 Ambrose Dudley 3rd Earl Warwick (age 60) died. He was buried at St Mary's Church, Warwick [Map]. Earl Warwick and Baron Lisle extinct.
Monument at St Mary's Church, Warwick [Map] with the inscription: Heare under this Tombe lieth the Corps of the Lord Ambrose Dudley ... deceases of his elder Brethren with out Issue , was Sonne and Heir to John Duke of Northumber- lande ; to whom Quene Elizabeth in the First Yeare of her Reigne gave the Mannour of Kibworth - Beauchamp , in the County of Leicester , to be held by the Service of beinge Pant- ler to the Kings and Quenes of this Reamle , at their Corona- tions , which Office and Mannour his said Father , and other his Ancesters , Erles of Warwick , helde ; In the second Yeare of her Reigne , the said Quene gave him the Office of Mayster of the Ordinaunce ; - 10 the fowrth Yeare of her sayd Reigne , She created Him Baron Lisle and Erle of War- wick ; In the same Yeare she made Him her Lieutenant Generall in Normandy , and during the Tyme of his Service there , He was chosen Knight of the noble Order of the Garter ; In the Twelvth Yeare of her Reigne the said Erle and Edward Lord Cinton , Lord Admerall of England , where made Live - tenantes Generall joinctely , and severally , of her Majesty's Army in the North Parts . In the Thirteenth Yeare of her Reigne the said Quene bestowed on him the Office of Chief Butler of England ; -and in the XVth Yeare of her Reigne he was sworn of her Privy Council ; -who departinge this Lief without Issue , the 21st Day of February , 1589. at Bedford House near the City of London , from whence as himself desired , his Corps was conveyed and interr'd in this Place ; - near his Brother Robert Erle of Leicester and others his noble Ancestors , which was accomplish'd by his last and weli - beloved Wief the Lady Anne Countess of Warwick , who in further testimony of her faithful Love towards Him , bestowed this Monument as a Remembrance of him .
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On 21st February 1594 Giles Brydges 3rd Baron Chandos (age 46) died. His brother William (age 42) succeeded 4th Baron Chandos of Sudeley. Mary Hopton Baroness Chandos by marriage Baroness Chandos of Sudeley.
On 21st February 1621 Henry Portman 2nd Baronet (age 24) died. His brother John (age 16) succeeded 3rd Baronet Portman of Orchard Portman in Somerset.
On 21st February 1651 John Brydges 2nd Baronet (age 27) died. His son James (age 8) succeeded 3rd Baronet Brydges of Wilton in Herefordshire.
On 21st February 1654 Susannah Barker of London Lady Meredith (age 64) died. She was buried at St Nicholas Church, Leeds where there is an inscription: "Here lyeth also the Body of the Hon'ble Sir W. Meredith (age 51), late of this Parish, Baronet, son of the above mentioned Sir Wm Meredith and Jane his wife. He married first Susanna, ye daughter of Francis Barker of London, Esq., by whom he had 6 sons and 6 daughters. She dyed Feb. 21, 1654, and lyes interrd in this place. After whose death he married Mary, daughter of Henry Goring of Hydown in the County of Sussex, Esq., and relict of Thomas Aynscombe of Mayfeild [sic] in the same County, Esq. He died the 10th of April 1675, in the 72nd year of his age, full of days and honour."
On 21st February 1658 William Fitzwilliam 2nd Baron Fitzwilliam (age 49) died. His son William (age 14) succeeded 3rd Baron Fitzwilliam of Liffer in Donegal.
On 21st February 1715 Charles Calvert 3rd Baron Baltimore (age 77) died. His son Benedict (age 35) succeeded 4th Baron Baltimore of Longford in Leinster.
On 21st February 1719 Thomas Clifford Earl Newburgh (age 32) died.
On 21st February 1728 Margaret Cecil Countess Ranelagh (age 56) died.
Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes
Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.
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On 21st February 1736 Walter Chetwynd 1st Viscount Chetwynd (age 57) died. His brother John (age 54) succeeded 2nd Viscount Chetwynd of Bearhaven in Kerry, and inherited Ingestre Hall, Staffordshire.Esther Kent Viscountess Chetwynd (age 36) by marriage Viscountess Chetwynd of Bearhaven in Kerry.
On 21st February 1746 Elizabeth Parker Lady Heathcote (age 46) died.
On 21st February 1769 Mary Catherine Bellings-Arundell Baroness Arundel Wardour died.
