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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Around 850 or 853 Adelaide Paris Queen Consort Aquitaine and West Francia was born to [her father] Adalard Count of Paris (age 20).
Before 863 [her future husband] Louis "Stammerer" II King Aquitaine III King West Francia (age 16) and Ansgarde Burgundy Queen Consort Aquitaine Queen Consort West Francia were married in secret. She by marriage Queen Consort Aquitaine, Queen Consort West Francia. He the son of [her future father-in-law] Charles "Bald" I King West Francia (age 39) and Ermentrude Orléans Queen Consort West Francia.
In 866 [her future husband] Louis "Stammerer" II King Aquitaine III King West Francia (age 19) succeeded II King Aquitaine.
Before February 875 [her future husband] Louis "Stammerer" II King Aquitaine III King West Francia (age 28) repudiated his wife Adelaide Paris Queen Consort Aquitaine and West Francia (age 25) so that he could marry Adelaide Paris Queen Consort Aquitaine and West Francia in accordance with his father's wishes.
In February 875 Louis "Stammerer" II King Aquitaine III King West Francia (age 28) and Adelaide Paris Queen Consort Aquitaine and West Francia (age 25) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Aquitaine, Queen Consort West Francia. He the son of Charles "Bald" I King West Francia (age 51) and Ermentrude Orléans Queen Consort West Francia.
In 877 [her husband] Louis "Stammerer" II King Aquitaine III King West Francia (age 30) succeeded III King West Francia.
On 10th April 879 [her husband] Louis "Stammerer" II King Aquitaine III King West Francia (age 32) died. His son [her step-son] Louis (age 16) succeeded III King West Francia. His son [her step-son] Carloman (age 13) succeeded King West Francia. Engelberge Bivinids Queen Consort West Francia by marriage Queen Consort West Francia.
On 17th September 879 [her son] Charles "Simple" III King West Francia was born to [her former husband] Louis "Stammerer" II King Aquitaine III King West Francia and Adelaide Paris Queen Consort Aquitaine and West Francia (age 29). He married (1) May 907 Frederuna von Ringelheim Queen Consort West Francia and had issue (2) 7th October 919 Eadgifu Wessex Queen Consort West Francia and had issue.
On 10th October 890 [her father] Adalard Count of Paris (age 60) died.
Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
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On 10th November 901 Adelaide Paris Queen Consort Aquitaine and West Francia (age 51) died.