Jean de Waurin's Chronicle of England Volume 6 Books 3-6: The Wars of the Roses
Jean de Waurin was a French Chronicler, from the Artois region, who was born around 1400, and died around 1474. Waurin’s Chronicle of England, Volume 6, covering the period 1450 to 1471, from which we have selected and translated Chapters relating to the Wars of the Roses, provides a vivid, original, contemporary description of key events some of which he witnessed first-hand, some of which he was told by the key people involved with whom Waurin had a personal relationship.
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Paternal Family Tree: Stewart
Maternal Family Tree: Aoife ni Diarmait Macmurrough Countess Pembroke and Buckingham 1145-1188
1424 Marriage of James I of Scotland and Joan Beaufort
1437 Assassination of King James I of Scotland
On 12th February 1424 [her father] King James I of Scotland (age 29) and [her mother] Joan Beaufort Queen Consort Scotland (age 20) were married at Southwark Cathedral [Map]. She by marriage Queen Consort Scotland. She the daughter of [her grandfather] John Beaufort 1st Marquess Somerset and Dorset and [her grandmother] Margaret Holland Duchess Clarence (age 39). He the son of [her grandfather] King Robert III of Scotland and [her grandmother] Annabella Drummond Queen Consort Scotland. They were half fourth cousin twice removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King John of England. She a great granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
In 1436 Anabella Stewart was born to [her father] King James I of Scotland (age 41) and [her mother] Joan Beaufort Queen Consort Scotland (age 32). She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
On 25th June 1436 [her brother-in-law] King Louis XI of France (age 12) and [her sister] Margaret Stewart Dauphine of France (age 11) were married at Tours Castle. They had met the day before. She by marriage Dauphine . She the daughter of [her father] King James I of Scotland (age 41) and [her mother] Joan Beaufort Queen Consort Scotland (age 32). He the son of Charles "Victorious" VII King France (age 33) and Marie Valois Anjou Queen Consort France (age 31). They were half fourth cousin once removed. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
On 21st February 1437 [her father] King James I of Scotland (age 42) was assassinated at Blackfriars. He was buried at Carthusian Charterhouse, Perth. His son [her brother] James (age 6) succeeded II King Scotland. His wife, [her mother] Joan Beaufort Queen Consort Scotland (age 33), managed to escape.
On 26th March 1437 Walter Stewart 1st Earl Atholl 3rd Earl Caithness (age 77) and his grandson Robert Stewart (age 37) were hanged, drawn and quartered at Edinburgh Castle [Map] for having conspired to assassinate [her father] King James I of Scotland (deceased).
Before 21st September 1439 [her step-father] James "Black Knight of Lorn" Stewart (age 44) and [her mother] Joan Beaufort Queen Consort Scotland (age 35) were married. She the daughter of [her grandfather] John Beaufort 1st Marquess Somerset and Dorset and [her grandmother] Margaret Holland Duchess Clarence (age 54).
On 24th November 1440 William Crichton 1st Lord Crichton arranged a dinner of reconciliation at the Great Hall, Edinburgh Castle. During the course of the dinner the young brothers William Douglas 3rd Duke Touraine (age 16) and David Douglas (age 10) was beheaded in front of the young [her brother] King James II of Scotland (age 10).
On 30th August 1442 [her brother-in-law] Francis Montfort I Duke Brittany (age 28) and [her sister] Isabella Stewart Duchess Brittany (age 16) were married. She by marriage Duchess Brittany. She the daughter of [her father] King James I of Scotland and [her mother] Joan Beaufort Queen Consort Scotland (age 38). He the son of John Montfort V Duke Brittany (deceased) and Joan Valois Duchess Brittany. They were half fourth cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry III of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
On 14th December 1444 Louis King Cyprus (age 8) and Anabella Stewart (age 8) were betrothed at Stirling Castle [Map]. The marriage never took place and the betrothal was annulled in 1456.
On 15th July 1445 [her mother] Joan Beaufort Queen Consort Scotland (age 41) died at Dunbar Castle, Dunbar. She was buried at Perth Charterhouse.
On 16th August 1445 [her sister] Margaret Stewart Dauphine of France (age 20) died at Châlons-en-Champagne [Map]. She was buried at the Church of Saint-Laon Thouars.
On 12th February 1449 [her brother-in-law] Sigismund Habsburg 4th Duke Austria (age 21) and [her sister] Eleanor Stewart Duchess Austria (age 16) were married at Merano. She by marriage Duchess Austria. She the daughter of [her father] King James I of Scotland and [her mother] Joan Beaufort Queen Consort Scotland. He the son of Frederick "Empty Pockets" Habsburg 4th Duke Austria and Anna of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel Duchess Austria.
