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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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26 May is in May.
1445 Marriage of Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou
1465 Coronation of Elizabeth Woodville
27 May 1541 Execution of Margaret Pole
On 26th May 946 King Edmund I of England (age 25) was murdered by Leofa, an exiled thief, whilst attending mass at Pucklechurch, Gloucestershire. He was buried at Glastonbury Abbey [Map]. His brother Eadred succeeded I King of England.
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 26th May 946. This year King Edmund (age 25) died, on St. Augustine's mass day. That was widely known, how he ended his days: that Leof stabbed him at Pucklechurch. And Ethelfleda of Damerham, daughter of Alderman Elgar, was then his queen. And he reigned six years and a half: and then succeeded to the kingdom Edred Atheling his brother, who soon after reduced all the land of the Northumbrians to his dominion; and the Scots gave him oaths, that they would do all that he desired.
Chronicle of Athelward Chapter 6. 26th May 946. In the same period also died king Edmund (age 25) on the solemnity of Augustine the Less, who also was the apostle of the English: and he held the kingdom six years and a half.
On 26th May 961 Otto "Red" II King Germany II Holy Roman Emperor II King Italy (age 6) was crowned II King Germany at Aachen Cathedral.
Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough. That same year, after the king had heard that his men had fallen in Scotland, as said above, he gathered a large army, and by royal summons all came to him at the Feast of Pentecost [26th May 1303] at Roxburgh. Advancing in short marches, he carried off much plunder, burning and almost laying waste everything, traversing the land and all the mountains as far as Caithness; nor was there anyone to resist him, for they had fled into the marshes and certain nearby islands. Seeing that they could by no means resist, the Scots sent to the king, submitting and humbly asking for the things that make for peace; and that if he would allow them to hold and possess under him, in peace, the lands which he had given and promised to his magnates before, they would willingly redeem them for a price. The proposal pleased the king, and in his royal clemency he received them into peace on the aforesaid terms, at the Feast of Saint Michael [29th September 1303] following.
Eodem anno, postquam audiverat rex suos corruisse in Scotia, ut prædictum est, congregavit exercitum copiosum, et convenerunt ad eum omnes ex edicto in festo Pentecostes apud Rokesburch; profectusque est per dietas modicas, prædas agens multas, incendens et quasi devastans omnia, perlustravitque terram et omnes montes usque Cathenesse, nec erat qui resisteret ei, fugerant enim ad paludes et insulas quasdam finitimas. Videntes autem Scoti se nullo modo posse resistere, miserunt ad regem, submit, rogantes humiliter ea quæ pacis sunt; et si permittere vellet quod terras suas, quas suis magnatibus dederat et promiserat ante, possent sub eo pacifice possidere et tenere, libenter eas redimerent dato pretio. Placuitque regi sermo, et ex clementia regia suscepit eos ad pacem modo prædicto in festo Sancti Michaelis subsequentis.
Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke [-1360]. In the same year, around the Feast of the Ascension, the king crossed the sea,1 leaving his brother, the Earl of Cornwall, as guardian of the realm. He did homage to the King of France, Philip of Valois, son of Charles the Traitor, for the whole duchy of Aquitaine and the county of Ponthieu, though under certain protests. King Philip of France received the homage likewise under his own protests, namely, that he did not accept the homage in regard to those lands which his father, the said Charles, had seized from the Earl of Kent, as stated above, but retained and wished to retain them until he had been satisfied for the losses and expenses which his father had incurred and spent there in military service.
Eodem anno, circa festum Assensionis, rex mare transivit, fratre suo. comite Cornubie custode regni relicto, et fecit homagium regi Francie, Philippo de Valesio, filio Karoli proditoris, pro toto ducatu Aquitannie et comitatu Pontivie, super quibusdam protestacionibus; quod homagium rex Francie Philippus recepit sub aliis protestacionibus, videlicet quod non admisit homagium pro terris quas pater suus Karolus predictus adversus comitem Cancie, ut premittitur, transequitavit, set illas sibi detinuit et detinere voluit, quousque foret sibi satisfactum de damnis et expensis que pater suus ibidem militando recepit et exposuit.
Note 1. Edward left England on the 26th May 1329; did homage at Amiens on the 6th June; and returned on the 11th June. Rymer's Fœdera 2.764 Rymer's Fœdera 2.765.
Patent Rolls. 26th May 1349. Woodstock. Thomas de Dagworth (age 73) and Eleanor (age 44), his wife, staying in Brittany, have letters nominating Wiilliam de Bromleye, clerk, and Peter Mercer, vicar of the church of Yoghill, as their attorneys in Ireland for two years. William de Newenham received the attorneys.
Chronicle of Gregory [1400-1467]. 26th May 1445. And uppon Thorsday, the xxvj day of May, the kyng (age 23) made xlvj [46] Knyghtys of the Bathe yn the Towre of London. And uppon the morowe, that was the Fry day, lordys of the realme, whythe nobylle and grete and costelowe araye, the Mayre of London and the aldyrmen in scharlet, whythe alle the craftys of London in blewe, wythe dyvers dyvysyngys, every crafte to be knowe from othyr, rydyng agayne Quene Margarete (age 15) and brought her unto the Toure of London [Map], the quene havynge whythe her xvij [17] charys with ladys.
On 26th May 1464 William Tailboys 7th Baron Kyme (age 49) was beheaded at Sandhills, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland [Map] having been captured after the Battle of Hexham. He was buried at Greyfriar's Church, Newcastle upon Tyne [Map]. His son Robert (age 13) succeeded 8th Baron Kyme. Elizabeth Heron Baroness Kyme (age 11) by marriage Baroness Kyme.
