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: Denys
Around 1470 William Denys was born to [his father] Walter Denys (age 55).
Around 1481 William Denys (age 11) and Anne Twynyho were married.
Around 1483 [his daughter] Anne Denys was born to William Denys (age 13) and [his wife] Anne Twynyho.
In 1505 [his father] Walter Denys (age 90) died.
In 1508 William Denys (age 38) and Anne Berkeley were married.
After 1508 [his daughter] Margaret Denys was born to William Denys (age 38) and [his wife] Anne Berkeley.
After 1508 [his daughter] Bridget Denys was born to William Denys (age 38) and [his wife] Anne Berkeley.
After 1508 [his son] Francis Denys was born to William Denys (age 38) and [his wife] Anne Berkeley.
After 1508 [his son] Walter Denys was born to William Denys (age 38) and [his wife] Anne Berkeley.
Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
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After 1508 [his son] Maurice Denys was born to William Denys (age 38) and [his wife] Anne Berkeley.
After 1508 [his son] William Denys was born to William Denys (age 38) and [his wife] Anne Berkeley.
After 1508 [his son] Thomas Denys was born to William Denys (age 38) and [his wife] Anne Berkeley.
After 1508 [his daughter] Eleanor Denys was born to William Denys (age 38) and [his wife] Anne Berkeley. She married in or before 1537 William Lygon and had issue.
After 1508 [his son] John Denys was born to William Denys (age 38) and [his wife] Anne Berkeley.
After 1508 [his daughter] Anne Denys was born to William Denys (age 38) and [his wife] Anne Berkeley.
After 1508 [his daughter] Isabel Denys was born to William Denys (age 38) and [his wife] Anne Berkeley. She married (1) 1531 her sixth cousin John Berkeley and had issue (2) after 28th June 1545 Arthur Porter.
After 1508 [his daughter] Katherine Denys was born to William Denys (age 38) and [his wife] Anne Berkeley. She married (1) Roger Lygon (2) 15th September 1521 Edmund Tame (3) after 1544 Walter Buckler.
After 1508 [his daughter] Mary Denys was born to William Denys (age 38) and [his wife] Anne Berkeley.
In 1518 William Denys (age 48) was appointed High Sheriff of Gloucestershire.
In June 1520 Henry VIII (age 28) hosted Field of the Cloth of Gold at Balinghem [Map].
Thomas Grey 2nd Marquess Dorset (age 42) carried the Sword of State.
Bishop John Stokesley (age 45) attended as Henry VIII's chaplain.
Edmund Braye 1st Baron Braye (age 36), Gruffydd ap Rhys ap Thomas Deheubarth (age 42), Anthony Poyntz (age 40), William Coffin (age 25), William "Great" Courtenay (age 43), Robert Radclyffe 1st Earl of Sussex (age 37), William Paston (age 41), William Denys (age 50), Richard Cecil (age 25), William Parr 1st Baron Parr of Horton (age 37), Ralph Neville 4th Earl of Westmoreland (age 22), John Mordaunt 1st Baron Mordaunt (age 40), Henry Guildford (age 31), Marmaduke Constable (age 40), William Compton (age 38), William Blount 4th Baron Mountjoy (age 42), Thomas Cheney (age 35), Henry Willoughby (age 69), John Rodney (age 59), John Marney 2nd Baron Marney (age 36), William Sidney (age 38), John de Vere 14th Earl of Oxford (age 20), John de Vere 15th Earl of Oxford (age 49), Edmund Walsingham (age 40), William Skeffington (age 55) and Thomas West 8th Baron De La Warr 5th Baron West (age 63) attended.
William Carey (age 20) jousted.
William Sandys 1st Baron Sandys of the Vyne (age 50) organised.
Jane Parker Viscountess Rochford (age 15) attended.
Thomas Brooke 8th Baron Cobham (age 50), Robert Willoughby 2nd Baron Willoughby 10th Baron Latimer (age 48), Anthony Wingfield (age 33), William Scott (age 61), Thomas Wriothesley (age 32), Bishop Thomas Ruthall (age 48), Margaret Dymoke aka Mistress Coffin (age 20) and Edward Chamberlayne (age 36) were present.
On 15th September 1521 [his son-in-law] Edmund Tame and [his daughter] Katherine Denys (age 13) were married.
In 1526 William Denys (age 56) was appointed High Sheriff of Gloucestershire.
In 1531 [his son-in-law] John Berkeley (age 25) and [his daughter] Isabel Denys (age 22) were married. They were sixth cousins.
In 1533 William Denys (age 63) died.
In 1560 [his former wife] Anne Berkeley died.
GrandFather: John Denys of Bradford Devon
Father: Walter Denys