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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Earl Traquair is in Earl.
In 1633 John Stewart 1st Earl Traquair [age 33] was created 1st Earl Traquair. Catherine Carnegie Countess Traquair [age 33] by marriage Countess Traquair.
Before 23rd December 1657 William Stewart 3rd Earl Traquair died. His brother Charles succeeded 4th Earl Traquair, 10th Lord Traquair.
On 27th March 1659 John Stewart 1st Earl Traquair [age 59] died. His son John [age 35] succeeded 2nd Earl Traquair, 8th Lord Traquair.
In April 1666 John Stewart 2nd Earl Traquair [age 42] died. His son William succeeded 3rd Earl Traquair, 9th Lord Traquair.
After 9th January 1694 Charles Stewart 4th Earl Traquair [age 35] and Mary Maxwell Countess Traquair [age 23] were married. She by marriage Countess Traquair. She the daughter of Robert Maxwell 4th Earl Nithsdale and Lucy Douglas Countess Nithsdale [age 50]. He the son of John Stewart 2nd Earl Traquair and Anne Seton. They were second cousins.
On 13th June 1741 Charles Stewart 4th Earl Traquair [age 82] died. His son Charles [age 44] succeeded 5th Earl Traquair, 11th Lord Traquair.
On or before 19th May 1746 Charles Stewart 5th Earl Traquair [age 49] and Teresa Conyers Countess Trauqair were married. She by marriage Countess Traquair. He the son of Charles Stewart 4th Earl Traquair and Mary Maxwell Countess Traquair [age 75].
On 24th April 1764 Charles Stewart 5th Earl Traquair [age 67] died. His brother John [age 65] succeeded 6th Earl Traquair, 12th Lord Traquair. Christian Anstruther Countess Traquair [age 62] by marriage Countess Traquair.
On 28th March 1779 John Stewart 6th Earl Traquair [age 80] died. His son Charles [age 34] succeeded 7th Earl Traquair, 13th Lord Traquair.
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 14th October 1827 Charles Stewart 7th Earl Traquair [age 83] died. His son Charles [age 46] succeeded 8th Earl Traquair, 14th Lord Traquair.
On 2nd August 1861 Charles Stewart 8th Earl Traquair [age 80] died. Earl Traquair and Lord Traquair assumed to be extinct. There may be heirs if the legitimation of 1489 is sufficient to enable the collateral male heirs of the first James Stewart of Traquair to succeed to the Earldom.