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23 Feb is in February.
1447 Death of Humphrey of Lancaster
1462 Vere Plot to Murder Edward IV
1503 Death and Funeral of Elizabeth of York
1661 Charles II Continues to Reward those who Supported His Restoration
On 23rd February 1188 Peter Burgundy was born to Sancho "Populator" I King Portugal (age 33) and Dulce Barcelona Queen Consort Portugal.
On 23rd February 1216 Geoffrey Mandeville 2nd Earl Essex (age 25) was killed in a tournament. His brother William succeeded 3rd Earl Essex.
On 23rd February 1262 Henry Wittelsbach was born to Henry Wittelsbach I Duke Lower Bavaria I Duke Bavaria (age 26) and Elizabeth Duchess Bavaria (age 26). He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.
Patent Rolls. 23rd February 1327. Pardon to Richard de Holand, knight, at the request of Edmund, earl of Kent (age 25), the king's uncle, and of Roger de Mortuo Mari (age 39), for all breaches of the peace and other offences in the late king's reign. By p.s.
On 23rd February 1365 Leopold "The Just" Habsburg III Duke Austria (age 13) and Viridis Visconti Duchess Austria (age 13) were married. She by marriage Duchess Austria. He the son of Albert Habsburg II Duke Austria and Johanna Pfirt Duchess Austria.
Archaeologia Volume 22 Section XVI. Of the discord raised in St Paule hys churche in London, betwene the Cleargie & the Duke, & Syr Henry Percye & the Londoners, by John Wiclyffe (age 49).
Thys sonne, therfor, of perdition, John Wiclyffe, was to appeare before the bishopps the Thursday before the feast of St. Peter his chaire [23rd February 1377],x there to be convented for marvellous wordes that he had spoken, Sathan, the adversarye of the whoole churche, as ys beleaved, teachynge hym; whoe after the nynth houre, the duke & Syr Henry Percye, & divyers other assystynge hym, whoe by there powre were able to trouble the weake people, & also beynge as a meane betwene them, that yf any thynge sholde fall from the table of the ritche bishopps, that ys to say plate, although it were soyled in the fall, they wolde gather yt upp & wolde chew yt by there backbytynge, beholde the abominable hoste, John aforenamed, was brought furthe with greate pompe, nether yet was sufficient yt for hym to have onely the common sergeants, unlesse Syr Henrye Percye the chiefe Marshall of Englande did goe before hym; in the waye he was animated by his companions not to feare the congregation of the bishopps, whoe in respect of hym were unlearned; nether yet the concourse of the people, seynge that he was walled in on every syde with so many knightes. His body was now broughte into St. Paule's churche with an incredible pryde, where such a multitude of people was gathered togeather to heare hym, that yt was harde for the noble men & knyghtes (the people lettynge them) to passe through, and even by & by with this occasion they were persuaded craftely to pull backe with there handes there scholer, that he myght escape deathe entended hym by manye bishopps. The devill founde a way, that fyrste a dissension beynge mayde betwene the noble men & bishopp, hys answeare myght be differed. Truly when the people beynge gathered togeather, stayed to geave place unto the noble men, Syr Henry Percye, abusynge hys authorytye, miserably pricked forwardes the people in the churche, whiche the Bishopp of London seyng, prohibited hym to exercyse suche authoritye in the churche, saynge that yf he had knowne he wolde have used hym selffe so there, he sholde not have come into the churche yf he coulde have letted hym, whiche the duke hearynge was offended, & protested that he wolde exercyse suche authorytye whether he wolde or not. When they were come into our Ladyes chappell, the duke & barons, with the archbishopp & bishopps, syttynge downe, the foresayed John also was sent in by Syr Henrye Percye to sytt downe, for because, sayed he, he haythe much to answeare he haith neade of a better seate. On the other syde, the byshopp of London denyed the sayme, affyrmynge yt to be agaynst reason that he sholde sytt there, & also contrary to the law for hym to sytt, whoe there was cited to answere before hys ordinarye; & therfor the tyme of hys answearynge, or so longe as any thynge sholde be deposed agynste hym, or hys cause sholde be handled, he ought to stande. Here upon very contumelyous wordes did ryse betwene Syr Henrye Percye & the bishopp, & the whoole multitude began to be troubled. And then the duke began to reprehende the bishopp, & the bishopp to turne then on the duke agayne. The duke was ashamed that he colde not in this stryfe prevaile,y & then began with frowarde threatenynges to deale with the bishopp, swearyng that he wolde pull downe both the pryde of hym & of all the bishopps in Englande, & added, thou trustest (sayed he) in thy parents, whoe can profytt the nothynge, for they shall have enough to doo to defend themselves, for hys parents, that ys to say hys father & hys mother, were of nobylitye, the Earle & the Countes of Devonshire. The bishopp on the other syde sayed, in defendynge the trueth I truste not in my parents, nor in the lyfe of any man, but in God in whom I ought to trust. Then the duke whysperynge in his eare sayed he had rather draw hym furth of the churche by the heare then suffer such thynges. The Londoners hearynge these words, angerlye with a lowd voyce cried out, swearynge they wolde not suffer there Bishopp to be injured, & that they wold soner loose there lyfe then there bishopp sholde be dishonered in the churche, or pulled out with such vyolence. There fury was the more encreased, for that the same day before none in the parlyament at Westminster, the duke being president, &c. it was requested in the kyngs name, that from that day forward there should be no more Mayre of London accordynge to the auncyent custome, but a captayne, and that the Marshall of England, as well in the cytye as in other places myght arrest such as offended, with many other thynges, which were manyfestly agaynst the lybertyes of the cytye, and portended daungers and hurt to the same, which being once hard, John Philpott, a cytezyn of specyall name, arose, and affyrmed that such thyngs were never sene, and that the mayor & comons wold suffer no such arrest, and so before none the counsell brake up. The duke and the byshops revylyng one another, the people wonderfully enraged and trobled, the enemy of mankynde, as I sayd before, procuryng this counsell, and by these occasyons that false varlet & mynyster of the devill persuaded, lest he should be confounded in his inventions, for he saw that in all thyngs he wold be profytable unto hym, & therefore was careful lest such a defender of his part should perysh ether secretly or so lightly.