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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Chronicle of Gregory [1400-1467]. Ande be syde Newecastelle [Map], the same monythe, [t]er was i-take Taylbosse (age 49) in a cole pyt, and he hadde moche mony with hym, bothe golde and sylvyr, that schulde have gon unto Kyng Harry: and yf [it] had come to Harry, lat King of Ingelonde, it wolde have causyd moche sory sorowe, for he had ordaynyd harneys and ordenance i-nowe, but the men wolde not go one fote with him tylle they had mony. And they waytyd dayly and howrely for mony that this Taylebosse shulde have send unto them or brought it; the summa was iijMl [Note. 3000] marke. And the lordys mayny of Montegewe were sore hurte and seke, and many of his men wer slayne by for in the grete jornays, but this mony was departyd a-monge hem, and was a very holsum salfe for hem. And in the day folowyng [26th May 1464] Taylebosse loste his hedde at Newecastelle [Map].
Nowe take hede what love may doo, for love wylle not nor may not caste no faute nor perelle in noo thyng.
On 26th May 1465 Elizabeth Woodville Queen Consort England (age 28) was crowned Queen Consort England by Cardinal Thomas Bourchier (age 47) at Westminster Abbey [Map].
King Edward IV of England (age 23) attended.
John Cheney 1st Baron Cheyne (age 23), Anthony Woodville 2nd Earl Rivers (age 25), Richard Woodville 3rd Earl Rivers (age 12) and William Calthorpe (age 55) were created Knight of the Bath.
Elizabeth Tilney Countess of Surrey (age 21) carried her train.
Richard Choke (age 45) was created Knight of the Bath.
A Brief Latin Chronicle. In the year of Our Lord 1465, on the 26th day of the month of May, namely on the feast of Saint Augustine, the Apostle of the English, at Westminster, the aforementioned Elizabeth was crowned Queen of England. And many Knights of the Bath were created at that time, among whom certain merchants of the city of London were honored with the dignity of knighthood.
Anno Domini millesimo CCCCMLXVXXVJ die mensis Maii, scilicet in festo Sancti Augustini, Anglorum Apostoli, apud Westmonasterium, supradicta Elizabeth coronata est in reginam Anglie. Et creati sunt tunc multi milites de balneo, inter quos quidam mercatores civitatis London. milicie dignitate insigniti sunt.
Letters and Papers. 26th May 1536. Add. MS. 28,588, f. 281. B. M. 973. [Hannaert] to Charles V.
There is news from England that the so-called Queen (deceased) was found in bed with her organist (deceased), and taken to prison. It is proved that she had criminal intercourse (hazia el maleficio a si mismo) with her brother (deceased) and others, and that the daughter (age 2) supposed to be hers was taken from a poor man. The English ambassador says that she and her brother are condemned to be burnt, and a valet (camarero) of the King's, who was very intimate with him, and three others, to be beheaded, for conspiring the death of the King. The King has sent for the Princess, made much of her, and given her many jewels belonging to the unjust Queen. De Leon Solarrona (Lyon sur le Rhone), 26 May 1536.
Sp., pp. 5. Modern copy.
On 26th May 1539 Renée Bourbon Duchess Lorraine (age 45) died.
Letters and Papers Foreign and Domestic Henry VIII 1541. 10th June 1541. 897. Chapuys (age 51) to the Queen of Hungary.
If the affair is mentioned, will follow her instructions in her letter of the 28th ult. Expects to be summoned before the King (age 49) two days hence. Is vexed at not having received the copy of her answer to the King, referred to in his despatch of 26 May. The news since that date is that on the 27th three of the chief conspirators in the North - an abbot and two gentlemen - were hung and quartered. About the same time took place the lamentable execution of the countess of Salisbury (age 67) at the Tower [Map] in presence of the Lord Mayor and about 150 persons. When informed of her sentence she found it very strange, not knowing her crime; but she walked to the space in front of the Tower, where there was no scaffold but only a small block. She there commended her soul to God, and desired those present to pray for the King, Queen, Prince, and Princess. The ordinary executioner being absent, a blundering "garçonneau" ["young man"] was chosen, who hacked her head and shoulders to pieces. A most virtuous lady nearly 90 years of age. When her death was resolved on her nephew (grandson) (age 21), the son of lord Montague, who had been allowed occasionally to go about within the Tower, was more strictly guarded. It is to be supposed he will soon follow his father and grandmother. London, 10 June 1541. Original at Vienna.
Diary of Edward VI. 26th May 1550. The embassadours saw the baiting of the bearis and bullis.2
Note 2. "Monday last, we, the duke of Somerset and divers others of us, were invited by them to dinner, where they feasted us as the market would serve, very honourably; and that afternoon they saw the pastime of our bear-baiting and bull-baiting." (Ibid.)
On 26th May 1583 Esme Stewart 1st Duke Lennox (age 41) died. His son Ludovic (age 8) succeeded 2nd Duke Lennox, 2nd Earl Lennox.
On or before 26th May 1588 Archbishop Accepted Frewen was born. He was baptised 26th May 1588.
On 26th May 1623 William Petty was born. He married 1667 Elizabeth Waller 1st Baroness Shelburne and had issue.
On 26th May 1650 John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough was born to Winston Churchill (age 30) and Elizabeth Drake (age 28). He married 1st October 1678 Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough and had issue.
John Evelyn's Diary. 26th May 1659. Came to see me my Lord George Berkeley (age 31), Sir William Ducie, and Sir George Pott's son of Norfolk.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26th May 1661. After church home, and so to the Mitre [Map], where I found Dr. Burnett, the first time that ever I met him to drink with him, and my uncle Wight and there we sat and drank a great deal, and so I to Sir W. Batten's (age 60), where I have on purpose made myself a great stranger, only to get a high opinion a little more of myself in them. Here I heard how Mrs. Browne, Sir W. Batten's sister, is brought to bed, and I to be one of the godfathers, which I could not nor did deny. Which, however, did trouble me very much to be at charge to no purpose, so that I could not sleep hardly all night, but in the morning I bethought myself, and I think it is very well I should do it. Sir W. Batten told me how Mr. Prin (age 61) (among the two or three that did refuse to-day to receive the sacrament upon their knees) was offered by a mistake the drink afterwards, which he did receive, being denied the drink by Dr. Gunning (age 47), unless he would take it on his knees; and after that by another the bread was brought him, and he did take it sitting, which is thought very preposterous. Home and to bed.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26th May 1661. Lord's Day. Lay long in bed. To church and heard a good sermon at our own church, where I have not been a great many weeks. Dined with my wife alone at home pleasing myself in that my house do begin to look as if at last it would be in good order. This day the Parliament received the communion of Dr. Gunning (age 47) at St. Margaret's, Westminster [Map]. In the afternoon both the Sir Williams came to church, where we had a dull stranger.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26th May 1664. At noon home to dinner, and thence took my wife by coach, and she to my Lady Sandwich (age 39) to see her.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26th May 1665. Thence home, and in the evening by water to the Duke of Albemarle (age 56), whom I found mightily off the hooks, that the ships are not gone out of the River; which vexed me to see, insomuch that I am afeard that we must expect some change or addition of new officers brought upon us, so that I must from this time forward resolve to make myself appear eminently serviceable in attending at my office duly and no where else, which makes me wish with all my heart that I had never anything to do with this business of Tangier. After a while at my office, home to supper vexed, and to bed.
