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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Paternal Family Tree: Campbell
In 1820 [his father] John Douglas Edward Henry Campbell 7th Duke Argyll [aged 42] and [his mother] Joan Glassel [aged 45] were married. He the son of [his grandfather] John Campbell 5th Duke Argyll and [his grandmother] Elizabeth Gunning Duchess Hamilton and Argyll.
On 30th April 1823 George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll was born to John Douglas Edward Henry Campbell 7th Duke Argyll [aged 45] and Joan Glassel [aged 48] at Ardencaple Castle [Map].
On 22nd January 1828 [his mother] Joan Glassel [aged 53] died.
On 22nd October 1839 [his uncle] George William Campbell 6th Duke Argyll [aged 71] died. His brother [his father] John [aged 61] succeeded 7th Duke Argyll, 4th Baron Hamilton of Hameldon in Leicestershire.
In 1844 George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 20] and Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower Duchess Argyll were married. She the daughter of George Sutherland Leveson-Gower 2nd Duke Sutherland [aged 57] and Harriet Elizabeth Georgiana Howard Duchess Sutherland [aged 37]. He the son of John Douglas Edward Henry Campbell 7th Duke Argyll [aged 66] and Joan Glassel.
On 6th August 1845 [his son] John Campbell 9th Duke Argyll was born to George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 22] and [his wife] Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower Duchess Argyll. He married 21st May 1871 Princess Louise Caroline Alberta Windsor Duchess Argyll, daughter of Prince Albert Saxe Coburg Gotha and Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom.
On 18th December 1846 [his son] Archibald Campbell was born to George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 23] and [his wife] Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower Duchess Argyll. He married Janey Callander and had issue.
On 25th April 1847 [his father] John Douglas Edward Henry Campbell 7th Duke Argyll [aged 69] died at Inveraray Castle. His son George [aged 23] succeeded 8th Duke Argyll, 5th Baron Hamilton of Hameldon in Leicestershire. [his wife] Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower Duchess Argyll by marriage Duchess Argyll.
On 12th October 1847 Charles William Fitzgerald Fitzgerald 4th Duke Leinster [aged 28] and [his sister-in-law] Caroline Leveson-Gower Duchess Leinster [aged 20] were married at Trentham, Staffordshire. She the daughter of [his father-in-law] George Sutherland Leveson-Gower 2nd Duke Sutherland [aged 61] and [his mother-in-law] Harriet Elizabeth Georgiana Howard Duchess Sutherland [aged 41]. He the son of Augustus Fitzgerald 3rd Duke Leinster [aged 56] and Charlotte Augusta Stanhope Duchess Leinster [aged 54]. They were half fifth cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.
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 30th July 1848 [his son] Walter Campbell was born to George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 25] and [his wife] Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower Duchess Argyll. He married 14th April 1874 Olivia Milns and had issue.
On 27th June 1849 [his brother-in-law] George Leveson-Gower 3rd Duke Sutherland [aged 20] and Anne Hay Mackenzie Duchess Sutherland [aged 20] were married. He the son of [his father-in-law] George Sutherland Leveson-Gower 2nd Duke Sutherland [aged 62] and [his mother-in-law] Harriet Elizabeth Georgiana Howard Duchess Sutherland [aged 43].
On 7th November 1849 [his daughter] Edith Campbell Duchess Northumberland was born to George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 26] and [his wife] Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower Duchess Argyll. She married 23rd December 1868 her fifth cousin Henry George Percy 7th Duke Northumberland, son of Algernon George Percy 6th Duke Northumberland and Louisa Drummond Duchess Northumberland, and had issue.
On 25th December 1850 [his son] George Granville Campbell was born to George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 27] and [his wife] Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower Duchess Argyll. He married 9th May 1879 Sybil Lascelles Alexander.
On 14th February 1852 [his daughter] Elisabeth Campbell was born to George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 28] and [his wife] Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower Duchess Argyll.
On 28th April 1852 Hugh Lupus Grosvenor 1st Duke Westminster [aged 26] and [his sister-in-law] Constance Leveson-Gower Duchess Westminster [aged 17] were married. Their first son Victor Alexander Grosvenor was born a year later to the day. She the daughter of [his father-in-law] George Sutherland Leveson-Gower 2nd Duke Sutherland [aged 65] and [his mother-in-law] Harriet Elizabeth Georgiana Howard Duchess Sutherland [aged 45]. He the son of Richard Grosvenor 2nd Marquess Westminster [aged 57] and Elizabeth Mary Leveson-Gower Marchioness Westminster [aged 55]. They were first cousins.
On 9th March 1853 [his son] Colin Campbell was born to George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 29] and [his wife] Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower Duchess Argyll. He married Gertrude Blood.
On 22nd May 1854 [his daughter] Victoria Campbell was born to George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 31] and [his wife] Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower Duchess Argyll.
On 17th August 1855 [his daughter] Evelyn Campbell was born to George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 32] and [his wife] Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower Duchess Argyll.
On 22nd February 1858 [his daughter] Frances Campbell was born to George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 34] and [his wife] Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower Duchess Argyll. She married 12th May 1879 her half sixth cousin Eustace Balfour and had issue.
On 22nd September 1859 [his daughter] Mary Emma Campbell was born to George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 36] and [his wife] Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower Duchess Argyll.
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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Around 1860. George Frederick Watts [aged 42]. Portrait of George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 36].
