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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Paternal Family Tree: Murray
Maternal Family Tree: Leonora Maresco
On 23rd October 1753 [his father] John Murray 3rd Duke Atholl (age 24) and [his mother] Charlotte Murray Duchess Atholl (age 22) were married. She the daughter of [his grandfather] James Murray 2nd Duke Atholl (age 63) and [his grandmother] Jane Frederick Duchess Atholl. They were first cousins.
On 30th September 1755 John Murray 4th Duke Atholl was born to [his father] John Murray 3rd Duke Atholl (age 26) and [his mother] Charlotte Murray Duchess Atholl (age 23). Coefficient of inbreeding 6.29%.
On 8th January 1764 [his grandfather] James Murray 2nd Duke Atholl (age 73) died. His nephew [his father] John (age 34) succeeded 3rd Duke Atholl, 4th Marquess Atholl, 5th Earl Atholl, 6th Earl Tullibardine. [his mother] Charlotte Murray Duchess Atholl (age 32) by marriage Duchess Atholl. His daughter Charlotte succeeded 8th Baroness Strange Knockin.
On 5th November 1774 [his father] John Murray 3rd Duke Atholl (age 45) died at Dunkeld. His son John (age 19) succeeded 4th Duke Atholl, 5th Marquess Atholl, 6th Earl Atholl, 7th Earl Tullibardine.
On 26th December 1774 , at a double wedding ceremony, sisters Mary and Jane were married:
Thomas Graham 1st Baron Lynedoch (age 28) and Mary Cathcart (age 17) were married. They were fourth cousin once removed.
John Murray 4th Duke Atholl (age 19) and Jane Cathcart (age 20) were married. She by marriage Duchess Atholl. He the son of John Murray 3rd Duke Atholl and Charlotte Murray Duchess Atholl (age 43). They were second cousin once removed.
In 1775 [his daughter] Charlotte Murray was born to John Murray 4th Duke Atholl (age 19).
In 1776 William Murray 1st Earl Mansfield (age 70) was created 1st Earl Mansfield in Nottinghamshire with a special remainder to [his sister-in-law] Louisa Cathcart 2nd Countess Mansfield (age 18) the second wife of his nephew David Murray (age 48).
On 5th May 1776 David Murray 2nd Earl Mansfield (age 48) and [his sister-in-law] Louisa Cathcart 2nd Countess Mansfield (age 18) were married. The difference in their ages was 30 years.
On 19th October 1777 Robert Fulke Greville (age 26) and [his sister-in-law] Louisa Cathcart 2nd Countess Mansfield (age 19) were married. He the son of Francis Greville 1st Earl Brooke Warwick Castle 1st Earl Warwick and Elizabeth Hamilton Countess Brooke Warwick Castle and Warwick (age 57). They were half first cousins.
On 27th June 1778 [his son] John Murray 5th Duke Atholl was born to John Murray 4th Duke Atholl (age 22).
On 29th May 1782 [his son] James Murray 1st Baron Glenlyon was born to John Murray 4th Duke Atholl (age 26) in Dunmore in the Forst of Athole. He married 19th May 1810 Emily Frances Percy Baroness Goldolphin Helston, daughter of Hugh Percy 2nd Duke Northumberland and Frances Julia Burrell Duchess Northumberland, and had issue.
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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On 11th September 1783 [his son] Edward Murray was born to John Murray 4th Duke Atholl (age 27). He died aged eleven in 1795.
On 13th March 1785 [his son] Robert Murray was born to John Murray 4th Duke Atholl (age 29). He died aged seven in 1793.
On 13th October 1788 [his son] Frederick Murray was born to John Murray 4th Duke Atholl (age 33). He died aged less than one years old.
On 11th April 1789 [his son] Frederick Murray died.
On 26th December 1790 [his wife] Jane Cathcart (age 36) died.
On 5th February 1793 [his son] Robert Murray (age 7) died.
On 19th March 1795 [his son] Edward Murray (age 11) died.
In 1801 [his brother] Bishop George Murray (age 39) was appointed Bishop of St David's.
On 3rd June 1803 [his brother] Bishop George Murray (age 42) died in Cavendish Square Marylebone after having caught a chill leaving the House of Lords.
On 13th October 1805 [his mother] Charlotte Murray Duchess Atholl (age 74) died. Her son John (age 50) succeeded 9th Baron Strange Knockin.
On 19th May 1810 [his son] James Murray 1st Baron Glenlyon (age 27) and [his daughter-in-law] Emily Frances Percy Baroness Goldolphin Helston (age 22) were married at St Martin in the Fields Church [Map]. She the daughter of Hugh Percy 2nd Duke Northumberland (age 67) and Frances Julia Burrell Duchess Northumberland (age 57). He the son of John Murray 4th Duke Atholl (age 54).
