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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Earl Winchilsea is in Earldoms of England Alphabetically, Earldoms of England Chronologically, Created Countesses of England, Extant Earldoms of England.
Summary
1628. Elizabeth Heneage 1st Countess Winchelsea [aged 71] created.
23rd March 1634. Son Thomas Finch 2nd Earl Winchilsea [aged 55] succeeded.
4th November 1639. Son Heneage Finch 3rd Earl Winchilsea [aged 11] succeeded.
1689. Grandson Charles Finch 4th Earl Winchilsea [aged 16] succeeded.
16th August 1712. Uncle Heneage Finch 5th Earl Winchilsea [aged 55] succeeded.
30th September 1726. Half Brother John Finch 6th Earl Winchilsea [aged 43] succeeded.
9th September 1729. Second Cousin Daniel Finch 2nd Earl Nottingham 7th Earl Winchilsea [aged 82] succeeded.
1st January 1730. Son Daniel Finch 8th Earl Winchilsea 3rd Earl Nottingham [aged 40] succeeded.
2nd August 1769. Nephew George Finch 9th Earl Winchilsea 4th Earl Nottingham [aged 16] succeeded.
2nd August 1826. First Cousin Once Removed George Finch-Hatton 5th Earl Nottingham 10th Earl Winchilsea [aged 35] succeeded.
8th January 1858. Son George Finch-Hatton 6th Earl Nottingham 11th Earl Winchilsea [aged 42] succeeded.
9th June 1887. Half Brother Murray Finch-Hatton 7th Earl Nottingham 12th Earl Winchilsea [aged 36] succeeded.
7th September 1898. Brother Henry Finch-Hatton 8th Earl Nottingham 13th Earl Winchilsea [aged 45] succeeded.
14th August 1927. Son Guy Montagu George Finch-Hatton 9th Earl Nottingham 14th Earl Winchilsea [aged 42] succeeded.
10th February 1939. Son Christopher Finch-Hatton 10th Earl Nottingham 15th Earl Winchilsea [aged 27] succeeded.
7th March 1950. Son Christopher Finch-Hatton 11th Earl Nottingham 16th Earl of Winchilsea [aged 13] succeeded.
26th June 1999. Son Daniel Finch-Hatton 12th Earl Nottingham 17th Earl of Winchilsea [aged 31] succeeded.
In 1628 Elizabeth Heneage 1st Countess Winchelsea [aged 71] was created 1st Countess Winchilsea.
On 23rd March 1634 Elizabeth Heneage 1st Countess Winchelsea [aged 77] died. Her son Thomas [aged 55] succeeded 2nd Earl Winchilsea, 2nd Viscount Maidstone. Cecily Wentworth Countess Winchelsea [aged 40] by marriage Countess Winchilsea.
On 4th November 1639 Thomas Finch 2nd Earl Winchilsea [aged 61] died. His son Heneage [aged 11] succeeded 3rd Earl Winchilsea, 3rd Viscount Maidstone, 4th Baronet Finch of Eastwell in Kent.
On 21st May 1645 Heneage Finch 3rd Earl Winchilsea [aged 17] and Diana Willoughby Countess Winchelsea were married. She by marriage Countess Winchilsea. He the son of Thomas Finch 2nd Earl Winchilsea and Cecily Wentworth Countess Winchelsea. They were half fourth cousin twice removed.
Around 1650 Heneage Finch 3rd Earl Winchilsea [aged 22] and Mary Seymour Countess Winchelsea [aged 13] were married. She by marriage Countess Winchilsea. She the daughter of William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset [aged 62] and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset [aged 50]. He the son of Thomas Finch 2nd Earl Winchilsea and Cecily Wentworth Countess Winchelsea. They were third cousins. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.
On 10th April 1673 Heneage Finch 3rd Earl Winchilsea [aged 45] and Catherine Norcliffe Countess Winchelsea were married. She by marriage Countess Winchilsea. He the son of Thomas Finch 2nd Earl Winchilsea and Cecily Wentworth Countess Winchelsea.
