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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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Marquess Buckingham

Marquess Buckingham is in Marquessates of England Alphabetically.

There have been two creations of Marquess Buckingham:

1st. 1618. George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham. Extinct. 16th April 1687.

2nd. December 1784. George Nugent Temple Grenville 1st Marquess Buckingham. Extinct. 26th March 1889.

Marquess of Buckingham 1st Creation 1618

Summary

1618. George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham (age 25) created.

23rd August 1628. Son George Villiers 2nd Duke of Buckingham succeeded. See Murder of the Duke of Buckingham.

16th April 1687. George Villiers 2nd Duke of Buckingham extinct.

In 1618 George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham (age 25) was created 1st Marquess of Buckingham.

On 23rd August 1628 George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham (age 35) was murdered at Greyhound Pub, Portsmouth by a disgruntled soldier John Felton (age 33). He was buried at Westminster Abbey [Map]. His son George succeeded 2nd Duke of Buckingham, 2nd Marquess of Buckingham, 2nd Earl Buckingham.

Felton was considered a hero by many who blamed Buckingham for the failures of the 1625 Cádiz Expedition and 1627 Siege of Saint-Martin-de-Ré. Felton was subsequently hanged.

On 16th April 1687 George Villiers 2nd Duke of Buckingham (age 59) died. Duke of Buckingham, Marquess of Buckingham, Earl Buckingham extinct. Baron Ros Helmsley abeyant.

Marquess Buckingham 2nd Creation 1784

In December 1784 George Nugent Temple Grenville 1st Marquess Buckingham (age 31) was created 1st Marquess Buckingham.

On 11th February 1813 George Nugent Temple Grenville 1st Marquess Buckingham (age 59) died. His son Richard (age 36) succeeded 2nd Marquess Buckingham, 4th Earl Temple, 3rd Earl Nugent, 5th Viscount Cobham. Anne Elizabeth Brydges Duchess Buckingham and Chandos (age 34) by marriage Marchioness Buckingham.

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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