Note x. The date here assigned to this remarkable transaction is doubted by Lowth, because the Pope's Bull, which he supposes to have been the cause of Wicliffe's citation to St. Paul's, bears as late a date as the 22d of May 1377. He therefore concludes, that the tumult could not have happened many days before the death of Edward the Third, which occurred on the 21st of June. Lewis, in his Life of Wicliffe (p. 50), supposes the meeting at St. Paul's not to have taken place till the February of the succeeding year, after the accession of Richard the Second, in which he is followed by Mr. Baber, in the memoirs prefixed to his edition of Wicliffe's New Testament, p. xvii. This, however, is completely at variance not only with the relation in the text, but also with that of Walsingham, the Continuator of Murimuth, and the other contemporary or early authorities. Mr. Godwin (Life of Chaucer, ii. p. 251) defends the earlier date, suggesting that the citation to St. Paul's was the immediate and personal act of the English prelacy, and that it was the citation of Wicliffe to Lambeth in the following year, which was the result of the Pope's interference, the English Bishops having found themselves too weak in the contest, and having, on that account, invited the interposition of the sovereign Pontiff. This appears to be the true solution, agreeing with the statement in the text, that it was upon the suggestion of the bishops, that Archbishop Sudbury had been unwillingly moved to issue the citation. It is true, indeed, that the mandate (preserved in Wilkin's Concilia, iii. p. 123), which the Archbishop and the Bishop of London, in consequence of the authority vested in them by the Pope's Bull, issued to the Chancellor of Oxford on the 5th of January following, required Wicliffe's presence at St. Paul's on the thirtieth juridical day from that date. But as we have no account from the contemporary writers that any second meeting in St. Paul's actually took place, it may be reasonably concluded that Lambeth was afterwards substituted, as a less likely scene for the renewal of popular commotion, though the result proved otherwise. The opinion here expressed may be strengthened by remarking that not only Fox, but his able antagonist Harpsfeld, who, though a zealous papist, was furnished with materials for his Ecclesiastical History by Archbishop Parker (in whose mild custody he was a prisoner) understood the tumult at St. Paul's to have preceded and been the cause of the Pope's interference, and that the proceeding at Lambeth was the consequence of it. Hist. Wicleffiana, p. 683.
Note y. y Fox, in quoting the Chronicle of St. Alban's, then belonging to Archbishop Parker, from which (as is stated in the introductory Letter) the Chronicle above printed is conceived to have been a translation, says, "to use the words of mine author, 'Erubuit Dux quod non potuit prevalere litigio,' i. e. that the Duke blushed because he could not overpasse the Bishop in brawling and railing." Acts & Mon. i. p. 558, edit. 1641. It clearly appears from this and other passages, that Fox had the use of the Latin original, translating it into language which suited his purpose, though not departing from the facts. Fuller, in his Church History, has dramatized this dialogue between the duke and the bishop, in his usual quaint style.
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On 23rd February 1416 Margarethe La Marck was born to Adolph La Marck I Duke Cleves (age 42) and Marie Valois Duchess Cleves (age 23). She married 11th May 1433 her half second cousin once removed William Wittelsbach III Duke Bavaria, son of John Wittelsbach II Duke Bavaria and Catherine Gorizia Duchess Bavaria, and had issue.
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 23rd February 1417 Louis IX Duke of Bavaria was born to Henry "The Rich" Wittelsbach XVI Duke Bavaria (age 31) and Margarete Habsburg Duchess Bavaria (age 21). He married 21st March 1452 his second cousin once removed Amalia of Saxony and had issue.
On 23rd February 1447 Humphrey Lancaster 1st Duke Gloucester (age 56) died at Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk [Map]. He was possibly poisoned although more likely he died from a stroke. Duke Gloucester, Earl Pembroke extinct. His death left England with no heir to the throne in a direct line. Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York (age 35) became heir presumptive until the birth of Edward of Westminster Prince of Wales six years later.
Chronicle of William of Worcester [1415-1482]. William148, the fourth son of Duke Richard, was born on the 7th of July at Fotheringhay. On the 23rd of February [1447], a Thursday, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester (age 56), uncle of Henry VI, died in parliament at Bury [St. Edmunds]. Henry Beaufort (age 72), Cardinal of England, brother of King Henry IV, died on the 11th of April [1447]. John Holland, Duke of Exeter, died on the 5th of August [1447].
Natus est Willelmus, quartus filius Ricardi ducis, vij. die Julii apud Fodryngay. Obiit xxiij. die Februarii, die Jovis, Hunfridus, dux Gloucestriæ, avunculus Henrici VI. in parliamento apud Bury. Obiit Henricus Beauford, cardinalis Angliæ, frater regis Henrici Quarti, xj. die Aprilis. Obiit dominus Johannes Holonde, dux Exoniæ, y. die Augusti.
Note 148. William of York. Born 7th July 1447. Died young.
Vault below St Alban's Shrine, St Albans Cathedral in which Humphrey Lancaster 1st Duke Gloucester (age 56) was buried after 23rd February 1447. Restored in 2000.
A stone chamber, below the abbey shrine area, built in the 1440s as the tomb of Duke Humphrey of Gloucester; it was rediscovered in 1703. This is 'the earliest accessible vault with its own distinct entrance, approached down a steep flight of steps. On the east wall are traces of a painting of the Crucifixion, another unique feature. The original coffin was destroyed 1713-22 but some bones remain in the vault. Note the date 1391 incorrect; Humphrey was born in 1390.
On 23rd February 1462 William Tyrrell (age 54), John Montgomery and Thomas Tuddenham (age 60) were beheaded at Tower Hill [Map].
On 23rd February 1473 Arnold Egmont Duke Guelders (age 62) died. His son Adolf (age 35) succeeded 2nd Duke Guelders.
On 23rd February 1503 Elizabeth York Queen Consort England (deceased) was buried in the King Henry VII Chapel, Westminster Abbey [Map]. Her sister Catherine York Countess Devon (age 23) waschief mourner.
The Antiquarian Repertory. 23rd February 1503. And after th' offring of money there were offered to the Corps by the laides xxxvij [37] palls in manner as followeth first the lady Montjoy (age 24) a pall delivered to her at the quier dore by a gent huisher and when she came to the feete of the Corps there stood two officers of Armes after that she had done her obey sauce and kissed it and layd it along the Corps In likewise the lady Dacre of the south (age 33) offred another which the said officers layde a Crosse over that other and lykewise these laides offred palls whose names follow.
The lady Fitzwater (age 24).
The lady Gordon.
The lady Scrope,
The lady Powys.
The lady Clifford,
The lady Daubeny.
The lady vicountesse Lisley (age 18) ij.
The lady Anne Percy.
The lady Lucey of Montague.
The lady Herbard.
The countess of Essex iij.
The lady Elizebeth Stafford iij.
The lady marquisse iiij.
Every of the Queens sisters instead of Dutchesses v which all were layde acrosse over the Corps.
All the Ceremony of that offring doone to the sermon said by the said lord Richard Fitzjames Byshopp of Rochester which tooke to his anteme Misere mei misere mei saltern vos amici mei quia manus Dm tetigit me he spake these wordes in the name of England and the lovers and friends of the same seing the great losse of that vertuous Queene and that noble prince and th' Arch Byshop of Canterbury.
The Masse done a mynister of the Church tooke away the palls.
Then the ladyes depted.
After whose depture the Image with the Crowne and the rich robes were had to a secret place to St Edwards shrine.
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Letters and Papers. 23rd February 1536. Faustina, C. iii. 456. B. M. 345. Vice Chancellor and University of Cambridge to the Queen (age 35).
