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.

Biography of King Christopher I of Denmark 1219-1259

Paternal Family Tree: Estridsen

In 1205 [his father] King Valdemar II of Denmark (age 34) and Dagmar of Bohemia (age 19) were married. He the son of [his grandfather] Valdemar "Great" I King of Denmark and [his grandmother] Sophia of Minsk.

In 1214 [his father] King Valdemar II of Denmark (age 43) and [his mother] Berengaria Burgundy Queen Consort Denmark (age 16) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Denmark. The difference in their ages was 27 years. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Sancho "Populator" I King Portugal and [his grandmother] Dulce Barcelona Queen Consort Portugal. He the son of [his grandfather] Valdemar "Great" I King of Denmark and [his grandmother] Sophia of Minsk.

In 1219 King Christopher I of Denmark was born to [his father] King Valdemar II of Denmark (age 48) and [his mother] Berengaria Burgundy Queen Consort Denmark (age 21).

On 27th March 1221 [his mother] Berengaria Burgundy Queen Consort Denmark (age 23) died.

On 17th November 1239 [his brother] King Eric IV of Denmark (age 23) and [his sister-in-law] Jutta of Saxony (age 16) were married. He the son of [his father] King Valdemar II of Denmark (age 69) and [his mother] Berengaria Burgundy Queen Consort Denmark.

In 1241 [his brother] King Eric IV of Denmark (age 25) succeeded King of Denmark.

On 28th March 1241 [his father] King Valdemar II of Denmark (age 70) died.

On 10th August 1250 [his brother] King Eric IV of Denmark (age 34) was assassinated. Many suspected the assassination was ordered by his brother [his brother] King Abel of Denmark (age 32).. His brother Abel succeeded King of Denmark.

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.

Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.

On 29th June 1252 [his brother] King Abel of Denmark (age 34)was killed by a wheelwright named Henner on Husum Bridge near Eiderstedt. His brother Christopher (age 33) succeeded King of Denmark.

On 29th May 1259 King Christopher I of Denmark (age 40) died.