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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Paternal Family Tree: Stanley
Maternal Family Tree: Charlotte Jenkinson Countess Verulam 1863
On 31st May 1864 [his father] Frederick Arthur Stanley 16th Earl of Derby [aged 23] and [his mother] Constance Villiers Countess Derby [aged 24] were married. She the daughter of [his grandfather] George William Villiers 4th Earl Clarendon [aged 64] and [his grandmother] Katherine Grimston Countess Clarendon [aged 54]. He the son of Edward Smith-Stanley 14th Earl of Derby [aged 65] and Emma Caroline Bootle-Wilbraham Countess Derby [aged 59].
On 4th April 1865 Edward George Villiers Stanley 17th Earl of Derby was born to [his father] Frederick Arthur Stanley 16th Earl of Derby [aged 24] and [his mother] Constance Villiers Countess Derby [aged 25] at 23 St James' Square.
On 5th January 1889 Edward George Villiers Stanley 17th Earl of Derby [aged 23] and Alice Maude Olivia Montagu Countess Derby [aged 26] were married. She the daughter of William Drogo Montagu 7th Duke Manchester [aged 65] and Louisa Vonalten Duchess Devonshire and Manchester [aged 56]. He the son of Frederick Arthur Stanley 16th Earl of Derby [aged 47] and Constance Villiers Countess Derby [aged 49].
On 22nd March 1890 [his father-in-law] William Drogo Montagu 7th Duke Manchester [aged 66] died. His son [his brother-in-law] George [aged 36] succeeded 8th Duke Manchester, 11th Earl Manchester, 11th Viscount Mandeville, 11th Baron Montagu of Kimbolton. Consuelo Yznaga Duchess Manchester [aged 37] by marriage Duchess Manchester.
On 18th August 1892 [his brother-in-law] George Victor Drogo Montagu 8th Duke Manchester [aged 39] died at Tandragee Castle. His son William [aged 15] succeeded 9th Duke Manchester, 12th Earl Manchester, 12th Viscount Mandeville, 12th Baron Montagu of Kimbolton.
On 21st April 1893 [his uncle] Edward Henry Stanley 15th Earl of Derby [aged 66] died at Knowsley, Lancashire. His brother [his father] Frederick [aged 52] succeeded 16th Earl Derby, 10th Baronet Stanley of Bickerstaffe. [his mother] Constance Villiers Countess Derby [aged 53] by marriage Countess Derby.
On 9th July 1894 [his son] Edward Montagu Cavendish Stanley was born to Edward George Villiers Stanley 17th Earl of Derby [aged 29] and [his wife] Alice Maude Olivia Montagu Countess Derby [aged 31]. He married 1917 his third cousin Sibyl Louise Beatrix Cadogan and had issue.
On 4th May 1896 [his son] Oliver Stanley was born to Edward George Villiers Stanley 17th Earl of Derby [aged 31] and [his wife] Alice Maude Olivia Montagu Countess Derby [aged 33].
In 1901 John Hubert Ward [aged 30] was the Assistant Private Secretary to the Financial Secretary to the War Office, Edward George Villiers Stanley 17th Earl of Derby [aged 35].
This is a translation of the 'Memoires of Jacques du Clercq', published in 1823 in two volumes, edited by Frederic, Baron de Reissenberg. In his introduction Reissenberg writes: 'Jacques du Clercq tells us that he was born in 1424, and that he was a licentiate in law and a counsellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in the castellany of Douai, Lille, and Orchies. It appears that he established his residence at Arras. In 1446, he married the daughter of Baldwin de la Lacherie, a gentleman who lived in Lille. We read in the fifth book of his Memoirs that his father, also named Jacques du Clercq, had married a lady of the Le Camelin family, from Compiègne. His ancestors, always attached to the counts of Flanders, had constantly served them, whether in their councils or in their armies.' The Memoires cover a period of nineteen years beginning in in 1448, ending in in 1467. It appears that the author had intended to extend the Memoirs beyond that date; no doubt illness or death prevented him from carrying out this plan. As Reissenberg writes the 'merit of this work lies in the simplicity of its narrative, in its tone of good faith, and in a certain air of frankness which naturally wins the reader’s confidence.' Du Clercq ranges from events of national and international importance, including events of the Wars of the Roses in England, to simple, everyday local events such as marriages, robberies, murders, trials and deaths, including that of his own father in Book 5; one of his last entries.
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On 14th June 1908 [his father] Frederick Arthur Stanley 16th Earl of Derby [aged 67] died. His son Edward [aged 43] succeeded 17th Earl Derby, 11th Baronet Stanley of Bickerstaffe. [his wife] Alice Maude Olivia Montagu Countess Derby [aged 45] by marriage Countess Derby.
In 1915 Edward George Villiers Stanley 17th Earl of Derby [aged 49] was appointed 851st Knight of the Garter by King George V of the United Kingdom [aged 49].
On 7th April 1915 [his son-in-law] Neil James Archibald Primrose [aged 32] and Victoria Stanley were married. She the daughter of Edward George Villiers Stanley 17th Earl of Derby [aged 50] and Alice Maude Olivia Montagu Countess Derby [aged 52]. He the son of Archibald Philip Primrose 5th Earl Rosebery 1st Earl Midlothian [aged 67] and Hannah Rothschild Countess of Rosebery.
