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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Paternal Family Tree: Russell
Maternal Family Tree: Charlotte Jenkinson Countess Verulam 1863
On 5th May 1868 [his father] Odo Russell 1st Baron Ampthill [aged 39] and [his mother] Emily Theresa Villiers Baroness Ampthill [aged 25] were married. She the daughter of [his grandfather] George William Villiers 4th Earl Clarendon [aged 68] and [his grandmother] Katherine Grimston Countess Clarendon [aged 58]. They were fifth cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.
On 19th February 1869 Oliver Russell 2nd Baron Ampthill was born to [his father] Odo Russell 1st Baron Ampthill [aged 39] and [his mother] Emily Theresa Villiers Baroness Ampthill [aged 26].
In 1881 [his father] Odo Russell 1st Baron Ampthill [aged 51] was created 1st Baron Ampthill of Ampthill in Bedfordshire. [his mother] Emily Theresa Villiers Baroness Ampthill [aged 38] by marriage Baroness Ampthill of Ampthill in Bedfordshire.
On 25th August 1884 [his father] Odo Russell 1st Baron Ampthill [aged 55] died. He was buried at St Michael's Church, Chenies [Map]. His son Oliver [aged 15] succeeded 2nd Baron Ampthill of Ampthill in Bedfordshire.
Odo Russell 1st Baron Ampthill: On 20th February 1829 he was born to George Russell and Elizabeth Anne Rawdon. He a great x 4 grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. On 5th May 1868 Odo Russell 1st Baron Ampthill and Emily Theresa Villiers Baroness Ampthill were married. She the daughter of George William Villiers 4th Earl Clarendon and Katherine Grimston Countess Clarendon. They were fifth cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. In 1881 Odo Russell 1st Baron Ampthill was created 1st Baron Ampthill of Ampthill in Bedfordshire. Emily Theresa Villiers Baroness Ampthill by marriage Baroness Ampthill of Ampthill in Bedfordshire.
On 6th October 1894 Oliver Russell 2nd Baron Ampthill [aged 25] and Margaret Lygon Baroness Ampthill [aged 19] were married. She by marriage Baroness Ampthill of Ampthill in Bedfordshire. She the daughter of Frederick Lygon 6th Earl Beauchamp and Mary Catherine Stanhope Countess Beauchamp. They were fourth cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.
On 4th October 1896 [his son] John Russell 3rd Baron Ampthill was born to Oliver Russell 2nd Baron Ampthill [aged 27] and [his wife] Margaret Lygon Baroness Ampthill [aged 21]. He married (1) 18th October 1918 Christabel Hulme Hart Baroness Ampthill and had issue (2) 22nd February 1937 Sibell Faithfull Lumley Baroness Ampthill (3) 24th July 1948 Adeline Mary Constance Hone Baroness Ampthill and had issue.
On 14th April 1898 [his son] Admiral Guy Herbrand Edward Russell was born to Oliver Russell 2nd Baron Ampthill [aged 29] and [his wife] Margaret Lygon Baroness Ampthill [aged 23].
On 5th September 1900 Oliver Russell 2nd Baron Ampthill [aged 31] was appointed Governor of Madras. He served until February 1906.
On 1902 [his brother-in-law] William Lygon 7th Earl Beauchamp [aged 29] and Lettice Mary Elizabeth Grosvenor Countess Beauchamp [aged 25] were married. She by marriage Countess Beauchamp. He the son of Frederick Lygon 6th Earl Beauchamp and Mary Catherine Stanhope Countess Beauchamp. They were half third cousin once removed.
On 18th October 1918 [his son] John Russell 3rd Baron Ampthill [aged 22] and [his daughter-in-law] Christabel Hart were married. The marriage wasn't consummated leading to awkward questions in 1921 when she announced she was five months pregnant. The subsequent divorce case, Ampthill vs Ampthill was protracted and notorious.
1925. Arthur Stockdale Cope [aged 67]. Portrait of Oliver Russell 2nd Baron Ampthill [aged 55].
In 1927 [his mother] Emily Theresa Villiers Baroness Ampthill [aged 84] died.
On 7th July 1935 Oliver Russell 2nd Baron Ampthill [aged 66] died of pneumonia. His son John [aged 38] succeeded 3rd Baron Ampthill of Ampthill in Bedfordshire. Christabel Hulme Hart Baroness Ampthill by marriage Baroness Ampthill of Ampthill in Bedfordshire.
On 12th December 1957 [his former wife] Margaret Lygon Baroness Ampthill [aged 83] died.
Kings Wessex: Great x 24 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 21 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 22 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 23 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 5 Grand Son of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland
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 7 Grand Son of Henry IV King France
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 28 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Wriothesley Russell 2nd Duke Bedford 
9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry IV of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Russell 4th Duke Bedford 10 x Great Grand Son of King Henry IV of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Howland Duchess Bedford
Great x 2 Grandfather: Francis Russell 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Leveson-Gower 1st Earl Gower 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Gertrude Leveson-Gower Duchess Bedford 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Evelyn Pierrepont Baroness Gower 
9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Russell 6th Duke Bedford 2 x Great Grand Son of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Arnold Keppel 1st Earl Albermarle 
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Anne Keppel 2nd Earl Albermarle
Great x 4 Grandmother: Geertruid Johanna Quirina Van Der Duyn Countess Albermarle
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Keppel Great Grand Daughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond 
Son of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland
Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Lennox Countess Albermarle Grand Daughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Brudenell Duchess Richmond 
9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
GrandFather: George Russell 3 x Great Grand Son of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: George Byng 1st Viscount Torrington 
Great x 3 Grandfather: George Byng 3rd Viscount Torrington
Great x 2 Grandfather: George Byng 4th Viscount Torrington
Great x 1 Grandmother: Georgiana Elizabeth Byng 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Charles Boyle 4th Earl Cork 4th Earl Orrery 
11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Boyle 5th Earl Cork 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Cecil Countess Cork 
7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 2 Grandmother: Lucy Boyle Viscountess Torrington 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Father: Odo Russell 1st Baron Ampthill 4 x Great Grand Son of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Rawdon 1st Earl Moira
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Theophilus Rawdon 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Theophilus Hastings 7th Earl Huntingdon 
5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 3 Grandfather: Theophilus Hastings 9th Earl Huntingdon 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Mary Frances Fowler Countess Huntingdon
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Hastings Countess Moira 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Washington Shirley 2nd Earl Ferrers 
11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Selina Shirley Countess Huntingdon 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Mary Levinge Countess Ferrers
GrandMother: Elizabeth Anne Rawdon 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Oliver Russell 2nd Baron Ampthill 5 x Great Grand Son of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland
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: Emily Theresa Villiers Baroness Ampthill 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