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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Frans Pourbus the Younger is in Painters.
In 1569 Frans Pourbus the Younger was born to [his father] Frans Pourbus the Elder [aged 24].
On 19th September 1581 [his father] Frans Pourbus the Elder [aged 36] died.
Around 1599. Frans Pourbus the Younger [aged 30]. Portrait of Infanta Isabella Habsburg Spain [aged 32].
1600. Frans Pourbus the Younger [aged 31]. Portrait of Eleanor de Medici Duchess Mantua [aged 32].
Eleanor de Medici Duchess Mantua: On 28th February 1567 she was born to Francesco I de Medici Grand Duke of Tuscany and Joanna of Austria Grand Duchess Tuscany. On 29th April 1584 Vincenzo Gonzaga III Duke Mantua and she were married. He the son of William Gonzaga I Duke Mantua and Eleanor of Austria Duchess Mantua. They were first cousins. On 9th September 1611 Eleanor de Medici Duchess Mantua died.
Around 1600. Frans Pourbus the Younger [aged 31]. Portrait of Vincenzo Gonzaga III Duke Mantua [aged 37].
Vincenzo Gonzaga III Duke Mantua: On 21st September 1562 he was born to William Gonzaga I Duke Mantua and Eleanor of Austria Duchess Mantua. On 14th August 1587 William Gonzaga I Duke Mantua died. His son Vincenzo succeeded III Duke Mantua. On 9th February 1612 Vincenzo Gonzaga III Duke Mantua died. His son Francesco succeeded Duke Mantua.
Around 1600. Frans Pourbus the Younger [aged 31]. Portrait of Albert Habsburg Spain VII Archduke Austria [aged 40].
1607. Frans Pourbus the Younger [aged 38]. Portrait of Margaret of Savoy Vicereine Portugal [aged 17].
Margaret of Savoy Vicereine Portugal: On 28th April 1589 she was born to Charles Emmanuel Savoy I Duke Savoy and Catherine Habsburg Spain Duchess Savoy. Coefficient of inbreeding 6.67%. On 19th February 1608 Francesco IV Gonzaga Duke of Mantua and she were married. She the daughter of Charles Emmanuel Savoy I Duke Savoy and Catherine Habsburg Spain Duchess Savoy. He the son of Vincenzo Gonzaga III Duke Mantua and Eleanor de Medici Duchess Mantua. They were third cousins. On 26th June 1655 Margaret of Savoy Vicereine Portugal died.
Around 1610. Frans Pourbus the Younger [aged 41]. Portrait of Marie de Medici Queen Consort France [aged 34].
Around 1610. Frans Pourbus the Younger [aged 41]. Portrait of Henry IV King France [aged 56].
1616. Frans Pourbus the Younger [aged 47]. Portrait of Marie de Medici Queen Consort France [aged 40].
1616. Frans Pourbus the Younger [aged 47]. Portrait of Anne of Austria Spain Queen Consort France [aged 14].
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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Before 1622. Frans Pourbus the Younger [aged 52]. Portrait of Louis XIII King France [aged 20].
Before 1622. Frans Pourbus the Younger [aged 52]. Portrait of Margherita Gonzaga Duchess Lorraine [aged 30].
Margherita Gonzaga Duchess Lorraine: On 2nd October 1591 she was born to Vincenzo Gonzaga III Duke Mantua and Eleanor de Medici Duchess Mantua. Coefficient of inbreeding 6.51%. On 24th April 1606 Henry Lorraine II Duke Lorraine and she were married. The difference in their ages was 28 years. She the daughter of Vincenzo Gonzaga III Duke Mantua and Eleanor de Medici Duchess Mantua. He the son of Charles "The Great" Lorraine III Duke Lorraine and Claude Valois Duchess Lorraine. They were third cousins. On 14th May 1608 Charles "The Great" Lorraine III Duke Lorraine died. His son Henry succeeded II Duke Lorraine. She by marriage Duchess Lorraine. On 7th February 1632 Margherita Gonzaga Duchess Lorraine died.
In 1622 Frans Pourbus the Younger [aged 53] died.