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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Channel Islands is in Islands.
In 1247 Nicholas Moels [aged 52] was appointed Governor of the Channel Isles.
Richard Grey was appointed Governor of the Channel Isles.
On 4th October 1744 William Hamilton [aged 23] drowned when Victory sank near Alderney.
Roc à l'Epine Burial Mound is also in Prehistoric Channel Islands.
Roc à l'Epine Burial Mound [Map] is a Neolithic burial chamber on the island of Alderney. Its top heavy flat stone rests on two supports.
On 23rd October 1448 Hugh Douglas 1st Earl Ormonde commanded at during the Battle of Sark inflicting a heavy defeat on the English forces. Henry Percy 3rd Earl of Northumberland [aged 27] and Thomas Harrington [aged 48] were captured. Henry Percy 2nd Earl of Northumberland [aged 55] escaped.
In 1594 Philippe Carteret 2nd Seigneur Sark [aged 42] died at Sark. His son Philippe [aged 9] succeeded 3rd Seigneur of Sark.