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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On 3rd July 1449 [her brother] King James II of Scotland (age 18) and [her sister-in-law] Mary of Guelders Queen Consort Scotland (age 15) were married at Holyrood Abbey, Holyrood. She the daughter of Arnold Egmont Duke Guelders (age 38) and Catherine de la Marck (age 32). He the son of [her father] King James I of Scotland and [her mother] Joan Beaufort Queen Consort Scotland. They were fourth cousin once removed. He a great x 2 grandson of King Edward III of England.
Between 1451 and 15th June 1452 Robert Boyd 1st Lord Boyd (age 31) was created 1st Lord Boyd by [her brother] King James II of Scotland (age 20). On 15th June 1452 King James II of Scotland confirmed the charter of Robert Boyd, Lord of Kilmarnock and of Dalry, conveying one-third of the lands of Lynn in Dalry to Robert Boyd [indweller] of Lynn. He took his seat in Parliament on 18th July 1454.
On 22nd February 1452 William Douglas 8th Earl Douglas 2nd Earl Avondale (age 27) was murdered by [her brother] King James II of Scotland (age 21) at Edinburgh Castle [Map] for refusing to desist from conspiring with Alexander Lindsay 4th Earl Crawford (age 29). His brother James (age 26) succeeded 9th Earl Douglas, 3rd Earl Avondale.
On 18th May 1452 the Battle of Brechin was fought between supporters of [her brother] King James II of Scotland (age 21) and his rellious nobility including the Black Douglases. [her future father-in-law] Alexander Gordon 1st Earl Huntley defeated the rebels led by Alexander Lindsay 4th Earl Crawford (age 29) on behalf on the King. John Lindsay (age 29), and the brothers William Gordon and Henry Gordon, were killed.
On 20th May 1455 [her future husband] George Gordon 2nd Earl Huntley and Elizabeth Dunbar were married. She the daughter of John Dunbar 1st Earl of Moray and Marjorie Stewart Countess Moray. He the son of [her future father-in-law] Alexander Gordon 1st Earl Huntley and [her future mother-in-law] Elizabeth Crichton Countess Huntley (age 45).
In August 1455 George Crichton 1st Earl Caithness (age 46) died. Earl Caithness reverted to the Crown following a disagreement between George Crichton 1st Earl Caithness and his son James Crichton from inheriting. James Crichton had imprisoned his father in Blackness Castle; he was rescued by [her brother] King James II of Scotland (age 24).
In 1457 [her half-brother] John Stewart 1st Earl Atholl (age 17) was created 1st Earl Atholl.
In 1458 George Gordon 2nd Earl Huntley (age 2) and Anabella Stewart (age 22) were married. She the daughter of King James I of Scotland and Joan Beaufort Queen Consort Scotland. He the son of Alexander Gordon 1st Earl Huntley and Elizabeth Crichton Countess Huntley (age 47).
Around 1459 [her half-brother] John Stewart 1st Earl Atholl (age 19) and [her sister-in-law] Margaret "Fair Lady of Galloway" Douglas Countess (age 24) were married. She by marriage Countess Atholl. She the daughter of Archibald Douglas 2nd Duke Touraine and Euphemia Graham Lady Hamilton (age 51). He the son of [her step-father] James "Black Knight of Lorn" Stewart and [her mother] Joan Beaufort Queen Consort Scotland. They were half fifth cousins. He a great x 2 grandson of King Edward III of England.
On 15th May 1459 [her brother-in-law] James Douglas 1st Earl Morton and [her sister] Joan Stewart Countess Morton (age 31) were married. She by marriage Countess Morton. She the daughter of [her father] King James I of Scotland and [her mother] Joan Beaufort Queen Consort Scotland. They were first cousin once removed. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
On 3rd August 1460 [her brother] King James II of Scotland (age 29) was killed accidentally whilst besieging Roxburgh Castle when a cannon exploded and he was hit by debris. He was buried at Holyrood Abbey, Holyrood. His son [her nephew] James (age 9) succeeded III King Scotland.
William Douglas 3rd Lord Drumlanrig (age 20) was present.
On 15th November 1461 Nicholas Hay 2nd Earl Erroll (age 25) and [her sister-in-law] Elizabeth Gordon Countess Erroll were married. She by marriage Countess Erroll. She the daughter of [her father-in-law] Alexander Gordon 1st Earl Huntley. He the son of William Hay 1st Earl Erroll (age 38) and Beatrice Douglas Countess Erroll.