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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Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26th May 1667. They had sent for me to White Hall and all up and down, and for Mr. Holliard (age 58) also, who did come, but W. Hewer (age 25) being here did I think do the business in getting my father's bowel, that was fallen down, into his body again, and that which made me more sensible of it was that he this morning did show me the place where his bowel did use to fall down and swell, which did trouble me to see. But above all things the poor man's patience under it, and his good heart and humour, as soon as he was out of it, did so work upon me, that my heart was sad to think upon his condition, but do hope that a way will be found by a steel truss to relieve him.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26th May 1667. After dinner I by water alone to Westminster, where, not finding Mrs. Martin within, did go towards the parish church, and in the way did overtake her, who resolved to go into the church with her that she was going with (Mrs. Hargrave, the little crooked woman, the vintner's wife of the Dog [Map]) and then go out again, and so I to the church, and seeing her return did go out again myself, but met with Mr. Howlett, who, offering me a pew in the gallery, I had no excuse but up with him I must go, and then much against my will staid out the whole church in pain while she expected me at home, but I did entertain myself with my perspective glass up and down the church, by which I had the great pleasure of seeing and gazing at a great many very fine women; and what with that, and sleeping, I passed away the time till sermon was done, and then to Mrs. Martin, and there staid with her an hour or two, and there did what I would with her, and after been here so long I away to my boat, and up with it as far as Barne Elmes, reading of Mr. Evelyn's (age 46) late new book against Solitude, in which I do not find much excess of good matter, though it be pretty for a bye discourse. I walked the length of the Elmes, and with great pleasure saw some gallant ladies and people come with their bottles, and basket, and chairs, and form, to sup under the trees, by the waterside, which was mighty pleasant. I to boat again and to my book, and having done that I took another book, Mr. Boyle's (age 40) of Colours, and there read, where I laughed, finding many fine things worthy observation, and so landed at the Old Swan [Map], and so home, where I find my poor father newly come out of an unexpected fit of his pain, that they feared he would have died.
John Evelyn's Diary. 26th May 1670. Receiving a letter from Mr. Philip Howard (age 41), Lord Almoner to the Queen, that Monsieur Evelin, first physician to Madame (age 25) (who was now come to Dover to visit the King (age 39) her brother), was come to town, greatly desirous to see me; but his stay so short, that he could not come to me, I went with my brother (age 52) to meet him at the Tower [Map], where he was seeing the magazines and other curiosities, having never before been in England: we renewed our alliance and friendship, with much regret on both sides that, he being to return toward Dover, Kent [Map] that evening, we could not enjoy one another any longer. How this French family, Ivelin, of Evelin, Normandy, a very ancient and noble house is grafted into our pedigree, see in the collection brought from Paris, 1650.
John Evelyn's Diary. 26th May 1671. The Earl of Bristol's (age 58) house in Queen's Street was taken for the Commissioners of Trade and Plantations, and furnished with rich hangings of the King's (age 40). It consisted of seven rooms on a floor, with a long gallery, gardens, etc. This day we met the Duke of Buckingham (age 43), Earl of Lauderdale (age 55), Lord Culpeper, Sir George Carteret (age 61), Vice-Chamberlain, and myself, had the oaths given us by the Earl of Sandwich (age 45), our President. It was to advise and counsel his Majesty, to the best of our abilities, for the well-governing of his Foreign Plantations, etc., the form very little differing from that given to the Privy Council. We then took our places at the Board in the Council-Chamber, a very large room furnished with atlases, maps, charts, globes, etc. Then came the Lord Keeper, Sir Orlando Bridgeman (age 65), Earl of Arlington (age 53), Secretary of State, Lord Ashley, Mr. Treasurer (age 40), Sir John Trevor (age 34), the other Secretary, Sir John Duncomb (age 49), Lord Allington (age 31), Mr. Grey, son to the Lord Grey, Mr. Henry Broncher, Sir Humphrey Winch (age 49), Sir John Finch, Mr. Waller (age 65), and Colonel Titus (age 48), of the bedchamber, with Mr. Slingsby, Secretary to the Council, and two Clerks of the Council, who had all been sworn some days before. Being all set, our Patent was read, and then the additional Patent, in which was recited this new establishment; then, was delivered to each a copy of the Patent, and of instructions: after which, we proceeded to business.
John Evelyn's Diary. 25th May 1681. There came to visit me Sir William Walter and Sir John Elowes: and the next day, the Earl of Kildare, a young gentleman related to my wife (age 46), and other company. There had scarce fallen any rain since Christmas.
John Evelyn's Diary. 26th May 1684. Luxembergh was surrender'd to the French, which makes them master of all the Netherlands, gives them entrance into Germany, and a fair game for universal monarchy; which that we should suffer, who only and easily might have hinder'd, astonish'd all the world. Thus is the poor Prince of Orange (age 33) ruin'd, and this nation and all the Protestant interest in Europe following, unlesse God in his infinite mercy, as by a miracle, interpose, and our greate ones alter their counsels. The French fleete were now besieging Genoa, but after burning much of that beautifull citty with their bombs, went off with disgrace.
On 26th May 1685 Charles Palatinate Simmern II Elector Palatine Rhine (age 34) died at Heidelburg.
