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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Biography of Walram Jülich Archbishop Cologne 1303-1349

Paternal Family Tree: Julich

Before 13th December 1299 [his father] Gerhard Jülich V Count Jülich (age 49) and [his mother] Elisabeth Brabant Countess Jülich were married. She by marriage Countess Jülich. He the son of [his grandfather] William Jülich IV Count Jülich and [his grandmother] Richardis Guelders Countess Jülich.

Around 1303 Walram Jülich was born to [his father] Gerhard Jülich V Count Jülich (age 53) and [his mother] Elisabeth Brabant Countess Jülich.

On 26th February 1324 [his brother] William Jülich V Duke Jülich (age 25) and [his sister-in-law] Joanna Hainaut Duchess Guelders (age 9) were married. She the daughter of William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland (age 38) and Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut (age 30). He the son of [his father] Gerhard Jülich V Count Jülich (age 74) and [his mother] Elisabeth Brabant Countess Jülich. They were half third cousins. He a great x 4 grandson of King Stephen I England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Stephen I England.

On 29th July 1328 [his father] Gerhard Jülich V Count Jülich (age 78) died. His son [his brother] William (age 29) succeeded V Count Jülich.

In 1330 [his brother-in-law] Otto Wittelsbach IV Duke Lower Bavaria (age 22) and [his sister] Richardis Jülich Duchess Lower Bavaria (age 15) were married. She by marriage Duchess Lower Bavaria. She the daughter of [his father] Gerhard Jülich V Count Jülich and [his mother] Elisabeth Brabant Countess Jülich. He the son of Stephen Wittelsbach I Duke Bavaria and Jutta Jawor Duchess Bavaria. They were fourth cousins. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Stephen I England.

In 1332 Walram Jülich (age 29) was appointed Archbishop Cologne.

In 1340 [his brother] William Jülich V Duke Jülich (age 41) was created 1st Earl Cambridge. The creation somewhat vague; he was the brother-in-law of King Edward III of England (age 27); his wife [his sister-in-law] Joanna Hainaut Duchess Guelders (age 25) was the sister of Philippa of Hainaut Queen Consort England (age 25).

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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In 1340 [his brother-in-law] Dietrich Cleves VIII Count Cleves (age 49) and [his sister] Maria Jülich Countess Cleves were married. She by marriage Countess Cleves. She the daughter of [his father] Gerhard Jülich V Count Jülich and [his mother] Elisabeth Brabant Countess Jülich. He the son of Dietrich Cleves VII Count Cleves and Margaret Kiburg Laufenburg Countess Cleves. They were sixth cousins. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Stephen I England.