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.

Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.

Biography of Isabella Warenne Countess Boulogne 4th Countess of Surrey 1137-1203

Paternal Family Tree: Warenne

Maternal Family Tree: Ettiennette Countess Burgundy

1153 Eustace of Blois Dies

1170 Murder of Thomas a Becket

1174 Treaty of Falaise

1189 Death of King Henry II

Before 1137 [her father] William Warenne 3rd Earl of Surrey [aged 17] and [her mother] Adela Montgomery Countess of Salisbury and Surrey were married. She the daughter of [her grandfather] William "Talvas" Montgomery III Count Ponthieu [aged 43] and [her grandmother] Helie Burgundy Countess Ponthieu [aged 56]. He the son of William Warenne 2nd Earl of Surrey and Elizabeth Capet Countess Leicester, Meulan and Surrey. They were third cousin once removed.

Around 1137 Isabella Warenne Countess Boulogne 4th Countess of Surrey was born to [her father] William Warenne 3rd Earl of Surrey [aged 18] and [her mother] Adela Montgomery Countess of Salisbury and Surrey.

On 11th May 1138 [her grandfather] William Warenne 2nd Earl of Surrey died. His son [her father] William [aged 19] succeeded 3rd Earl Surrey and inherited his estates including Conisbrough Castle [Map]. [her mother] Adela Montgomery Countess of Salisbury and Surrey by marriage Countess Surrey.

In 1148 [her brother-in-law] Eustace Blois IV Count Boulogne [aged 18] and Constance Capet Countess Boulogne and Toulouse [aged 20] were married. She by marriage Countess Boulogne. She the daughter of Louis VI King of the Franks and Adelaide Savoy Queen Consort France. He the son of [her father-in-law] King Stephen I England [aged 54] and [her mother-in-law] Matilda Flanders [aged 43]. They were third cousin once removed.

Around 1148 William Blois I Count Boulogne [aged 11] and Isabella Warenne Countess Boulogne 4th Countess of Surrey [aged 11] were married. She by marriage Countess Boulogne. She the daughter of William Warenne 3rd Earl of Surrey [aged 29] and Adela Montgomery Countess of Salisbury and Surrey. He the son of King Stephen I England [aged 54] and Matilda Flanders [aged 43]. They were fourth cousins.

On 6th January 1148 [her father] William Warenne 3rd Earl of Surrey [aged 29] died. His daughter Isabella [aged 11] succeeded 4th Countess Surrey and inherited his estates including Conisbrough Castle [Map].

In 1149 [her step-father] Patrick of Salisbury 1st Earl Salisbury [aged 27] and [her mother] Adela Montgomery Countess of Salisbury and Surrey were married. She by marriage Countess Salisbury. She the daughter of [her grandfather] William "Talvas" Montgomery III Count Ponthieu [aged 56] and [her grandmother] Helie Burgundy Countess Ponthieu.

On 3rd May 1152 [her mother-in-law] Matilda Flanders [aged 47] died. Her son [her brother-in-law] Eustace [aged 22] succeeded IV Count Boulogne.

Eustace of Blois Dies

On 17th August 1153 King Stephen's eldest son [her brother-in-law] Eustace Blois IV Count Boulogne [aged 23] died at Bury St Edmunds [Map]. Probably from food poisoning, possibly murdered for having sacked the Abbey. His brother [her husband] William [aged 16] succeeded I Count Boulogne.

In 1159 [her husband] William Blois I Count Boulogne [aged 22] died. His sister [her sister-in-law] Marie [aged 23] succeeded I Countess Boulogne.

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.

Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.

In 1162 William Longsword [aged 25] was to marry Isabella Warenne Countess Boulogne 4th Countess of Surrey [aged 25] but Archbishop Thomas Becket [aged 42] refused to grant the necessary dispensation.

In 1163 [her daughter] Maud aka Matilda Plantagenet Countess Eu was born to [her future husband] Hamelin Warenne Earl of Surrey [aged 34] and Isabella Warenne Countess Boulogne 4th Countess of Surrey [aged 26]. She married in or before 1191 her half fifth cousin Henry Normandy 7th Count of Eu, son of John Normandy 6th Count of Eu and Alice D'Aubigny, and had issue.

On 30th January 1164 William Longsword [aged 27] died. He was buried at Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral [Map]. His death said to have been of a broken heart since he was unable to marry Isabella Warenne Countess Boulogne 4th Countess of Surrey [aged 27] as a result of Archbishop Thomas Becket [aged 44] refusing to grant the necessary dispensation. His death may have been the start of the rift between his elder brother [her future brother-in-law] King Henry II [aged 30] and Becket.