On or before 26th May 1689 Mary Wortley-Montagu née Pierrepont was born to Evelyn Pierrepont 1st Duke Kingston upon Hull (age 34) and Mary Fielding Countess Kingston upon Hull (age 21). On 26th May 1689 she was baptised at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden. She married 1712 Edward Wortley-Montagu and had issue.
On 26th May 1701 Auguste Oldenburg Duchess Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg (age 67) died.
On 26th May 1703 Samuel Pepys (age 70) died.
John Evelyn's Diary. 26th May 1703. This day died Mr. Samuel Pepys (age 70), a very worthy, industrious and curious person, none in England exceeding him in knowledge of the navy, in which he had passed through all the most considerable offices, Clerk of the Acts and Secretary of the Admiralty, all which he performed with great integrity. When King James II went out of England, he laid down his office, and would serve no more; but withdrawing himself from all public affairs, he lived at Clapham with his partner, Mr. Hewer (age 61), formerly his clerk, in a very noble house and sweet place, where he enjoyed the fruit of his labors in great prosperity. He was universally beloved, hospitable, generous, learned in many things, skilled in music, a very great cherisher of learned men of whom he had the conversation. His library and collection of other curiosities were of the most considerable, the models of ships especially. Besides what he published of an account of the navy, as he found and left it, he had for divers years under his hand the History of the Navy, or Navalia, as he called it; but how far advanced, and what will follow of his, is left, I suppose, to his sister's son, Mr. Jackson (age 30), a young gentleman, whom Mr. Pepys had educated in all sorts of useful learning, sending him to travel abroad, from whence he returned with extraordinary accomplishments, and worthy to be heir. Mr. Pepys had been for near forty years so much my particular friend, that Mr. Jackson sent me complete mourning, desiring me to be one to hold up the pall at his magnificent obsequies; but my indisposition hindered me from doing him this last office.
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 26th May 1709 Thomas Howard 8th Duke of Norfolk (age 25) and Maria Shireburn Duchess Norfolk (age 16) were married. She by marriage Duchess Norfolk. She bringing a large dowry of £30,000. She eventually left him after he changed his allegiance to George I rejecting the Jacobites.
On 26th May 1711 Wriothesley Russell 2nd Duke Bedford (age 30) died. His son Wriothesley (age 3) succeeded 3rd Duke Bedford, 3rd Marquess Tavistock, 7th Earl Bedford, 7th Baron Russell of Cheneys, 5th Baron Russell of Thornhaugh, 3rd Baron Howland of Streatham.
On 26th May 1723 Francis Godolphin 2nd Earl Godolphin (age 44) was appointed Privy Council.
On 26th May 1762 Frederick Christian Oldenburg I Duke Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg (age 41) and Charlotte Amalie Wilhelmine Unknown Duchess Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg were married. She by marriage Duchess Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg. She the daughter of Frederick Charles Unknown Duke Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Plön. He the son of Christian August Oldenburg I Duke Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg and Frederikke Louise Unknown Duchess Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg.
On 26th May 1788 Susanna Montgomerie was born to Archibald Montgomerie 11th Earl Eglinton (age 62) and Frances Twysden (age 25). Her biological father may have been Douglas Hamilton 8th Duke Hamilton 5th Duke Brandon (age 31).
On 26th May 1788 Augustus Clifford 1st Baronet was born illegitimately to William Cavendish 5th Duke Devonshire (age 40) and Elizabeth Christiana Hervey Duchess Devonshire (age 30). He was illegitmate at the time of his birth. His parents subsequently married. He married 20th October 1813 his fifth cousin Elizabeth Frances Townshend and had issue.
On 26th May 1794 Richard Bingham 2nd Earl Lucan (age 29) and Elizabeth Belasyse Duchess Norfolk (age 24) were married. She the daughter of Henry Belasyse 2nd Earl Fauconberg (age 52) and Charlotte Lamb Countess Fauconberg. He the son of Charles Bingham 1st Earl Lucan (age 58) and Margaret Smith Countess Lucan (age 54).
On 26th May 1797 William Brabazon 9th Earl Meath (age 27) died from wounds received duelling. His brother John (age 25) succeeded 10th Earl Meath, 11th Baron Ardee.
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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After 26th May 1835. Monument at St Mary the Virgin Church, Overton to Reverend Maurice Wynne (deceased).
Reverend Maurice Wynne: Around 1760 he was born to Owen Wynne of Llwyn in Denbighshire and Eleanor aka Helen Seel. Before 26th May 1835 Reverend Maurice Wynne was Rector of St Mary the Virgin Church, Overton for thirty-six years. On 26th May 1835 Reverend Maurice Wynne died.
On 26th May 1842 King Christian IX of Denmark (age 24) and Queen Louise Hesse-Kassel of Denmark (age 24) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Denmark. He the son of Friedrich Wilhelm Glücksburg Duke Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Glücksburg and Louise Caroline Hesse-Kassel Duchess Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Glücksburg (age 52). They were second cousins. He a great x 2 grandson of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland.
Ten Years' Digging. On the 26th and 30th of May we opened a barrow [Hazelton Barrow [Map]] in the midst of a plantation on the top of Hazleton Hill, above Inkley Wood, at the back of Ilam Hall. It is a flat barrow, with a level summit 20 yards diameter, and varying from a foot to 18 inches in thickness, according to the inequality of the ground on which it stands, chiefly composed of earth, except round the edge, and where interment had taken place. The first discovery was at the West side, where a grave 6 feet long by 2 wide, had been cut 18 inches deep into the rock, then surrounded by flat stones placed on edge, and lastly, divided into two equal compartments by the same means. In one division was a deposit of calcined human bones, accompanied by two inferior arrow points of flint, and a broken pebble, also burned. The other contained wood ashes, earth which had undergone the action of fire, and a few bits of bone. From the appearance of the place, it is likely that the grave was first used as the place of cremations, and afterwards arranged as we found It, in order to hold the collected remains more compactly. A few feet from this deposit, and about 8 yards from the centre, we found a plain urn of thin pottery, about 7 inches high and 5 diameter, inverted over a few burnt bones which lay upon a flat stone - this very small cinerary um was broken by a tree having been planted above it. Eight yards from the middle, towards the South, in a depression of the floor, was a flat upright stone, by the side of which were some small pieces of a coarse urn, black ashes, burnt earth, a fine circular instrument, and numerous pieces of calcined flint: many large stones had been used in this part of the mound. Eight yards from the centre, towards the North-West, was a very similar deposit in a depression of the rock, surrounded by large stones; the articles were, a few calcined bones, a fine round instrument, and chippings of flint, and a piece of lead, either native or molten, weighing more than 3½ ounces.
