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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Biography of George Leicester aka Warren 2nd Baron Tabley 1811-1887

On 9th November 1810 [his father] John Fleming Leicester 1st Baron Tabley [aged 48] and [his mother] Georgiana Cottin Baroness Tabley [aged 16] were married. The difference in their ages was 31 years.

On 28th October 1811 George Leicester aka Warren 2nd Baron Tabley was born to [his father] John Fleming Leicester 1st Baron Tabley [aged 49] and [his mother] Georgiana Cottin Baroness Tabley [aged 17]. King George IV of Great Britain and Ireland [aged 49] was his godfather. He was educated at Eton College [Map] and Christ Church College, Oxford University.

On 16th July 1826 [his father] John Fleming Leicester 1st Baron Tabley [aged 64] was created 1st Baron Tabley. [his mother] Georgiana Cottin Baroness Tabley [aged 32] by marriage Baroness Tabley.

On 18th April 1827 [his father] John Fleming Leicester 1st Baron Tabley [aged 65] died at Tabley House, Cheshire. His son George [aged 15] succeeded 2nd Baron Tabley, 6th Baronet Leicester of Timogue in Queen's County.

On 10th July 1828 [his step-father] Reverend Frederick Leicester [aged 25] and [his mother] Georgiana Cottin Baroness Tabley [aged 34] were married. She the former wife of his uncle [his father] John Fleming Leicester 1st Baron Tabley who had died fifteen months before. As the Church of England prohibited aunt-nephew marriages, Frederick resigned from his post to avoid expulsion. The union forfeited £500 of Georgina's annual £1,500 widow's jointure.

Creevey Papers. [1st September 1828]. Dear Mr. and Mrs. Smythe Owen and I have lived in the most perfect harmony since 4 o'clock on Saturday afternoon, but other human being have I seen none, except the parson at church yesterday, whom I was in hopes to have seen more of. He is Mr. Leicester, nephew to the late Lord de Tabley. ... Having known his father in the days of my youth at Cambridge as by far the most ultra and impertinent dandy of his day, I was curious to see the son. It was precisely the same thing over again. This beautiful youth [[his step-father] Reverend Frederick Leicester [aged 26]] (for such he is), aged 27, has been appointed by the Court of Chancery guardian to his nephew [Note. cousin] Lord de Tabley [aged 16], aged 16. About 6 weeks ago, he was married to his aunt [his mother] Lady de Tabley [aged 34], who expects to be confined next month. I am sorry she is not [illegible] for this second marriage. On her part she forfeits £500 a year out of her jointure of £1500; and his diocesan, the Bishop of Lichfield, has given him notice he shall eject him from his living for marrying his aunt, which reduces his income to nothing. ..."

Around 1830. Margaret Sarah Carpenter nee Geddes [aged 37]. Portrait of George Leicester aka Warren 2nd Baron Tabley [aged 18].

In 1832 George Leicester aka Warren 2nd Baron Tabley [aged 20] changed his surname from Leicester to Warren in compliance with the will of Elizabeth Warren Viscountess Bulkeley [aged 72] whose estate he inherited. The second time the famiy had changed surnames being originally Byrne.

On 26th April 1835 [his son] John Warren 3rd Baron Tabley was born to George Leicester aka Warren 2nd Baron Tabley [aged 23].

In 1859 [his mother] Georgiana Cottin Baroness Tabley [aged 65] died.

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 19th October 1887 George Leicester aka Warren 2nd Baron Tabley [aged 75] died. His son John [aged 52] succeeded 3rd Baron Tabley, 7th Baronet Leicester of Timogue in Queen's County.