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.

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Biography of Mafalda Burgundy Queen Consort Castile 1196-1256

Paternal Family Tree: Capet

In 1196 Mafalda Burgundy was born to [her father] Sancho "Populator" I King Portugal (age 41) and [her mother] Dulce Barcelona Queen Consort Portugal.

In 1206 [her brother] Alfonso "Fat" II King Portugal (age 20) and [her sister-in-law] Urraca Ivrea Queen Consort Portugal (age 18) were married. She the daughter of Alfonso VIII King Castile (age 50) and Eleanor Plantagenet Queen Consort Castile (age 44). He the son of [her father] Sancho "Populator" I King Portugal (age 51) and [her mother] Dulce Barcelona Queen Consort Portugal. They were second cousin once removed. She a granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

On 26th March 1211 [her father] Sancho "Populator" I King Portugal (age 56) died. His son [her brother] Alfonso (age 25) succeeded II King Portugal. [her sister-in-law] Urraca Ivrea Queen Consort Portugal (age 23) by marriage Queen Consort Portugal.

In 1214 [her brother-in-law] King Valdemar II of Denmark (age 43) and [her sister] Berengaria Burgundy Queen Consort Denmark (age 16) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Denmark. The difference in their ages was 27 years. She the daughter of [her father] Sancho "Populator" I King Portugal and [her mother] Dulce Barcelona Queen Consort Portugal. He the son of Valdemar "Great" I King of Denmark and Sophia of Minsk.

On 5th October 1214 Alfonso VIII King Castile (age 58) died. He was buried at Abbey of Santa Maria la Real de Huelgas [Map]. His son [her future husband] Henry (age 10) succeeded I King Castile.

In 1215 Henry I King Castile (age 10) and Mafalda Burgundy (age 19) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Castile. She the daughter of Sancho "Populator" I King Portugal and Dulce Barcelona Queen Consort Portugal. He the son of Alfonso VIII King Castile and Eleanor Plantagenet Queen Consort Castile. They were second cousin once removed. He a grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

In 1216 [her husband] Henry I King Castile (age 11) and [her niece] Sancha Ivrea Queen Consort Castile (age 25) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Castile. She the daughter of [her brother-in-law] Alfonso IX King Leon (age 44) and [her sister] Theresa of Portugal Queen Consort Leon (age 40). He the son of Alfonso VIII King Castile and Eleanor Plantagenet Queen Consort Castile. They were second cousins. He a grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

On 6th June 1217 [her husband] Henry I King Castile (age 13) was killed by a tile falling of a roof. He was buried at Abbey of Santa Maria la Real de Huelgas [Map]. His sister [her sister-in-law] Berengaria (age 38) succeeded I Queen Castile.

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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On 27th March 1221 [her sister] Berengaria Burgundy Queen Consort Denmark (age 23) died.

On 25th March 1223 [her brother] Alfonso "Fat" II King Portugal (age 37) died at Coimbra. His son [her nephew] Sancho (age 13) succeeded II King Portugal.

On 18th June 1250 [her sister] Theresa of Portugal Queen Consort Leon (age 74) died.

On 1st May 1256 Mafalda Burgundy (age 60) died.

[her father] Sancho "Populator" I King Portugal and [her mother] Dulce Barcelona Queen Consort Portugal were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Portugal. She the daughter of [her grandfather] Raymond V Count Barcelona. He the son of [her grandfather] Afonso "Conqueror Founder Great" I King Portugal and [her grandmother] Malfada Savoy Queen Consort Portugal. They were fifth cousins.