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Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall

The Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall (Chronicon Anglicanum) is an indispensable medieval history that brings to life centuries of English and European affairs through the eyes of a learned Cistercian monk. Ralph of Coggeshall, abbot of the Abbey of Coggeshall in Essex in the early 13th century, continued and expanded his community’s chronicle, documenting events from the Norman Conquest of 1066 into the tumultuous reign of King Henry III. Blending eyewitness testimony, careful compilation, and the monastic commitment to record-keeping, this chronicle offers a rare narrative of political intrigue, royal power struggles, and social upheaval in England and beyond. Ralph’s work captures the reigns of pivotal figures such as Richard I and King John, providing invaluable insights into their characters, decisions, and the forces that shaped medieval rule. More than a simple annal, Chronicon Anglicanum conveys the texture of medieval life and governance, making it a rich source for scholars and readers fascinated by English history, monastic authorship, and the shaping of the medieval world.

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Biography of Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond 1672-1723

Paternal Family Tree: Stewart

1680 Siege of Tangier

1685 Death and Burial of Charles II

14th June 1685 Battle of Bridport

1685 Execution of the Duke of Monmouth

1690 Storming of Cork

1705 Death of Catherine of Braganza Dowager Queen Consort

On 29th July 1672 Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond was born illegitimately to [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 42) and [his mother] Louise Kéroualle 1st Duchess Portsmouth (age 22).

On 1st August 1672 [his illegitimate half-brother] Henry Fitzroy 1st Duke Grafton (age 8) and [his sister-in-law] Isabella Bennet Duchess Grafton (age 4) were married. She the daughter of Henry Bennet 1st Earl Arlington (age 54) and Elisabeth Nassau Beverweert Countess Arlington (age 38). He the illegitmate son of [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 42) and Barbara Villiers 1st Duchess of Cleveland (age 31). They were half sixth cousins.

He was created 1st Earl Euston, 1st Viscount Ipswich, 1st Baron Sudbury. Isabella Bennet Duchess Grafton by marriage Countess Euston.

Before 1673 [his brother-in-law] William Paston 2nd Earl of Yarmouth (age 18) and [his illegitimate half-sister] Charlotte Jemima Henrietta Maria Fitzroy Countess Yarmouth (age 22) were married. She by marriage Countess of Yarmouth. She the illegitmate daughter of [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 42) and Elizabeth Killigrew Viscountess Shannon (age 50). He the son of Robert Paston 1st Earl of Yarmouth (age 41) and Rebecca Clayton Countess Yarmouth (age 37).

In 1673 [his illegitimate half-brother] Charles Fitzroy 1st Duke Southampton 2nd Duke Cleveland (age 10) was appointed 478th Knight of the Garter by [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 42).

From 1673 to May 1678 Henry Savile (age 31) was appointed Groom of the Bedchamber to [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 42).

On 19th August 1673 [his mother] Louise Kéroualle 1st Duchess Portsmouth (age 23) was created 1st Duchess Portsmouth, 1st Countess Fareham, 1st Baroness Petersfield by [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 43) for life for being his mistress and for having given birth to his son Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond (age 1).

In 1674 [his future brother-in-law] Edward Lee 1st Earl Lichfield (age 10) was created 1st Earl Lichfield as a consequence of his being betrothed to [his illegitimate half-sister] Charlotte Fitzroy Countess Lichfield (age 9), a natural daughter of [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 43).

The History of William Marshal, Earl of Chepstow and Pembroke, Regent of England. Book 1 of 2, Lines 1-10152.

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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On 16th May 1674 [his brother-in-law] Thomas Lennard 1st Earl of Sussex (age 20) and [his illegitimate half-sister] Anne Fitzroy Countess Sussex (age 13) were married at Hampton Court Palace, Richmond [Map]. She the illegitmate daughter of [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 43) and Barbara Villiers 1st Duchess of Cleveland (age 33). They were first cousin once removed.

On 1st October 1674 [his illegitimate half-brother] George Fitzroy 1st Duke Northumberland (age 8) was created 1st Earl of Northumberland, 1st Viscount Falmouth, 1st Baron Pontefract by [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 44).

On 5th October 1674 [his brother-in-law] Thomas Lennard 1st Earl of Sussex (age 20) was created 1st Earl of Sussex. [his illegitimate half-sister] Anne Fitzroy Countess Sussex (age 13) by marriage Countess of Sussex.