On 29th October 1681 Heneage Finch 3rd Earl Winchilsea [aged 53] and Elizabeth Ayres Countess Winchelsea were married. She by marriage Countess Winchilsea. He the son of Thomas Finch 2nd Earl Winchilsea and Cecily Wentworth Countess Winchelsea.
On 15th May 1684 Heneage Finch 5th Earl Winchilsea [aged 27] and Anne Kingsmill Countess Winchelsea [aged 23] were married. She by marriage Countess Winchilsea. He the son of Heneage Finch 3rd Earl Winchilsea [aged 56] and Mary Seymour Countess Winchelsea.
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 1689 Heneage Finch 3rd Earl Winchilsea [aged 61] died. His grandson Charles [aged 16] succeeded 4th Earl Winchilsea, 4th Viscount Maidstone, 5th Baronet Finch of Eastwell in Kent.
On 16th August 1712 Charles Finch 4th Earl Winchilsea [aged 39] died. His uncle Heneage [aged 55] succeeded 5th Earl Winchilsea, 5th Viscount Maidstone, 6th Baronet Finch of Eastwell in Kent.
On 30th September 1726 Heneage Finch 5th Earl Winchilsea [aged 69] died. His half brother John [aged 43] succeeded 6th Earl Winchilsea, 6th Viscount Maidstone, 7th Baronet Finch of Eastwell in Kent.
On 9th September 1729 John Finch 6th Earl Winchilsea [aged 46] died. He was buried at Westminster Abbey [Map]. His second cousin Daniel [aged 82] succeeded 7th Earl Winchilsea, 7th Viscount Maidstone, 8th Baronet Finch of Eastwell in Kent. Anne Hatton Countess Nottingham and Winchelsea by marriage Countess Winchilsea.
On 1st January 1730 Daniel Finch 2nd Earl Nottingham 7th Earl Winchilsea [aged 82] died. His son Daniel [aged 40] succeeded 8th Earl Winchilsea, 8th Viscount Maidstone, 3rd Earl Nottingham, 3rd Baron Finch Daventry, 9th Baronet Finch of Eastwell in Kent.
Before September 1734 Daniel Finch 8th Earl Winchilsea 3rd Earl Nottingham [aged 45] and Frances Feilding Countess Winchelsea and Nottingham [aged 24] were married. She by marriage Countess Winchilsea, Countess Nottingham. The difference in their ages was 20 years. She the daughter of Basil Feilding 3rd Earl Desmond 4th Earl Denbigh and Hester Firebrace Countess Desmond and Denbigh. He the son of Daniel Finch 2nd Earl Nottingham 7th Earl Winchilsea and Anne Hatton Countess Nottingham and Winchelsea.
After September 1734 Daniel Finch 8th Earl Winchilsea 3rd Earl Nottingham [aged 45] and Mary Palmer Countess Winchelsea and Nottingham [aged 22] were married. She by marriage Countess Winchilsea, Countess Nottingham. The difference in their ages was 23 years. He the son of Daniel Finch 2nd Earl Nottingham 7th Earl Winchilsea and Anne Hatton Countess Nottingham and Winchelsea.
On 2nd August 1769 Daniel Finch 8th Earl Winchilsea 3rd Earl Nottingham [aged 80] died. His nephew George [aged 16] succeeded 9th Earl Winchilsea, 9th Viscount Maidstone, 4th Earl Nottingham, 4th Baron Finch Daventry, 10th Baronet Finch of Eastwell in Kent.
On 2nd August 1826 George Finch 9th Earl Winchilsea 4th Earl Nottingham [aged 73] died unmarried without legitimate issue. His first cousin once removed George [aged 35] succeeded 5th Earl Nottingham, 10th Earl Winchilsea, 10th Viscount Maidstone, 5th Baron Finch Daventry, 11th Baronet Finch of Eastwell in Kent. Georgiana Charlotte Graham Countess Nottingham Winchelsea [aged 32] by marriage Countess Nottingham, Countess Winchilsea. His illegitimate son George Finch [aged 31] inherited his manors at Burley-on-the-Hill House and Ravenstone, Buckinghamshire.
On 15th February 1837 George Finch-Hatton 5th Earl Nottingham 10th Earl Winchilsea [aged 45] and Emily Georgiana Bagot Countess Winchilsea Nottingham were married. She by marriage Countess Nottingham, Countess Winchilsea. They were third cousin twice removed.