Thank her for her gentle and loving acceptance of their letters delivered to her in the West country, and for her promotion of their petition to the King for the remission of tenths and first-fruits due to him from the University. This yearly charge would greatly diminish the number of scholars in every college.
Beg her to consider what the Vice-Chancellor, the bearer, will show her on this subject, and to speak for them to the King. From Cambridge in our Regent House, 23 Feb.
Add. Endd.
On 23rd February 1546 Francis Bourbon Count of Enghien (age 26) died when hit by a falling chest. His brother Jean (age 17) succeeded Count Enghien.
On 23rd February 1554 Henry Grey 1st Duke of Suffolk (age 37) was beheaded at Tower Hill [Map]. Duke Suffolk, Marquess Dorset, Earl Huntingdon, Baron Ferrers of Groby, Baron Harington, Baron Bonville forfeit.
Dean Hugh Weston (age 49) acted as Confessor.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 23rd February 1559. The xxiij day dyd pryche afor the quen (age 25) Gryndalle (age 40).
On 23rd February 1633 Samuel Pepys was born to John Pepys (age 32) and Margaret Kite in Salisbury Court, Fleet Street. He was baptised at St Bride's Church, Fleet Street by James Palmer (age 51). He married 1st December 1655 Elizabeth de St Michel.
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 23rd February 1642 Christian Saxe Gotha was born to Ernest "The Pious" Saxe Gotha I Duke Saxe Gotha (age 40) and Elisabeth Sophie Saxe Altenburg Duchess Saxe Gotha (age 22) at Gotha. Coefficient of inbreeding 3.17%. He died aged less than one years old.
On 23rd February 1657 Nicole Lorraine Duchess Lorraine (age 48) died.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 23rd February 1660. Thursday, my birthday, now twenty-seven years. A pretty fair morning, I rose and after writing a while in my study I went forth. To my office, where I told Mr. Hawly of my thoughts to go out of town to-morrow. Hither Mr. Fuller comes to me and my Uncle Thomas too, thence I took them to drink, and so put off my uncle. So with Mr. Fuller (age 52) home to my house, where he dined with me, and he told my wife and me a great many stories of his adversities, since these troubles, in being forced to travel in the Catholic countries, &c. He shewed me his bills, but I had not money to pay him. We parted, and I to Whitehall, where I was to see my horse which Mr. Garthwayt lends me to-morrow. So home, where Mr. Pierce comes to me about appointing time and place where and when to meet tomorrow.!So to Westminster Hall [Map], where, after the House rose, I met with Mr. Crew (age 62), who told me that my Lord was chosen by 73 voices, to be one of the Council of State. Mr. Pierpoint (age 52) had the most, 101, and himself the next, too. He brought me in the coach home. He and Mr. Anslow (age 45) being in it. I back to the Hall, and at Mrs. Michell's shop staid talking a great while with her and my Chaplain, Mr. Mumford, and drank a pot or two of ale on a wager that Mr. Prin (age 60) is not of the Council. Home and wrote to my Lord the news of the choice of the Council by the post, and so to bed.
In early 1661 King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 30) rewarded of further tranche of those who supported his Restoration...
On 2nd January 1661 Henry Bedingfield 1st Baronet (age 46) was created 1st Baronet Bedingfield of Oxburgh in Norfolk.
On 10th January 1661 Andrew Rutherford 1st Earl Teviot was created 1st Baron Rutherford with special remainder to his heirs and assignees whatsoever, and that under what provisions, restrictions, and conditions the said Lord Rutherford should think fit.
On 23rd January 1661 John Cole 1st Baronet (age 41) was created Baronet Cole of Newland.
On 23rd February 1661 Edward Smythe 1st Baronet (age 41) was created 1st Baronet Smythe.
On 4th March 1661 Compton Reade 1st Baronet (age 36) was created 1st Baronet Reade of Barton in Berkshire. Mary Cornwall Lady Reade (age 31) by marriage Lady Reade of Barton in Berkshire.
On 10th March 1661 Brian Broughton 1st Baronet (age 42) was created 1st Baronet Broughton of Broughton in Staffordshire.
On 20th March 1661 Thomas Rich 1st Baronet (age 60) was created 1st Baronet Rich of Sonning in Berkshire.
On 29th March 1661 Robert Cholmondeley 1st Viscount Cholmondeley (age 21) was created 1st Viscount Cholmondeley of Kells in County Meath.
On 30th March 1661 James Butler 1st Duke Ormonde (age 50) was created 1st Duke Ormonde by King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. Elizabeth Preston Duchess Ormonde (age 45) by marriage Duchess Ormonde.
On 30th March 1661 John Fettiplace 1st Baronet (age 35) was created 1st Baronet Fettiplace of Childrey in Berkshire. Anne Wenman Lady Fettiplace (age 31) by marriage Lady Fettiplace of Childrey in Berkshire.
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Samuel Pepys' Diary. 23rd February 1661. This my birthday, 28 years. This morning Sir W. Batten (age 60), Pen, and I did some business, and then I by water to Whitehall, having met Mr. Hartlibb (age 61) by the way at Alderman Backwell's (age 43). So he did give me a glass of Rhenish wine at the Steeleyard, and so to Whitehall by water. He continues of the same bold impertinent humour that he was always of and will ever be. He told me how my Lord Chancellor (age 52) had lately got the Duke of York (age 27) and Duchess, and her woman, my Lord Ossory's and a Doctor, to make oath before most of the judges of the kingdom, concerning all the circumstances of their marriage. And in fine, it is confessed that they were not fully married till about a month or two before she was brought to bed; but that they were contracted long before, and time enough for the child to be legitimate1. But I do not hear that it was put to the judges to determine whether it was so or no.
Note 1. The Duke of York's marriage took place September 3rd, 1660. Anne Hyde was contracted to the Duke at Breda, November 24th, 1659.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 23rd February 1662. Lord's Day. My cold being increased, I staid at home all day, pleasing myself with my dining-room, now graced with pictures, and reading of Dr. Fuller's (age 54) "Worthys". So I spent the day, and at night comes Sir W. Pen (age 40) and supped and talked with me. This day by God's mercy I am 29 years of age, and in very good health, and like to live and get an estate; and if I have a heart to be contented, I think I may reckon myself as happy a man as any is in the world, for which God be praised. So to prayers and to bed.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 23rd February 1663. This morning came my Lord Windsor (age 36) to kiss the Duke's (age 29) hand, being returned from Jamaica. He tells the Duke, that from such a degree of latitude going thither he begun to be sick, and was never well till his coming so far back again, and then presently begun to be well. He told the Duke of their taking the fort of St. Jago, upon Cuba, by his men; but, upon the whole, I believe that he did matters like a young lord, and was weary of being upon service out of his own country, where he might have pleasure. For methought it was a shame to see him this very afternoon, being the first day of his coming to town, to be at a playhouse.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 23rd February 1663. Thence to my Lord Sandwich (age 37), who though he has been abroad again two or three days is falling ill again, and is let blood this morning, though I hope it is only a great cold that he has got. It was a great trouble to me (and I had great apprehensions of it) that my Lord desired me to go to Westminster Hall [Map], to the Parliament-house door, about business; and to Sir Wm. Wheeler (age 52), which I told him I would do, but durst not go for fear of being taken by these rogues; but was forced to go to White Hall and take boat, and so land below the Tower at the Iron-gate [Map]; and so the back way over Little Tower Hill [Map]; and with my cloak over my face, took one of the watermen along with me, and staid behind a wall in the New-buildings behind our garden, while he went to see whether any body stood within the Merchants' Gate, under which we pass to go into our garden, and there standing but a little dirty boy before the gate, did make me quake and sweat to think he might be a Trepan1. But there was nobody, and so I got safe into the garden, and coming to open my office door, something behind it fell in the opening, which made me start. So that God knows in what a sad condition I should be in if I were truly in the condition that many a poor man is for debt: and therefore ought to bless God that I have no such reall reason, and to endeavour to keep myself, by my good deportment and good husbandry, out of any such condition.