Many more flints, including four more circular instruments, numerous pebbles, and a piece of iron ore, were scattered through the central part of the barrow, where not a trace of imburnt bone was found from first to last.
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After 26th May 1858. St Andrew's Church, Wimpole [Map]. Memorial to Elizabeth Lindsay Countess Hardwicke (deceased).
Elizabeth Lindsay Countess Hardwicke: On 1st October 1763 she was born to James Lindsay 5th Earl Balcarres and Anne Dalrymple Countess Balcarres. On 24th July 1782 Philip Yorke 3rd Earl of Hardwicke and she were married. She the daughter of James Lindsay 5th Earl Balcarres and Anne Dalrymple Countess Balcarres. On 26th May 1858 Elizabeth Lindsay Countess Hardwicke died at Tyttenhanger House, St Albans [Map].
On 26th May 1867 Victoria Mary Teck Queen Consort England was born to Francis Teck (age 29) and Princess Mary Adelaide Hanover (age 33). She a great granddaughter of King George III of Great Britain and Ireland. She married 6th July 1893 her second cousin once removed King George V of the United Kingdom, son of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom and Alexandra of Denmark Queen Consort England, and had issue.
On 26th May 1897 Bram Stoker's (age 49) novel "Dracula" was first published.
On 26th May 1898 Caroline Elizabeth Keppel (age 84) died. Memorial at Lincoln Cathedral [Map].
Caroline Elizabeth Keppel: On 3rd April 1814 she was born to William Charles Keppel 4th Earl Albermarle and Elizabeth Southwell Countess Albermarle. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. Before 22nd February 1841 Dean Thomas Garnier and she were married. She the daughter of William Charles Keppel 4th Earl Albermarle and Elizabeth Southwell Countess Albermarle.
On 26th May 1924 Frederick William Pomeroy (age 67) died.
St Bartholomew's Church, Whittingham [Map]. Monuments to Alexander Simon Cadogan Browne, died 26th May 1987, and his wife Dorothy Mary Howard, died 8th August 1979, both of Callaly Castle, Whittingham [Map], and Edith Mary Cookson, wife of Alexander Browne of Callaly Castle, Whittingham [Map].
On 26th May 1310 Hugh St John 2nd Baron St John of Basing was born to John St John 1st Baron St John of Basing (age 36) and Isabel Courtenay Baroness St John of Basing (age 27) at Basing, Hampshire. He married (1) before 1329 Mirabelle Wake Baroness St John Basing and had issue (2) before May 1335 Isabel Wake Baroness St John Basing and had issue.
On 26th May 1587 Susan Vere Countess Montgomery was born to Edward de Vere 17th Earl of Oxford (age 37) and Anne Cecil Countess of Oxford (age 30). She married 27th December 1605 Philip Herbert 4th Earl Pembroke 1st Earl Montgomery, son of Henry Herbert 2nd Earl Pembroke and Mary Sidney Countess Pembroke, and had issue.
On 26th May 1623 William Petty was born. He married 1667 Elizabeth Waller 1st Baroness Shelburne and had issue.
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 26th May 1635 Thomas Lee 1st Baronet was born to Thomas Lee of Hartwell (age 27).
On 26th May 1650 John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough was born to Winston Churchill (age 30) and Elizabeth Drake (age 28). He married 1st October 1678 Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough and had issue.
On 26th May 1693 Elizabeth Lee was born to Edward Lee 1st Earl Lichfield (age 30) and Charlotte Fitzroy Countess Lichfield (age 28). She a granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. She married (1) before 1730 her first cousin Francis Lee and had issue (2) 1731 Edward Young.
On 26th May 1722 Washington Shirley 5th Earl Ferrers was born to Laurence Shirley (age 28) and Anne Clarges (age 27).
On 26th May 1734 Bishop Shute Barrington was born to John Shute aka Barrington 1st Viscount Barrington (age 56) and Anne Daines Viscountess Barrington (age 44). He married 2nd February 1761 Diana Beauclerk, daughter of Charles Beauclerk 2nd Duke St Albans and Lucy Werden Duchess St Albans.
On 26th May 1742 Lucas Pepys 1st Baronet was born to William Pepys (age 43). He was baptised on 8th June 1742 at St Mary Woolnoth Church. He married (1) 31st October 1772 Jane Elizabeth Leslie 12th Countess of Rothes, daughter of John Leslie 10th Earl Rothes and Hannah Cole Countess Rothes, and had issue (2) 29th June 1813 Deborah Askew.
On 26th May 1743 John Whalley aka Whalley-Gardiner 1st Baronet was born to Robert Whalley (age 29) and Grace Gardiner (age 27). He married 7th July 1787 Martha Newcombe, daughter of Benjamin Newcombe.
On 26th May 1758 Elizabeth Waldegrave Countess Cardigan was born to John Waldegrave 3rd Earl Waldegrave (age 40) and Elizabeth Leveson-Gower Countess Waldegrave (age 34). She a great x 2 granddaughter of King James II of England Scotland and Ireland. She married 1786 her half fourth cousin once removed James Brudenell 5th Earl Cardigan, son of George Brudenell 3rd Earl Cardigan and Elizabeth Bruce 3rd Countess Cardigan.
On 26th May 1773 Emily Maud Cadogan was born to Charles Sloane Cadogan 1st Earl Cadogan (age 44) and Mary Churchill Countess Cadogan (age 15). She married 2nd June 1802 Reverend Gerald Valerian Wellesley, son of Garrett Wellesley 1st Earl Mornington and Anne Hill Countess Mornington, and had issue.
