The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
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Paternal Family Tree: Pery
On 17th January 1840 William Pery 3rd Earl of Limerick was born to [his father] William Henry Tennison Pery 2nd Earl of Limerick (age 28).
On 7th December 1844 [his grandfather] Edmund Pery 1st Earl of Limerick (age 86) died. His son [his father] William (age 32) succeeded 2nd Earl Limerick.
On 28th August 1862 William Pery 3rd Earl of Limerick (age 22) and Caroline Maria Gray Countess of Limerick were married. He the son of William Henry Tennison Pery 2nd Earl of Limerick (age 50). They were first cousin once removed.
On 16th September 1863 [his son] William Pery 4th Earl of Limerick was born to William Pery 3rd Earl of Limerick (age 23) and [his wife] Caroline Maria Gray Countess of Limerick.
In 1866 [his father] William Henry Tennison Pery 2nd Earl of Limerick (age 54) died. His son William (age 25) succeeded 3rd Earl Limerick. [his wife] Caroline Maria Gray Countess of Limerick by marriage Countess Limerick.
On 24th January 1877 [his wife] Caroline Maria Gray Countess of Limerick died.
On 20th October 1877 William Pery 3rd Earl of Limerick (age 37) and Isabella Colquhoun Countess of Limerick were married. She by marriage Countess Limerick. He the son of William Henry Tennison Pery 2nd Earl of Limerick.
The London Gazette 25615. St. James's Palace, August 5, 1886. To be Lords in Waiting in Ordinary to Her Majesty:—
William Hillier (age 33), Earl of Onslow, in the room of William, Lord Kensington, resigned.
William Hale John Charles (age 46), Earl of Limerick, in the room of Henry James, Lord Hothfield, resigned.
John-Major (age 43), Lord Henniker, in the room of Thomas, Lord Ribblesdale, resigned.
John Adrian Louis, Earl of Hopetoun, in the room of Frederick Henry Paul, Lord Methuen, resigned.
William Buller Fullerton, Lord Elphinstone, in the room of Thomas John, Lord Thurlow, resigned.
On 16th October 1888 [his son] Edmund Pery 5th Earl of Limerick was born to William Pery 3rd Earl of Limerick (age 48) and [his wife] Isabella Colquhoun Countess of Limerick. He married 1st June 1926 Angela Olivia Trotter Countess of Limerick and had issue.
The London Gazette 26321. St. James's Palace, August 25, 1892.
The Queen (age 73) has been pleased to make the following appointments in Her Majesty's Household:-
Charles Robert, Lord Carrington (age 49), G.C.M.G., to be Lord Chamberlain of Her Majesty's Household, in the room of Edward, Earl of Lathom (age 54), G.C.B., resigned.
The Honourable Charles Robert Spencer (age 34), M.P., to be Vice Chamberlain of Her Majesty's Household, in the room of Henry George, Lord Burghley (age 42), M.P., resigned.
George William Henry, Lord Vernon (age 38), to be Captain of Her Majesty's Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms, in the room of Charles Alfred Worsley, Earl of Yarborough (age 33), resigned.
William, Lord Kensington (age 57), to be Captain of Her Majesty's Guard of Yeoman of the Guard, in the room of William, Earl of Limerick (age 52), K.P., resigned.
Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke
Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson.
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On 8th August 1896 William Pery 3rd Earl of Limerick (age 56) died. His son William (age 32) succeeded 4th Earl Limerick.
On 10th November 1927 [his former wife] Isabella Colquhoun Countess of Limerick died.
[his daughter] May Katherine Leila Pery was born to William Pery 3rd Earl of Limerick and Isabella Colquhoun Countess of Limerick. She married Captain Frederick Boothby.
Great x 2 Grandfather: Reverend Stackpole Pery
Great x 1 Grandfather: William Pery 1st Baron Glentworth
GrandFather: Edmund Pery 1st Earl of Limerick