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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Around 1590 Daniel Mijtens was born in Delft.
In 1618 Daniel Mijtens [aged 28]. Portrait of Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton [aged 44].
In 1618 Daniel Mijtens [aged 28]. Portrait of Thomas Howard 14th or 21st Earl of Arundel 4th Earl of Surrey 1st Earl Norfolk [aged 32].
In 1618 Daniel Mijtens [aged 28]. Portrait of John Garrard [aged 72].
John Garrard: Around 1546 he was born to William Garrard. In September 1601 John Garrard was elected Lord Mayor of London for one year. In 1621 John Garrard was elected Lord Mayor of London. On 7th May 1625 John Garrard died. He was buried in St Helen's Church, Wheathampstead.
1618. Daniel Mijtens [aged 28]. Portrait of Margaret Sackville Countess Isle Thanet [aged 3]. The attribution is uncertain. The Diary of Anne Clifford describes it as being by Mytens aka Mijtens. Art UK describes is as attributed to Paulus van Somer I (1576–1621).
In 1618 Daniel Mijtens [aged 28]. Portrait of Alethea Talbot Countess Arundel.
In 1619 Daniel Mijtens [aged 29]. Portrait of Elizabeth Howard Countess Banbury [aged 36].
In 1619 Daniel Mijtens [aged 29]. Portrait of William Knollys 1st Earl Banbury [aged 75] wearing his Garter Collar and Leg Garter.
Around 1620 Daniel Mijtens [aged 30]. Portrait of Charles Howard 1st Earl Nottingham [aged 84].
Around 1620 Daniel Mijtens [aged 30]. Portrait of George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham [aged 27].
Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
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In 1620 Daniel Mijtens [aged 30]. Portrait of Lionel Cranfield 1st Earl Middlesex [aged 45].
Around 1620 Daniel Mijtens [aged 30]. Portrait of Ludovic Stewart 2nd Duke Lennox 1st Duke Richmond [aged 45].
In 1621 Daniel Mijtens [aged 31]. Portrait of King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland [aged 54] wearing his Garter Collar and Leg Garter.
Before 1622 Daniel Mijtens [aged 31]. Portrait of Clement Edmondes [aged 53].
Clement Edmondes: Around 1568 he was born to Thomas Edmondes of Shrawardine in Shropshire. In 1622 he died.
In 1622 Daniel Mijtens [aged 32]. Portrait of Bishop John King.
Bishop John King: In 1559 he was born in Worminghall, Buckinghamshire. In 1611 he was appointed Bishop of Norwich. On 3rd March 1621 he died.
In 1622 Daniel Mijtens [aged 32]. Portrait of Thomas Edmondes [aged 59] with his Lord Treasurer Staff of Office.
In 1623 Adriaen Hanneman [aged 20] travelled to England where he lived for sixteen years where he met and was influenced by Anthony Van Dyck [aged 23], Daniel Mijtens [aged 33] and Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 29].
In 1623 Daniel Mijtens [aged 33]. Portrait of James Hamilton 2nd Marquess Hamilton [aged 34].
In 1623 Daniel Mijtens [aged 33]. Portrait of James Hamilton 2nd Marquess Hamilton [aged 34] with his Lord Treasurer Staff of Office.
In 1624 Daniel Mijtens [aged 34]. Portrait of Henry Hobart 1st Baronet [aged 64].
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 1626 Daniel Mijtens [aged 36]. Portrait of Anne Rich Viscountess Mandeville [aged 22].
Anne Rich Viscountess Mandeville: In 1604 she was born to Robert Rich 2nd Earl Warwick and Frances Hatton Countess Warwick. On 1st July 1625 Edward Montagu 2nd Earl Manchester and she were married. She the daughter of Robert Rich 2nd Earl Warwick and Frances Hatton Countess Warwick. He the son of Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester and Catherine Spencer.
Around 1627 Daniel Mijtens [aged 37]. Portrait of Endymion Porter [aged 40].
1627. Daniel Mijtens [aged 37]. Portrait of Luise Henriette Orange Nassau.
Before 20th June 1628 Daniel Mijtens [aged 38]. Portrait (attributed) of William Cavendish 2nd Earl Devonshire [aged 38].
Before 1630 Daniel Mijtens [aged 39]. Portrait of William Herbert 3rd Earl Pembroke [aged 49].
In 1630 Daniel Mijtens [aged 40]. Portrait of Thomas Howard 14th or 21st Earl of Arundel 4th Earl of Surrey 1st Earl Norfolk [aged 44] and wearing his Garter Collar.
In 1631 Daniel Mijtens [aged 41]. Portrait of Robert Rich 2nd Earl Warwick [aged 43].
In 1631 Daniel Mijtens [aged 41]. Portrait of Archbishop William Laud [aged 57].
Around 1632 Daniel Mijtens [aged 42]. Portrait of Robert Rich 2nd Earl Warwick [aged 44].
In 1633 Daniel Mijtens [aged 43]. Portrait of Robert Rich 2nd Earl Warwick [aged 45].
The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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In 1634 Daniel Mijtens [aged 44]. Portrait of Philip Herbert 4th Earl Pembroke 1st Earl Montgomery [aged 49] wearing his Leg Garter and Garter Collar.
In 1634 Daniel Mijtens [aged 44]. Portrait of Henry Rich 1st Earl Holland [aged 43].
Before 11th December 1643 Daniel Mijtens [aged 53]. Portrait of Lionel Cranfield 1st Earl Middlesex [aged 68].
Before 11th December 1643 Daniel Mijtens [aged 53]. Portrait of Henry Clifford 5th Earl of Cumberland [aged 52].
Around 1648 Daniel Mijtens [aged 58] died in The Hague.