In April 1164 Hamelin Warenne Earl of Surrey [aged 35] and Isabella Warenne Countess Boulogne 4th Countess of Surrey [aged 27] were married by which Conisbrough Castle [Map] came into his posession. He rebuilt the castle in stone. He by marriage Earl Surrey. She the daughter of William Warenne 3rd Earl of Surrey and Adela Montgomery Countess of Salisbury and Surrey. He the illegitmate son of Geoffrey Plantagenet Duke Normandy and Mistress Unknown. They were sixth cousins.

Murder of Thomas a Becket

On 29th December 1170 Archbishop Thomas Becket [aged 51] was murdered at Canterbury Cathedral [Map] by four knights on behalf of [her brother-in-law] King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England [aged 37]. Whether Henry ordered the murder, or whether the four knights were acting without orders, is a matter of conjecture. The first use of the well-known phrase "Will no-one rid me of this turbulent priest" appears some five hundred and more years later in Robert Dodsley's 1740 Chronicle of the Kings of England.

On 10th October 1174 [her mother] Adela Montgomery Countess of Salisbury and Surrey died.

Treaty of Falaise

In December 1174 King William I of Scotland [aged 31], imprisoned at Falaise Castle [Map], signed the Treaty of Falaise by which he agreed [her brother-in-law] King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England [aged 41] was overlord of Scotland. He also agreed to marry a bride of Henry's choosing. He married Ermengarde Beaumont Sarthe Queen Consort Scotland [aged 4] twelve years later.

Simon Senlis 7th Earl Huntingdon 6th Earl of Northampton [aged 36] succeeded 7th Earl Huntingdon, 6th Earl of Northampton.

On 5th September 1186 King William I of Scotland [aged 43] and Ermengarde Beaumont Sarthe Queen Consort Scotland [aged 16] were married at Woodstock Palace, Oxfordshire [Map] by Archbishop Baldwin of Forde [aged 61]. She by marriage Queen Consort Scotland at Woodstock Palace, Oxfordshire [Map]. His bride had been chosen by [her brother-in-law] King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England [aged 53] as part of the Treaty of Falaise. William received Edinburgh Castle [Map] as a wedding gift from King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. The difference in their ages was 27 years. He the son of Henry Dunkeld 3rd Earl Huntingdon 1st Earl of Northumbria and [her aunt] Ada Warenne Countess Huntingdon and Northumbria. They were half fourth cousins. She a great granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

In 1176 Bishop Peter de Leia was appointed Bishop of St David's by [her brother-in-law] King Henry II [aged 42] despite the cathedral chapter preferring Gerald of Wales aka Cambrensis [aged 29] aka Giraldus Cambrensis.

On 11th May 1183 Archbishop Walter de Coutances was elected Bishop of Lincoln being selected by [her brother-in-law] King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England [aged 50] over three other candidates.

Before 1187 [her half-brother] William of Salisbury 2nd Earl Salisbury [aged 36] and [her sister-in-law] Eleanor Vitre Countess of Salisbury [aged 28] were married. She by marriage Countess Salisbury. He the son of [her step-father] Patrick of Salisbury 1st Earl Salisbury and [her mother] Adela Montgomery Countess of Salisbury and Surrey.

Death of King Henry II

On 6th July 1189 [her brother-in-law] King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England [aged 56] died at Chinon Castle [Map]. William Mandeville 3rd Earl Essex Count Aumale was present. He was buried at Fontevraud Abbey [Map]. His son Richard [aged 31] succeeded I King of England.

In or before 1191 [her son-in-law] Henry Normandy 7th Count of Eu and Maud aka Matilda Plantagenet Countess Eu [aged 27] were married. She by marriage Countess Eu. She the daughter of Hamelin Warenne Earl of Surrey [aged 61] and Isabella Warenne Countess Boulogne 4th Countess of Surrey [aged 53]. He the son of John Normandy 6th Count of Eu and Alice D'Aubigny. They were half fifth cousins. He a great x 3 grandson of King William "Conqueror" I of England.

In 1196 [her half-brother] William of Salisbury 2nd Earl Salisbury [aged 46] died. His daughter [her niece] Ela [aged 9] succeeded 3rd Countess Salisbury.