In 1675 [his illegitimate half-brother] Charles Fitzroy 1st Duke Southampton 2nd Duke Cleveland (age 12) was created 1st Duke Southampton, 1st Earl Chichester, 1st Baron Newbury by [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 44).

On 28th July 1675 [his illegitimate half-brother] Charles "Don Carlo" Fitzcharles 1st Earl Plymouth (age 18) was created 1st Earl Plymouth, 1st Viscount Totnes, 1st Baron Dartmouth.

On 9th August 1675 Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond (age 3) was created 1st Duke Richmond, 1st Earl March, 1st Baron Settrington by [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 45).

On 11th September 1675 [his illegitimate half-brother] Henry Fitzroy 1st Duke Grafton (age 11) was created 1st Duke Grafton by [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 45). [his sister-in-law] Isabella Bennet Duchess Grafton (age 7) by marriage Duchess Grafton.

In 1676 Bishop Thomas Sprat (age 41) was appointed Chaplain to [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 45).

Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans

Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.

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On 21st December 1676 [his illegitimate half-brother] Charles Beauclerk 1st Duke St Albans (age 6) was created 1st Earl Burford, 1st Baron Heddington by [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 46).

On 6th February 1677 [his brother-in-law] Edward Lee 1st Earl Lichfield (age 14) and [his illegitimate half-sister] Charlotte Fitzroy Countess Lichfield (age 12) were married. She by marriage Countess Lichfield. She the illegitmate daughter of [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 46) and Barbara Villiers 1st Duchess of Cleveland (age 36). He the son of Francis Lee 4th Baronet and Elizabeth Pope Countess Lindsey. They were third cousins.

On 19th September 1678 [his illegitimate half-brother] Charles "Don Carlo" Fitzcharles 1st Earl Plymouth (age 21) and [his sister-in-law] Bridget Osborne Countess Plymouth were married in Wimbledon, Surrey. She by marriage Countess Plymouth. She the daughter of Thomas Osborne 1st Duke Leeds (age 46) and Bridget Bertie Duchess Leeds (age 49). He the illegitmate son of [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 48) and Catherine Pegge (age 43).

In 1679 John Robartes 1st Earl Radnor (age 73) was created 1st Earl Radnor, 1st Viscount Bodmin by [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 48) in reward for having supported Charles' brother James II King England, Scotland and Ireland 1633-1701's future accession. Letitia Isabella Smythe Countess Radnor (age 49) by marriage Countess Radnor.

In 1679 [his illegitimate half-brother] Charles Fitzroy 1st Duke Southampton 2nd Duke Cleveland (age 16) and [his sister-in-law] Mary Wood Duchess Southampton (age 16) were married. She by marriage Duchess Southampton. He the illegitmate son of [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 48) and Barbara Villiers 1st Duchess of Cleveland (age 38).

On 9th December 1679 Henry Brouncker 3rd Viscount Brounckner (age 52) was appointed Cofferer of the Household to [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 49).

In 1680 [his illegitimate half-brother] Henry Fitzroy 1st Duke Grafton (age 16) was appointed 482nd Knight of the Garter by [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 49).

Siege of Tangier

On 17th October 1680 [his illegitimate half-brother] Charles "Don Carlo" Fitzcharles 1st Earl Plymouth (age 23) died of dysentery at Tangier [Map] during the Siege of Tangier. Earl Plymouth, Viscount Totnes and Baron Dartmouth extinct.

In 1681 Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond (age 8) was appointed 485th Knight of the Garter by [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 50).

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 17th November 1681 Jean Chardin (age 38) was knighted at Whitehall Palace [Map] by [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 51). The same day Jean Chardin and Esther Lardinière Peigné were married.

Before 1682 Dr Henry Dove was appointed Chaplain to [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 51).

