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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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
Joseph Wright of Derby is in Painters.
On 3rd September 1734 Joseph Wright of Derby was born at 28 Irongate, Derby [Map].
In 1751 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 16) went to London where he studied under Thomas Hudson (age 50) and Joshua Reynolds (age 27).
Around 1752 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 17). Portrait of Rev Thomas Wilson and Catharine Sawbridge (age 20).
Catharine Sawbridge: On 23rd March 1731 she was born to John Sawbridge. On 22nd June 1791 she died.
Around 1752 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 17). Portrait of "Richard Gildart (age 79)".
Around 1754 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 19). Self-Portrait.
Around 1760 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 25). Portrait of Jane Monck Lady Middleton.
Jane Monck Lady Middleton: she was born to Lawrence Monck of Caenby Hall in Lincolnshire and Jane Cunnington. On 20th April 1774 William Middleton 5th Baronet and she were married. She by marriage Lady Middleton of Belsay Castle in Northumberland. In 1794 she died.
Around 1760 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 25). Portrait of Jane Cunnington.
Jane Cunnington: Lawrence Monck of Caenby Hall in Lincolnshire and she were married.
Around 1760 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 25). Portrait of Jane Monck Lady Middleton.
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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
Around 1760 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 25). Portrait of Elizabeth Brooke (age 34).
Elizabeth Brooke: In 1726 she was born to William Brooke. In 1758 William Pigot and she were married. In 1766 she died.
Around 1760 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 25). Portrait of William Pigot (age 31).
William Pigot: In 1729 he was born. In 1782 he died.
Around 1760 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 25). Portrait of William Brooke (age 66).
William Brooke: In 1694 he was born. In 1763 he died.
Around 1760 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 25). Portrait of Lawrence Monck of Caenby Hall in Lincolnshire.
Lawrence Monck of Caenby Hall in Lincolnshire: In 1798 Charles Miles Lambert Monck 6th Baronet changed his surname from Middleton to Monck when he inherited from his maternal grandfather Lawrence Monck of Caenby Hall in Lincolnshire in compliance with his will. In 1798 he died.
Around 1762 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 27). Portrait of Francis Burdett (age 18).
Francis Burdett: On 22nd April 1743 he was born to Robert Burdett 4th Baronet and Elizabeth Sedley Lady Burdett. On 30th December 1766 Francis Burdett and Eleanor Jones were married. On 3rd February 1794 Francis Burdett died. In 1913 Francis Money-Coutts 5th Baron Latymer abeyance terminated 5th Baron Latimer of Snape. He was descended from John Neville 4th Baron Latimer of Snape via Lucy Neville, Frances Cornwallis, Elizabeth Withipoll, William Withipoll, Elizabeth Withipoll, Frances Devereux, Frances Devereux, Robert Burdett 4th Baronet, Francis Burdett, Francis Burdett 5th Baronet and Clara Burdett.
In 1764 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 29). Portrait of Richard Fitzwilliam 7th Viscount Fitzwilliam (age 18).
Richard Fitzwilliam 7th Viscount Fitzwilliam: On 1st August 1745 he was born to Richard Fitzwilliam 6th Viscount Fitzwilliam and Catherine Decker. On 25th May 1776 Richard Fitzwilliam 6th Viscount Fitzwilliam died. His son Richard succeeded 7th Viscount Fitzwilliam of Mount Merrion House in Dublin. On 4th February 1816 Richard Fitzwilliam 7th Viscount Fitzwilliam died unmarried. He was buried at St Mary Magdalene Church, Richmond [Map]. His brother John succeeded 8th Viscount Fitzwilliam of Mount Merrion House in Dublin.
Around 1764 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 29). Portrait of John Grey (age 21) as a Gentleman Commoner of Cambridge University.
John Grey: John Grey and Susanna Leycester were married. He the son of Henry Grey 4th Earl Stamford and Mary Booth Countess Stamford. In 1743 he was born to Henry Grey 4th Earl Stamford and Mary Booth Countess Stamford. On 12th July 1802 John Grey died.
In 1769 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 34). Portrait of Frances Bold (age 29).
Frances Bold: Around 1740 she was born. On 13th September 1759 Fleetwood Hesketh and she were married. On 9th August 1809 she died.
In 1769 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 34). Portrait of Fleetwood Hesketh (age 30).
Fleetwood Hesketh: On 1st July 1738 he was born. On 27th April 1769 he died.
Around 1770 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 35). Portrait of Brownlow Cust 1st Baron Brownlow (age 25).
On 28th July 1773 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 38) and Hannah Swift were married.
After 28th July 1773 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 38). Portrait of [his wife] Hannah Swift (assumed to be the artist's wife).
Hannah Swift: On 28th July 1773 Joseph Wright of Derby and she were married. On 17th August 1790 she died.
Around 1780 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 45). Portrait of Erasmus Darwin (age 48).
Erasmus Darwin: On 12th December 1731 he was born to Robert Darwin of Elston and Elizabeth Hill in Elston Hall, Newark on Trent. In 1757 Erasmus Darwin and Mary aka Polly Howard were married. On 18th April 1802 Erasmus Darwin died at Breadsall Priory, Derbyshire [Map].
Around 1780 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 45). Portrait of Jedediah Strutt (age 54).
Jedediah Strutt: In 1726 he was born in South Normanton, Alfreton [Map]. On 7th May 1797 Jedediah Strutt died.
In 1790 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 55). Self-Portrait.
Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans
Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 17th August 1790 [his wife] Hannah Swift died.
On 29th August 1797 Joseph Wright of Derby (age 62) died at his home 28 Queen Street, Derby [Map].