On 21st February 1784 Admiral Robert Harland 1st Baronet (age 69) died. His son Robert (age 19) succeeded 2nd Baronet Harland of Sproughton in Suffolk.
On 21st February 1786 Catherine Vyse Lady Smith died.
On 4th February 1794 Charles Trevor Roper 18th Baron Dacre Gilsland (age 49) died. His sister Gertrude (age 43) succeeded 19th Baroness Dacre Gilsland, 18th Baroness Multon of Gilsland. Thomas Brand Baron Dacre (age 44) by marriage Baron Dacre Gilsland albeit for seventeen days only since he died on 21st February 1794.
On 21st February 1794 Thomas Brand Baron Dacre (age 44) died.
On 21st February 1814 Amelia Sophia Hume (age 25) died.
On 21st February 1825 Thomas Heathcote 4th Baronet (age 55) died. His nephew William (age 23) succeeded 5th Baronet Heathcote of Hursley in Hampshire.
On 21st February 1835 John Lumley-Savile 7th Earl Scarborough (age 74) died. His son John (age 46) succeeded 8th Earl of Scarborough, 9th Viscount Lumley, 8th Baron Lumley.
Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 21st February 1836 Bishop William van Mildert (age 70) died.
On 21st February 1839 John Charles Felix Rossi (age 76) died.
On 21st February 1854 John Gerard 12th Baronet (age 49) died. His brother Robert (age 45) succeeded 13th Baronet Gerard of Bryn in Lancashire.
On 21st February 1862 Sarah Cave 3rd Baroness Braye (age 93) died. Baron Braye abeyant. Monument at St Nicholas' Church, Stanford-on-Avon [Map] sculpted by Mary Francis (age 53) and commissioned by her daughter Catherine Otway (age 53), widow of John Lygon 3rd Earl Beauchamp.
Catherine Otway: Before 1809 she was born to Henry Otway of Castle Otway in Tipperary and Sarah Cave 3rd Baroness Braye. On 19th October 1826 Henry Murray and she were married. He the son of Bishop George Murray. On 11th February 1850 John Lygon 3rd Earl Beauchamp and she were married. The difference in their ages was 24 years. He the son of William Lygon 1st Earl Beauchamp and Catherine Denn Countess Beauchamp. On 4th November 1875 she died without issue.
On 21st February 1865 Stapleton Cotton 1st Viscount Combermere (age 91) died. His son Wellington (age 46) succeeded 2nd Viscount Combermere, 2nd Baron Combermere, 7th Baronet Cotton of Combermere in Cheshire.
St Margaret's Church, Wrenbury [Map]. Monument to Stapleton Cotton 1st Viscount Combermere sculpted by William "The Younger" Theed (age 61).
Wellington Stapleton-Cotton 2nd Viscount Combermere: On 24th November 1818 he was born to Stapleton Cotton 1st Viscount Combermere and Caroline Greville Viscountess Comberemere at Duncombe House, St Thomas. In 1844 Wellington Stapleton-Cotton 2nd Viscount Combermere and Susan Alice Sitwell were married. On 1st December 1891 Wellington Stapleton-Cotton 2nd Viscount Combermere died. His son Robert succeeded 3rd Viscount Combermere, 3rd Baron Combermere, 8th Baronet Cotton of Combermere in Cheshire. Isabel Marion Chetwynd Viscountess Combermere by marriage Viscountess Combermere.
On 21st February 1871 Louisa Anne Murray Lady Thirkleby (age 80) died. She was buried at All Saints Church, Thirkleby, North Yorkshire [Map].
On 21st February 1874 Andrew Snape Hamond-Graeme 3rd Baronet (age 62) died. His son Graham (age 28) succeeded 4th Baronet Hamond-Graeme of Holly Grove in Berkshire.
On 21st February 1883 Wilbraham Egerton 1st Baron Egerton Tatton (age 76) died. His son Wilbraham (age 51) succeeded 2nd Baron Egerton Tatton. Mary Amherst Baroness Egerton (age 45) by marriage Baroness Egerton Tatton.
On 21st February 1887 James Graham Domville 3rd Baronet (age 74) died. His son William (age 37) succeeded 4th Baronet Domville of St Albans.
On 21st February 1891 George Thomas Keppel 6th Earl Albermarle (age 91) died. His son William (age 58) succeeded 7th Earl Albermarle, 7th Viscount Bury in Lancashire, 7th Baron Ashford of Ashford in Kent.
