Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans

Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.

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Earl Strafford

Earl Strafford is in Earldoms of England Alphabetically.

There have been three creations of Earl Strafford:

1st. 12th January 1640. Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford. Extinct. 16th October 1695.

2nd. 29th June 1711. Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford. Extinct. 7th August 1799.

3rd. 28th August 1847. John Byng 1st Earl Strafford. Extant.

Earl Strafford 1st Creation 1640

Summary

12th January 1640. Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford [age 46] created.

12th May 1641. Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford forfeit. See Trial and Execution of the Earl of Strafford.

1662. Son William Wentworth 2nd Earl Strafford [age 35] restored.

16th October 1695. William Wentworth 2nd Earl Strafford extinct.

On 12th January 1640 Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford [age 46] was created 1st Earl Strafford. Elizabeth Rhodes Countess Strafford [age 34] by marriage Countess Strafford.

On 12th May 1641 Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford [age 48] was beheaded at Tower Hill [Map]. Earl Strafford, Viscount Wentworth, Baron Wentworth, Baronet Wentworth of Wentworth Woodhouse in Yorkshire forfeit. His execution was attended by an enormous crowd.

Wenceslaus Hollar [age 33]. Engraving of the execution of Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford marked as C with James Ussher [age 60] marked as A.

In 1662 William Wentworth 2nd Earl Strafford [age 35] was restored 2nd Earl Strafford, 2nd Viscount Wentworth, 2nd Baron Wentworth, 3rd Baronet Wentworth of Wentworth Woodhouse in Yorkshire. Henriette Stanley Countess Strafford [age 31] by marriage Countess Strafford.

Earl Strafford 2nd Creation 1711

Summary

29th June 1711. Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford [age 38] created.

15th November 1739. Son William Wentworth 2nd Earl Strafford [age 17] succeeded.

10th March 1791. First Cousin Frederick Wentworth 3rd Earl Strafford [age 59] succeeded.

7th August 1799. Frederick Wentworth 3rd Earl Strafford extinct.

On 29th June 1711 Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford [age 38] was created 1st Earl Strafford.

On 6th September 1711 Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford [age 38] and Anne Johnson Countess Strafford were married. She by marriage Countess Strafford. The marriage was described as both advantageous and happy: while Anne brought him a dowry rumoured to be £60000, her letters show their deep mutual affection.

On 15th November 1739 Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford [age 67] died. He had suffered poor health for a number of years. His son William [age 17] succeeded 2nd Earl Strafford.

In 1741 William Wentworth 2nd Earl Strafford [age 18] and Anne Campbell Countess Strafford [age 26] were married. She by marriage Countess Strafford. She the daughter of John Campbell 2nd Duke Argyll [age 60] and Jane Warburton Duchess of Argyll. He the son of Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford and Anne Johnson Countess Strafford.

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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On 10th March 1791 William Wentworth 2nd Earl Strafford [age 68] died. His first cousin Frederick [age 59] succeeded 3rd Earl Strafford.

On 7th August 1799 Frederick Wentworth 3rd Earl Strafford [age 67] died. Earl Strafford extinct.

Earl Strafford 3rd Creation 1847

Summary

28th August 1847. John Byng 1st Earl Strafford [age 75] created.

3rd June 1860. Son George Byng 2nd Earl Strafford [age 53] succeeded.

29th October 1886. Son George Byng 3rd Earl Strafford [age 56] succeeded.

28th March 1898. Brother Henry Byng 4th Earl Strafford [age 66] succeeded.

16th May 1899. Brother Francis Edmund Cecil Byng 5th Earl Strafford [age 64] succeeded.

18th January 1918. Son Edmund Byng 6th Earl Strafford [age 55] succeeded.

24th December 1951. Nephew Robert Cecil Byng 7th Earl of Strafford [age 47] succeeded.

4th May 1984. Son Thomas Edmund Byng 8th Earl of Strafford [age 47] succeeded.

12th November 2016. Son William Robert Byng 9th Earl of Strafford [age 52] succeeded.

On 28th August 1847 John Byng Viscount Enfield [age 75] was created 1st Earl Strafford, 1st Viscount Enfield of Enfield in Middlesex.

On 3rd June 1860 John Byng 1st Earl Strafford [age 88] died. His son George [age 53] succeeded 2nd Earl Strafford, 2nd Viscount Enfield of Enfield in Middlesex, 2nd Baron Strafford of Harmondsworth in Middlesex. Harriet Cavendish Countess Strafford [age 39] by marriage Countess Strafford.

On 29th October 1886 George Byng 2nd Earl Strafford [age 80] died. His son George [age 56] succeeded 3rd Earl Strafford, 3rd Viscount Enfield of Enfield in Middlesex, 3rd Baron Strafford of Harmondsworth in Middlesex. Alice Leveson-Gower aka Egerton Countess Strafford [age 56] by marriage Countess Strafford.

On 28th March 1898 George Byng 3rd Earl Strafford [age 68] died at St James' Square. His brother Henry [age 66] succeeded 4th Earl Strafford, 4th Viscount Enfield of Enfield in Middlesex, 4th Baron Strafford of Harmondsworth in Middlesex.

On 6th December 1898 Henry Byng 4th Earl Strafford [age 67] and Cora Smith Countess Strafford [age 38] were married. She by marriage Countess Strafford. The difference in their ages was 28 years. He the son of George Byng 2nd Earl Strafford and Agnes Paget.

On 16th May 1899 Henry Byng 4th Earl Strafford [age 67] died in a railway accident. He was hit by an express train; (possible suicide but the coroner returned misadventure) at the Railway Station in Potter's Bar. He was buried at Byng Family Vault St John's Church, Potter's Bar. His brother Francis [age 64] succeeded 5th Earl Strafford, 5th Viscount Enfield of Enfield in Middlesex, 5th Baron Strafford of Harmondsworth in Middlesex. Emily Georgina Kerr Countess Strafford [age 52] by marriage Countess Strafford.

On 18th January 1918 Francis Edmund Cecil Byng 5th Earl Strafford [age 83] died. His son Edmund [age 55] succeeded 6th Earl Strafford, 6th Viscount Enfield of Enfield in Middlesex, 6th Baron Strafford of Harmondsworth in Middlesex. Mary Elizabeth Colebrooke Countess Strafford [age 54] by marriage Countess Strafford.

The History of William Marshal, Earl of Chepstow and Pembroke, Regent of England. Book 1 of 2, Lines 1-10152.

The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.

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On 24th December 1951 Edmund Byng 6th Earl Strafford [age 89] died. His nephew Robert [age 47] succeeded 7th Earl Strafford, 7th Viscount Enfield of Enfield in Middlesex, 7th Baron Strafford of Harmondsworth in Middlesex.

On 4th May 1984 Robert Cecil Byng 7th Earl of Strafford [age 79] died. His son Thomas [age 47] succeeded 8th Earl Strafford, 8th Viscount Enfield of Enfield in Middlesex, 8th Baron Strafford of Harmondsworth in Middlesex.

On 12th November 2016 Thomas Edmund Byng 8th Earl of Strafford [age 80] died. His son William [age 52] succeeded 9th Earl Strafford, 9th Viscount Enfield of Enfield in Middlesex, 9th Baron Strafford of Harmondsworth in Middlesex.