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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Before 8th July 1313 [his father] King John I of Bohemia and [his mother] Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia were married. She by marriage Queen Bohemia. She the daughter of [his grandfather] King Wenceslaus II of Bohemia and Poland and [his grandmother] Queen Judith of Bohemia and Poland. He the son of Henry Luxemburg VII Holy Roman Emperor and Margaret Brabant Countess Luxemburg and Namur.
On 14th May 1316 Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg was born to [his father] King John I of Bohemia and [his mother] Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia.
On 28th September 1330 [his mother] Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia died.
On 28th July 1332 [his brother-in-law] King John "The Good" II of France and [his sister] Bonne Luxemburg Queen Consort France were married. She by marriage Queen Consort of France. She the daughter of [his father] King John I of Bohemia and [his mother] Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia. He the son of King Philip "Fortunate" VI of France and Joan "Lame" Burgundy Queen Consort France.
In 1335 Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg and Blanche Valois Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg were married. She the daughter of Charles Valois I Count Valois and Mahaut Chatillon Countess Valois. He the son of King John I of Bohemia and Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia.
On 24th May 1335 [his daughter] Margaret Bohemia Queen Consort Hungary was born to Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg and [his wife] Blanche Valois Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg. She married 1342 Louis I King Hungary King Poland.
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 Charles Valois I Count Valois and Margaret Capet Countess Valois.
In 1342 [his sister-in-law] Margaret Valois died.
In 1342 [his son-in-law] Louis I King Hungary King Poland and Margaret Bohemia Queen Consort Hungary were married. She the daughter of Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg and Blanche Valois Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg. He the son of Charles I King Hungary and Elisabeth Unknown Queen Consort Hungary.
On 26th August 1346 the army of King Edward III of England defeated the French army at the Battle of Crécy. The English army was commanded by King Edward III of England, his son Edward "Black Prince", Thomas Beauchamp 11th Earl Warwick, William Bohun 1st Earl of Northampton and John Beauchamp 1st Baron Beauchamp Warwick.
The English army was included: Bishop Thomas of Hatfield, Hugh Despencer 1st Baron Despencer, Bernard Brocas, Thomas Felton, James Audley, Robert Bourchier 1st Baron Bourchier, Bartholomew "The Elder" Burghesh 1st Baron Burghesh, Bartholomew "The Younger" Burghesh 2nd Baron Burghesh, Reginald Cobham 1st Baron Cobham, John Darcy 1st Baron Darcy of Knayth, Robert Ferrers 3rd Baron Ferrers of Chartley, Richard Scrope 1st Baron Scrope of Bolton, William Scrope, Stephen Scrope, William Latimer 4th Baron Latimer of Corby, John Lisle 2nd Baron Lisle, Gerard Lisle 1st Baron Lisle, Nicholas Longford, Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu, Walter Paveley 4th Baron Burghesh, Michael Poynings 1st Baron Poynings, Robert Ufford 1st Earl Suffolk, John de Vere 7th Earl of Oxford, Thomas West, John Willoughby 2nd Baron Willoughby, John Wingfield, Henry Percy 11th and 3rd Baron Percy, Hugh Courtenay 2nd or 10th Earl Devon (possibly), Walter "Elder" Devereux, John Devereux, Enion Sais Brecon, John Chandos, Richard Pembridge and John Sully.
The French army suffered significant casualties. [his brother-in-law] King Philip "Fortunate" VI of France was wounded. William de Coucy and his son Enguerrand 6th Lord de Coucy and were killed.
Charles II Count Alençon was killed. Charles Valois Archbishop of Lyons succeeded Count Alençon.
Louis Chatillon II Count Blois I Count Chatillon was killed. Louis Chatillon III Count Blois Count Soissons succeeded III Count Blois.
Louis Dampierre II Count Nevers I Count Flanders was killed. Louis of Male III Count Nevers II Count Flanders succeeded III Count Nevers, II Count Flanders.