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 21st February 1893 John Pettie (age 53) died.
On 21st February 1905 James Carnegie 9th Earl Southesk (age 77) died. His son Charles (age 50) succeeded 10th Earl Southesk, 6th Baronet Carnegie of Pittarrow in Kincardine.
On 21st February 1912 James Eramus Philipps 12th Baronet (age 87) died. His son John (age 51) succeeded 13th Baronet Philips of Picton Castle.
On 21st February 1921 Ernst Gunther Oldenburg Duke Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg (age 57) died.
On 21st February 1925 Jean-André Rixens (age 78) died.
On 21st February 1938 George Charles Beresford (age 73) died.
On 21st February 1943 Samuel Scott 6th Baronet (age 69) died. His son Robert (age 57) succeeded 7th Baronet Scott of Lytchet Minster in Dorset.
On 21st February 1944 John Pelham 8th Earl of Chichester (age 31) died in a car accident. John Pelham 9th Earl Chichester was not born until the 14th of April 1944 at which time he succeeded to his father's titles.
On 21st February 1947 Charles Henry Alexander Paget 6th Marquess Anglesey (age 61) died. He was buried at St Edwen's Church, Llanedwen [Map]. His son George (age 24) succeeded 7th Marquess Anglesey, 8th Earl Uxbridge, 16th Baron Paget Beaudasert, 10th Baronet Bayly of Plas Newydd in Anglesey.
Charles Henry Alexander Paget 6th Marquess Anglesey: On 14th April 1885 he was born to Alexander Victor Paget. On 3rd August 1912 Charles Henry Alexander Paget 6th Marquess Anglesey and Victoria Marjorie Harriet Manners Marchioness Anglesey were married. She by marriage Marchioness Anglesey. She the daughter of Henry John Brinsley Manners 8th Duke Rutland and Violet Lindsay Duchess Rutland. They were fifth cousins.
George Charles Henry Victor Paget 7th Marquess Anglesey: On 8th October 1922 he was born to Charles Henry Alexander Paget 6th Marquess Anglesey and Victoria Marjorie Harriet Manners Marchioness Anglesey. On 13th July 2013 George Charles Henry Victor Paget 7th Marquess Anglesey died. His son Charles succeeded 8th Marquess Anglesey, 9th Earl Uxbridge, 17th Baron Paget Beaudasert, 11th Baronet Bayly of Plas Newydd in Anglesey.
On 21st February 1951 Robert Disney Leith Alexander 16th Baron Cobham (age 65) died. Baron Cobham abeyant.
Anne Boleyn. Her Life as told by Lancelot de Carle's 1536 Letter.
In 1536, two weeks after the execution of Anne Boleyn, her brother George and four others, Lancelot du Carle, wrote an extraordinary letter that described Anne's life, and her trial and execution, to which he was a witness. This book presents a new translation of that letter, with additional material from other contemporary sources such as Letters, Hall's and Wriothesley's Chronicles, the pamphlets of Wynkyn the Worde, the Memorial of George Constantyne, the Portuguese Letter and the Baga de Secrets, all of which are provided in Appendices.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 21st February 1952 George Henry James Duckworth-King 6th Baronet (age 60) died. His brother John (age 52) succeeded 7th Baronet King of Bellevue in Kent.
On 21st February 1957 Mary Louise Douglas Hamilton Duchess Montrose (age 72) died.
On 21st February 1960 Edwina Ashley Countess Mountbatten Burma (age 58) died in Jesselton, North Borneo [now Kota Kinabalu, Sabah]. She was buried at sea off the coast of Portsmouth from HMS Wakeful on 25 February 1960. Archbishop of Canterbury Archbishop Geoffrey Fisher (age 72) officiated. Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru had the Indian Navy frigate INS Trishul, already stationed in the city for repair for weeks, to escort the Wakeful and cast a wreath.
On 21st February 1979 Robert Annesley 9th Earl Annesley (age 79) died. His son Patrick (age 54) succeeded 10th Earl Annesley of Castlewellan in County Down, 11th Viscount Glerawly of County Fermanagh, 11th Baron Annesley of Castle Wellan in County Down.
On 21st February 1997 Joshua Francis Rowley 7th Baronet (age 76) died. He was buried at St Mary's Church, Stoke-by-Nayland. His fourth cousin Charles (age 70) succeeded 8th Baronet Rowley of Tendring Hall in Suffolk.