The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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On 17th January 1853 Alva Erskine Smith was born to [her father] Murray Forbes Smith at 201 Government Street.
On 20th April 1875 William Kissam Vanderbilt (age 25) and Alva Erskine Smith (age 22) were married at Calvary Church, Manhattan.
On 2nd March 1877 [her daughter] Consuelo Vanderbilt Duchess of Marlborough was born to [her husband] William Kissam Vanderbilt (age 27) and Alva Erskine Smith (age 24) at New York. She was named after her godmother Consuelo Yznaga Duchess Manchester (age 24). She married (1) 6th November 1895 Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill 9th Duke of Marlborough, son of George Charles Spencer-Churchill 8th Duke of Marlborough and Albertha Frances Anne Hamilton Duchess of Marlborough, and had issue (2) 4th July 1921 Jacques Balsan.
Around 1895 Winthrop Rutherford (age 32) proposed marriage to [her daughter] Consuelo Vanderbilt (age 17). The proposal was not approved of by Consuelo's mother Alva Erskine Smith (age 41) who took her daughter away to Europe.
In March 1895 William Kissam Vanderbilt (age 45) and Alva Erskine Smith (age 42) were divorced.
On 6th November 1895 [her son-in-law] Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill 9th Duke of Marlborough (age 23) and [her daughter] Consuelo Vanderbilt Duchess of Marlborough (age 18) were married at St Thomas' Church New York. She by marriage Duchess Marlborough. The marriage arranged by Mary "Minnie" Fiske Stevens (age 42) and encouraged by mother Alva Erskine Smith (age 42). The marriage was unhappy; they separated in 1906 and the marriage was annulled on 19th Augiust 1926. He the son of George Charles Spencer-Churchill 8th Duke of Marlborough and Albertha Frances Anne Hamilton Duchess of Marlborough (age 48).
The marriage settlement provided for the Duke to receive a $2,500,000 trust that would pay $100,000 per year. Consuelo also received a further $100,000 per year. The combined annual income of $200,000 (£40,000) more than doubled the income the Duke had enjoyed from his estates prior to the marriage. Consuelo and the Duke also acquired several large gifts from her father, William K. Vanderbilt, including a palatial London townhouse and a reported sum of $1,000,000 in cash to mark the Duke's safe return from South Africa.
On 22nd July 1920 [her former husband] William Kissam Vanderbilt (age 70) died.
In 1921 [her son-in-law] Charles Richard John Spencer-Churchill 9th Duke of Marlborough (age 49) and [her daughter] Consuelo Vanderbilt Duchess of Marlborough (age 43) were divorced.
On 4th July 1921 [her son-in-law] Jacques Balsan (age 52) and [her daughter] Consuelo Vanderbilt Duchess of Marlborough (age 44) were married.
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 26th January 1933 Alva Erskine Smith (age 80) died.
GrandFather: George Smith
Father: Murray Forbes Smith