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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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Francis Wenman 1st Baronet 1630-1680

Paternal Family Tree: Wenman

In or before 1630 [his father] Francis Wenman [aged 30] and [his mother] Anne Sandys were married.

In 1630 Francis Wenman 1st Baronet was born to Francis Wenman [aged 30] and Anne Sandys.

On 26th June 1640 [his father] Francis Wenman [aged 40] died.

Before 1657 Francis Wenman 1st Baronet [aged 26] and Mary Wenman were married. They were second cousin once removed.

In 1657 [his son] Richard Wenman 4th Viscount Wenman was born to Francis Wenman 1st Baronet [aged 27] and [his wife] Mary Wenman. He married in or before 1687 Catherine Chamberlayne Countess Abingdon, daughter of Thomas Chamberlayne 2nd Baronet, and had issue.

On 29th November 1662 Francis Wenman 1st Baronet [aged 32] was created 1st Baronet Wenman of Caswell.

In 1664 Francis Wenman 1st Baronet [aged 34] was elected MP Oxfordshire in the Cavalier Parliament.

Before 1670 Francis Wenman 1st Baronet [aged 39] and Elizabeth Fettiplace [aged 46] were married.

On 17th September 1679 [his wife] Elizabeth Fettiplace [aged 56] died.

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Chronicles of the Reigns of Edward I and II Volume 1 Annals of London and Annals of St Paul's

This volume brings together two important medieval chronicles of the reigns of Edward I and Edward II: the Annals of London (Annales Londonienses) and the Annals of St Paul’s (Annales Paulini). Written close to the events they describe, these chronicles offer a vivid contemporary record of English political, military, ecclesiastical and civic life from the late thirteenth to the early fourteenth century. Their particular strength lies in their London perspective, recording not only the affairs of kings, nobles and bishops, but also parliaments, royal proclamations, civic disputes, elections of mayors and sheriffs, executions, tournaments, religious ceremonies, fires, floods, disturbances and the everyday concerns of the capital. The chronicles cover some of the most dramatic events of the period, including the wars of Edward I, conflict with Scotland, the turbulent reign of Edward II, the rise and fall of Piers Gaveston and the Despensers, the rebellion of Thomas of Lancaster, Queen Isabella’s invasion of England, the deposition of Edward II, and the accession of Edward III. The Annales Paulini, associated with St Paul’s Cathedral, is particularly rich in detailed observations of London and its clergy and citizens. An essential primary source for students and readers interested in medieval England, London history, Edward I, Edward II, Edward III, the Scottish wars, medieval politics, and ecclesiastical history, this volume provides an unusually immediate view of a kingdom undergoing profound political upheaval.

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On 2nd September 1680 Francis Wenman 1st Baronet [aged 50] died. His son Richard [aged 23] succeeded 2nd Baronet Wenman of Caswell.

[his daughter] Mary Wenman was born to Francis Wenman 1st Baronet and Elizabeth Fettiplace. She married in or before 1690 Gabriel Roberts and had issue.