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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MP Hertfordshire is in Member Parliament.
In 1448 Robert Wingfield (age 45) was pardoned as MP Hertfordshire.
In 1529 Philip Boteler (age 37) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
In 1539 Henry Parker (age 26) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
In 1539 Philip Boteler (age 47) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
In 1545 John Cock (age 39) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
In 1547 John Cock (age 41) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
In 1547 Henry Parker (age 34) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
In 1553 John Brocket (age 40) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
In April 1554 John Cock (age 48) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
In November 1554 John Cock (age 48) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
In 1555 John Brocket (age 42) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
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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In November 1555 John Cock (age 49) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
In 1572 John Brocket (age 32) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
In 1589 Robert Cecil 1st Earl Salisbury (age 25) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
In 1593 Robert Cecil 1st Earl Salisbury (age 29) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
In 1597 Robert Cecil 1st Earl Salisbury (age 33) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
In 1601 Robert Cecil 1st Earl Salisbury (age 37) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
In 1601 Henry Carey 1st Viscount Falkland (age 26) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
In 1604 Henry Carey 1st Viscount Falkland (age 29) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
In 1621 Henry Carey 1st Viscount Falkland (age 46) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
In 1625 John Boteler 1st Baron Boteler (age 59) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
In 1626 John Boteler 1st Baron Boteler (age 60) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
In 1660 Henry Caesar (age 29) was elected MP Hertfordshire.
In 1669 Bernard Hale was elected MP Hertfordshire at a by-election in 1669, after James Cecil (age 21) succeeded as Earl of Salisbury.
In 1802 Peniston Lamb (age 31) was elected MP Hertfordshire which seat he held until his death in 1805.
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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In 1835 Rowland Alston of Pishiobury in Hertfordshire was elected MP Hertfordshire which seat he held until 1841.
In 1841 Granville Dudley Ryder (age 41) was elected MP Hertfordshire which seat he held until 1846.
In 1852 Edward George Bulwer-Lytton 1st Baron Lytton (age 48) was elected MP Hertfordshire which seat he held until 186.