John Evelyn's Diary. 24th January 1682. This evening I was at the entertainment of the Morocco Ambassador at the [his mother] Duchess of Portsmouth's (age 32) glorious apartments at Whitehall [Map], where was a great banquet of sweetmeats and music; but at which both the Ambassador and his retinue behaved themselves with extraordinary moderation and modesty, though placed about a long table, a lady between two Moors, and among these were the [his father] King's (age 51) natural children, namely, [his illegitimate half-sister] Lady Lichfield (age 17) and [his illegitimate half-sister] Sussex (age 20), the Duchess of Portsmouth, Nelly (age 31), etc., concubines, and cattle of that sort, as splendid as jewels and excess of bravery could make them; the Moors neither admiring nor seeming to regard anything, furniture or the like, with any earnestness, and but decently tasting of the banquet. They drank a little milk and water, but not a drop of wine; they also drank of a sorbet and jacolatt [Note. This may be chocolate?]; did not look about, or stare on the ladies, or express the least surprise, but with a courtly negligence in pace, countenance, and whole behavior, answering only to such questions as were asked with a great deal of wit and gallantry, and so gravely took leave with this compliment, that God would bless the Duchess of Portsmouth and the Prince (age 9), her son meaning the little Duke of Richmond. The King came in at the latter end, just as the Ambassador was going away. In this manner was this slave (for he was no more at home) entertained by most of the nobility in town, and went often to Hyde Park [Map] on horseback, where he and his retinue showed their extraordinary activity in horsemanship, and flinging and catching their lances at full speed; they rode very short, and could stand upright at full speed, managing their spears with incredible agility. He went sometimes to the theaters, where, upon any foolish or fantastical action, he could not forbear laughing, but he endeavored to hide it with extraordinary modesty and gravity. In a word, the Russian Ambassador, still at Court behaved himself like a clown compared to this civil heathen.

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On 9th November 1682 James Butler 1st Duke Ormonde (age 72) was created 1st Duke Ormonde by [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 52). Elizabeth Preston Duchess Ormonde (age 67) by marriage Duchess Ormonde.

On 2nd December 1682 Henry Somerset 1st Duke Beaufort (age 53) was created 1st Duke Beaufort by [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 52). Mary Capell Duchess Beaufort (age 52) by marriage Duchess Beaufort.

On 6th April 1683 [his illegitimate half-brother] George Fitzroy 1st Duke Northumberland (age 17) was created 1st Duke Northumberland by [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 52).

In 1684 [his illegitimate half-sister] Charlotte Jemima Henrietta Maria Fitzroy Countess Yarmouth (age 34) died.

On 5th January 1684 [his illegitimate half-brother] Charles Beauclerk 1st Duke St Albans (age 13) was created 1st Duke St Albans by [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 53).

On 10th January 1684 [his illegitimate half-brother] George Fitzroy 1st Duke Northumberland (age 18) was appointed 489th Knight of the Garter by [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 53).

John Evelyn's Diary. 30th March 1684. Easter day. The Bp. of Rochester [Dr. Turner] (age 46) preach'd before, the [his father] King (age 53) after which his Ma*, accompanied with three of his natural sonns, the [his illegitimate half-brother] Dukes of Northumberland (age 18), Richmond (age 11), and [his illegitimate half-brother] St. Alban's (age 13) (sons of Cleaveland (age 43), [his mother] Portsmouth (age 34) and Nelly (age 34) respectively), went up to the Altar; ye three boyes entering before the King within the railes, at the right hand, and three Bishops on the left, viz. London (age 52) (who officiated), Durham (age 51), and Rochester, with the Sub-dean Dr. Holder. the King kneeling before the Altar, taking his offering, the Bishop first receiv'd, and then his Ma* after which he retir'd to a canopied seate on the right hand. Note, there was perfume burnt before the Office began. I had receiv'd ye Sacrament at Whitehall early with the Lords and Household, ye Bp. of London officiating. Then went to St. Martin's [Map], where Dr. Tenison (age 47) preach'd (recover'd from ye small-pox); then went againe to Whitehall as above. In the afternoone went to St. Martin's againe.

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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John Evelyn's Diary. 24th October 1684. I din'd at Sir Stephen Fox's (age 57) with the [his illegitimate half-brother] Duke of Northumberland (age 18). He seem'd to be a young gentleman of good capacity, well bred, civil, and modest: newly come from travell, and had made his campaigne at the siege of Luxemburg. Of all his [his father] Ma*s (age 54) children (of which he had now six Dukes) this seem'd the most accomplish'd and worth the owning. He is extraordinary handsome and well shap'd. What ye Dukes of Richmond (age 12) and [his illegitimate half-brother] St. Alban's (age 14) will prove, their youth does not yet discover; they are very pretty boys.

Death and Burial of Charles II

On 6th February 1685 [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 54) died around midday the morning at Whitehall Palace [Map] attended by Charles Scarburgh (age 69). His brother [his uncle] James (age 51) succeeded II King England Scotland and Ireland. Duke York merged with the Crown. Mary of Modena Queen Consort England Scotland and Ireland (age 26) by marriage Queen Consort England Scotland and Ireland. His brother King James II of England Scotland and Ireland, William Chiffinch (age 83), Richard Mason (age 52) and Archbishop William Sancroft (age 68) were present.

