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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Earl Gosford is in Earl Ireland.
In February 1806 Arthur Acheson 1st Earl Gosford [aged 61] was created 1st Earl Gosford. Millicent Pole Countess Gosford [aged 56] by marriage Countess Gosford.
On 14th January 1807 Arthur Acheson 1st Earl Gosford [aged 62] died. His son Archibald [aged 30] succeeded 2nd Earl Gosford. Mary Sparrow Countess Gosford [aged 29] by marriage Countess Gosford.
On 27th March 1849 Archibald Acheson 2nd Earl Gosford [aged 72] died. His son Archibald [aged 42] succeeded 3rd Earl Gosford. Theodosia Brabazon Countess Gosford [aged 38] by marriage Countess Gosford.
On 15th June 1864 Archibald Acheson 3rd Earl Gosford [aged 57] died. His son Archibald [aged 22] succeeded 4th Earl Gosford.
On 10th August 1876 Archibald Brabazon Sparrow Acheson 4th Earl Gosford [aged 35] and Louisa Augusta Beatrice Montagu Countess Gosford [aged 20] were married. She by marriage Countess Gosford. She the daughter of William Drogo Montagu 7th Duke Manchester [aged 52] and Louisa Vonalten Duchess Devonshire and Manchester [aged 44]. He the son of Archibald Acheson 3rd Earl Gosford and Theodosia Brabazon Countess Gosford. They were half second cousin once removed.
On 11th April 1922 Archibald Brabazon Sparrow Acheson 4th Earl Gosford [aged 80] died. His son Archibald [aged 44] succeeded 5th Earl Gosford.