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The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
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Army is in Military.
Patent Rolls. 8th May 1461. York [Map]. Grant for life to William Herbert (age 38), knight, of the offices of office of chief justice and chamberlain of South Wales, steward of the commontes in the counties of Caermarthen and Cardigan, and chief forester in those counties (Carmarthenshire,Cardiganshire).
Patent Rolls. 8th May 1461. York [Map]. Grant for life to William Herbert (age 38), knight, of the offices of office of chief justice and chamberlain of South Wales, steward of the commontes in the counties of Caermarthen and Cardigan, and chief forester in those counties (Carmarthenshire,Cardiganshire).
On 21st November 1777 Charles Gould aka Morgan 2nd Baronet (age 17) was commissioned ensign and lieutenant in the Coldstream Guards.
In 1838 George Phipps 2nd Marquess Normanby (age 18) was appointed Lieutenant in the Coldstream Guards.
In 1839 Poulett George Henry Somerset (age 16) commissioned as Coldstream Guards.
In 1867 Ronald Campbell (age 18) was commissioned in the Coldstream Guards in 1867, promoted Captain in 1871, becoming Adjutant 1st Battalion 1871-78.
In 1909 Captain Percy Lyulph Wyndham (age 21) enlisted in the Coldstream Guards. He was commissioned as Lieutenant in May 1910.
Anne Boleyn. Her Life as told by Lancelot de Carle's 1536 Letter.
In 1536, two weeks after the execution of Anne Boleyn, her brother George and four others, Lancelot du Carle, wrote an extraordinary letter that described Anne's life, and her trial and execution, to which he was a witness. This book presents a new translation of that letter, with additional material from other contemporary sources such as Letters, Hall's and Wriothesley's Chronicles, the pamphlets of Wynkyn the Worde, the Memorial of George Constantyne, the Portuguese Letter and the Baga de Secrets, all of which are provided in Appendices.
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In 1854 Henry Byng 4th Earl Strafford (age 22) was appointed Coldstream Guards: Adjutant.
In 1854 Henry Byng 4th Earl Strafford (age 22) promoted by purchase as Coldstream Guards: Captain.
In 1847 Henry Byng 4th Earl Strafford (age 15) joined the Coldstream Guards: Lieutenant.
In 1865 Henry Byng 4th Earl Strafford (age 33) was appointed Coldstream Guards: Supernumary Major.
In 1511 Richard Wingfield (age 42) was appointed Deputy of Calais.
In 1540 Henry Fitzalan 12th or 19th Earl of Arundel (age 27) was appointed Deputy of Calais.
Henry Machyn's Diary. After 20th April 1599. The (blank) day of Aprell was browth from the Towre [Map] unto Westmynster Hall [Map] to be reynyd, my lord Wentworth, last depute of Calles, for the lossyng of Calles; and ther wher serten of ys a-cussars; but he quytt hym-seylff, thanke be God, and clen delevered, and whent in-to Wytyngtun colege, and ther he lys.
Frederick Cavendish was appointed Field Marshall.
In 1832 John William Montagu 7th Earl Sandwich (age 20) was commissioned Ensign in the Grenadier Guards.
Adeline Horsey Recollections. After mamma's death I kept house for papa at 8 Upper Grosvenor Street. My brothers were rarely at home. William (age 17) was educated at Eton [Map], and when he was sixteen years old the Duke of Wellington (age 73) gave him a commission in the Grenadier Guards. Later he went through the Crimean War, and he retired from the Army in 1883, on account of ill-health, with the rank of Lieutenant-General.
Algernon (age 16) entered the Navy in 1840 as a midshipman, and the same year took part in the operations on the coast of Syria. After the battle of Acre he received the Turkish medal and clasps: his promotion was rapid, and as Admiral, his flagship, the Shah, engaged the Huascar, which he forced to surrender to the Peruvian authorities.
