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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Around 1154 Maria Komnenos Queen Jerusalem was born to [her father] John Doukas Komnenos [aged 28].
In 1157 [her future husband] Almaric I King Jerusalem [aged 21] and Agnes Courtenay Queen Jerusalem [aged 21] were married. She by marriage Queen Jerusalem. She the daughter of Joscelin Courtenay II Count Edessa. He the son of Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem and Melisende Queen of Jerusalem [aged 52]. They were third cousins.
On 10th February 1163 Baldwin III King Jerusalem [aged 33] died at Beirut. His brother [her future husband] Almaric [aged 27] succeeded I King Jerusalem.
In 1167 Almaric I King Jerusalem [aged 31] and Maria Komnenos Queen Jerusalem [aged 13] were married. She by marriage Queen Jerusalem. He the son of Fulk "Young" King Jerusalem and Melisende Queen of Jerusalem.
In 1172 [her daughter] Isabella Anjou Queen Jerusalem was born to [her husband] Almaric I King Jerusalem [aged 36] and Maria Komnenos Queen Jerusalem [aged 18]. She married (1) 1190 Conrad of Montferrat King of Jerusalem (2) 6th May 1192 her half third cousin twice removed Henry Blois II Count Champagne, son of Henry Blois I Count Champagne and Marie Capet Countess Champagne.
On 11th July 1174 [her husband] Almaric I King Jerusalem [aged 38] died. His son [her step-son] Baldwin [aged 13] succeeded IV King Jerusalem.
In September 1176 [her father] John Doukas Komnenos [aged 50] died.
In 1190 [her son-in-law] Conrad of Montferrat King of Jerusalem [aged 44] and Isabella Anjou Queen Jerusalem [aged 18] were married; see 
Ralph of Coggeshall. The difference in their ages was 26 years. She the daughter of Almaric I King Jerusalem and Maria Komnenos Queen Jerusalem [aged 36].
On 6th May 1192 [her son-in-law] Henry of Champagne [aged 25] and Isabella Anjou Queen Jerusalem [aged 20] were married eight days after the assassination of her husband Conrad of Montferrat [deceased]. She the daughter of Almaric I King Jerusalem and Maria Komnenos Queen Jerusalem [aged 38]. He the son of Henry Blois I Count Champagne and Marie Capet Countess Champagne [aged 47]. They were half third cousin twice removed. He a great x 2 grandson of King William "Conqueror" I of England.
On 5th April 1205 [her daughter] Isabella Anjou Queen Jerusalem [aged 33] died.
The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
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In 1217 Maria Komnenos Queen Jerusalem [aged 63] died.
Great x 2 Grandfather: Alexios I Komnenos
Great x 1 Grandfather: John II Komnenos
GrandFather: Andronikos Komnenos
Father: John Doukas Komnenos