On 17th October 1849 George Finch-Hatton 5th Earl Nottingham 10th Earl Winchilsea [aged 58] and Fanny Margaretta Rice Countess Nottingham Winchilsea were married. She by marriage Countess Nottingham, Countess Winchilsea.
On 8th January 1858 George Finch-Hatton 5th Earl Nottingham 10th Earl Winchilsea [aged 66] died at Haverholme Priory, Lincolnshire [Map]. His son George [aged 42] succeeded 6th Earl Nottingham, 11th Earl Winchilsea, 11th Viscount Maidstone, 6th Baron Finch Daventry, 12th Baronet Finch of Eastwell in Kent. Constance Henrietta Paget Countess Nottingham Winchilsea [aged 34] by marriage Countess Nottingham.
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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In 1882 George Finch-Hatton 6th Earl Nottingham 11th Earl Winchilsea [aged 66] and Elizabeth Georgiana Conyngham Countess Winchelsea [aged 51] were married. She by marriage Countess Winchilsea. She the daughter of Francis Nathaniel Conyngham 2nd Marquess Conyngham and Jane Paget Marchioness Conyngham. He the son of George Finch-Hatton 5th Earl Nottingham 10th Earl Winchilsea and Georgiana Charlotte Graham Countess Nottingham Winchelsea.
On 9th June 1887 George Finch-Hatton 6th Earl Nottingham 11th Earl Winchilsea [aged 72] died. His half brother Murray [aged 36] succeeded 7th Earl Nottingham, 12th Earl Winchilsea, 12th Viscount Maidstone, 7th Baron Finch Daventry, 13th Baronet Finch of Eastwell in Kent. Edith Harcourt Countess Winchelsea and Nottingham [aged 31] by marriage Countess Nottingham, Countess Winchilsea.
On 7th September 1898 Murray Finch-Hatton 7th Earl Nottingham 12th Earl Winchilsea [aged 47] died. His brother Henry [aged 45] succeeded 8th Earl Nottingham, 13th Earl Winchilsea, 13th Viscount Maidstone, 8th Baron Finch Daventry, 14th Baronet Finch of Eastwell in Kent.
On 14th August 1927 Henry Finch-Hatton 8th Earl Nottingham 13th Earl Winchilsea [aged 74] died. His son Guy [aged 42] succeeded 9th Earl Nottingham, 14th Earl Winchilsea, 14th Viscount Maidstone, 15th Baronet Finch of Eastwell in Kent.
On 10th February 1939 Guy Montagu George Finch-Hatton 9th Earl Nottingham 14th Earl Winchilsea [aged 53] died. His son Christopher [aged 27] succeeded 10th Earl Nottingham, 15th Earl Winchilsea, 15th Viscount Maidstone, 16th Baronet Finch of Eastwell in Kent. Gladys Széchényi Countess Winchilsea and Nottingham [aged 26] by marriage Countess Nottingham, Countess Winchilsea.
On 7th March 1950 Christopher Finch-Hatton 10th Earl Nottingham 15th Earl Winchilsea [aged 38] died. His son Christopher [aged 13] succeeded 11th Earl Nottingham, 16th Earl Winchilsea, 16th Viscount Maidstone, 9th Baron Finch Daventry, 17th Baronet Finch of Eastwell in Kent.
In 1962 Christopher Finch-Hatton 11th Earl Nottingham 16th Earl of Winchilsea [aged 25] and Shirley Hatfield Countess of Nottingham and Winchilsea were married. She by marriage Countess Nottingham, Countess Winchilsea. He the son of Christopher Finch-Hatton 10th Earl Nottingham 15th Earl Winchilsea and Gladys Széchényi Countess Winchilsea and Nottingham [aged 49].
On 26th June 1999 Christopher Finch-Hatton 11th Earl Nottingham 16th Earl of Winchilsea [aged 62] died. His son Daniel [aged 31] succeeded 12th Earl Nottingham, 17th Earl Winchilsea, 17th Viscount Maidstone, 10th Baron Finch Daventry, 18th Baronet Finch of Eastwell in Kent.