This is a translation of the 'Memoires of Jacques du Clercq', published in 1823 in two volumes, edited by Frederic, Baron de Reissenberg. In his introduction Reissenberg writes: 'Jacques du Clercq tells us that he was born in 1424, and that he was a licentiate in law and a counsellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in the castellany of Douai, Lille, and Orchies. It appears that he established his residence at Arras. In 1446, he married the daughter of Baldwin de la Lacherie, a gentleman who lived in Lille. We read in the fifth book of his Memoirs that his father, also named Jacques du Clercq, had married a lady of the Le Camelin family, from Compiègne. His ancestors, always attached to the counts of Flanders, had constantly served them, whether in their councils or in their armies.' The Memoires cover a period of nineteen years beginning in in 1448, ending in in 1467. It appears that the author had intended to extend the Memoirs beyond that date; no doubt illness or death prevented him from carrying out this plan. As Reissenberg writes the 'merit of this work lies in the simplicity of its narrative, in its tone of good faith, and in a certain air of frankness which naturally wins the reader’s confidence.' Du Clercq ranges from events of national and international importance, including events of the Wars of the Roses in England, to simple, everyday local events such as marriages, robberies, murders, trials and deaths, including that of his own father in Book 5; one of his last entries.
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In 1825. Thomas Lawrence (age 55). Portrait of John Murray 4th Duke Atholl (age 69).
On 29th September 1830 John Murray 4th Duke Atholl (age 74) died. His son John (age 52) succeeded 5th Duke Atholl, 6th Marquess Atholl, 7th Earl Atholl, 8th Earl Tullibardine, 10th Baron Strange Knockin.
[his daughter] Elizabeth Murray was born to John Murray 4th Duke Atholl.
[his daughter] Amelia Sophia Murray was born to John Murray 4th Duke Atholl.
Kings Wessex: Great x 20 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 17 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 23 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 18 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 21 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 8 Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Kings Scotland: Great x 19 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 27 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 11 Grand Son of Charles "Beloved Mad" VI King France
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 25 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Murray 2nd Earl Tullibardine
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Murray 1st Earl Atholl
8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Dorothea Stewart Countess Tullibardine
7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Murray 1st Marquess Atholl
7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Duncan Campbell 1st Baronet 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Jean Campbell Countess Atholl 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Sinclair 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Murray 1st Duke Atholl
5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Stanley 6th Earl of Derby
2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 3 Grandfather: James Stanley 7th Earl of Derby
3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Vere Countess Derby
8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Amelia Stanley Marchioness Atholl
4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Claude de La Tremoille 2nd Duke Thouars 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Charlotte Thouars Countess Derby 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Charlotte Flandrina Orange Nassau 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
GrandFather: George Murray
6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Douglas 10th Earl Angus
7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Douglas 1st Marquess Douglas
8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Oliphant Countess Angus 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Hamilton 1st Duke Hamilton
8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: George Gordon 1st Marquess Huntly 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Mary Gordon Marchioness Douglas 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Henrietta Stewart Marchioness Huntly
6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Catherine Hamilton Duchess Atholl
9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: James Hamilton 2nd Marquess Hamilton 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: James Hamilton 1st Duke Hamilton 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Ann Cunningham Marchioness Hamilton 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Anne Hamilton 3rd Duchess Hamilton 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Feilding 1st Earl Denbigh
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret aka Mary Feilding
9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh
8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Father: John Murray 3rd Duke Atholl
7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
John Murray 4th Duke Atholl
8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Murray 2nd Earl Tullibardine
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Murray 1st Earl Atholl
8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Dorothea Stewart Countess Tullibardine
7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Murray 1st Marquess Atholl
7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Duncan Campbell 1st Baronet 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Jean Campbell Countess Atholl 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Sinclair 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Murray 1st Duke Atholl
5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Stanley 6th Earl of Derby
2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 3 Grandfather: James Stanley 7th Earl of Derby
3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Vere Countess Derby
8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Amelia Stanley Marchioness Atholl
4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Claude de La Tremoille 2nd Duke Thouars 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Charlotte Thouars Countess Derby 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Charlotte Flandrina Orange Nassau 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
GrandFather: James Murray 2nd Duke Atholl
6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Douglas 10th Earl Angus
7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Douglas 1st Marquess Douglas
8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Oliphant Countess Angus 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Hamilton 1st Duke Hamilton
8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: George Gordon 1st Marquess Huntly 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Mary Gordon Marchioness Douglas 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Henrietta Stewart Marchioness Huntly
6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Catherine Hamilton Duchess Atholl
9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: James Hamilton 2nd Marquess Hamilton 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: James Hamilton 1st Duke Hamilton 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Ann Cunningham Marchioness Hamilton 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Anne Hamilton 3rd Duchess Hamilton 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Feilding 1st Earl Denbigh
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret aka Mary Feilding
9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh
8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Mother: Charlotte Murray Duchess Atholl
7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Frederick
Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Frederick
GrandMother: Jane Frederick Duchess Atholl
Great x 1 Grandmother: Leonora Maresco