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: Mercia
Maternal Family Tree: Ealdgyth Mercia 1024-1066
1063 Death of King Gruffydd ap Llywelyn
1066 Coronation of King Harold
Around 1024 Ealdgyth Mercia was born to Ælfgar Earl of Mercia and East Anglia.
In or before 1049 [her future husband] King Harold II of England [aged 26] and Edyth "Swanneck" Swannesha [aged 23] were married. He the son of Godwin 1st Earl Kent and Wessex [aged 47] and Gytha Countess Kent and Wessex.
On 15th April 1053 Godwin 1st Earl Kent and Wessex [aged 52] died. His son [her future brother-in-law] Leofwine [aged 18] succeeded 2nd Earl Kent. His son [her future husband] Harold Godinson [aged 31] succeeded 2nd Earl Wessex.
Before 1056 [her son-in-law] Osbern St John 2nd Baron Burford [aged 15] and Nest verch Gruffydd Cadelling Baroness Burford were married. She the daughter of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn King Wales and Ealdgyth Mercia [aged 31].
Around 1057 Gruffydd ap Llywelyn King Wales and Ealdgyth Mercia [aged 33] were married. She the daughter of Ælfgar Earl of Mercia and East Anglia. He the son of Llywelyn ap Seisyll King Gwynedd King Powys King Deheubarth and Angharad ferch Maredudd.
Around 1057 [her husband] Gruffydd ap Llywelyn King Wales was appointed King Wales.
Around 31st August 1057 [her grandfather] Leofric Earldorman Mercia died at Kings Bromley, Staffordshire [Map]. His son [her father] Ælfgar succeeded Earldorman Mercia.
Around 1060 [her father] Ælfgar Earl of Mercia and East Anglia died.
In 1063 [her brother-in-law] Bleddyn ap Cynfyn King Gwynedd King Powys succeeded King Gwynedd.
On 5th August 1063 [her husband] Gruffydd ap Llywelyn King Wales was killed. The Ulster Chronicle states that he was killed by Cynan ab Iago King Gwynedd in 1064, whose father Iago had been put to death by Gruffydd in 1039.
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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In October 1065 [her brother] Morcar Earl Northumbria was appointed Earldorman Northumbria.
In January 1066 King Harold II of England [aged 44] and Ealdgyth Mercia [aged 42] were married. She the daughter of Ælfgar Earl of Mercia and East Anglia. He the son of Godwin 1st Earl Kent and Wessex and Gytha Countess Kent and Wessex.
In or after January 1066 [her son] Harold Godwinson was born to [her husband] King Harold II of England [aged 44] and Ealdgyth Mercia [aged 42].
On 6th January 1066 [her husband] King Harold II of England [aged 44] was crowned II King of England having been selected by the Witan at Westminster Abbey [Map]. Harold quick to be crowned the day after the death of Edward the Confessor.
Chronicon ex Chronicis by Florence and John of Worcester. September 1066. [her husband] Harold [aged 44] reigned nine months and as many days. The earls [her brother] Edwin and Morcar, who had withdrawn with their troops from the battle on hearing that he was dead, went to London, and sent off their sister, queen Elgitha [aged 42], to Chester; but Aldred, archbishop of York, and the earls just mentioned, with the citizens of London and the seamen, were desirous to proclaim Edgar [aged 15] the etheling king, he being nephew of king Edmund Ironside; and promised that they would renew the war under his banner. But while many were preparing to go forth to battle, the earls withdrew their support, and returned home with their army.
On 25th September 1066 [her husband] King Harold II of England [aged 44], supported by the brothers Edwin Earl of Mercia and Morcar Earl Northumbria, defeated the Viking army at the Battle of Stamford Bridge at Stamford Bridge [Map].
King Harald Hardrada III of Norway [aged 51] was killed. His son Magnus [aged 18] succeeded King Norway.
Harold's brother, fighting against Harold, Tostig Godwinson Earl Northumbria [aged 40] was killed.