Note 1. Trickster.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 23rd February 1663. By and by took coach, and to the Duke's house, where we saw it well acted, though the play hath little good in it, being most pleased to see the little girl dance in boy's apparel, she having very fine legs, only bends in the hams, as I perceive all women do. The play being done, we took coach and to Court, and there got good places, and saw "The Wilde Gallant", performed by the King's house, but it was ill acted, and the play so poor a thing as I never saw in my life almost, and so little answering the name, that from beginning to end, I could not, nor can at this time, tell certainly which was the Wild Gallant. The King (age 32) did not seem pleased at all, all the whole play, nor any body else, though Mr. Clerke (age 40) whom we met here did commend it to us. My Baroness Castlemaine's (age 22) was all worth seeing tonight, and little Steward (age 15). Mrs. Wells (age 21) do appear at Court again, and looks well; so that, it may be, the late report of laying the dropped child to her was not true.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 23rd February 1663. So to bed. This day I was told that my Baroness Castlemaine's (age 22) hath all the King's Christmas presents, made him by the peers, given to her, which is a most abominable thing; and that at the great ball she was much richer in jewells than the Queen (age 24) and Duchess (age 25) put both together.
John Evelyn's Diary. 23rd February 1665. I was invited to a great feast at Mr. Rich's (a relation of my wife's (age 30), now reader at Lincoln's Inn); where was the Duke of Monmouth (age 15), the Archbishop of Canterbury (age 66), Bishops of London (age 33) and Winchester (age 66), the Speaker of the House of Commons (age 48), divers of the Judges, and several other great men.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 23rd February 1666. Up betimes, and out of doors by 6 of the clock, and walked (W. Howe with me) to my Lord Sandwich's (age 40), who did lie the last night at his house in Lincoln's Inne Fields. It being fine walking in the morning, and the streets full of people again. There I staid, and the house full of people come to take leave of my Lord, who this day goes out of towne upon his embassy towards Spayne. And I was glad to find Sir W. Coventry (age 38) to come, though I know it is only a piece of courtshipp. I had much discourse with my Lord, he telling me how fully he leaves the King (age 35) his friend and the large discourse he had with him the other day, and how he desired to have the business of the prizes examined before he went, and that he yielded to it, and it is done as far as it concerns himself to the full, and the Lords Commissioners for prizes did reprehend all the informers in what related to his Lordship, which I am glad of in many respects. But we could not make an end of discourse, so I promised to waite upon (him) on Sunday at Cranborne, and took leave and away hence to Mr. Hales's (age 66) with Mr. Hill (age 36) and two of the Houblons, who come thither to speak with me, and saw my wife's picture, which pleases me well, but Mr. Hill's picture never a whit so well as it did before it was finished, which troubled me, and I begin to doubt the picture of my Lady Peters my wife takes her posture from, and which is an excellent picture, is not of his making, it is so master-like. I set them down at the 'Change [Map] and I home to the office, and at noon dined at home and to the office again.
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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Samuel Pepys' Diary. 23rd February 1668. Thence by coach, with Brisband, to Sir G. Carteret's (age 58), in Lincoln's Inn Fields, and there dined: a good dinner and good company; and after dinner he and I alone, discoursing of my Lord Sandwich's (age 42) matters; who hath, in the first business before the House, been very kindly used beyond expectation, the matter being laid by, till his coming home and old Mr. Vaughan (age 64) did speak for my Lord, which I am mighty glad of. The business of the prizes is the worst that can be said, and therein I do fear something may lie hard upon him; but, against this, we must prepare the best we can for his defence.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 23rd February 1669. Up: and to the Office, where all the morning, and then home, and put a mouthfull of victuals in my mouth; and by a Hackney-coach followed my wife and the girls [Barbara Pepys and Elizabeth Pepys], who are gone by eleven o'clock, thinking to have seen a new play at the Duke of York's (age 35) house. But I do find them staying at my tailor's, the play not being to-day, and therefore I now took them to Westminster Abbey, and there did show them all the tombs very finely, having one with us alone, there being other company this day to see the tombs, it being Shrove Tuesday; and here we did see, by particular favour, the body of Queen Katherine of Valois; and I had the upper part of her body in my hands, and I did kiss her mouth, reflecting upon it that I did kiss a Queen1, and that this was my birth-day, thirty-six years old, that I did first kiss a Queen. But here this man, who seems to understand well, tells me that the saying is not true that says she was never buried, for she was buried; only, when Henry the Seventh built his chapel, it was taken up and laid in this wooden coffin; but I did there see that, in it, the body was buried in a leaden one, which remains under the body to this day.
Note 1. Pepys's attachment to the fair sex extended even to a dead Queen. The record of this royal salute on his natal day is very characteristic. The story told him in Westminster Abbey appears to have been correct; for Neale informs us ("History of Westminster Abbey", vol. ii., p. 88) that near the south side of Henry V.'s tomb there was formerly a wooden chest, or coffin, wherein part of the skeleton and parched body of Katherine de Valois, his Queen (from the waist upwards), was to be seen. She was interred in January, 1457, in the Chapel of Our Lady, at the east end of this church; but when that building was pulled down by her grandson, Henry VII, her coffin was found to be decayed, and her body was taken up, and placed in a chest, near her first husband's tomb. "There", says Dart, "it hath ever since continued to be seen, the bones being firmly united, and thinly clothed with flesh, like scrapings of tanned leather". This awful spectacle of frail mortality was at length removed from the public gaze into St. Nicholas's Chapel [Map], and finally deposited under the monument of Sir George Villiers, when the vault was made for the remains of Elizabeth Percy, Duchess of Northumberland, in December, 1776. B.
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On 9th February 1672 Maria Anna Antonia Habsburg Spain was born to Leopold Habsburg Spain I Holy Roman Emperor (age 31) and Margaret Theresa Habsburg Holy Roman Empress (age 20). She died on 23rd February 1672 aged two weeks. Coefficient of inbreeding 30.98%.
