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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Paternal Family Tree: Montagu
Maternal Family Tree: Anne Pakenham 1485-1544
In 1557 [his father] Edward Montagu (age 27) and [his mother] Elizabeth Harrington (age 12) were married.
In 1563 Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu was born to [his father] Edward Montagu (age 33) and [his mother] Elizabeth Harrington (age 18).
Around 1574 Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu (age 11) was educated at Christ Church College, Oxford University.
On 21st September 1585 Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu (age 22) and Elizabeth Jeffrey (age 17) were married at Weekley, Northamptonshire.
In 1595 Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu (age 32) was appointed High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire.
On 1st June 1601 [his brother] Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 38) and [his sister-in-law] Catherine Spencer (age 15) were married. The difference in their ages was 23 years.
On 26th January 1602 [his father] Edward Montagu (age 72) died at Brigstock, Boughton.
On 23rd July 1603 King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland (age 37) created a number Knights at the Royal Gardens Whitehall Palace:
Henry Savile 1st Baronet (age 24), William Morgan (age 43), George Carew, Baptist Hicks 1st Viscount Campden (age 46), Richard Musgrave 1st Baronet (age 18), James Calthorpe (age 44), Thomas Gresham (age 56), George Fane of Burston (age 22), Francis Fane 1st Earl of Westmoreland (age 23), Robert Chichester (age 25), William Pope 1st Earl Downe (age 29), Gervase Clifton 1st Baronet (age 15), Thomas Berkeley (age 28), Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu (age 40), William Herbert 1st Baron Powis (age 30), Anthony Irby (age 26), Drue Drury of Eccles and Rollesby in Norfolk and Arnold Lygon (age 45).
24th July 1603 Richard Browne (age 64).
In 1604 Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu (age 41) was elected MP Northamptonshire.
In 1605 [his son-in-law] Robert Bertie 1st Earl Lindsey (age 22) and [his daughter] Elizabeth Montagu Countess Lindsey were married. She by marriage Baroness Willoughby de Eresby.
On 29th March 1608 [his brother] Bishop James Montagu (age 40) was elected Bishop of Bath and Wells.
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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On 14th May 1608 [his brother] Bishop James Montagu (age 40) was enthroned Bishop of Bath and Wells at Wells Cathedral [Map].
On 6th December 1611 [his wife] Elizabeth Jeffrey (age 43) died.
On 24th February 1612 Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu (age 49) and Frances Cotton (age 34) were married at Weekley, Northamptonshire.
On 9th November 1613 [his brother] Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 50) and [his sister-in-law] Anne Wincot (age 60) were married.
Around 1614 [his daughter] Frances Montagu Countess Rutland was born to Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu (age 51) and [his wife] Frances Cotton (age 36) at Boughton House. She married before 2nd June 1629 John Manners 8th Earl of Rutland and had issue.
In 1616 [his brother] Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 53) was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
On 3rd July 1616 [his brother] Bishop James Montagu (age 48) was translated to Bishop of Winchester.
On 11th July 1616 [his son] Edward Montagu 2nd Baron Montagu was born to Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu (age 53) and [his wife] Frances Cotton (age 38) at Weekley, Leicestershire. He married after 1633 Anne Winwood and had issue.
In 1618 [his son] William Montagu was born to Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu (age 55) and [his wife] Frances Cotton (age 40) at Oakley Parsonage, Leicestershire. He married (1) 18th June 1646 Elizabeth Freman (2) 7th December 1651 Mary Aubrey, daughter of John Aubrey 1st Baronet and Mary South.
In 1618 [his son] Christopher Montagu was born to Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu (age 55) and [his wife] Frances Cotton (age 40) at Boughton House.
Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough
A canon regular of the Augustinian Guisborough Priory, Yorkshire, formerly known as The Chronicle of Walter of Hemingburgh, describes the period from 1066 to 1346. Before 1274 the Chronicle is based on other works. Thereafter, the Chronicle is original, and a remarkable source for the events of the time. This book provides a translation of the Chronicle from that date. The Latin source for our translation is the 1849 work edited by Hans Claude Hamilton. Hamilton, in his preface, says: 'In the present work we behold perhaps one of the finest samples of our early chronicles, both as regards the value of the events recorded, and the correctness with which they are detailed; Nor will the pleasing style of composition be lightly passed over by those capable of seeing reflected from it the tokens of a vigorous and cultivated mind, and a favourable specimen of the learning and taste of the age in which it was framed.'