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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Before 1467 [her half-brother] James Stewart 1st Earl Buchan (age 24) and [her sister-in-law] Margaret Ogilvy Countess Buchan were married. He the son of [her step-father] James "Black Knight of Lorn" Stewart and [her mother] Joan Beaufort Queen Consort Scotland.
Around 1469 John Kennedy 2nd Lord Kennedy (age 14) and [her sister-in-law] Elizabeth Gordon Countess Erroll were married. She the daughter of [her father-in-law] Alexander Gordon 1st Earl Huntley.
In 1469 [her half-brother] James Stewart 1st Earl Buchan (age 27) was created 1st Earl Buchan. [her sister-in-law] Margaret Ogilvy Countess Buchan by marriage Countess Buchan.
On 15th July 1470 [her father-in-law] Alexander Gordon 1st Earl Huntley died. His son [her husband] George (age 15) succeeded 2nd Earl Huntley. Anabella Stewart (age 34) by marriage Countess Huntley.
On 24th July 1471 the marriage of [her husband] George Gordon 2nd Earl Huntley (age 16) and Anabella Stewart (age 35) was annulled due to affinity.
On 18th August 1471 [her husband] George Gordon 2nd Earl Huntley (age 16) and Elizabeth Hay Countess Huntley (age 21) were married; she having been his mistress. She by marriage Countess Huntley. She the daughter of William Hay 1st Earl Erroll and Beatrice Douglas Countess Erroll. He the son of [her father-in-law] Alexander Gordon 1st Earl Huntley and [her mother-in-law] Elizabeth Crichton Countess Huntley (age 61).
Before April 1475 [her half-brother] John Stewart 1st Earl Atholl (age 35) and [her sister-in-law] Eleanor Sinclair Countess Atholl (age 18) were married. She by marriage Countess Atholl. She the daughter of William Sinclair 3rd Earl Orkney 1st Earl Caithness (age 65) and Marjory Sutherland Countess Orkney and Caithness. He the son of [her step-father] James "Black Knight of Lorn" Stewart and [her mother] Joan Beaufort Queen Consort Scotland. They were half fifth cousin once removed. He a great x 2 grandson of King Edward III of England.
On 20th November 1480 [her sister] Eleanor Stewart Duchess Austria (age 47) died.
Before 14th October 1485 [her son-in-law] William Hay 3rd Earl Erroll (age 36) and [her daughter] Isabel Gordon Countess Erroll were married. She by marriage Countess Erroll. She the daughter of [her husband] George Gordon 2nd Earl Huntley (age 30) and Anabella Stewart (age 49). He the son of William Hay 1st Earl Erroll and Beatrice Douglas Countess Erroll. They were third cousin once removed. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
After 16th October 1486 [her sister] Joan Stewart Countess Morton (deceased) died.
Annals of the six Kings of England by Nicholas Trivet
Translation of the Annals of the Six Kings of England by that traces the rise and rule of the Angevin aka Plantagenet dynasty from the mid-12th to early 14th century. Written by the Dominican scholar Nicholas Trivet, the work offers a vivid account of English history from the reign of King Stephen through to the death of King Edward I, blending political narrative with moral reflection. Covering the reigns of six monarchs—from Stephen to Edward I—the chronicle explores royal authority, rebellion, war, and the shifting balance between crown, church, and nobility. Trivet provides detailed insight into defining moments such as baronial conflicts, Anglo-French rivalry, and the consolidation of royal power under Edward I, whose reign he describes with particular immediacy. The Annals combines careful year-by-year reporting with thoughtful interpretation, presenting history not merely as a sequence of events but as a moral and political lesson. Ideal for readers interested in medieval history, kingship, and the origins of the English state, this chronicle remains a valuable and accessible window into the turbulent world of the Plantagenet kings.
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On 27th March 1489 Gilbert Kennedy 1st Lord Kennedy (age 84) died. His son John (age 34) succeeded 2nd Lord Kennedy. [her sister-in-law] Elizabeth Gordon Countess Erroll by marriage Lord Kennedy.
On 13th October 1494 [her sister] Isabella Stewart Duchess Brittany (age 68) died.
In 1499 [her half-brother] James Stewart 1st Earl Buchan (age 57) died. His son [her nephew] Alexander succeeded 2nd Earl Buchan. Margaret Ruthven Countess Buchan by marriage Countess Buchan.
On 17th April 1500 [her sister-in-law] Elizabeth Gordon Countess Erroll died.