John Evelyn's Diary. 23rd February 1673. The Bishop of Chichester (age 59) preached before the King (age 42) on Coloss. II 14, 15, admirably well, as he can do nothing but what is well.
John Evelyn's Diary. 23rd February 1684. I went to Sir John Chardine (age 40), who desired my assistance for the engraving the plates, the translation, and printing his History of that wonderfull Persian. Monument neere Persepolis, and other rare antiquities, which he had caus'd to be drawne from the originals in his second journey into Persia, which we now concluded upon. Afterwards I went with Sr Christ' Wren to Dr Tenison (age 47), where we made the drawing and estimate of the expence of the Library, to be begun this next Spring neere the Mewes. Greate expectation of the Prince of Orange's (age 33) attempts in Holland to bring those of Amsterdam to consent to the new levies, to which we were no friends, by a pseudo-politic adherence to the French interest.
On 23rd February 1700 Anne Douglasdied ten days after an accident when her clothes caught on fire.
On 23rd February 1728 Isabella Bentinck Duchess Kingston upon Hull (age 39) died. She was buried at the Church of St Edmund, Holme Pierrepoint [Map].
After 23rd February 1730. Monument to Katherine late wife of Roland Hunt Rector of Stoke Doyle. Church of St Rumbold, Stoke Doyle [Map].
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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In 23rd February 1738 Edmund Quincy (age 56) died of smallpox.
On 23rd February 1750 Catherine Glücksburg was born to Peter August Oldenburg I Duke Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck (age 52) and Natália Nikolaievna Golovine Duchess Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck.
On 23rd February 1768 Mary Webb Duchess Somerset (age 71) died.
On 23rd February 1779 Prince Octavius Hanover was born to King George III of Great Britain and Ireland (age 40) and Charlotte Mecklenburg Strelitz Queen Consort England (age 34). He died aged four in 1783.
On 23rd February 1803 Alexandrine Hohenzollern was born to Frederick William III King Prussia (age 32) and Queen Louise of Prussia (age 26). She married 25th May 1822 her third cousin once removed Grand Duke Paul Frederick of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and had issue.
On 23rd February 1817 George Frederick Watts was born. He married 20th February 1864 Ellen Terry.
On 23rd February 1821 John Keats (age 25) died. He was buried at the Protestant aka English Cemetery, Rome. His last request was to be placed under a tombstone bearing no name or date, only the words, "Here lies One whose Name was writ in Water." His gravestone is inscribed with "This Grave contains all that was Mortal, of a YOUNG ENGLISH POET, Who, on his Death Bed, in the Bitterness of his Heart, at the Malicious Power of his Enemies, Desired these Words to be engraven on his Tomb Stone Here lies One Whose Name was writ in Water Feb 24th 1821.
Attribution: Howardhudson at English Wikipedia, CC BY 2.5
23rd February 1821. Joseph Severn (age 27). Portrait of John Keats (age 25) on his deathbed.
On 23rd February 1847 Hugh Percy 3rd Duke Northumberland (deceased) was buried at Northumberland Vault, Crypt, Westminster Abbey.
Thomas Bateman 1846. The barrow at Lean Lowe [Map], opened on the 17th of June, 1843, without any decisive results, was again excavated on the 23d of February 1847; when the operations were confined to the north side of the tumulus, a part previously unexplored. About eighteen inches beneath the surface was found a small urn of very coarse clay, neatly ornamented, deposited in a rude cist formed of four large stones; around the urn were many pieces of calcined bone, which did not appear ever to have been placed within it; on the contrary, it contained some splinters of animal bones, which were free from the action of fire, and a small knife of black flint. Laid upon the rock, about a foot deeper than the vase, was a human skeleton, in a contracted position and imbedded in rats' bones, but unaccompanied by any kind of relic. These bones were the remains of a young person, whose age probably did not exceed sixteen years, and whose teeth are beautifully regular.
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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Ten Years' Digging. On the 23rd of February, at Blakelow [Map], near Warslow, we opened a barrow, twenty yards across and two feet deep in the middle of our section, composed of stiff earth of different colours, inclining to clay. Not far from the centre was a deposit of calcined bones, mixed with charcoal, lying on the natural surface, covered and surrounded with stones placed with but little attention to regularity, excepting a few on the level which seemed to have been arranged in a row. The bones were accompanied by two neatly-wrought instruments of flint - one a spear-head, the other oval - which, contrary to the general custom, had not passed through the fire. Several other trenches were made without further results.
On 23rd February 1925 Stanley Spencer (age 33) and Hilda Anne Carline (age 35) were married.
On 23rd February 1928 David Fitzroy 11th Duke Beaufort was born to Henry Robert Fitzroy (age 30) and Bettine Violet Malcolm (age 27). He was educated at Eton College [Map]. He married (1) 5th July 1950 Caroline Jane Thynne 11th Duchess Beaufort, daughter of Henry Frederick Thynne 6th Marquess of Bath and Daphne Vivian Marchioness Bath, and had issue (2) 2nd June 2000 Miranda Morley 11th Duchess Beaufort.
On 23rd February 1943 William Humble Eric Ward 3rd Earl of Dudley (age 49) and Frances Laura Charteris Duchess of Marlborough (age 27) were married. She by marriage Countess of Dudley of Dudley Castle in Staffordshire. The difference in their ages was 21 years. He the son of William Humble Ward 2nd Earl of Dudley and Gertrude "Gertie" Millar Countess of Dudley (age 64).
On 23rd February 1999 Frederick William John Augustus Hervey 7th Marquess of Bristol (deceased) was buried at St Mary's Church Ickworth, Bury St Edmunds.
On 23rd February 1188 Peter Burgundy was born to Sancho "Populator" I King Portugal (age 33) and Dulce Barcelona Queen Consort Portugal.
On 23rd February 1262 Henry Wittelsbach was born to Henry Wittelsbach I Duke Lower Bavaria I Duke Bavaria (age 26) and Elizabeth Duchess Bavaria (age 26). He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.
On 23rd February 1416 Margarethe La Marck was born to Adolph La Marck I Duke Cleves (age 42) and Marie Valois Duchess Cleves (age 23). She married 11th May 1433 her half second cousin once removed William Wittelsbach III Duke Bavaria, son of John Wittelsbach II Duke Bavaria and Catherine Gorizia Duchess Bavaria, and had issue.
On 23rd February 1417 Louis IX Duke of Bavaria was born to Henry "The Rich" Wittelsbach XVI Duke Bavaria (age 31) and Margarete Habsburg Duchess Bavaria (age 21). He married 21st March 1452 his second cousin once removed Amalia of Saxony and had issue.
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 23rd February 1620 Andrew Newport was born to Richard Newport 1st Baron Newport (age 32) and Frances Leveson Baroness Gower at Wroxeter, Shropshire [Map].
On 23rd February 1620 Francis Newport 1st Earl Bradford was born to Richard Newport 1st Baron Newport (age 32) and Frances Leveson Baroness Gower at Wroxeter, Shropshire [Map]. He married 28th April 1642 Diana Russell Countess Bradford, daughter of Francis Russell 4th Earl Bedford and Catherine Brydges Countess Bedford, and had issue.