On 3rd October 1066 [her brother] Edwin Earl of Mercia was appointed Earldorman Mercia when [her brother-in-law] Tostig Godwinson Earl Northumbria [deceased] was rejected by the Northumbrians for having acted against the law.
On 14th October 1066 the Norman army led by King William "Conqueror" I of England [aged 38] defeated the English army of [her husband] King Harold II of England [aged 44] at the 14th October 1066 Battle of Hastings fought at Senlac Hill Hastings. Aimery Thouars [aged 42], Ralph de Gael 2nd Earl East Anglia [aged 24], Eustace II Count Boulogne [aged 51], William Fitzosbern 1st Earl Hereford [aged 46], Geoffrey Chateaudun II Count Mortain III Count Perche, William Warenne 1st Earl of Surrey, Raoul Tosny, Robert Beaumont 1st Earl of Leicester Count Meulan [aged 26], Hugh Grandesmil [aged 34], Roger "The Great" Montgomery 1st Earl of Shrewsbury (possibly), Robert Mortain Count Mortain 1st Earl Cornwall [aged 35] and Bishop Odo of Bayeux fought for William.
King Harold II of England was killed. Earl Wessex, Earl Hereford extinct.
[her brother-in-law] Leofwine Godwinson 2nd Earl Kent [aged 31] was killed. Earl Kent extinct.
His brothers Gyrth Godwinson Earl East Anglia [aged 34] and Engenulphe Aigle [aged 56] were killed.
Around November 1066 [her son] Ulf Godwinson was born to [her former husband] King Harold II of England [deceased] and Ealdgyth Mercia [aged 42].
After November 1066 Ealdgyth Mercia [deceased] died.
[her son] Idwal Cadelling was born to Gruffydd ap Llywelyn King Wales and Ealdgyth Mercia.
[her son] Maredudd Cadelling was born to Gruffydd ap Llywelyn King Wales and Ealdgyth Mercia.
History of the Dukes of Normandy by William of Jumieges. And, after Gryffydd1, king of the Welsh, had been slain by the sword of his enemies, Harold took to himself Gryffydd's beautiful widow Ealdgyth, daughter of the noble earl [her father] Ælfgar. In those days, a comet appeared in the direction of Circius2, which, with three rays stretched far out, illuminating a great part of the southern heavens for fifteen nights, and, as many said, signified the change of some kingdom.
... Grithfridi quoque regis Wallorum, postquam hostilis eum gladius peremit, pulchram conjugem Aldith, præclari comitis Algari filiam, sibi uxorem junxit. In diebus illis, in parte Circii cometes apparuit, quæ tribus radiis longius protensis, maximam partem Austri per spatium quindecim noctium illustravit et mutationem, ut plurimi asseruerunt, alicujus regni designavit.
Note 1. Gruffudd ap Llywelyn, around 1010-1063. Chronicon ex Chronicis, Page 166: "Griffyth, king of Wales, was slain by his own people, on the nones of August [5th August 1063], and his head and the beak of his ship, with its ornaments, were sent to earl Harold, who, shortly afterwards, presented them to king Edward. The king then gave the territories of the Welsh king to his brothers Blethgent and Rithwalon, and they swore to be faithful to him and Harold, and promised to be ready to obey their orders by sea and land, and that they would faithfully pay whatever was paid before from that country to former kings."
Note 2. 'Circius'. A reference to the north-north-west wind. The comet being Halley's Comet which has a cycle of around 76 years. The comet is noticed in numerous sources around the world including William of Malmesbury, Book 2, Chapter 13: "Soon after a comet, a star denoting, as they say, change in kingdoms, appeared trailing its extended and fiery train along the sky. Wherefore a certain monk of our monastery, by name Elmer, bowing down with terror at the sight of the brilliant star, wisely exclaimed, 'Thou art come! a matter of lamentation to many a mother art thou come; I have seen thee long since; but I now behold thee much more terrible, threatening to hurl destruction on this country."
