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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In 1270 [his father] John of Avesnes II Count Hainaut II Count Holland and [his mother] Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainaut and Holland were married. She by marriage Countess Hainault, Countess Holland. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Henry "Great" Luxemburg V Count Luxemburg III Count Namur and [his grandmother] Margaret of Bar Countess Luxemburg and Namur. He the son of John of Avesnes I Count Hainaut and Adelaide Gerulfing Countess Hainaut.
Around 1286 William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland was born to [his father] John of Avesnes II Count Hainaut II Count Holland and [his mother] Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainaut and Holland.
In 1290 [his brother-in-law] Roger Bigod 5th Earl Norfolk and [his sister] Alice Hainaut Countess Norfolk were married. She by marriage Countess Norfolk. She the daughter of [his father] John of Avesnes II Count Hainaut II Count Holland and [his mother] Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainaut and Holland.
On 18th October 1298 [his brother-in-law] Robert Artois II Count Artois and [his sister] Margaret Hainaut Countess Artois were married. She by marriage Countess Artois. She the daughter of [his father] John of Avesnes II Count Hainaut II Count Holland and [his mother] Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainaut and Holland. He the son of Robert Capet Count of Artois and Matilda Reginar Countess Saint Pol.
In 1304 [his brother] John Beaumont Count Soissons by marriage Count Soissons.
On 22nd August 1304 [his father] John of Avesnes II Count Hainaut II Count Holland died. William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland succeeded I Count Hainault.
On 19th May 1305 William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland and Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut were married. She by marriage Countess Zeeland, Countess Holland, Countess Avesnes, Countess Hainault. She the daughter of Charles Valois I Count Valois and Margaret Capet Countess Valois. He the son of John of Avesnes II Count Hainaut II Count Holland and Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainaut and Holland.
In 1307 Hugh Chatillon II Count Blois died. Guy Chatillon I Count Blois succeeded I Count Blois. [his sister-in-law] Margaret Valois by marriage Countess Blois.
In 1307 [his son] William Hainaut II Count Hainaut was born to William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland and [his wife] Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut. He married 1334 Joanna Reginar Duchess Brabant, daughter of John Brabant III Duke Brabant and Marie Évreux Duchess of Brabant.
In 1310 [his brother-in-law] Louis Bourbon I Duke Bourbon and [his sister] Mary Hainaut Duchess Bourbon were married. She the daughter of [his father] John of Avesnes II Count Hainaut II Count Holland and [his mother] Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainaut and Holland. He the son of Robert Bourbon 1st Count Clermont and Beatrice Burgundy.
In 1310 Guy Chatillon I Count Blois and [his sister-in-law] Margaret Valois were married. She the daughter of [his father-in-law] Charles Valois I Count Valois and Margaret Capet Countess Valois. He the son of Hugh Chatillon II Count Blois and Beatrix Dampierre Countess Blois.
On 24th June 13101 [his daughter] Philippa of Hainaut Queen Consort England was born to William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland and [his wife] Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut.
Note 1. The date from the Register of Walter Stapledon who in 1319 writes: "And the young lady will be of the age of nine years at the Feast of the Nativity of Saint John [24th June] next to come". She married 24th January 1328 King Edward III of England, son of King Edward II of England and Isabella of France Queen Consort England, and had issue.
In 1311 [his mother] Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainaut and Holland died.
In 1312 [his daughter] Margaret Hainaut Holy Roman Empress was born to William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland and [his wife] Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut. She married 1324 Louis Wittelsbach IV Holy Roman Emperor, son of Louis "Strict" Wittelsbach II Duke Upper Bavaria and Matilda Habsburg Duchess Bavaria, and had issue.
In April 1314 [his brother-in-law] Charles II Count Alençon and Jeanne Joigny were married. She by marriage Countess Alençon. He the son of [his father-in-law] Charles Valois I Count Valois and Margaret Capet Countess Valois.
In 1315 [his daughter] Joanna Hainaut Duchess Guelders was born to William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland and [his wife] Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut. She married 26th February 1324 William Jülich V Duke Jülich, son of Gerhard Jülich V Count Jülich and Elisabeth Brabant Countess Jülich, and had issue.