On 23rd February 1633 Samuel Pepys was born to John Pepys (age 32) and Margaret Kite in Salisbury Court, Fleet Street. He was baptised at St Bride's Church, Fleet Street by James Palmer (age 51). He married 1st December 1655 Elizabeth de St Michel.
On 23rd February 1642 Christian Saxe Gotha was born to Ernest "The Pious" Saxe Gotha I Duke Saxe Gotha (age 40) and Elisabeth Sophie Saxe Altenburg Duchess Saxe Gotha (age 22) at Gotha. Coefficient of inbreeding 3.17%. He died aged less than one years old.
On 23rd February 1666 Nichola Sophia Hamilton Lady Beresford was born to Hugh Hamilton 1st Viscount of Glenawly (age 66) and Susanna Balfour (age 26). She married February 1687 Tristram Beresford 3rd Baronet, son of Randal Beresford 2nd Baronet and Catherine Annesley Lady Beresford, and had issue.
On 9th February 1672 Maria Anna Antonia Habsburg Spain was born to Leopold Habsburg Spain I Holy Roman Emperor (age 31) and Margaret Theresa Habsburg Holy Roman Empress (age 20). She died on 23rd February 1672 aged two weeks. Coefficient of inbreeding 30.98%.
On 23rd February 1726 James Wemyss was born to James Wemyss 5th Earl of Wemyss (age 26) and Janet Charteris. He married 29th August 1757 his half first cousin Elizabeth Sutherland, daughter of William Sutherland 17th Earl Sutherland and Elizabeth Wemyss Countess Sutherland.
On 23rd February 1738 William East 1st Baronet was born.
On 23rd February 1740 Wharton Emerson aka Amcotts 1st Baronet was born to Alexander Emerson. He married 16th April 1762 Anna Maria Amcotts and had issue.
On 23rd February 1748 Mary Montagu was born to John Montagu 4th Earl Sandwich (age 29) and Dorothy Fane Countess Sandwich (age 30).
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 23rd February 1749 Penelope Pitt Viscountess Ligonier was born to George Pitt 1st Baron Rivers (age 27) and Penelope Atkins. She married (1) 6th December 1766 Edward Ligonier 1st Earl Ligonier.
On 23rd February 1750 Catherine Glücksburg was born to Peter August Oldenburg I Duke Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck (age 52) and Natália Nikolaievna Golovine Duchess Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck.
On 23rd February 1758 Mary Churchill Countess Cadogan was born to Charles Churchill (age 44) and Maria Walpole (age 35). She married (1) 10th May 1777 Charles Sloane Cadogan 1st Earl Cadogan, son of Charles Cadogan 2nd Baron Cadogan and Elizabeth Sloane Baroness Cadogan, and had issue.
On 23rd February 1776 Samuel Young 1st Baronet was born. He married 29th April 1796 Emily Baring Lady Young and had issue.
On 23rd February 1779 Charles Jenkinson 10th Baronet was born to Colonel John Jenkinson (age 45) and Frances Barker. He married before 1833 Katherine Campbell Lady Jenkinson and had issue.
On 23rd February 1779 Prince Octavius Hanover was born to King George III of Great Britain and Ireland (age 40) and Charlotte Mecklenburg Strelitz Queen Consort England (age 34). He died aged four in 1783.
On 23rd February 1797 Henry Wilson 11th Baron Berners was born to Reverend Henry Wilson 10th Baron Berners (age 34). He married (1) 24th February 1823 his first cousin Mary Letitia Crump Baroness Berners (2) 21st July 1857 Henrietta Charlotte Cholmondeley Baroness Berners, daughter of Thomas Cholmondeley 1st Baron Delamere and Henrietta Elizabeth Williams-Wynn Baroness Delamere.
On 23rd February 1800 Robert Smith aka Vernon 1st Baron Lyveden was born to Robert Percy Smith (age 29) and Caroline Vernon. He married 1823 his half first cousin Emma Mary Fitzpatrick Baroness Lyveden, daughter of John Fitzpatrick 2nd Earl Upper Ossory and Elizabeth Mary Wilson, and had issue.
On 23rd February 1800 William Jardine 7th Baronet was born to Alexander Jardine 6th Baronet. He married before 21st November 1874 Hyacinth Symonds Lady Jardine and had issue.
William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
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On 23rd February 1801 Charlotte Susan Ashburnham was born to George Ashburnham 3rd Earl Ashburnham (age 40) and Charlotte Percy Countess Ashburham (age 25).
On 23rd February 1803 Alexandrine Hohenzollern was born to Frederick William III King Prussia (age 32) and Queen Louise of Prussia (age 26). She married 25th May 1822 her third cousin once removed Grand Duke Paul Frederick of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and had issue.
On 23rd February 1805 Edward Blackett 6th Baronet was born to William Blackett 5th Baronet (age 46). He married (1) 1830 Julia Monck Lady Blackett, daughter of Charles Miles Lambert Monck 6th Baronet and Louisa Lucia Cook, and had issue (2) 1851 Frances Vere Loraine Lady Blackett, daughter of William Loraine 4th Baronet and Frances Campart (3) 1875 Isabella Richardson Lady Blackett (4) 1880 Alethea Rianette Scott Lady Blackett.
On 23rd February 1808 William George Howard 8th Earl Carlisle was born to George Howard 6th Earl Carlisle (age 34) and Georgiana Cavendish Countess Carlisle (age 24).
On 23rd February 1812 Cosmo Lewis Duff Gordon was born to William Duff-Gordon 2nd Baronet (age 39) and Caroline Cornewall Lady Duff-Gordon (age 23). He married 8th November 1859 Anna-Maria Antrobus, daughter of Edmund Antrobus 2nd Baronet, and had issue.
On 23rd February 1817 George Frederick Watts was born. He married 20th February 1864 Ellen Terry.
On 23rd February 1818 Frederick Methuen 2nd Baron Methuen was born to Paul Methuen 1st Baron Methuen (age 38) and Jane Dorothea Mildmay (age 29). He married 1844 Anna Horatia Sanford Baroness Methuen and had issue.
On 23rd February 1823 Fanny Catherine Lonsdale Baroness Beckett was born to Bishop John Lonsdale (age 35) and Sophia Bolland. She married 7th October 1845 Edmund Beckett 1st Baron Grimthorpe, son of Edmund Beckett aka Denison 4th Baronet and Maria Beverley Lady Beckett.
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 23rd February 1824 Astley Paston Paston-Cooper 3rd Baronet was born to Astley Paston Cooper 2nd Baronet (age 26) and Elizabeth Harriet Rickford Lady Cooper (age 21).
On 23rd February 1826 Captain Edward Cecil Bishopp 12th Baronet was born to George Bishopp 9th Baronet (age 34) and Catherine Elizabeth Sproule.