[her daughter] Nest verch Gruffydd Cadelling Baroness Burford was born to Gruffydd ap Llywelyn King Wales and Ealdgyth Mercia. She married before 1056 Osbern St John 2nd Baron Burford, son of Richard Fitzscrope 1st Baron Burford, and had issue.
William de Braose 9th Baron Abergavenny 7th Baron Bramber [1]
Elizabeth Burgh Queen Consort Scotland [1]
King Robert II of Scotland [1]
Philippa of Lancaster Queen Consort Portugal [2]
Philippa Lancaster Queen Consort Denmark [2]
Joan Beaufort Queen Consort Scotland [1]
King Richard III of England [5]
Anne Neville Queen Consort England [15]
King Henry VII of England and Ireland [4]
Queen Anne Boleyn of England [17]
Queen Jane Seymour [17]
Catherine Parr Queen Consort England [19]
Queen Catherine Howard of England [16]
Maximilian Habsburg Spain II Holy Roman Emperor [5]
Jane Grey I Queen England and Ireland [27]
Maximilian "The Great" Wittelsbach I Duke Bavaria I Elector Bavaria [5]
Maria Anna Wittelsbach Holy Roman Empress [5]
Ferdinand of Spain II Holy Roman Emperor [10]
George Wharton [144]
Margaret of Austria Queen Consort Spain [10]
Anna of Austria Holy Roman Empress [10]
Elisabeth Bourbon Queen Consort Spain [5]
Henrietta Maria Bourbon Queen Consort England [5]
John George Wettin Elector Saxony [5]
Frederick William "Great Elector" Hohenzollern Elector Brandenburg [5]
Eleonora Gonzaga Queen Consort Bohemia [10]
Maria Leopoldine Habsburg Spain Queen Consort Bohemia [10]
Hedwig Eleonora Queen Consort Sweden [5]
Charlotte Amalie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [5]
Victor Amadeus King Sardinia [5]
Louise of Mecklenburg Güstrow Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [5]
Maria Anna Neuburg Queen Consort Spain [10]
Joseph I Holy Roman Emperor [10]
Charles Habsburg Spain VI Holy Roman Emperor [10]
Adolph Frederick King Sweden [5]
President George Washington [10]
King George III of Great Britain and Ireland [10]
Charlotte Mecklenburg Strelitz Queen Consort England [5]
Caroline Matilda Hanover Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [10]
Marie Sophie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [15]
Caroline of Brunswick Queen Consort England [10]
Frederick William III King Prussia [5]
Frederica Mecklenburg Strelitz Queen Consort Hanover [10]
Queen Fredrika Dorotea Vilhelmina [10]
King Christian I of Norway and VIII of Denmark [15]
Frederick William IV King Prussia [10]
Frederick VII King of Denmark [25]
Queen Louise Hesse-Kassel of Denmark [30]
King Christian IX of Denmark [15]
Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom [20]
Queen Sophia of Sweden and Norway [25]
Victoria Empress Germany Queen Consort Prussia [55]
King Edward VII of the United Kingdom [55]
Maria Christina of Austria Queen Consort Spain [15]
Brigadier-General Charles Fitz-Clarence [607]
Victoria Mary Teck Queen Consort England [30]
Frederick Charles I King Finland [30]
Constantine I King Greece [15]
Alexandrine Mecklenburg-Schwerin Queen Consort Denmark [40]
Victoria Eugénie Mountbatten Queen Consort Spain [70]
Louise Mountbatten Queen Consort Sweden [85]
Ingrid Bernadotte Queen Consort Denmark [65]
Philip Mountbatten Duke Edinburgh [100]
Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom [2555]
Carl XVI King Sweden [135]
Queen Consort Camilla Shand [845]
Diana Spencer Princess Wales [7447]
Great x 1 Grandfather: Leofwine Mercia
GrandFather: Leofric Earldorman Mercia
Father: Ælfgar Earl of Mercia and East Anglia
GrandMother: Godgifu aka Lady Godiva