On 8th June 1501 [her husband] George Gordon 2nd Earl Huntley (age 46) died. His son Alexander succeeded 3rd Earl Huntley. [her niece] Jean Stewart Countess Huntley (age 40) by marriage Countess Huntley.
In 1509 Anabella Stewart (age 73) died.
[her daughter] Isabel Gordon Countess Erroll was born to George Gordon 2nd Earl Huntley and Anabella Stewart. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward III of England. She married before 14th October 1485 her third cousin once removed William Hay 3rd Earl Erroll, son of William Hay 1st Earl Erroll and Beatrice Douglas Countess Erroll, and had issue.
King Edward III of England 1312-1377
John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster 1340-1399
Eleanor Plantagenet Countess Arundel and Surrey 1318-1372
Richard Fitzalan 3rd or 10th Earl of Arundel 8th Earl of Surrey 1306-1376
Thomas Holland 2nd Earl Kent 1350-1397
Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales 1328-1385
Katherine Swynford aka Roet Duchess Lancaster 1350-1403
Philippa of Hainaut Queen Consort England 1310-1369
Kings Wessex: Great x 11 Grand Daughter of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 7 Grand Daughter of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 13 Grand Daughter of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 8 Grand Daughter of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 12 Grand Daughter of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 2 Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 10 Grand Daughter of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 18 Grand Daughter of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 12 Grand Daughter of Hugh I King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 16 Grand Daughter of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Alexander Stewart 4th High Steward
Great x 3 Grandfather: James Stewart 5th High Steward
Great x 2 Grandfather: Walter Stewart 6th High Steward
Great x 1 Grandfather: King Robert II of Scotland
3 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Bruce Earl Carrick 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandfather: King Robert the Bruce I of Scotland 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Marjorie Carrick 3rd Countess Carrick
Great x 2 Grandmother: Marjorie Bruce 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Donald Mar 7th Earl of Mar
Great x 3 Grandmother: Isabella Mar Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elen ferch Llewellyn Aberffraw Countess Huntingdon and Mar Grand Daughter of King John of England
GrandFather: King Robert III of Scotland
4 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Adam Mure
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Mure Queen Consort Scotland
Father: King James I of Scotland
5 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Malcolm Drummond
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Drummond of Stobhall 11th Thane of Lennox
GrandMother: Annabella Drummond Queen Consort Scotland
Great x 1 Grandmother: Mary Margaret Montifex
Anabella Stewart
2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: King Edward I of England
Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: King Edward II of England
Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor of Castile Queen Consort England 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: King Edward III of England
Son of King Edward II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: King Philip IV of France
3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Isabella of France Queen Consort England
4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Blois I Queen Navarre
3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John of Avesnes II Count Hainaut II Count Holland 3 x Great Grand Son of King Stephen I England
Great x 3 Grandfather: William of Avesnes I Count Hainaut III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland 4 x Great Grand Son of King Stephen I England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainaut and Holland
5 x Great Grand Daughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Philippa of Hainaut Queen Consort England 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Stephen I England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Charles Valois I Count Valois
3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainaut
4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Capet Countess Valois
3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
GrandFather: John Beaufort 1st Marquess Somerset and Dorset
Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Giles "Payne" Roet
Great x 1 Grandmother: Katherine Swynford aka Roet Duchess Lancaster
Mother: Joan Beaufort Queen Consort Scotland
Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert de Holand of Upholland
Great x 3 Grandfather: Robert Holland 1st Baron Holand
Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent
4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Alan Zouche 1st Baron Zouche Ashby
2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Maud Zouche Baroness Holand
3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor Segrave
Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Holland 2nd Earl Kent Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: King Edward I of England
Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Edmund of Woodstock 1st Earl Kent
Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret of France Queen Consort England
3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales
Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Wake 1st Baron Wake of Liddell
2 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Wake Countess Kent
3 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Fiennes Baroness Wake Liddell
4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
GrandMother: Margaret Holland Duchess Clarence
2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Fitzalan 1st or 8th Earl of Arundel
3 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Edmund Fitzalan 2nd or 9th Earl of Arundel
4 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Richard Fitzalan 3rd or 10th Earl of Arundel 8th Earl of Surrey
5 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Warenne
Great x 3 Grandmother: Alice Warenne Countess Arundel
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Vere
Great x 1 Grandmother: Alice Fitzalan Countess Kent
2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund "Crouchback" Plantagenet 1st Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Lancaster
Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Blanche Capet Queen Navarre
2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Eleanor Plantagenet Countess Arundel and Surrey
Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Maud Chaworth
Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabella Beauchamp