In 1917 Edward Montagu Cavendish Stanley [aged 22] and Sibyl Louise Beatrix Cadogan [aged 24] were married. He the son of Edward George Villiers Stanley 17th Earl of Derby [aged 51] and Alice Maude Olivia Montagu Countess Derby [aged 54]. They were third cousins.
1919. William Orpen [aged 40]. Portrait of Edward George Villiers Stanley 17th Earl of Derby [aged 53].
In 1922 [his mother] Constance Villiers Countess Derby [aged 82] died.
In 1927 [his daughter] Victoria Stanley died in a hunting accident.
Bolton War Memorial [Map]. Unveiled 14th July 1928 by Edward George Villiers Stanley 17th Earl of Derby [aged 63]. Sculpted by Walter Marsden [aged 45].
On 10th February 1934 [his sister-in-law] Mary Louisa Elizabeth Montagu Duchess Hamilton Duchess Brandon [aged 79] died.
On 16th October 1938 [his son] Edward Montagu Cavendish Stanley [aged 44] died at Marylebone.
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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On 3rd March 1944 [his sister-in-law] Louisa Augusta Beatrice Montagu Countess Gosford [aged 88] died.
On 4th February 1948 Edward George Villiers Stanley 17th Earl of Derby [aged 82] died at Knowsley Hall, Lancashire. His grandson Edward [aged 29] succeeded 18th Earl Derby, 12th Baronet Stanley of Bickerstaffe.
On 23rd July 1957 [his former wife] Alice Maude Olivia Montagu Countess Derby [aged 94] died at Coworth Park, Sunningdale.
[his daughter] Victoria Stanley was born to Edward George Villiers Stanley 17th Earl of Derby and Alice Maude Olivia Montagu Countess Derby. She married 7th April 1915 Neil James Archibald Primrose, son of Archibald Philip Primrose 5th Earl Rosebery 1st Earl Midlothian and Hannah Rothschild Countess of Rosebery, and had issue.
Kings Wessex: Great x 24 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 22 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 27 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 23 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 25 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 15 Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 23 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 30 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 20 Grand Son of Philip V King France I King Navarre
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 28 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edward Stanley 11th Earl of Derby 
10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: James Stanley "Lord Strange" 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Edward Smith-Stanley 12th Earl of Derby 12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Hugh Smith of Weald Hall Essex
Great x 3 Grandmother: Lucy Smith
Great x 1 Grandfather: Edward Smith-Stanley 13th Earl of Derby 13 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: James Hamilton 5th Duke Hamilton 2nd Duke Brandon 
10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: James Hamilton 6th Duke Hamilton 3rd Duke Brandon 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Cochrane Duchess Hamilton Duchess Brandon 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Hamilton Countess Derby 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Barnaby Gunning
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Gunning Duchess Hamilton and Argyll
Great x 4 Grandmother: Bridget Bourke
GrandFather: Edward Smith-Stanley 14th Earl of Derby 14 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Geoffrey Hornby 
Great x 1 Grandmother: Charlotte Margaret Hornby Countess Derby
Father: Frederick Arthur Stanley 16th Earl of Derby 15 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Edward Bootle-Wilbraham 1st Baron Skelmersdale
GrandMother: Emma Caroline Bootle-Wilbraham Countess Derby
Edward George Villiers Stanley 17th Earl of Derby 15 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edward Villiers 1st Earl Jersey 
10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Villiers 2nd Earl Jersey 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Barbara Chiffinch Countess Jersey
Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Villiers 1st Earl Clarendon 12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: George Villiers 12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Algernon Capell 2nd Earl Essex 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Capell 3rd Earl Essex 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Mary Bentinck Countess Essex 
11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Charlotte Capell Countess Clarendon 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Hyde 2nd Earl Rochester 4th Earl Clarendon 
10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Jane Hyde Countess Essex 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Jane Leveson-Gower Countess Rochester and Clarendon 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
GrandFather: George William Villiers 4th Earl Clarendon 13 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: George Parker of Boringdon 
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Parker
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Parker 1st Baron Boringdon 12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Paulett 1st Earl Paulett 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Catherine Paulett 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Bridget Bertie Countess Paulett 
11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Theresa Parker 13 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Robinson 1st Baronet 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Robinson 1st Baron Grantham
Great x 4 Grandmother: Mary Aislabie
Great x 2 Grandmother: Theresa Robinson Baroness Boringdon
Mother: Constance Villiers Countess Derby 14 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Grimston 1st Viscount Grimston
Great x 3 Grandfather: James Grimston 2nd Viscount Grimston
Great x 2 Grandfather: James Grimston 3rd Viscount Grimston
Great x 1 Grandfather: James Walter Grimston 1st Earl Verulam 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Edward Walter
Great x 2 Grandmother: Harriet Walter Viscountess Grimston
GrandMother: Katherine Grimston Countess Clarendon
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Jenkinson 2nd Baronet
Great x 3 Grandfather: Colonel Charles Jenkinson
Great x 2 Grandfather: Charles Jenkinson 1st Earl Liverpool
Great x 1 Grandmother: Charlotte Jenkinson Countess Verulam