On 26th May 1788 Susanna Montgomerie was born to Archibald Montgomerie 11th Earl Eglinton (age 62) and Frances Twysden (age 25). Her biological father may have been Douglas Hamilton 8th Duke Hamilton 5th Duke Brandon (age 31).
On 26th May 1788 Augustus Clifford 1st Baronet was born illegitimately to William Cavendish 5th Duke Devonshire (age 40) and Elizabeth Christiana Hervey Duchess Devonshire (age 30). He was illegitmate at the time of his birth. His parents subsequently married. He married 20th October 1813 his fifth cousin Elizabeth Frances Townshend and had issue.
Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke
Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson.
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On 26th May 1813 Alexander Ramsay 3rd Baronet was born to Alexander Ramsay 2nd Baronet (age 28).
On 26th May 1817 Francis Somerville Head 2nd Baronet was born to Francis Bond Head 1st Baronet (age 24) and Julia Valenza Somerville Lady Head (age 24).
On 26th May 1822 Mary Jane Agar Countess Nelson was born to Welbore Ellis Agar 2nd Earl Normanton (age 44) and Diana Herbert Countess Normanton (age 32). She married 28th July 1845 Horatio Nelson 3rd Earl Nelson, son of Thomas Bolton aka Nelson 2nd Earl Nelson, and had issue.
On 26th May 1826 George Augustus Chichester was born to George Chichester 3rd Marquess Donegal (age 29) and Harriet Anne Butler Marchioness Donegal (age 27). He died aged one in 1827.
On 26th May 1850 Rothwell James Bosville Willoughby was born to Henry Willoughby 8th Baron Middleton (age 32) and Julia Louisa Bosville Baroness Middleton (age 26).
On 26th May 1851 Walter Strickland 9th Baronet was born to Charles Strickland 8th Baronet (age 32) and Georgina Selina Septima Milner (age 35).
On 26th May 1856 Reginald Henry Bertie was born to Montagu Bertie 6th Earl of Abingdon (age 47) and Elizabeth Lavinia Harcourt Countess Abingdon. He married 18th October 1892 Amy Courtenay.
On 26th May 1859 Rudolph Feilding 9th Earl of Denbigh was born to Rudolph Feilding 8th Earl of Denbigh 7th Earl Desmond (age 36) and Mary Berkeley Countess Denbigh. He married 24th September 1884 Cecilia Mary Clifford Countess Denbigh, daughter of Charles Hugh Clifford 8th Baron Clifford Chudleigh, 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 26th May 1861 William Hudleston le Fleming 9th Baronet was born to William le Fleming (age 28).
On 26th May 1862 Theodore Francis Brinckman 3rd Baronet was born to Theodore Brinckman 2nd Baronet (age 31) and Cecilia Augusta Conyngham.
On 26th May 1866 Mabel Edith Hood Baroness Ashburton was born to Francis Wheler Hood 4th Viscount Hood (age 27) and Edith Lydia Drummond Ward Viscountess Hood (age 18). She married 25th July 1889 Francis Denzil Edward Baring 5th Baron Ashburton, son of Alexander Hugh Baring 4th Baron Ashburton and Leonara Caroline Digby Baroness Ashburton, and had issue.
On 26th May 1867 Victoria Mary Teck Queen Consort England was born to Francis Teck (age 29) and Princess Mary Adelaide Hanover (age 33). She a great granddaughter of King George III of Great Britain and Ireland. She married 6th July 1893 her second cousin once removed King George V of the United Kingdom, son of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom and Alexandra of Denmark Queen Consort England, and had issue.
On 26th May 1877 Archibald Charles Montagu Acheson 5th Earl Gosford was born to Archibald Brabazon Sparrow Acheson 4th Earl Gosford (age 35) and Louisa Augusta Beatrice Montagu Countess Gosford (age 21).
On 26th May 1883 Valerie Champion Crespigny Lady Smiley was born to Claude Champion de Crespigny 4th Baronet (age 36). She married in or before 1905 John Smiley 2nd Baronet, son of Hugh Houston Smiley 1st Baronet, and had issue.
On 26th May 1888 Robert John Aldborough Henniker 7th Baronet was born to John Granville Henniker (age 26).
On 26th May 1935 William Hay 15th Earl of Kinnoull was born to George Hay 14th Earl of Kinnoull (age 33).
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 26th May 1953 Richard Alan Montagu Stuart-Wortley 5th Earl of Wharncliffe was born to Alan Ralph Montagu Stuart-Wortley (age 25).
On 26th May 1976 John Frederick Simon Dryden 12th and 9th Baronet was born to John Stephen Gyles Dryden 11th and 8th Baronet (age 32).
On 26th May 1656 John Digby 3rd Earl Bristol (age 22) and Alice Bourne were married. He the son of George Digby 2nd Earl Bristol (age 43) and Anne Russell Countess Bristol (age 36).
On 26th May 1709 Thomas Howard 8th Duke of Norfolk (age 25) and Maria Shireburn Duchess Norfolk (age 16) were married. She by marriage Duchess Norfolk. She bringing a large dowry of £30,000. She eventually left him after he changed his allegiance to George I rejecting the Jacobites.
On 26th May 1715 Robert Darcy 3rd Earl Holderness (age 33) and Frederica Schomberg Countess Holderness and Fitzwalter (age 28) were married. She by marriage Countess Holderness. She the daughter of Meinhart Schomberg 3rd Duke Schomberg (age 73) and Karoline von der Pfalz.
On 26th May 1721 Gregory Page 2nd Baronet (age 26) and Martha Kenward Lady Page were married. She by marriage Lady Page of Greenwich in Kent. There were no children from the marriage.
On 26th May 1762 Frederick Christian Oldenburg I Duke Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg (age 41) and Charlotte Amalie Wilhelmine Unknown Duchess Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg were married. She by marriage Duchess Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg. She the daughter of Frederick Charles Unknown Duke Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Plön. He the son of Christian August Oldenburg I Duke Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg and Frederikke Louise Unknown Duchess Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg.