King John I of Bohemia was killed. Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg succeeded IV King Bohemia, Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg. Blanche Valois Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg by marriage Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg.
Rudolph "Valiant" Metz I Duke Lorraine was killed. John Metz I Duke Lorraine succeeded I Duke Lorraine.
Jean IV de Harcourt was killed.
In 1348 [his wife] Blanche Valois Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg died.
Before October 1349 [his daughter] Margaret Bohemia Queen Consort Hungary died.
Before 1350 Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg and Anna Bavaria Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg were married. She by marriage Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg. He the son of King John I of Bohemia and Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia.
Before 19th April 1358 Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg and Anna Schweidnitz Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg were married. She by marriage Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg. He the son of King John I of Bohemia and Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia.
On 26th February 1361 [his son] Wenceslaus IV of Behemia King Romans was born to Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg and [his wife] Anna Schweidnitz Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg.
In or before 1366 Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg and Elizabeth Pomerania Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg were married. She by marriage Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg. The difference in their ages was 30 years. He the son of King John I of Bohemia and Queen Elizabeth of Bohemia.
After 19th March 1366 [his son-in-law] Albert "With the Pigtail" Habsburg III Duke Austria and Elizabeth Bohemia Duchess Austria were married. She by marriage Duchess Austria. She the daughter of Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg and Anna Schweidnitz Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg. He the son of Albert Habsburg II Duke Austria and Johanna Pfirt Duchess Austria.
On 11th May 1366 [his daughter] Anne of Bohemia Queen Consort England was born to Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg and [his wife] Elizabeth Pomerania Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg at Prague. She married (1) 20th January 1382 King Richard II of England, son of Edward "Black Prince" and Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales.
On 15th February 1368 [his son] Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund was born to Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg and [his wife] Elizabeth Pomerania Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg. He married (1) 1385 Mary Hungary I Queen Hungary (2) before 7th October 1409 Barbara of Cilli Holy Roman Empress and had issue.
On 22nd June 1370 [his son] John Duke of Görlitz was born to Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg and [his wife] Elizabeth Pomerania Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg.
On 13th March 1372 [his son] Charles Bohemia was born to Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg and [his wife] Elizabeth Pomerania Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg. On 24th July 1373 Charles Bohemia died.
In 1373 [his daughter] Margaret Bohemia was born to Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg and [his wife] Elizabeth Pomerania Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg. She married 1381 John Hohenzollern Burgrave Nuremburg, son of Frederick Hohenzollern V Burgrave Nuremburg.
On 23rd April 1374 [his father-in-law] Bogislaw V Duke of Pomerania died. [his brother-in-law] Wartislaw Griffins VI Duke Pomerania succeeded 6th Duke Pomerania.
In 1377 [his son] Henry Bohemia was born to Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg and [his wife] Elizabeth Pomerania Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg. In 1378 Henry Bohemia died.
On 29th November 1378 Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg died.
On 15th April 1393 [his former wife] Elizabeth Pomerania Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg died.
[his daughter] Elizabeth Bohemia Duchess Austria was born to Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg and Anna Schweidnitz Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg. She married after 19th March 1366 Albert "With the Pigtail" Habsburg III Duke Austria, son of Albert Habsburg II Duke Austria and Johanna Pfirt Duchess Austria.
[his daughter] Catherine Bohemia was born to Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg and Blanche Valois Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg.
[his daughter] Wenceslaus Bohemia was born to Charles IV King Bohemia Holy Roman Emperor Luxemburg and Anna Schweidnitz Holy Roman Empress Luxemburg.
[his father] King John I of Bohemia and Beatrice Bourbon Queen Bohemia were married. She by marriage Queen Bohemia. He the son of [his grandfather] Henry Luxemburg VII Holy Roman Emperor and [his grandmother] Margaret Brabant Countess Luxemburg and Namur.