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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
Paternal Family Tree: Bertie
On 17th September 1744 Albermarle Bertie 9th Earl Lindsey was born to [his father] Peregrine Bertie (age 35) and [his mother] Elizabeth Payne.
On 21st June 1777 [his father] Peregrine Bertie (age 68) died.
In 1801 Albermarle Bertie 9th Earl Lindsey (age 56) was elected MP Stamford.
In 1809 Albermarle Bertie 9th Earl Lindsey (age 64) and Charlotte Layard Countess Lindsey (age 28) were married. She by marriage Countess Lindsey. The difference in their ages was 35 years.
On 8th February 1809 Brownlow Bertie 5th Duke Ancaster and Kesteven (age 79) died without male issue at Grimsthorpe, South Kesteven. He was buried at St Mary's Church, Swinstead [Map] on 17th February 1809. Duke Ancaster and Kesteven, Marquess Lindsay extinct. His third cousin Albermarle (age 64) succeeded 9th Earl Lindsey.
Sculpted by Richard Westmacott (age 33). A handsome white marble wall tablet in Grecian style depicting deceased and wife on a catafalque with mourning female figure, flanked by mother, children and angel. Above a scrolled cornice with Ducal coronet and palm. Beneath a rectangular inscription panel, flanked by scrolled brackets.
In July 1810 Robert Farquhar (age 33)was ordered to accompany the fleet under Commodore Josias Rowley that was to invade the French colony of Île Bonaparte, known today as Réunion. The attack was successful and Farquhar remained on the island as governor, moving to Mauritius in December 1810 after a successful invasion of the island under Admiral Albemarle Bertie (age 65).
On 19th May 1812 [his daughter] Charlotte Elizabeth Bertie was born to Albermarle Bertie 9th Earl Lindsey (age 67) and [his wife] Charlotte Layard Countess Lindsey (age 32). She married 29th July 1833 John Josiah Guest 1st Baronet and had issue.
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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
On 4th November 1814 [his son] George Bertie 10th Earl Lindsey was born to Albermarle Bertie 9th Earl Lindsey (age 70) and [his wife] Charlotte Layard Countess Lindsey (age 34).
On 26th December 1815 [his son] Montague Peregrine Bertie 11th Earl Lindsey was born to Albermarle Bertie 9th Earl Lindsey (age 71) and [his wife] Charlotte Layard Countess Lindsey (age 35). He married 30th May 1854 Felicia Elizabetha Welby Countess Lindsey and had issue.
On 17th September 1818 Albermarle Bertie 9th Earl Lindsey (age 74) died. His son George (age 3) succeeded 10th Earl Lindsey.
In or before 1821 Reverend William Peter Pegus and [his former wife] Charlotte Layard Countess Lindsey (age 40) were married.
On 28th November 1858 [his former wife] Charlotte Layard Countess Lindsey (age 78) died.
[his father] Peregrine Bertie and [his mother] Elizabeth Payne were married.
Kings Wessex: Great x 21 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 24 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 England: Great x 13 Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 20 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 17 Grand Son of Louis VII King of the Franks
Kings France: Great x 21 Grand Son of Robert "Pious" II King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 25 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Peregrine Bertie 13th Baron Willoughby 
9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Robert Bertie 1st Earl Lindsey 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Mary Vere Baroness Willoughby of Eresby 
7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Montagu Bertie 2nd Earl Lindsey 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu 
9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Montagu Countess Lindsey 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Jeffrey
Great x 1 Grandfather: Charles Bertie 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Cockayne 
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Cockayne
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Medcalf
Great x 2 Grandmother: Martha Cockayne Countess Holderness
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Morris
Great x 3 Grandmother: Mary Morris Countess Dover
GrandFather: Charles Bertie 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Pieter Tryon
Great x 3 Grandfather: Moyses Tryon
Great x 4 Grandmother: Mary Cullen
Great x 2 Grandfather: Peter Tryon
Great x 1 Grandmother: Mary Tryon
Father: Peregrine Bertie 12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Albermarle Bertie 9th Earl Lindsey 13 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
GrandFather: Edward Payne
Mother: Elizabeth Payne