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On 19th May 1618 [his mother] Elizabeth Harrington (age 73) died.
On 20th July 1618 [his brother] Bishop James Montagu (age 50) died. He was buried at Bath Abbey [Map].
In 1620 [his brother] Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 57) was appointed Lord Treasurer.
In 1620 [his brother] Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 57) was created 1st Viscount Mandeville, 1st Baron Montagu of Kimbolton.
On 26th April 1620 [his brother] Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 57) and [his sister-in-law] Margaret Crouch Countess Manchester (age 15) were married. She by marriage Viscountess Mandeville. The difference in their ages was 42 years.
In May 1620 [his wife] Frances Cotton (age 42) died.
On 29th June 1621...
Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu (age 58) was created 1st Baron Montagu of Boughton in Northamptonshire.
Thomas Palmer 1st Baronet (age 81) was created 1st Baronet Palmer of Wingham in Kent. Margaret Poley Lady Palmer (age 79) by marriage Lady Palmer of Wingham in Kent.
On 16th February 1625 Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu (age 62) and Anne Crouch Baroness Montagu (age 52) were married. She by marriage Baroness Montagu of Boughton in Northamptonshire.
In 1626 [his brother] Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 63) was created 1st Earl Manchester. [his sister-in-law] Margaret Crouch Countess Manchester (age 21) by marriage Countess Manchester.
Before 2nd June 1629 [his son-in-law] John Manners 8th Earl of Rutland (age 24) and [his daughter] Frances Montagu Countess Rutland (age 15) were married.
After 1633 and before 24th December 1638 [his son] Edward Montagu 2nd Baron Montagu (age 16) and [his daughter-in-law] Anne Winwood (age 18) were married.
In 1641 [his son] Christopher Montagu (age 23) died.
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 7th November 1642 [his brother] Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 79) died. His son [his nephew] Edward (age 40) succeeded 2nd Earl Manchester, 2nd Viscount Mandeville, 2nd Baron Montagu of Kimbolton.
On 15th June 1644 Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu (age 81) died at the Savoy Hospital. His son Edward (age 27) succeeded 2nd Baron Montagu of Boughton in Northamptonshire.
On 11th July 1648 [his former wife] Anne Crouch Baroness Montagu (age 75) died.
[his son] Edward Montagu was born to Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu and Elizabeth Jeffrey.
[his daughter] Elizabeth Montagu Countess Lindsey was born to Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu and Elizabeth Jeffrey. She married 1605 Robert Bertie 1st Earl Lindsey, son of Peregrine Bertie 13th Baron Willoughby and Mary Vere Baroness Willoughby of Eresby, and had issue.
Kings Wessex: Great x 17 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 21 Grand Son of Maredudd ab Owain King Deheubarth King Powys King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 23 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 21 Grand Son of Maredudd ab Owain King Deheubarth King Powys King Gwynedd
Kings England: Great x 9 Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 16 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 23 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 18 Grand Son of Hugh I King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 21 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Montagu 
3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Montagu 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Christina Basset 
10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Ladde Montagu 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Alice Holcot
Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Montagu 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
GrandFather: Edward Montagu 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Dudley 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard Dudley
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Dudley
Great x 1 Grandmother: Agnes Dudley
Father: Edward Montagu 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Edmund Roper 
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Roper
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Roper of Well Hall
GrandMother: Helen Roper
Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Harrington 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Robert Harrington
Great x 4 Grandmother: Catherine Culpepper 
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Harrington
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Alexander Harrington
GrandFather: James Harrington
Great x 2 Grandfather: Robert Moton of Peckleton in Leicestershire
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Moton
Mother: Elizabeth Harrington
Great x 3 Grandfather: William IV Sidney 
Great x 2 Grandfather: Nicholas Sidney
Great x 1 Grandfather: William Sidney
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Brandon 
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Brandon
Great x 4 Grandmother: Ada Calthorpe 
Great x 2 Grandmother: Anne Brandon
GrandMother: Lucy Sidney
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Pakenham
Great x 2 Grandfather: Hugh Pakenham
Great x 1 Grandmother: Anne Pakenham