The time of his death reported differtently by different contemporary sources: John Evelyn's Diary 'at halfe an houre after eleven in the morning', the Anonymous Letter to Reverend Roper: 'Yesterday noon', Ambassador Barillon's Account: 'and at noon, he died without any struggle or convulsion.' and Charl;es Scarburgh's Manuscript: 'He expired on February the Sixth soon after noon'.

According to Mark Bryant's book "Private Lives: Curious Facts about the Famous and Infamous' King Charles is supposed to have said the much repested phrase: "I am sorry, gentlemen, for being such a time a-dying." This doesn't appear to come from a contemporary source. Macaulay in his 'History of England', writing much later has "He apologised to those who had stood round him all night for the trouble which he had caused. He had been, he said, a most unconscionable time dying; but he hoped that they would excuse it." Perhaps the nearest we can find in a contemporary source is the Anonymous Letter to Reverend Roper: 'and beg the pardon of the standers by, and those that were employed about him, that he gave them so much trouble: that he hoped the work was almost over...'

14th June 1685 Battle of Bridport

On 14th June 1685 the [his illegitimate half-brother] Duke of Monmouth's (age 36) forces commanded by Ford Grey 1st Earl Tankerville (age 29) were defeated by the Dorset Militia and withdrew to Axminster.

Wadham Strangeways (age 39) was killed.

Execution of the Duke of Monmouth

On 15th July 1685 [his illegitimate half-brother] James Scott 1st Duke Monmouth 1st Duke Buccleuch (age 36) was beheaded at Tower Hill [Map]. Duke Monmouth and Duke Buccleuch forfeit. Bishop Francis Turner (age 47) acted a Chaplain.

In 1686 John Talbot (age 21) was killed in a duel by [his illegitimate half-brother] Henry Fitzroy 1st Duke Grafton (age 22).

In March 1686 [his illegitimate half-brother] George Fitzroy 1st Duke Northumberland (age 20) and [his sister-in-law] Catherine Wheatley were married. Soon after the marriage Northumberland and his brother, [his illegitimate half-brother] Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton (age 22), allegedly attempted to privately convey her abroad to an English convent in Ghent [Map], Belgium. He the illegitmate son of [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland and Barbara Villiers 1st Duchess of Cleveland (age 45).

Storming of Cork

On 9th October 1690 [his illegitimate half-brother] Henry Fitzroy 1st Duke Grafton (age 27) was killed at Cork [Map] during the Storming of Cork. His son [his illegitimate nephew] Charles (age 6) succeeded 2nd Duke Grafton, 2nd Earl Euston, 2nd Viscount Ipswich, 2nd Baron Sudbury.

On 8th January 1692 Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond (age 19) and Anne Brudenell Duchess Richmond (age 21) were married. She by marriage Duchess Richmond. He the illegitmate son of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland and Louise Kéroualle 1st Duchess Portsmouth (age 42).

In 1694 [his illegitimate half-brother] Charles Fitzroy 1st Duke Southampton 2nd Duke Cleveland (age 31) and [his sister-in-law] Anne Pulteney Duchess Southampton Duchess of Cleveland (age 30) were married. She by marriage Duchess Southampton. He the illegitmate son of [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland and Barbara Villiers 1st Duchess of Cleveland (age 53).

On 17th April 1694 [his illegitimate half-brother] Charles Beauclerk 1st Duke St Albans (age 23) and [his sister-in-law] Diana Vere Duchess St Albans (age 15) were married. She by marriage Duchess St Albans. She the daughter of Aubrey de Vere 20th Earl of Oxford (age 67) and Diana Kirke Countess of Oxford. He the illegitmate son of [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland and Nell Gwyn.

On 24th December 1694 [his daughter] Louisa Lennox Countess Berkeley was born to Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond (age 22) and Anne Brudenell Duchess Richmond (age 23). She a granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. She married 13th February 1711 her sixth cousin James Berkeley 3rd Earl Berkeley, son of Charles Berkeley 2nd Earl Berkeley and Elizabeth Noel Countess Berkeley, and had issue.