On 23rd February 1848 George Montgomerie 15th Earl of Eglinton was born to Archibald William Montgomerie 13th Earl Eglinton (age 35) and Theresa Howe Newcomen (age 39).
On 23rd February 1849 Maria Gray Countess of Home was born to Captain Charles Conrad Grey posthumously. She married 18th August 1870 Charles Douglas-Home 12th Earl of Home, son of Cospatrick Alexander Douglas-Home 11th Earl of Home and Lucy Elizabeth Montagu Scott Countess Home, and had issue.
On 23rd February 1856 Francis Bowes Lyon was born to Claude Bowes-Lyon 13th Earl Strathmore and Kinghorne (age 31) and Frances Dora Smith Countess Strathmore and Kinghorne (age 23). He married 23rd November 1883 Anne Catherine Sybil Lindsay.
On 23rd February 1860 Elizabeth Evelyn Harbord Baroness Hastings was born to Charles Harbord 5th Baron Suffield (age 30) and Cecilia Annetta Baring Baroness Suffield (age 26). She married 17th April 1880 George Manners Astley 20th Baron Hastings, son of Delaval Loftus Astley 18th Baron Hastings and Frances Diana Manners-Sutton Baroness Hastings, and had issue.
On 23rd February 1860 William Robert Williams 3rd Baronet was born to Frederick Martin Williams 2nd Baronet (age 30) and Mary Christian Law Lady Williams.
On 23rd February 1861 Drummond Cunliffe Smith 4th Baronet was born to Charles Cunliffe Smith 3rd Baronet (age 33).
On 23rd February 1871 Robert Arthur Ward was born to William Ward 1st Earl of Dudley (age 53) and Georgina Moncrieffe Countess Dudley (age 24). He married 1906 Mary Acheson, daughter of Archibald Brabazon Sparrow Acheson 4th Earl Gosford and Louisa Augusta Beatrice Montagu Countess Gosford.
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 23rd February 1889 Agnes Parnell was born to Henry Parnell 4th Baron Congleton (age 49) and Elizabeth Peter Dove. She married 19th December 1912 her sixth cousin Captain William Gilbert Howard.
On 23rd February 1913 Edward Horace Fiennes-Clinton 18th Earl of Lincoln was born to Edward Henry Fiennes-Clinton (age 26) and Edith Annie Guest at Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
On 23rd February 1919 John St Aubyn 4th Baron St Levan was born to Francis Cecil St Aubyn 3rd Baron St Levan (age 24).
On 23rd February 1928 David Fitzroy 11th Duke Beaufort was born to Henry Robert Fitzroy (age 30) and Bettine Violet Malcolm (age 27). He was educated at Eton College [Map]. He married (1) 5th July 1950 Caroline Jane Thynne 11th Duchess Beaufort, daughter of Henry Frederick Thynne 6th Marquess of Bath and Daphne Vivian Marchioness Bath, and had issue (2) 2nd June 2000 Miranda Morley 11th Duchess Beaufort.
On 23rd February 1935 Guy Francis Boileau 8th Baronet was born to Edmond Charles Boileau 7th Baronet (age 31).
On 23rd February 1943 James Assheton Frankland 18th Baron Zouche was born to Major Thomas William Assheton Frankland 11th Baronet (age 40) and Pamela Kay-Shuttleworth Lady Frankland (age 27).
On 23rd February 1944 Charles Hugh Bagot 10th Baron Bagot was born to Heneage Charles Bagot 9th Baron Bagot (age 29).
On 23rd February 1365 Leopold "The Just" Habsburg III Duke Austria (age 13) and Viridis Visconti Duchess Austria (age 13) were married. She by marriage Duchess Austria. He the son of Albert Habsburg II Duke Austria and Johanna Pfirt Duchess Austria.
On 23rd February 1489 Engelbert La Marck Count Nevers (age 26) and Charlotte Bourbon Vendôme were married. He the son of John La Marck I Duke Cleves and Elizabeth Valois Duchess Cleves.
On 23rd February 1595 Thomas Playters 1st Baronet (age 29) and Anne Browne Lady Playters (age 31) were married. They had eight sons and ten daughters.
On 23rd February 1754 Ralph Gore 6th Baronet (age 28) and Katherine Conolly were married. They were fifth cousin once removed.
On 23rd February 1768 George Smith 1st Baronet (age 54) and Catherine Vyse Lady Smith were married. She by marriage Lady Smith of Nottingham and East Stoke in Nottinghamshire.
Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes
Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 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 23rd February 1826 Charles Fitzroy 3rd Baron Southampton (age 21) and Harriet Stanhope Baroness Southampton were married. She by marriage Baroness Southampton. They were second cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.
On 23rd February 1830 Frederick Spencer 4th Earl Spencer (age 31) and Elizabeth Georgiana Poyntz Countess Spencer (age 30) were married. He the son of George John Spencer 2nd Earl Spencer (age 71) and Lavinia Bingham Countess Spencer (age 68). They were second cousins.
On 23rd February 1911 John Standish Surtees Prendergast 6th Viscount Gort (age 24) and Corinna Katherine Medlicott Vereker (age 19) were married. They were second cousins.
On 23rd February 1915 James George Anson Butler 5th Marquess Ormonde (age 25) and Sybil Fellowes Marchioness of Ormonde (age 26) were married. He the son of James Arthur Wellington Foley Butler 4th Marquess Ormonde (age 65) and Ellen Stager Marchioness Ormonde. They were third cousin once removed.
On 23rd February 1925 Stanley Spencer (age 33) and Hilda Anne Carline (age 35) were married.
On 23rd February 1939 Thomas Edward Anson 4th Earl Lichfield (age 55) and Violet Margaret Dawson-Greene Countess Lichfield were married. She by marriage Countess Lichfield. He the son of Thomas Francis Anson 3rd Earl Lichfield and Mildred Coke Countess Lichfield (age 85).
On 23rd February 1943 William Humble Eric Ward 3rd Earl of Dudley (age 49) and Frances Laura Charteris Duchess of Marlborough (age 27) were married. She by marriage Countess of Dudley of Dudley Castle in Staffordshire. The difference in their ages was 21 years. He the son of William Humble Ward 2nd Earl of Dudley and Gertrude "Gertie" Millar Countess of Dudley (age 64).
William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
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On 23rd February 943 Herbert II Count Vermandois, Soissons and Meaux died. His son Adalbert (age 28) succeeded I Count Vermandois.
On 23rd February 1216 Geoffrey Mandeville 2nd Earl Essex (age 25) was killed in a tournament. His brother William succeeded 3rd Earl Essex.
On 23rd February 1369 Henry Tailboys Baron Kyme (age 34) died.
On 23rd February 1447 Humphrey Lancaster 1st Duke Gloucester (age 56) died at Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk [Map]. He was possibly poisoned although more likely he died from a stroke. Duke Gloucester, Earl Pembroke extinct. His death left England with no heir to the throne in a direct line. Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York (age 35) became heir presumptive until the birth of Edward of Westminster Prince of Wales six years later.