In 1201 King John of England [aged 34] visited the new stone-built Conisbrough Castle [Map] whilst it was held by [her husband] Hamelin Warenne Earl of Surrey [aged 72] and Isabella Warenne Countess Boulogne 4th Countess of Surrey [aged 64].

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.

Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.

On 7th May 1202 [her husband] Hamelin Warenne Earl of Surrey [aged 73] died. His son William succeeded 5th Earl Surrey and inherited his estates including Conisbrough Castle [Map]. He undertook further building work including the Great Hall and service buildings in the Inner Bailey. Maud Marshal Countess Norfolk and Surrey [aged 8] by marriage Countess Surrey.

Around 1203 Isabella Warenne Countess Boulogne 4th Countess of Surrey [aged 66] died.

[her daughter] Adela Plantagenet was born to Hamelin Warenne Earl of Surrey and Isabella Warenne Countess Boulogne 4th Countess of Surrey.

[her son] William Warenne 5th Earl of Surrey was born to Hamelin Warenne Earl of Surrey and Isabella Warenne Countess Boulogne 4th Countess of Surrey. He married 13th October 1225 his half second cousin once removed Maud Marshal Countess Norfolk and Surrey, daughter of William Marshal 1st Earl Pembroke and Isabel Clare Countess Pembroke, and had issue.

[her daughter] Ela Plantagenet was born to Hamelin Warenne Earl of Surrey and Isabella Warenne Countess Boulogne 4th Countess of Surrey.

Royal Ancestors of Isabella Warenne Countess Boulogne 4th Countess of Surrey 1137-1203

Kings Franks: Great x 11 Grand Daughter of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor

Kings France: Great x 4 Grand Daughter of Hugh I King of the Franks

Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 8 Grand Daughter of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine

Royal Descendants of Isabella Warenne Countess Boulogne 4th Countess of Surrey 1137-1203
Number after indicates the number of unique routes of descent. Descendants of Kings and Queens not included.

King Edward I of Scotland [1]

King Robert II of Scotland [1]

King Richard II of England [1]

King Henry V of England [2]

Philippa Lancaster Queen Consort Denmark [2]

Joan Beaufort Queen Consort Scotland [3]

King Edward IV of England [7]

King Richard III of England [7]

Anne Neville Queen Consort England [11]

King Henry VII of England and Ireland [4]

Queen Anne Boleyn of England [9]

Queen Jane Seymour [10]

Catherine Parr Queen Consort England [16]

Queen Catherine Howard of England [7]

Maximilian Habsburg Spain II Holy Roman Emperor [2]

Jane Grey I Queen England and Ireland [18]

King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland [2]

Maximilian "The Great" Wittelsbach I Duke Bavaria I Elector Bavaria [2]

Maria Anna Wittelsbach Holy Roman Empress [2]

Marie de Medici Queen Consort France [2]

Ferdinand of Spain II Holy Roman Emperor [4]

George Wharton [120]

Margaret of Austria Queen Consort Spain [4]

Anna of Austria Holy Roman Empress [4]

John George Wettin Elector Saxony [2]

Frederick William "Great Elector" Hohenzollern Elector Brandenburg [2]

Eleonora Gonzaga Queen Consort Bohemia [4]

Maria Leopoldine Habsburg Spain Queen Consort Bohemia [4]

Hedwig Eleonora Queen Consort Sweden [2]

Charlotte Amalie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [2]

Louise of Mecklenburg Güstrow Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [2]

Maria Anna Neuburg Queen Consort Spain [4]

Frederick I King Sweden [6]

Joseph I Holy Roman Emperor [4]

Charles Habsburg Spain VI Holy Roman Emperor [4]

Adolph Frederick King Sweden [2]

President George Washington [6]

King George III of Great Britain and Ireland [4]

William Elector of Hesse [6]

Charlotte Mecklenburg Strelitz Queen Consort England [2]

Caroline Matilda Hanover Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [4]

Marie Sophie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [6]

Caroline of Brunswick Queen Consort England [4]

Frederick William III King Prussia [2]

Frederica Mecklenburg Strelitz Queen Consort Hanover [4]

Queen Fredrika Dorotea Vilhelmina [4]

King Christian I of Norway and VIII of Denmark [6]

Frederick William IV King Prussia [4]

William I King Prussia [4]

Frederick VII King of Denmark [10]

Queen Louise Hesse-Kassel of Denmark [12]

King Christian IX of Denmark [6]

Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom [8]

Queen Sophia of Sweden and Norway [10]