On 26th May 1783 John Aubrey 6th Baronet (age 43) and Martha Catherine Carter (age 18) were married. The difference in their ages was 25 years. They were first cousins.
Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall
The Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall (Chronicon Anglicanum) is an indispensable medieval history that brings to life centuries of English and European affairs through the eyes of a learned Cistercian monk. Ralph of Coggeshall, abbot of the Abbey of Coggeshall in Essex in the early 13th century, continued and expanded his community’s chronicle, documenting events from the Norman Conquest of 1066 into the tumultuous reign of King Henry III. Blending eyewitness testimony, careful compilation, and the monastic commitment to record-keeping, this chronicle offers a rare narrative of political intrigue, royal power struggles, and social upheaval in England and beyond. Ralph’s work captures the reigns of pivotal figures such as Richard I and King John, providing invaluable insights into their characters, decisions, and the forces that shaped medieval rule. More than a simple annal, Chronicon Anglicanum conveys the texture of medieval life and governance, making it a rich source for scholars and readers fascinated by English history, monastic authorship, and the shaping of the medieval world.
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On 26th May 1793 Thomas Colyear 4th Earl Portmore (age 21) and Mary Elizabeth Bertie (age 22) were married. She the daughter of Brownlow Bertie 5th Duke Ancaster and Kesteven (age 64) and Mary Anne Layard (age 60). He the son of William Charles Colyear 3rd Earl Portmore (age 48) and Mary Leslie Countess Portmore (age 39).
On 26th May 1794 Richard Bingham 2nd Earl Lucan (age 29) and Elizabeth Belasyse Duchess Norfolk (age 24) were married. She the daughter of Henry Belasyse 2nd Earl Fauconberg (age 52) and Charlotte Lamb Countess Fauconberg. He the son of Charles Bingham 1st Earl Lucan (age 58) and Margaret Smith Countess Lucan (age 54).
On 26th May 1800 James Langham 10th Baronet (age 23) and Elizabeth Burdett Lady Langham were married.
On 26th May 1804 Peter King 7th Baron King (age 27) and Hester Fortescue Baroness King were married. She the daughter of Hugh Fortescue 1st Earl Fortescue (age 51) and Hester Granville Countess Fortescue (age 38).
On 26th May 1831 Francis Charles Knowles 3rd Baronet (age 28) and Emma Pocock were married.
On 26th May 1836 George William Stafford-Jerningham 8th Baron Stafford (age 65) and Elizabeth Caton Baroness Stafford (age 46) were married. She by marriage Baroness Stafford.
She one of the four Caton sisters, daughters of Richard Caton (age 73), a merchant from Baltimore, the three eldest, known as the "The Three American Graces", married European husbands. Only the fourth daughter Emily Caton (age 41) had children.
Marianne Caton Marchioness Wellesley (age 48) married Richard Wellesley 1st Marquess Wellesley (age 75),
Elizabeth Caton Baroness Stafford married George William Stafford-Jerningham 8th Baron Stafford,
Louisa Catharine Caton Duchess Leeds (age 43) married firstly Felton Elwell Hervey-Bathurst 1st Baronet and secondly Francis Godolphin Osborne 7th Duke Leeds (age 38).
Emily Caton married Consul John MacTavish (age 49).
On 26th May 1836 Admiral John Beresford 1st Baronet (age 70) and Amelia Bailie Lady Beresford were married. She by marriage Lady Beresford of Bagnall in County Waterford. He the illegitmate son of George de la Poer Beresford 1st Marquess Waterford.
On 26th May 1842 King Christian IX of Denmark (age 24) and Queen Louise Hesse-Kassel of Denmark (age 24) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Denmark. He the son of Friedrich Wilhelm Glücksburg Duke Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Glücksburg and Louise Caroline Hesse-Kassel Duchess Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Glücksburg (age 52). They were second cousins. He a great x 2 grandson of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland.
On 26th May 1857 John Rous 2nd Earl Stradbroke (age 63) and Augusta Musgrave Countess Stradbrooke (age 27) were married. She by marriage Countess Stradbrooke. The difference in their ages was 35 years. He the son of John Rous 1st Earl Stradbroke.
On 26th May 1879 Frederick Lambton (age 23) and Beatrix Bulteel (age 20) were married. He the son of George Frederick D'Arcy Lambton 2nd Earl Durham (age 50) and Beatrix Frances Hamilton Countess Durham. They were second cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.
On 26th May 946 King Edmund I of England (age 25) was murdered by Leofa, an exiled thief, whilst attending mass at Pucklechurch, Gloucestershire. He was buried at Glastonbury Abbey [Map]. His brother Eadred succeeded I King of England.
On 26th May 1035 Berenguer Ramon I Count of Barcelona (age 30) died. His son Ramon (age 12) succeeded I Count Barcelona.
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 26th May 1249 Roger Fitzjohn 4th Baron Warkworth died. His son Robert (age 9) succeeded 5th Baron Warkworth.
On 26th May 1250 Peter of Dreux aka Mauclerc Duke Brittany (age 63) died.
On 26th May 1384 John II Count Armagnac (age 51) died. His son John (age 25) succeeded III Count Armagnac.
On 26th May 1464 William Tailboys 7th Baron Kyme (age 49) was beheaded at Sandhills, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland [Map] having been captured after the Battle of Hexham. He was buried at Greyfriar's Church, Newcastle upon Tyne [Map]. His son Robert (age 13) succeeded 8th Baron Kyme. Elizabeth Heron Baroness Kyme (age 11) by marriage Baroness Kyme.
On 26th May 1539 Renée Bourbon Duchess Lorraine (age 45) died.
On 26th May 1583 Esme Stewart 1st Duke Lennox (age 41) died. His son Ludovic (age 8) succeeded 2nd Duke Lennox, 2nd Earl Lennox.
On 26th May 1669 Anne Boteler Countess Newport and Portland (age 69) died.
On 26th May 1676 Thomas Rouse 1st Baronet (age 68) died. His son Edward succeeded 2nd Baronet Rouse of Rouse Lench in Worcestershire.
