The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
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Around 1735 Anne aka Nancy Parsons Viscountess Maynard was born. She was possibly the daughter of a tailor in Bond Street in London.
After 1750. Joshua Reynolds (age 26). Portrait of Anne aka Nancy Parsons Viscountess Maynard (age 15).
Around 1760 Anne aka Nancy Parsons Viscountess Maynard (age 25) was working as a prostitute with clients including William Petty 1st Marquess Lansdowne (age 22).
In 1764 Anne aka Nancy Parsons Viscountess Maynard (age 29) commenced an affair with Augustus Henry Fitzroy 3rd Duke Grafton (age 28). FitzRoy kept Parsons at his townhouse and took her to the opera offending society's standards.
On 23rd March 1769 Augustus Henry Fitzroy 3rd Duke Grafton (age 33) and Anne Liddell Duchess Grafton (age 32) were divorced when he discovered she was pregnant by her lover John Fitzpatrick 2nd Earl Upper Ossory (age 23) whom she subsequently married. Plans to marry his mistress Anne aka Nancy Parsons Viscountess Maynard (age 34), if they existed, were undermined by the discovery he discovered she was having an affair with John Frederick Sackville 3rd Duke Dorset (age 23).
1771. George Willison (age 30). Portrait of Anne aka Nancy Parsons Viscountess Maynard (age 36) in Turkish Dress.
On 18th January 1772 William Maynard 4th Baronet (age 51) died. His son [her future husband] Charles (age 19) succeeded 5th Baronet Maynard of Walthamstow in Essex.
On 30th June 1775 Charles Maynard 1st Viscount Maynard (age 85) died. Baron Maynard of Wicklow, Baron Maynard of Estaines ad Turrim Little Easton extinct. His third cousin once removed [her future husband] Charles (age 22) succeeded 2nd Viscount Maynard of Easton Lodge in Essex, 2nd Baron Maynard of Much Easton in Essex. Anne aka Nancy Parsons Viscountess Maynard (age 40) by marriage Viscountess Maynard of Easton Lodge in Essex.
On 24th September 1776 Charles Maynard 2nd Viscount Maynard (age 24) and Anne aka Nancy Parsons Viscountess Maynard (age 41) were married.
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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In 1784 Anne aka Nancy Parsons Viscountess Maynard (age 49) became interested in Francis Russell 5th Duke Bedford (age 18). She and her husband Charles Maynard 2nd Viscount Maynard (age 31), and Francis Russell 5th Duke Bedford spent the winter of 1785/1786 in Nice.
On 10th March 1824 [her former husband] Charles Maynard 2nd Viscount Maynard (age 71) died. His nephew Charles (age 37) succeeded 3rd Viscount Maynard of Easton Lodge in Essex, 3rd Baron Maynard of Much Easton in Essex, 6th Baronet Maynard of Walthamstow in Essex.