The True Chronicles of Jean le Bel Volume 1 Chapters 1-60 1307-1342

The True Chronicles of Jean le Bel offer one of the most vivid and immediate accounts of 14th-century Europe, written by a knight who lived through the events he describes, and experienced some of them first hand. Covering the early decades of the Hundred Years’ War, this remarkable chronicle follows the campaigns of Edward III of England, the politics of France and the Low Countries, and the shifting alliances that shaped medieval warfare. Unlike later historians, Jean le Bel writes with a strong sense of eyewitness authenticity, drawing on personal experience and the testimony of fellow soldiers. His narrative captures not only battles and sieges, but also the realities of military life, diplomacy, and the ideals of chivalry that governed noble society. A key source for Jean Froissart, Le Bel’s chronicle stands on its own as a compelling and insightful work, at once historical record and literary achievement. This translation builds on the 1905 edition published in French by Jules Viard, adding extensive translations from other sources Rymer's Fœdera, the Chronicles of Adam Murimuth, William Nangis, Walter of Guisborough, a Bourgeois of Valenciennes, Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke and Richard Lescot to enrich the original text and Viard's notes.

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Wadham College, Oxford University, Oxfordshire, South-Central England, British Isles

Wadham College, Oxford University is in Oxford University.

In 1625 Sampson Lort joined Wadham College, Oxford University.

On 3rd November 1626 Roger Lort 1st Baronet (age 18) matriculated Wadham College, Oxford University which he joined in 1624.

On 3rd November 1626 John Aubrey 1st Baronet (age 20) matriculated Wadham College, Oxford University.

In 1629 Bishop Nicholas Monck (age 19) was educated at Wadham College, Oxford University.

On 30th October 1629 Edward Phelips (age 16) was educated at Wadham College, Oxford University.

On 3rd March 1631 Bishop Nicholas Monck (age 21) graduated Bachelor of Arts at Wadham College, Oxford University.

On 30th October 1633 Bishop Nicholas Monck (age 23) graduated Master of Arts: Oxford University at Wadham College, Oxford University.

In 1637 George Joyliffe (age 16) matriculated from Wadham College, Oxford University.

On 25th July 1655 John Strangeways (age 18) was educated at Wadham College, Oxford University.

On 30th August 1664 Henry Godolphin (age 16) was educated at Wadham College, Oxford University.

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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John Evelyn's Diary. 24th October 1664. Next to Wadham, and the Physic Garden, where were two large locust trees, and as many platani (plane trees), and some rare plants under the culture of old Bobart.

In 1667 Aaron Baker (age 15) matriculated at Wadham College, Oxford University.

In 1668 Henry Godolphin (age 19) was awarded Bachelor of Arts at Wadham College, Oxford University.

On 2nd July 1687 Humphrey Briggs 4th Baronet (age 17) matriculated Wadham College, Oxford University.

On 3rd April 1693 Charles Fane 1st Viscount Fane (age 17) was educated at Wadham College, Oxford University.

On 7th November 1705 John Reade 3rd Baronet (age 14) matriculated at Wadham College, Oxford University.

On 5th January 1711 William Greville 7th Baron Brooke (age 16) was educated at Wadham College, Oxford University.

On 3rd November 1712 William Greville 7th Baron Brooke (age 17) graduated Master of Arts: Oxford University at Wadham College, Oxford University.

Around 1778 Thomas Wyndham (age 15) educated at Wadham College, Oxford University.