On 18th May 1701 [his son] Charles Lennox 2nd Duke Richmond was born to Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond (age 28) and Anne Brudenell Duchess Richmond (age 30). He a grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. He married 4th December 1719 Sarah Cadogan Duchess Richmond, daughter of William Cadogan 1st Earl Cadogan and Margaret Cecilia Munter Countess Cadogan, and had issue.

On 24th June 1703 [his daughter] Anne Lennox Countess Albermarle was born to Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond (age 30) and Anne Brudenell Duchess Richmond (age 32). She a granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. She married 21st February 1722 William Anne Keppel 2nd Earl Albermarle, son of Arnold Keppel 1st Earl Albermarle and Geertruid Johanna Quirina Van Der Duyn Countess Albermarle, and had issue.

Death of Catherine of Braganza Dowager Queen Consort

On 31st December 1705 Catherine of Braganza Queen Consort England (age 67) died at the Bemposta Palace some twenty years after the death of her husband [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. She was buried at Monastery of São Vicente de Fora.

In 1709 [his illegitimate daughter] Renee Lennox was born illegitimately to Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond (age 36) and Jacqueline Mezieres. She a granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.

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.

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On 9th October 1709 Barbara Villiers 1st Duchess of Cleveland (age 68) died at Chiswick Mall. Her son [his illegitimate half-brother] Charles (age 47) succeeded 2nd Duke Cleveland, 2nd Earl of Southampton and 2nd Baron Nonsuch. [his sister-in-law] Anne Pulteney Duchess Southampton Duchess of Cleveland (age 45) by marriage Duchess Cleveland.

On 13th February 1711 [his son-in-law] James Berkeley 3rd Earl Berkeley (age 31) and [his daughter] Louisa Lennox Countess Berkeley (age 16) were married. She by marriage Countess Berkeley. She the daughter of Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond (age 38) and Anne Brudenell Duchess Richmond (age 40). He the son of Charles Berkeley 2nd Earl Berkeley and Elizabeth Noel Countess Berkeley (age 57). They were sixth cousins. She a granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.

On 15th January 1716 [his granddaughter] Elizabeth Berkeley was born to [his son-in-law] James Berkeley 3rd Earl Berkeley (age 36) and [his daughter] Louisa Lennox Countess Berkeley (age 21). Louisa Lennox Countess Berkeley died in childbirth She a great granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.

On 28th June 1716 [his illegitimate half-brother] George Fitzroy 1st Duke Northumberland (age 50) died at Epsom, Surrey without legitimate issue. Duke Northumberland, Earl of Northumberland, Viscount Falmouth, Baron Pontefract extinct.

In 1718 [his illegitimate half-brother] Charles Beauclerk 1st Duke St Albans (age 47) was appointed 531st Knight of the Garter by King George I (age 57).

On 17th February 1718 [his illegitimate half-sister] Charlotte Fitzroy Countess Lichfield (age 53) died. She a natural daughter of [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.

On 4th December 1719 [his son] Charles Lennox 2nd Duke Richmond (age 18) and [his daughter-in-law] Sarah Cadogan Duchess Richmond (age 14) were married at The Hague. He was, apparently, forced into the marriage to pay off his, or his father's debts since she brought a considerable dowry. She the daughter of William Cadogan 1st Earl Cadogan (age 47) and Margaret Cecilia Munter Countess Cadogan. He the son of Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond (age 47) and Anne Brudenell Duchess Richmond (age 48).

On 21st February 1722 [his son-in-law] William Anne Keppel 2nd Earl Albermarle (age 19) and [his daughter] Anne Lennox Countess Albermarle (age 18) were married at Caversham, Reading. She by marriage Countess Albermarle. She the daughter of Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond (age 49) and Anne Brudenell Duchess Richmond (age 51). He the son of Arnold Keppel 1st Earl Albermarle and Geertruid Johanna Quirina Van Der Duyn Countess Albermarle.

On 16th May 1722 [his illegitimate half-sister] Anne Fitzroy Countess Sussex (age 61) died.

Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke

Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson.

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On 27th May 1723 Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond (age 50) died. His son Charles (age 22) succeeded 2nd Duke Richmond, 2nd Earl March, 2nd Baron Settrington. [his daughter-in-law] Sarah Cadogan Duchess Richmond (age 17) by marriage Duchess Richmond.

