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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Marie Spartali aka Stillman is in Painters.
On 10th March 1844 Marie Spartali aka Stillman was born to [her father] Michael Spartali and Euphrosyne Varsini. Her mother's name some spelled Valsami, sometimes Varsami.
1858. Dante Gabriel Rossetti [aged 29]. Portrait of Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 13].
Between 1863 and 1865. James Abbott McNeill Whistler [aged 28]. "Rose and Silver: The Princess from the Land of Porcelain". Frequently described as "The Princess from the Land of Porcelain". Model Christine Spartali Countess d'Anvers [aged 16] sister of Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 18].
Christine Spartali Countess d'Anvers: On 19th May 1846 she was born to Michael Spartali and Euphrosyne Varsini. In December 1868 Eduard Joseph Cahen d'Anvers Marquis de Torre-Alfina and she were married.
On 2nd December 1865 [her daughter] Lisa Romana Stillman was born to [her future husband] William James Stillman [aged 37] and Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 21].
1867. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 22]. "The Lady Prays - Desire".
1867. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 22]. "Mariana".
1868. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 23]. "Portrait of a Young Woman".
March 1868. Julia Margaret Cameron nee Pattle [aged 52]. Photograph of Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 23].
1870. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 25]. "La Pensierosa aka Thoughtful".
1870. Dante Gabriel Rossetti [aged 41]. Portrait of Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 25].
1870. Dante Gabriel Rossetti [aged 41]. "A Vision of Fiammetta". Model Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 25].
This is a translation of the 'Memoires of Jacques du Clercq', published in 1823 in two volumes, edited by Frederic, Baron de Reissenberg. In his introduction Reissenberg writes: 'Jacques du Clercq tells us that he was born in 1424, and that he was a licentiate in law and a counsellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in the castellany of Douai, Lille, and Orchies. It appears that he established his residence at Arras. In 1446, he married the daughter of Baldwin de la Lacherie, a gentleman who lived in Lille. We read in the fifth book of his Memoirs that his father, also named Jacques du Clercq, had married a lady of the Le Camelin family, from Compiègne. His ancestors, always attached to the counts of Flanders, had constantly served them, whether in their councils or in their armies.' The Memoires cover a period of nineteen years beginning in in 1448, ending in in 1467. It appears that the author had intended to extend the Memoirs beyond that date; no doubt illness or death prevented him from carrying out this plan. As Reissenberg writes the 'merit of this work lies in the simplicity of its narrative, in its tone of good faith, and in a certain air of frankness which naturally wins the reader’s confidence.' Du Clercq ranges from events of national and international importance, including events of the Wars of the Roses in England, to simple, everyday local events such as marriages, robberies, murders, trials and deaths, including that of his own father in Book 5; one of his last entries.
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1870. Edward Coley Burne-Jones 1st Baronet [aged 36]. "The Mill: Girls Dancing to Music by a River". Left to right: Maria Zambaco [aged 26], Marie Spartali Stillman [aged 25], and Aglaïa Coronio née Ionides [aged 35].
Around 1870. Edward Coley Burne-Jones 1st Baronet [aged 36]. "Cupid and Psyche". The models Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 25] and Maria Terpsithea Cassavetti aka Zambaco [aged 26].
1870. Dante Gabriel Rossetti [aged 41]. Head Study for Dante's Dream. Model Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 25].
1871. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 26]. Self-Portrait, or a portrait of the artist's sister Christine Spartali Countess d'Anvers [aged 24].
In 1871 William James Stillman [aged 42] and Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 26] were married.
1872. Dante Gabriel Rossetti [aged 43]. "The Bower Meadow". Models Alice aka Alexa Wilding [aged 25] right in green, Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 27] left in red.
Around 1872 [her daughter] Euphrosyne "Effie" Stillman was born to [her husband] William James Stillman [aged 43] and Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 27].
1874. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 29]. Self-Portrait in Medieval Dress.
1878. Edward Coley Burne-Jones 1st Baronet [aged 44]. "Danaë and the Brazen Tower". The model Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 33]. See Hyginus Fables 63.
1879. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 34]. "Fiametta Singing".
1881. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 36]. "The Meeting of Dante and Beatrice on All Saints Day".
1881. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 36]. "The Enchanted Garden".
1881. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 36]. "Madonna Pietra degli Scrovigni". From the poem Sestina of the Lady Pietra degli Scrovigni by Dante Alighieri.
Dante Alighieri: Around 1265 he was born. On 14th September 1321 he died.
Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes
Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.
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1885 to 1890. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 40]. "A Florentine Lily"
1885. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 40]. "Love's Messenger". A dove has just carried a love letter to a woman standing in front of an open window. Model the artist's daughter Euphrosyne "Effie" Stillman [aged 13].
Euphrosyne "Effie" Stillman: Around 1872 she was born to William James Stillman and Marie Spartali aka Stillman. On 18th August 1911 she died.
1887. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 42]. "The May Feast at the House of Folco Portinari".
1888. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 43]. "Dante at Verona".
1889. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 44]. "Messer Ansaldo showing Madonna Dionara his Enchanted Garden". Illustrating a tale from The Decameron.
1891. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 46]. "How the Virgin Mary came to Brother Conrad of Offida and laid her Son in his Arms".
1891. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 46]. "Cloister Lilies".
1894. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 49]. "A Rose from Armida's Garden".
1894. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 49]. "Love Sonnets".
1894. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 49]. Portrait of the artists daughter Euphrosyne "Effie" Stillman [aged 22].
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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1896. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 51]. "Beatrice".
On 6th July 1901 [her husband] William James Stillman [aged 73] died at Frimley Green, Surrey. He was buried at Brookwood Cemetery, Woking.
On 18th August 1911 [her daughter] Euphrosyne "Effie" Stillman [aged 39] died.
1914. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 69]. "Pilgrim Folk".
On 26th January 1914 Jane Morris nee Burden [aged 74] died at 5 Brock Street, Bath. On 29th January 1914 she was buried at St George's Church, Kelmscott [Map] in the same grave as her husband William Morris. Her body was driven in a 'motor' from Bath to the manor house just before the service. Her coffin was 17th century style and in oak with brass furniture and a simple inscription of her name and date of death, and was carried into the church by six village men. The church was well attended by the villagers as well as familiar names from the world of art and literature including Marie Stillman [aged 69] whose wreath was noted in the papers. The hymn 'Now the labourer's task is o'er' was sung and the organist played the Dead March as the coffin was carried out to where William was already buried.
Before 1927. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 82]. "A Clear Well With A Little Field".
Before 1927. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 82]. "Dante's Vision of Leah and Rachel".
Before 1927. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 82]. "Childhood of St Cecily".
Before 1927. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 82]. "Girl Playing Music".
Before 1927. Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 82]. "Sir Tristram and the Belle Isolde".
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 6th March 1927 Marie Spartali aka Stillman [aged 82] died at Ashburn Place, Kensington. She was buried with her husband at Brookwood Cemetery, Woking.