Victoria Empress Germany Queen Consort Prussia [22]

King Edward VII of the United Kingdom [22]

Maria Christina of Austria Queen Consort Spain [6]

Brigadier-General Charles Fitz-Clarence [473]

Victoria Mary Teck Queen Consort England [12]

Frederick Charles I King Finland [12]

Constantine I King Greece [6]

Alexandrine Mecklenburg-Schwerin Queen Consort Denmark [16]

Victoria Eugénie Mountbatten Queen Consort Spain [28]

Louise Mountbatten Queen Consort Sweden [34]

Ingrid Bernadotte Queen Consort Denmark [26]

Philip Mountbatten Duke Edinburgh [40]

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom [1926]

Carl XVI King Sweden [54]

Queen Consort Camilla Shand [650]

Diana Spencer Princess Wales [5729]

Catherine Middleton Princess of Wales [17]

Ancestors of Isabella Warenne Countess Boulogne 4th Countess of Surrey 1137-1203

Great x 2 Grandfather: Ralph Warenne

Great x 1 Grandfather: William Warenne 1st Earl of Surrey

GrandFather: William Warenne 2nd Earl of Surrey

Great x 2 Grandfather: Gerbod The Fleming

Great x 1 Grandmother: Gundred Countess of Surrey

Father: William Warenne 3rd Earl of Surrey

Great x 1 Grandfather: Hugh "Great" Capet

Great x 3 Grandfather: Yaroslav "The Wise" Rurik

Great x 2 Grandmother: Anne of Kiev Queen Consort Francia

GrandMother: Elizabeth Capet Countess Leicester, Meulan and Surrey

Great x 3 Grandfather: Otto Vermandois I Count Vermandois

Great x 4 Grandmother: Ermengard of Bar Countess Vermandois

Great x 2 Grandfather: Herbert Vermandois IV Count Vermandois

Great x 3 Grandmother: Pavia Countess Vermandois

Great x 1 Grandmother: Adelaide I Countess Vermandois

Great x 4 Grandfather: Ralph III Count of Valois

Great x 3 Grandfather: Ralph IV Count of Valois

Great x 2 Grandmother: Adela Valois Countess Blois and Vermandois

Isabella Warenne Countess Boulogne 4th Countess of Surrey

Great x 3 Grandfather: Roger Montgomery

Great x 2 Grandfather: Roger "The Great" Montgomery 1st Earl of Shrewsbury

Great x 1 Grandfather: Robert II Belleme 2nd Count Ponthieu 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury

Great x 4 Grandfather: William "Princeps" Belleme

Great x 3 Grandfather: William "Talvas" Belleme

Great x 4 Grandmother: Mathilde Condé Sur Noireau

Great x 2 Grandmother: Mabel de Bellême

Great x 4 Grandfather: Arnulf

Great x 3 Grandmother: Hildeburg

GrandFather: William "Talvas" Montgomery III Count Ponthieu

Great x 4 Grandfather: Enguerrand I Count Ponthieu

Great x 3 Grandfather: Hugh II Count Ponthieu

Great x 4 Grandmother: Adelaide Gerulfing Countess Ponthieu

Great x 2 Grandfather: Guy aka Wido I Count of Ponthieu

Great x 3 Grandmother: Bertha Aumale Countess Aumale and Ponthieu

Great x 1 Grandmother: Agnes Ponthieu Countess Ponthieu and Shrewsbury

Mother: Adela Montgomery Countess of Salisbury and Surrey

Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert "Pious" II King of the Franks

Great x 3 Grandfather: Robert I Duke Burgundy

Great x 4 Grandmother: Constance Arles Queen Consort France

Great x 2 Grandfather: Henry "Gallant" Burgundy

Great x 3 Grandmother: Helie Samur Duchess Burgundy

Great x 1 Grandfather: Odo "Red" I Duke Burgundy

GrandMother: Helie Burgundy Countess Ponthieu

Great x 4 Grandfather: Otto William Ivrea I Count Burgundy

Great x 3 Grandfather: Reginald Ivrea I Count Burgundy

Great x 4 Grandmother: Ermentrude Countess Burgundy

Great x 2 Grandfather: William I Count Burgundy

Great x 3 Grandmother: Alice Normandy Countess Burgundy

Great x 4 Grandmother: Judith Penthièvre Duchess Normandy

Great x 1 Grandmother: Sybilla Ivrea Duchess Burgundy

Great x 2 Grandmother: Ettiennette Countess Burgundy