Adeline Horsey Recollections. I believe my husband replaced a great deal of the original furniture at Deene [Map] with more modern examples, but many valuable old pieces still remain. The pictures are very beautiful, including a priceless Vandyke representing [his grandmother] Queen Henrietta Maria, in the happy days of her early married life, as a regal, gracious figure arrayed in shimmering satin. There is a lovely portrait of [his mother] Louise de Keroualle and her son, the Duke of Richmond, who married a Brudenell, and there are many examples of Lely, Sir Joshua Reynolds and other eighteenth- and nineteenth-century artists. One painting by Sant represents the Prince Consort and the Royal children listening to the account of the Charge of the Light Brigade by Lord Cardigan, and there are also some interesting pictures of hunting-field incidents, depicting Cardigan and his friends on their favourite mounts.

Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond 1672-1723 appears on the following Descendants Family Trees:

Royal Ancestors of Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond 1672-1723

Kings Wessex: Great x 18 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England

Kings Gwynedd: Great x 15 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd

Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 21 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth

Kings Powys: Great x 16 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys

Kings Godwinson: Great x 17 Grand Son of King Harold II of England

Kings England: Son of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland

Kings Scotland: Great x 17 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland

Kings Franks: Great x 14 Grand Son of Louis VII King of the Franks

Kings France: Great Grand Son of Henry IV King France

Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 22 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine

Royal Descendants of Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond 1672-1723
Number after indicates the number of unique routes of descent. Descendants of Kings and Queens not included.

Queen Consort Camilla Shand [1]

Diana Spencer Princess Wales [2]

Ancestors of Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond 1672-1723

Great x 4 Grandfather: John Stewart 3rd Earl Lennox 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Matthew Stewart 4th Earl Lennox 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabel or Elizabeth Stewart Countess Lennox 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Henry "Lord Darnley" Stewart Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland

Great x 4 Grandfather: Archibald Douglas 6th Earl Angus 10 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Douglas Countess Lennox Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Tudor Queen Scotland Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland

Great x 1 Grandfather: King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland

Great x 4 Grandfather: King James IV of Scotland 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: King James V of Scotland Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Tudor Queen Scotland Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland

Great x 2 Grandmother: Mary Queen of Scots Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland

Great x 4 Grandfather: Claude Lorraine 1st Duke Guise 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Mary of Guise Queen Consort Scotland 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Antoinette Bourbon Duchess of Guise 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

GrandFather: King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland Son of King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland

Great x 4 Grandfather: King Frederick I of Denmark

Great x 3 Grandfather: Christian III King of Denmark 10 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Anna of Brandenburg 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Frederick II King of Denmark 11 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Dorothea of Saxe Lauenburg Queen Consort Denmark and Norway

Great x 1 Grandmother: Anne of Denmark Queen Consort Scotland England and Ireland 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Albrecht VII Duke Mecklenburg

Great x 3 Grandfather: Ulrich Mecklenburg-Schwerin 11 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Anna Hohenzollern Duchess Mecklenburg 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Sophie Mecklenburg-Schwerin Queen Consort Denmark 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Father: King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland Son of King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland

Great x 4 Grandfather: Francis Bourbon Count Vendôme and Soissons 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Charles Bourbon Duke Vendôme 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Marie Luxemburg Countess Vendôme and Soissons 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Antoine King Navarre 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Rene Valois Duke Alençon 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Françoise Valois Countess Vendôme 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Lorraine Duchess Alençon 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England

Great x 1 Grandfather: Henry IV King France 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Jean III King Navarre 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: King Henry II of Navarre 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Catherine Grailly I Queen Navarre 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Jeanne Albret III Queen Navarre 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Charles Valois Orléans Count Angoulême 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Marguerite Valois Orléans Queen Consort Navarre 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Louise of Savoy Countess Angoulême 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

GrandMother: Henrietta Maria Bourbon Queen Consort England 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 1 Grandmother: Marie de Medici Queen Consort France 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Philip "Handsome Fair" King Castile 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Ferdinand I Holy Roman Emperor 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Joanna "The Mad" Trastámara Queen Castile 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Joanna of Austria Grand Duchess Tuscany 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Vladislaus II King Hungary 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Jagiellon 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Anna Foix Queen Consort of Hungary and Bohemia 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Charles Lennox 1st Duke Richmond Son of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland

GrandFather: Guillaume de Penancoët Seigneur de Kéroualle

Mother: Louise Kéroualle 1st Duchess Portsmouth

Great x 1 Grandfather: Sébastien de Plœuc Marquis du Timeur et de Kergolay

GrandMother: Marie de Plœuc