Now that I was so much alone I occasionally found time hang heavy on my hands, and I welcomed any excitement as a break in the monotony, for of course our period of mourning prevented us entertaining or accepting invitations. One day my maid told me about a fortune-teller who had a wonderful gift for predicting the future. I was very much interested, and made up my mind to consult the oracle. My maid attempted to dissuade me, saying that the woman lived in Bridge Street, Westminster, which was not at all a nice neighbourhood. I have always had my own way and, disguised in a borrowed cloak, bonnet and thick veil, and accompanied by my protesting servant, I started off to Bridge Street late one November afternoon.
It was dusk when we reached Westminster and found Bridge Street, badly lighted and evil-smelling. We knocked at the door, stated whom we wished to see, and we were ushered through a dark passage into a dirty room reeking of tobacco.
The fortune-teller was a wrinkled old woman who was smoking a short clay pipe with evident enjoyment. When I told her what I had come for, she produced a greasy pack of cards, and after I had "crossed her pahn" she commenced to tell my future.
"Ah!" said she at last, and she looked curiously, "my pretty young lady, fate holds a great deal in store for you. You will not marry for several years, but when you do it will be to a widower - a man in a high position. You will suffer much unkindness before you experience real happiness, you will obtain much and lose much, you will marry again after your husband's death, and you will live to a great age".
I was quite impressed by my "fortune", but I was a little disappointed, for like most girls I had my day-dreams of a young husband, and the prospect of a widower was thus rather depressing.
Strangely enough, the prediction came true, for Lord Cardigan (age 45) was a widower, and nearly all the men who proposed to me were widowers! I was asked in marriage by Lord Sherborne (age 38), a widower with ten children; by the Duke of Leeds (age 40), who was a widower with eleven children, and by Christopher Maunsell Talbot (age 39), once Father of the House of Commons, also a widower with four children. Prince Soltykoff, the Duke of St. Albans (age 41), Harry Howard, and Disraeli (age 38) were other widowers who proposed to me, so I suppose I must have had some unaccountable fascination for bereaved husbands.
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On 1st April 1762 Captain George Marlay (age 14) was appointed Cornet of the 9th Regiment of Dragoons.
On 6th October 1799 Lieutenant Colonel Philip Bainbrigge (age 44) was killed in action at the Battle of Egmont on Zee at which battle he was commanding the 20th Regiment of Foot. He was buried in the churchyard near the field of battle. Monument in St Oswald's Church, Ashbourne [Map]. Signed Hayward Lichfield - possibly Peter Hayward.
Lieutenant Colonel Philip Bainbrigge: Around 1755 he was born.
On 27th May 1676 Captain George Marlay was appointed Lieutenant of the 62nd Regiment.
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.
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On 16th August 1770 Captain George Marlay (age 22) was appointed Adjutant of the 62nd Regiment.
On 16th August 1770 Captain George Marlay (age 22) was appointed Captain of the 62nd Regiment.
On 17th November 1780 Captain George Marlay (age 32) was appointed Major (brevet) of the 62nd Regiment.
On 20th September 1854 Charles Pierrepont Darcy Lane-Fox (age 24) was wounded, Poulett George Henry Somerset (age 32) fought.
Major-General John Douglas (age 37) commanded the 79th Regiment of Foot.
William Frederick Waldegrave (age 38) died from wounds received.
Henry Hugh Manvers Percy (age 37) was shot through the arm.
General George Augustus Frederick Paget (age 36), Godfrey Morgan 1st Viscount Tredegar (age 23) and Hedworth Jolliffe 2nd Baron Hylton (age 25) fought.
Arthur Williams-Wynn (age 35), Captain of the 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers, was killed.
On 25th October 1854 Poulett George Henry Somerset (age 32) and William Archer Amherst 3rd Earl Amherst (age 18) fought.
Major-General John Douglas (age 37) commanded the 79th Regiment of Foot.
General George Augustus Frederick Paget (age 36) and Henry Hugh Manvers Percy (age 37) fought.
Before 19th July 1915 Lieutenant Theodore William Warlow (age 20) was appointed Lieutenant of the 6th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.
Henry Reginald Courtenay was appointed Major-General of the Royal Artillery.
Before 16th July 1861 Henry Eliot Yorke (age 23) was appointed Lieutenant of the Royal Bombay Artillery.