On 27th February 1861 [his father-in-law] George Sutherland Leveson-Gower 2nd Duke Sutherland [aged 74] died at Trentham Hall, Staffordshire. His son [his brother-in-law] George [aged 32] succeeded 3rd Duke Sutherland, 4th Marquess Stafford, 21st Earl Sutherland, 5th Earl Gower, 6th Baron Gower, 10th Baronet Gower of Stittenham in Yorkshire.
On 11th November 1864 [his daughter] Constance Harriett Campbell was born to George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 41] and [his wife] Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower Duchess Argyll.
On 23rd December 1868 [his son-in-law] Henry George Percy 7th Duke Northumberland [aged 22] and Edith Campbell Duchess Northumberland [aged 19] were married. She the daughter of George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 45] and Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower Duchess Argyll. He the son of Algernon George Percy 6th Duke Northumberland [aged 58] and Louisa Drummond Duchess Northumberland. They were fifth cousins.
On 31st October 1869 Richard Grosvenor 2nd Marquess Westminster [aged 74] died. His son Hugh [aged 44] succeeded 3rd Marquess Westminster, 4th Earl Grosvenor, 10th Baronet Grosvenor of Eaton in Cheshire. [his sister-in-law] Constance Leveson-Gower Duchess Westminster [aged 35] by marriage Marchioness Westminster.
On 21st May 1871 John Campbell 9th Duke Argyll [aged 25] and Princess Louise Caroline Alberta Windsor Duchess Argyll [aged 23] were married. She the daughter of Prince Albert Saxe Coburg Gotha and Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom [aged 51]. He the son of George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 48] and Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower Duchess Argyll.
In 1874 Hugh Lupus Grosvenor 1st Duke Westminster [aged 48] was created 1st Duke Westminster. [his sister-in-law] Constance Leveson-Gower Duchess Westminster [aged 39] by marriage Duchess Westminster.
On 10th February 1874 Augustus Fitzgerald 3rd Duke Leinster [aged 82] died. His son Charles [aged 54] succeeded 4th Duke Leinster. [his sister-in-law] Caroline Leveson-Gower Duchess Leinster [aged 46] by marriage Duchess Leinster.
On 14th April 1874 Walter Campbell [aged 25] and Olivia Milns were married. He the son of George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 50] and Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower Duchess Argyll.
On 25th May 1878 [his wife] Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower Duchess Argyll died.
On 9th May 1879 George Granville Campbell [aged 28] and Sybil Lascelles Alexander [aged 18] were married. He the son of George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 56] and Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower Duchess Argyll.
On 12th May 1879 [his son-in-law] Eustace Balfour [aged 24] and Frances Campbell [aged 21] were married. She the daughter of George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 56] and Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower Duchess Argyll. They were half sixth cousins.
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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In 1881 George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 57] and Amelia Maria Claughton Duchess Argyll [aged 38] were married. She by marriage Duchess Argyll. She the daughter of Bishop Thomas Legh Claughton [aged 72]. He the son of John Douglas Edward Henry Campbell 7th Duke Argyll and Joan Glassel.
In 1884 George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 60] was appointed 780th Knight of the Garter by Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom [aged 64].
On 2nd May 1889 [his son] Walter Campbell [aged 40] died.
In 1894 [his wife] Amelia Maria Claughton Duchess Argyll [aged 51] died.
On 18th June 1895 [his son] Colin Campbell [aged 42] died.
On 24th September 1896 [his daughter] Elisabeth Campbell [aged 44] died.
On 24th April 1900 George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll [aged 76] died. His son John [aged 54] succeeded 9th Duke Argyll, 6th Baron Hamilton of Hameldon in Leicestershire. Princess Louise Caroline Alberta Windsor Duchess Argyll [aged 52] by marriage Duchess Argyll.
Kings Wessex: Great x 22 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 19 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 25 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 20 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 23 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 10 Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Kings Scotland: Great x 21 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 29 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 13 Grand Son of Charles "Beloved Mad" VI King France
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 27 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Archibald Campbell 1st Marquess Argyll 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Archibald Campbell 9th Earl Argyll 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Douglas Marchioness Argyll 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Campbell 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: James Stewart 4th Earl of Moray 
4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 3 Grandmother: Mary Stewart Countess Argyll 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Home Countess Moray 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Campbell 4th Duke Argyll 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Alexander Elphinstone 6th Lord Elphinstone 14 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Elphinstone 8th Lord Elphinstone 15 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Elphinstone 16 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Charles Maitland 3rd Earl Lauderdale
Great x 3 Grandmother: Isabel Maitland
GrandFather: John Campbell 5th Duke Argyll 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Drummond 2nd Earl Perth
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Ker 2nd Earl Roxburghe 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Jean Ker Countess Perth 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Bellenden 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Ker 14 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Jane Ker Countess Roxburgh 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Hay Countess Cassilis 
8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Mary Drummond Bellenden 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Charles Moore 2nd Viscount Moore of Drogheda
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Moore 1st Earl Drogheda
Great x 4 Grandmother: Alice Loftus Viscountess Moore 
Great x 2 Grandmother: Mary Moore 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry IV of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Spencer 2nd Baron Spencer 
8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Alice Spencer Countess Drogheda 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry IV of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Penelope Wriothesley Baroness Spencer Wormleighton 
7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry IV of England
Father: John Douglas Edward Henry Campbell 7th Duke Argyll 9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Barnaby Gunning
GrandMother: Elizabeth Gunning Duchess Hamilton and Argyll
Great x 2 Grandfather: Theobald Bourke
Great x 1 Grandmother: Bridget Bourke
George Douglas Campbell 8th Duke Argyll 10 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
GrandFather: John Glassel
Mother: Joan Glassel