On 26th May 1677 John Carey 2nd Earl Dover (age 69) died without male issue. Earl Dover and Viscount Rochford extinct. His second cousin once removed Robert (age 25) succeeded 6th Baron Hunsdon.
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 26th May 1685 Charles Palatinate Simmern II Elector Palatine Rhine (age 34) died at Heidelburg.
On 26th May 1701 Auguste Oldenburg Duchess Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Augustenburg (age 67) died.
On 26th May 1703 Samuel Pepys (age 70) died.
On 26th May 1705 Anne Compton Lady Rushout (age 68) died.
On 26th May 1711 Wriothesley Russell 2nd Duke Bedford (age 30) died. His son Wriothesley (age 3) succeeded 3rd Duke Bedford, 3rd Marquess Tavistock, 7th Earl Bedford, 7th Baron Russell of Cheneys, 5th Baron Russell of Thornhaugh, 3rd Baron Howland of Streatham.
On 26th May 1719 Elizabeth Barnard Baroness Chandos (age 77) died.
On 26th May 1723 John West 6th Baron De La Warr (age 60) died. He was buried at St Margaret's Church, Westminster [Map]. His son John (age 30) succeeded 7th Baron De La Warr. Charlotte Maccarthy Baroness De La Warr by marriage Baroness De La Warr.
On 26th May 1726 John Smyth aka Smith 2nd Baronet (age 66) died. His son John (age 32) succeeded 3rd Baronet Smyth of Ashton Court in Somerset.
On 26th May 1728 William Cheyne 2nd Viscount Newhaven (age 70) died. Viscount Newhaven extinct. He was buried at Drayton Beauchamp, Buckinghamshire.
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 26th May 1768 Dorothy Maria Tucker Lady St John Mildmay (age 26) died.
On 26th May 1791 John Playters 6th Baronet (age 49) died. His brother Charles succeeded 7th Baronet Playters of Sotterley in Suffolk.
On 26th May 1797 William Brabazon 9th Earl Meath (age 27) died from wounds received duelling. His brother John (age 25) succeeded 10th Earl Meath, 11th Baron Ardee.
On 26th May 1812 Anne Campbell Baroness Fortescue (age 84) died.
On 26th May 1835 William "Kitty" Courtenay 9th Earl Devon (age 66) died at Paris [Map]. His second cousin William (age 57) succeeded 10th Earl Devon. Viscount Courtenay extinct. Henrietta Leslie Pepys Countess Devon (age 57) by marriage Countess Devon.
On 26th May 1838 Susanna Leveson-Gower Countess Harrowby Lincolnshire (age 65) died.
On 26th May 1854 Henry Blackwood 3rd Baronet (age 26) died. His brother Francis (age 15) succeeded 4th Baronet Blackwood of the Navy.
On 26th May 1876 Henrietta Anna Howard-Molyneux-Howard Countess Carnarvon (age 71) died.
On 26th May 1877 James Phillips Kay-Shuttleworth 1st Baronet (age 72) died. His son Ughtred (age 32) succeeded 2nd Baronet Kay-Shuttleworth of Gawthorpe Hall in Lancashire.
On 26th May 1887 William Brabazon 11th Earl of Meath (age 83) died. His son Reginald (age 45) succeeded 12th Earl Meath, 13th Baron Ardee, 3rd Baron Chaworth of Eaton Hall in Herefordshire. Mary Jane Maitland Countess Meath (age 40) by marriage Countess Meath.
On 26th May 1887 Frederick Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes 10th or 16th Baron Saye and Sele (age 87) died. His son John (age 57) succeeded 11th or 17th Baron Saye and Sele. Augusta Sophia Hay-Drummond Baroness Saye and Sele by marriage Baroness Saye and Sele.
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 26th May 1911 Sybil Cholmondeley (age 39) died two weeks after falling out of a window at her home at 5 Wilton Place, Belgravia and suffering severe injuries. At an inquest, the coroner found that the fall was purely accidental.
The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA: 1889 - 1931). 12th July 1911
AN, AWFUL FALL.
A terrible fate befell the only sister of Lord Delamere (age 41), as disclosed at the inquest at Westminster, London. Mrs. Sybil Burnaby, according to the tragic story, had been kneeling at an open, window on a settle which ran upon castors and wishing to know the time, stood on the settle and reached forward to see the clock of St. Paul's Church. The leafage of the trees obstructed her view, and is she leaned further the settle ran from under her, and she fell. A nurse, who had been standing, a yard or two away, managed to seize her dress as she fell through the window, and Mrs. Burnaby turned and grasped the wooden window frame. The nurse, retaining a frenzied hold of the dress with both bands, screamed for aid. Mrs. Barnaby's maid rushed in; she also reached through the window and caught at the dress, her mistress imploring them, "Don't let me go!'' For a moment or two they held her so, when suddenly time silk material of the dress ripped and tore in their hands. Mrs. Burnaby's fingers were wrenched from the window-sill, and she fell from the bedroom window to the area beneath. Suffering from terrible fractures, she was still conscious when admitted to the hospital. Captain Edward Seymour stated that Mrs. Burnaby, who was his cousin, was 39 years of age. He was the executor of her will. She had been married to Colonel Algernon Edwyn Burnaby (age 43), formerly of the Royal Horse Guards, but she obtained a divorce from him in 1892 [Note. A mistake for 1902]. Since then she had lived chiefly in Wilton-place. She had no trouble in her affairs, and, to the best of his belief, she had got over the trouble of the divorce from her husband. She was a person of calm and quiet disposition. The nurse, Katherine Cleghorn, said the accident happened about 7 in the; morning, when Mrs. Burnaby came into the witness bedroom as usual. She was partly dressed I and looking quite bright and cheerful. The surgeon at St. George's Hospital said Mrs. Burnaby's injuries were a compound compressed comminuted fracture of the frontal bone and fracture of both thighs. She was not unconscious, but he did not ask her any questions. The Coroner said there was no doubt that Mrs. Barnaby's death was purely accidental. A verdict accordingly was returned.
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