In 1316 [his son] John Hainaut died.
On 26th October 1317 [his sister] Alice Hainaut Countess Norfolk died.
In 1320 Robert III Artois and [his wife] Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut were married. She the daughter of [his father-in-law] Charles Valois I Count Valois and Margaret Capet Countess Valois.
In 1323 [his daughter] Isabelle Hainaut was born to William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland and [his wife] Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut. She married 2nd February 1354 Robert Dampierre, son of John Dampierre I Marquis Namur and Marie Artois.
In 1324 [his son-in-law] Louis Wittelsbach IV Holy Roman Emperor and Margaret Hainaut Holy Roman Empress were married. She by marriage Holy Roman Empress. The difference in their ages was 29 years. She the daughter of William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland and Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut. He the son of Louis "Strict" Wittelsbach II Duke Upper Bavaria and Matilda Habsburg Duchess Bavaria.
On 26th February 1324 [his son-in-law] William Jülich V Duke Jülich and Joanna Hainaut Duchess Guelders were married. She the daughter of William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland and Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut. He the son of Gerhard Jülich V Count Jülich and Elisabeth Brabant Countess Jülich.
In 1327 [his daughter] Agnes Hainaut died.
In 1327 [his brother-in-law] Louis Bourbon I Duke Bourbon was created I Duke Bourbon. [his sister] Mary Hainaut Duchess Bourbon by marriage Duchess Bourbon.
On 24th January 1328 [his son-in-law] King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault were married at York Minster by Archbishop William Melton. She by marriage Queen Consort England. She was crowned the same day. She the daughter of William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland and Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut. He the son of King Edward II of England and Isabella of France Queen Consort England.
The marriage was the quid pro quo for her father William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland having supported his mother Isabella of France Queen Consort England and Roger Mortimer 1st Earl March returning to England to usurp the throne of Edward's father King Edward II of England.
On 1st February 1328 Charles IV King France I King Navarre died. On 1st April 1328 [his brother-in-law] King Philip "Fortunate" VI of France succeeded VI King France: Capet Valois. The succession somewhat complicated by Charles' wife Blanche of Burgundy Queen Consort France being pregnant. The child Blanche Capet was born two months later on 1st April 1328. A girl child therefore excluded from the succession confirming Philip's as King. Charles the last of the House of Capet. Philip the first of the House of Valois. Joan Capet II Queen Navarre succeeded II Queen Navarre. Her husband Philip "Noble" III King Navarre by marriage III King Navarre.
In 1334 William Hainaut II Count Hainaut and Joanna Reginar Duchess Brabant were married. She the daughter of John Brabant III Duke Brabant and Marie Évreux Duchess of Brabant. He the son of William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland and Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut.
In 1335 Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg and [his sister-in-law] Blanche Valois Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg were married. She the daughter of [his father-in-law] Charles Valois I Count Valois and Mahaut Chatillon Countess Valois. He the son of King John I of Bohemia and Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia.
In December 1336 [his brother-in-law] Charles II Count Alençon and Maria de la Cerda Y Lara Countess Alençon were married. She by marriage Countess Alençon. The difference in their ages was 22 years. He the son of [his father-in-law] Charles Valois I Count Valois and Margaret Capet Countess Valois.
On 7th June 1337 William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland died. [his son] William Hainaut II Count Hainaut succeeded II Count Hainault. [his daughter-in-law] Joanna Reginar Duchess Brabant by marriage Countess Hainault.
On 7th March 1352 [his former wife] Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut died.
Bourgeois de Valenciennes. The third brother was named William. He became Count of Hainaut, and was a good knight, brave, wise, and very courteous.
And the fourth of the brothers was named John, Lord of Beaumont, and he took as his wife Lady Jeanne, daughter of the Count of Soissons.
Le tierch frère eult nom Guillame. Celuy fut conte de Haynault et bon chevalier et preux et sages et moult courtois.
Et le quart des frères eult nom Jehan sire de Beaumont et eult à femme damoiselle Jehenne fille du conte de Soisson.
[his son] John Hainaut was born to William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland and Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut.
[his daughter] Agnes Hainaut was born to William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland and Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut.