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.

Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.

Biography of Enguerrand Coucy III Lord Coucy 1182-1242

Enguerrand Coucy III Lord Coucy succeeded III Lord Coucy.

Enguerrand Coucy III Lord Coucy and Marie Montmirail Lady Coucy were married. She by marriage Lord Coucy.

Around 1182 Enguerrand Coucy III Lord Coucy was born to [his father] Raoul Coucy (age 47) and [his mother] Alix II Dreux (age 26).

In 1189 Geoffrey Chateaudun III Count Perche and [his future wife] Matilda Welf Countess Perche (age 17) were married at Rouen, France [Map]. She by marriage Countess Perche. She the daughter of Henry "Lion" Welf XII Duke Saxony III Duke Bavaria (age 60) and Matilda Plantagenet Duchess Saxony (age 32). He the son of Routrou Chateaudun IV Count Perche (age 54) and Matilda Blois Countess Perche. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 2 grandson of King William "Conqueror" I of England. She a granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

Siege of Acre

In 1190 at the Siege of Acre Routrou Chateaudun IV Count Perche (age 55) and [his father] Raoul Coucy (age 55) were killed.

William Ferrers 3rd Earl of Derby (age 54) was killed. His son William (age 22) succeeded 4th Earl Derby. Agnes Gernon Countess Derby by marriage Countess Derby.

In 1201 Enguerrand Coucy III Lord Coucy (age 19) and Beatrix Vignory Lady Coucy were married. She by marriage Lord Coucy.

In 1204 [his wife] Matilda Welf Countess Perche (age 32) died.

In 1204 Enguerrand Coucy III Lord Coucy (age 22) and Matilda Welf Countess Perche (age 32) were married. She by marriage Lord Coucy. She the daughter of Henry "Lion" Welf XII Duke Saxony III Duke Bavaria and Matilda Plantagenet Duchess Saxony. They were half fifth cousins. She a granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

Around 1214 [his mother] Alix II Dreux (age 58) died.

Around 1218 [his daughter] Marie Coucy was born to Enguerrand Coucy III Lord Coucy (age 36) and Marie Montmirail Lady Coucy. She married 1239 her third cousin once removed King Alexander II of Scotland, son of King William I of Scotland and Ermengarde Beaumont Sarthe Queen Consort Scotland, and had issue.

In 1222 [his daughter] Alix Coucy Countess Guînes was born to Enguerrand Coucy III Lord Coucy (age 40) and Marie Montmirail Lady Coucy. She married before 2nd February 1283 her half third cousin once removed Arnoul Guines III , son of Baldwin Guines III Count Guînes and Mauhaut Fiennes Countess Guînes, and had issue.

On 18th March 1222 [his half-sister] Yolande Coucy Countess Dreux (age 58) died.

In 1236 [his son] Enguerrand Coucy 4th Lord Coucy was born to Enguerrand Coucy III Lord Coucy (age 54) and Marie Montmirail Lady Coucy. He married (1) his fourth cousin twice removed Margaret Guelders Countess Cleves, daughter of Otto II Count Guelders and Margaretha Cleves Countess of Gulders (2) 1288 his half first cousin four times removed Jeanne Dampierre Lady Coucy, daughter of Robert Dampierre III Count Flanders and Yolande Burgundy II Countess Nevers and Flanders.

In 1239 [his son-in-law] King Alexander II of Scotland (age 40) and [his daughter] Marie Coucy (age 21) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Scotland. He the son of King William I of Scotland and Ermengarde Beaumont Sarthe Queen Consort Scotland. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 2 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

In 1242 Enguerrand Coucy III Lord Coucy (age 60) died from a fall from a horse onto his sword.

[his father] Raoul Coucy and [his mother] Alix II Dreux were married. The difference in their ages was 21 years. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Robert "Great" Capet I Count Dreux and [his grandmother] Agnes Baudemont Countess Dreux. They were third cousins.

William of Worcester's Chronicle of England

William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.

Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.

[his son] John Coucy was born to Enguerrand Coucy III Lord Coucy and Marie Montmirail Lady Coucy.

[his son] Raoul Coucy II Lord Coucy was born to Enguerrand Coucy III Lord Coucy and Marie Montmirail Lady Coucy. He married before 1250 his third cousin Philippe Dammartin Countess Eu, daughter of Simon Dammartin and Marie Montgomery Countess Ponthieu.

[his father] Raoul Coucy and Agnes Flanders were married. She the daughter of Baldwin Flanders IV Count Hainaut and Alice Namur Countess Hainault. They were fourth cousin once removed.