On 23rd February 1473 Arnold Egmont Duke Guelders (age 62) died. His son Adolf (age 35) succeeded 2nd Duke Guelders.
On 23rd February 1546 Francis Bourbon Count of Enghien (age 26) died when hit by a falling chest. His brother Jean (age 17) succeeded Count Enghien.
On 23rd February 1554 Henry Grey 1st Duke of Suffolk (age 37) was beheaded at Tower Hill [Map]. Duke Suffolk, Marquess Dorset, Earl Huntingdon, Baron Ferrers of Groby, Baron Harington, Baron Bonville forfeit.
Dean Hugh Weston (age 49) acted as Confessor.
On 23rd February 1583 Lucy Somerset Baroness Latimer Snape (age 59) died.
On 23rd February 1657 Nicole Lorraine Duchess Lorraine (age 48) died.
On 23rd February 1694 Thomas Samwell 1st Baronet (age 40) died. His son Thomas (age 6) succeeded 2nd Baronet Samwell of Upton in Northamptonshire.
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 23rd February 1709 William Wheeler 3rd Baronet (age 55) died. He was buried at All Saints' Church, Leamington Hastings. His son Trevor (age 11) succeeded 4th Baronet Wheler of the City of Westminster.
On 23rd February 1713 Nichola Sophia Hamilton Lady Beresford (age 47) died.
On 23rd February 1727 Lionel Tollemache 3rd Earl Dysart (age 78) died. His grandson Lionel (age 18) succeeded 4th Earl Dysart, 5th Baronet Talmash of Helmingham in Suffolk.
On 23rd February 1728 Isabella Bentinck Duchess Kingston upon Hull (age 39) died. She was buried at the Church of St Edmund, Holme Pierrepoint [Map].
On 23rd February 1736 Frances Brudenell Countess Newburgh died.
On 23rd February 1740 William Marwood 4th Baronet (age 59) died. Baronet Marwood Little Busby in Yorkshire extinct.
On 23rd February 1752 John Campbell 2nd Earl Breadalbaine and Holland (age 89) died. His son John (age 55) succeeded 3rd Earl Breadalbaine and Holland. Arbella Pershall Countess Breadalbaine and Holland by marriage Countess Breadalbaine and Holland.
On 23rd February 1768 Henry Hoghton 5th Baronet (age 90) died without issue. His nephew Henry (age 39) succeeded 6th Baronet Hoghton of Hoghton Tower in Lancashire.
The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 23rd February 1768 Mary Webb Duchess Somerset (age 71) died.
On 23rd February 1770 Bennet Sherard 3rd Earl Harborough (age 60) died. His brother Robert (age 57) succeeded 4th Earl Harborough, 4th Viscount Sherard, 6th Baron Sherard of Leitrim, 4th Baron Sherard of Harborough. Jane Reeve Countess Harborough (age 29) by marriage Countess Harborough.
On 23rd February 1774 Marmaduke Asty Wyvill 7th Baronet (age 33) died.
On 23rd February 1783 Thomas Howard 14th Earl Suffolk 7th Earl Berkshire (age 61) died. His son John (age 43) succeeded 15th Earl Suffolk, 8th Earl Berkshire, 8th Viscount Andover in Hampshire, 8th Baron Howard of Charlton in Wiltshire.
On 23rd February 1794 John Saunders Sebright 6th Baronet (age 68) died. His son John (age 26) succeeded 7th Baronet Sebright of Besford in Worcestershire.
On 23rd February 1797 Berney Brograve 1st Baronet (age 70) died. His son George (age 25) succeeded 2nd Baronet Brograve of Worstead House in Norfolk.
On 23rd February 1805 Frances Catherine Gounter Nicoll Countess Dartmouth (age 72) died.
On 23rd February 1821 John Keats (age 25) died. He was buried at the Protestant aka English Cemetery, Rome. His last request was to be placed under a tombstone bearing no name or date, only the words, "Here lies One whose Name was writ in Water." His gravestone is inscribed with "This Grave contains all that was Mortal, of a YOUNG ENGLISH POET, Who, on his Death Bed, in the Bitterness of his Heart, at the Malicious Power of his Enemies, Desired these Words to be engraven on his Tomb Stone Here lies One Whose Name was writ in Water Feb 24th 1821.
Attribution: Howardhudson at English Wikipedia, CC BY 2.5
The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 23rd February 1831 John Palmer-Acland 1st Baronet (age 75) died. His son Peregrine (age 41) succeeded 2nd Baronet Palmer-Acland of Fairfield of Somerset and Newhouse in Devon.
On 23rd February 1852 Catherine Charlotte Gore Baroness Carbery (age 85) died.
On 23rd February 1857 Compton Domvile 1st Baronet (age 82) died. His son Charles (age 35) succeeded 2nd Baronet Domvile of Templeogue and Santry House in the County of Dublin.
On 23rd February 1869 George Sackville-West 5th Earl De La Warr (age 77) died. His son Charles (age 53) succeeded 6th Earl De La Warr, 6th Viscount Cantalupe, 12th Baron De La Warr.
On 23rd February 1909 Caroline Cecelia Edgecumbe Countess Revensworth and Mount Edgecumbe (age 70) died.
On 23rd February 1929 Richard Knight Causton 1st Baron Southwark (age 85) died at 12 Devonshire Place, Marylebone. Baron Southwark of Southwark in London extinct. His estate probated in the London Registry at £21282 12s 2d.
On 23rd February 1934 Osbert Mordaunt 11th Baronet (age 50) died. His first cousin Henry (age 66) succeeded 12th Baronet Mordaunt of Massingham Parva.
On 23rd February 1939 Michael Knatchbull 5th Baron Brabourne (age 43) died. His son Norton (age 17) succeeded 6th Baron Bradbourne, 15th Baronet Knatchbull of Mersham Hatch in Kent.
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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On 23rd February 1958 Ethel Finch-Hatton Lady Gunning died.
On 23rd February 1972 Robert Arthur James Gascoyne-Cecil 5th Marquess Salisbury (age 78) died. His son Robert (age 55) succeeded 6th Marquess Salisbury in Wiltshire, 12th Earl Salisbury.
On 23rd February 1983 Arthur Gore 8th Earl of Arran (age 72) died. His son Arthur (age 44) succeeded 9th Earl Arran, 9th Viscount Sudley of Castle Gore in County Mayo, 8th Baron Saunders of Deeps in County Wexford, 10th Baronet Gore of Newtown in County Mayo.
On 23rd February 2000 John Henry Guy Neville 5th Marquess Abergavenny (age 85) died. His nephew Christopher (age 44) succeeded 6th Marquess Abergavenny, 10th Earl Abergavenny, 10th Viscount Neville, 6th Earl Lewes. Venetia Maynard Marchioness Abergavenny (age 42) by marriage Marchioness Abergavenny.
On 23rd February 2021 Jennifer Lowther Countess Lonsdale (age 88) died.