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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Paternal Family Tree: Oldenburg
On 28th July 1869 [his father] Frederick VIII King of Denmark [aged 26] and [his mother] Louise of Sweden Queen Consort Denmark [aged 17] were married. He the son of [his grandfather] King Christian IX of Denmark [aged 51] and [his grandmother] Queen Louise Hesse-Kassel of Denmark [aged 51].
On 26th September 1870 Christian X King of Denmark was born to [his father] Frederick VIII King of Denmark [aged 27] and [his mother] Louise of Sweden Queen Consort Denmark [aged 18]. He a great x 4 grandson of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland.
In 1896 [his brother] Haakon VII King Norway [aged 23] and [his sister-in-law] Maud Windsor Queen Consort Norway [aged 26] were married. She the daughter of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom [aged 54] and [his aunt] Alexandra of Denmark Queen Consort England [aged 51]. He the son of [his father] Frederick VIII King of Denmark [aged 52] and [his mother] Louise of Sweden Queen Consort Denmark [aged 44]. They were first cousins. He a great x 4 grandson of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland.
On 26th April 1898 Christian X King of Denmark [aged 27] and Alexandrine Mecklenburg-Schwerin Queen Consort Denmark [aged 18] were married. She by marriage Queen Consort Denmark. He the son of Frederick VIII King of Denmark [aged 54] and Louise of Sweden Queen Consort Denmark [aged 46]. They were fourth cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland.
In 1905 the union of Sweden and Norway was dissoved. [his brother] Haakon VII King Norway [aged 32] succeeded VII King Norway. [his sister-in-law] Maud Windsor Queen Consort Norway [aged 35] by marriage Queen Consort Norway.
On 29th January 1906 [his grandfather] King Christian IX of Denmark [aged 87] died. His son [his father] Frederick [aged 62] succeeded VIII King of Denmark. [his mother] Louise of Sweden Queen Consort Denmark [aged 54] by marriage Queen Consort Denmark.
On 14th May 1912 [his father] Frederick VIII King of Denmark [aged 68] died. His son Christian [aged 41] succeeded X King of Denmark.
On 20th May 1912 George William Hanover [aged 31] died in a car accident. Somewhat ironically he was driving to the funeral of his maternal uncle [his father] Frederick VIII King of Denmark [deceased] when he skidded on a newly laid road surface. He and his valet Karl Grebe were killed in the accident. There is a monument at the site.
From the web:
Probably overtired, the car raced into loose gravel rock at 90 kilometers per hour, came off the road to the right, knocked down three trees and drilled into the earth with a destroyed front axle. Prince Georg Wilhelm and his valet Grebe – Karl Grebe – died instantly. The chauffeur sitting in the back survived slightly injured. The dead were laid out in the church of Nackel and brought a little later with military honors to Friesack station.
At the station, the coffins were loaded into the carriage to the songs of the Friesacker men's choir, which brought the crown prince to the funeral in Gmunden, Austria. The Friesacker stationmaster, Joachim Gahl, it is said, received a letter from Austria including two cufflinks decorated with diamonds and the initials "GW" thanks to his duty. Hanover's royal family thanked the villagers because they had shown themselves so compassionate. Monetary donations were made to the church, the warrior federation and the virgin association. In the church, a plaque commemorates the laying out and that the congregation sang before the transfer of the dead.
On 20th March 1926 [his mother] Louise of Sweden Queen Consort Denmark [aged 74] died.
On 20th April 1947 Christian X King of Denmark [aged 76] died.
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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On 28th December 1952 [his former wife] Alexandrine Mecklenburg-Schwerin Queen Consort Denmark [aged 73] died.
[his son] Knud Glücksburg was born to Christian X King of Denmark and Alexandrine Mecklenburg-Schwerin Queen Consort Denmark.
[his son] Frederik Glücksburg was born to Christian X King of Denmark and Alexandrine Mecklenburg-Schwerin Queen Consort Denmark.
Kings Wessex: Great x 25 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 22 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 28 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 23 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 24 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 4 Grand Son of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland
Kings Scotland: Great x 24 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 31 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 15 Grand Son of Charles "Beloved Mad" VI King France
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 29 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Peter August Oldenburg I Duke Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck
15 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Karl Anton Oldenburg I Duke Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck
16 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Sophie of Hesse-Philippsthal Duchess Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck
Great x 2 Grandfather: Friedrich Karl Ludwig Oldenburg I Duke Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck
17 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Frederica Charlotte Dohna Schlodien Duchess Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck
Great x 1 Grandfather: Friedrich Wilhelm Glücksburg Duke Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Glücksburg
18 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Friederike Schlieben Duchess Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck
GrandFather: King Christian IX of Denmark
2 x Great Grand Son of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Hesse-Kassel 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Frederick Hesse-Kassel 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Charles Hesse-Kassel Grand Son of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: King George II of Great Britain and Ireland 2 x Great Grand Son of King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland
Great x 3 Grandmother: Mary Hanover Daughter of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Caroline Hohenzollern Queen Consort England 15 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Louise Caroline Hesse-Kassel Duchess Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg Glücksburg Great Grand Daughter of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Christian VI King of Denmark and Norway
11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Frederick V King of Denmark and Norway
12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Louise Oldenburg
Grand Daughter of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: King George II of Great Britain and Ireland 2 x Great Grand Son of King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland
Great x 3 Grandmother: Louise Hanover Queen Consort Denmark and Norway Daughter of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Caroline Hohenzollern Queen Consort England 15 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Father: Frederick VIII King of Denmark
3 x Great Grand Son of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Hesse-Kassel 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Frederick Hesse-Kassel 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Frederick Hesse-Kassel Grand Son of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: King George II of Great Britain and Ireland 2 x Great Grand Son of King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland
Great x 3 Grandmother: Mary Hanover Daughter of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Caroline Hohenzollern Queen Consort England 15 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: William Hesse-Kassel Great Grand Son of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland
GrandMother: Queen Louise Hesse-Kassel of Denmark 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Christian VI King of Denmark and Norway
11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Frederick V King of Denmark and Norway
12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Prince Frederick Oldenburg
13 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Ferdinand Albert II Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 14 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Juliana Maria Welf Queen Consort Denmark and Norway 15 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Princess Antoinette of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel 15 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Princess Charlotte of Denmark
14 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Christian Ludwig II Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 14 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Duke Louis of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 15 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Duchess Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 13 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Francis Josias Saxe Coburg Saalfeld Duke Saxe Coburg Saalfeld 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Charlotte Sophie Saxe Coburg Saalfeld 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Duchess Anna Sophie Of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Christian X King of Denmark
4 x Great Grand Son of King George II of Great Britain and Ireland
Great x 1 Grandfather: Oscar I King Sweden and Norway
GrandFather: Charles XV King Sweden IV King Norway